ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book outlines the potentials and pitfalls of recent political reforms in the Philippines, and explores their origin both in the roots of the Philippines' historical development as a colony of Spain and the United States, and in the impact of current global economic forces. Metro Manila provides an excellent venue to study community organizing in informal settlements and the contradictions that community-based organizations (CBO) face. The book examines the history of community organizing in the Philippines. It traces the roots of current community organizing to anti-Marcos activism and analyzes the role of professional non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and church-based organizations, federations of CBOs, and national and local government agencies. It also examines the relationship between social trust and participation in CBOs through an analysis of data from a survey of 276 households.
