Vision

PhilNet-RDI envisions the attainment of self-determining rural communities whose development is founded on equity, ecological sustainability, gender equality, respect for children’s right and people’s rights and culture, and the economic, socio-cultural and political empowerment of marginalized rural sectors and peoples.

 

Such a vision flows from its analysis of the situation where poverty remains to be concentrated in the rural areas due to age-old government neglect of agriculture and the concentration of resources (lands and other natural resources, finance and social services) in the hands of the few. The pattern of development that has been pursued has only ensured the continued siphoning of resources and wealth from the countryside, wide disparities in income, limited employment,  backwardness and subsistence modes of production for majority of farmers, and degradation of the environment has only spelled dismal quality of life for rural households.  Here, women and children are most to suffer. Meanwhile, governments drive for global economic integration only promise to make much more severe the impact of such pattern of development.

PhilNet-RDI considers what it calls “marginalized rural sector and people” (MRSP) as the motive force for area development. These are identifiable groups found in rural communities who are most to suffer from the current pattern of development and whose interest it would be to reverse such pattern.  Drawing from experience in past organizing efforts, PhilNet-RDI’s identifies the following groups as part of the MRSP:
  • Small owner cultivators
  • Share-tenants and lease-holders
  • Small scale entrepreneurs
  • Regular farm-workers
  • Seasonal agricultural workers
  • Fisher-folks
  • Fish-workers
  • Indigenous peoples
  • Female headed households
  • Women
  • Rural youth
These are groups found in rural communities that are in the position of varying levels of economic and political marginalization. The MRSP is not conceived as a homogenous, static group. Groups within it have their own specific interests and needs that are sometimes in conflict with each other. Such interests and needs also change over time.

PhilNet-RDI believes that nothing less than all sided-development initiatives at the ground for rural development and democratization can reverse such pattern of development. PhilNet-RDI’s over-all framework for RDD is aimed at evolving a development strategy that strive to work towards the broadest possible participation and of balanced development of the marginalized rural sectors.