The Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) was created through the Busan Partnership Document, an outcome document of the Fourth High-Level Forum (HLF) on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan in 2011, to track progress in implementation of commitments and actions agreed upon in the HLF. The GPEDC aims for an inclusive country-led monitoring process by engaging various stakeholders such as providers of development cooperation, civil society organizations, trade unions, private sector, among others, to support broader involvement and joint actions for more effective development cooperation at the country level.
The Makati Business Club (MBC), in coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), serves as the focal point for the private sector given the organization’s active support in promoting the role of business sector in national development efforts.
The National Competitiveness Council was formed in 2006 as a Public-Private Task Force on Philippine Competitiveness and expanded in 2011 to raise the country’s competitiveness ranking to the top third by 2016. Its vision is to have a competitive Philippines, instill a culture of excellence and reduce poverty by helping bridge the unemployment gap, with public-private partnership as the development engine. MBC actively participates in NCC working groups.
The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections is a national, nonpartisan voluntary organization dedicated to promoting democracy through free, orderly, and honest elections and good governance. It carries out its mission by serving as a pollwatcher group during elections in the Philippines. Founded in 1983, NAMFREL has monitored every major Philippine election since then. It is also involved in anti-corruption programs, such as the monitoring of the procurement and distribution of medicines for public hospitals by the Department of Health.
Philippine Business for Education, or PBEd, was formed by members of the Philippine business community in 2006 to help form a consensus on the paths to education reform and to spearhead efforts along those directions. To achieve its goals, PBEd works with other sectors who also have a stake in reforming the country’s education system, such as schools, other civil society organizations, and government agencies and units. One of its current programs, the 1000 Teachers Program, offers scholarships to bright students who wish to pursue a career in education. PBEd also supports the 5775 Education Reform Movement, whose goal is to “reverse the education crisis through focused intervention and school-community action, towards system-wide performance improvements.”
The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) is the country’s major private sector vehicle and coordinator for disaster management. Corresponding programs are focused on the post-disaster revival and recovery of five (5) key sectors – shelter, livelihood, education, environment and water, infrastructure, sanitation and health (WISH). Backed by the country’s largest conglomerates, industry movers and top corporate leaders, PDRF is an embodiment of solidarity that transcends business competition and promotes the common vision to build a strong, resilient and disaster-ready Philippines. As a member of PDRF, MBC continues to represent the private sector in the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council meetings and has actively participated in dialogues and promotion of Disaster Preparedness and Recovery.
MBC is the only active business association in the Right 2 Know Right Now coalition that has been advocating for transparency and accountability through the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. MBC has actively participated in the committee deliberations in Congress and engaged lawmakers and key government officials to ensure the eventual passage of the bill, as well as participated in the coalition’s other advocacy activities.