NETWORK AND PARTNERSHIP BUILDING
We understand that many social issues and concerns are systemic in nature. They constitute a network of connections within the different dimensions of life and/or aspects of the reality. To address such concerns has to be also done in a systemic way. PACSII enables the HPFPI to appreciate this and address such concerns through a wide network and partnership with Government, non-government, public, private institutions with whom they could collaborate and forge efforts in pursuit of a commonly shared vision.
With Government Agencies: Partnership with the government, especially through its agencies, related to housing, settlement development and other areas, is indeed crucial in the success of the initiatives taken by the HPFPI and PACSII. Any project takes off from the ground with some kind of collaboration with the Barangay and with the Local Government Units. Our organizations have also been dealing with national government agencies like the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC); Urban Poor Affairs Office (UPAO); Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD) (The new DHUD is a combination of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB); Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP). Our consultant, who used to be the President of the PACSII Board until the first quarter of the 2020, used to be the Presidential Commissioner of PCUP.
With Non-Government Organization: HPFPI and PACSII are affiliates of the following: Homeless International (HI) in the United Kingdom (now called REALL); The Servicio Latino-Americano, Africano, y Asiatico de Vivienda Popular (SELAVIP) based in Santiago, Chile; International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in London; Slum-Dwellers International (SDI) in South Africa; Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR) in Bangkok; MISERIOR in Germany; and the Institute of Environmental Science (ESS), and Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) in the Philippines, among others. Our HPFPI communities have succeeded in tying up with universities and colleges for mutual benefits. UN Habitat; INAM; ILO; and WPHF.
Academe: In the effort to adopt scientific approaches and processes in the organization of the communities, in doing social investigation, data gathering, historical narrative account of the communities in the different levels of social organization, PACSII and the HPFPI have engaged colleges and universities. In the past, the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Manila, and Iloilo have been open to partnering with us in attending to particular concerns along their expertise. Greater efforts will be done in order to engage Adamson University, which is also a Vincentian-managed academic institution.
With Church Groups and Associations: We have also especially affiliations with religious organizations and associations: (1) The Philippine Province of the Congregation of the Mission and the different Vincentian Parishes (in Payatas, Tandang Sora, Muntinlupa, Iloilo, and Cebu). We have experienced support from the Vincentians since the inceptions of our organizations (HPFPI and PACSII). The late Fr. Norberto Carcellar, the founder of the said organizations (PO and NGO) was a Vincentian priest, there were several other Vincentians (Fr. Joel Bernardo, Vinancio Lacorte, Aldrin Suan, Joselito Serabia, Gerald Borja, Atilano Fajardo, etc.) who became part of the history of the organizations, especially when it was the Vincentian Missionary Social Development Foundation Inc. (VMSDFI) was the principal Foundation that created the two organizations, and its present Executive Director, Fr. Rolando Tuazon is also a Vincentian priest. (2) MISEREOR, a Catholic Funding Agency, has been our long-standing partner since 2003; (3) Caritas Manila has signified its intention and interest to collaborate with us, especially in the area of Social Enterprise; (4) Ladies of Charity-AIC Philippines has also expressed interest in establishing ties with us as it is a Catholic Organization founded by St. Vincent de Paul who is committed to the service of the poor.
