We began our work in the Philippines in 1987, founded on an understanding that poverty, powerlessness and the denial of and abuse of human rights exist side by side and that injustice is at the root of all three.

This analysis spurred a programme on sustainable livelihoods, which over the years has developed holistically. Our rights-based approach to sustainable livelihoods in the Philippines is not just about ensuring that people have the means of production, but also about making sure that people acquire the means for change.

One way of acquiring this is through good quality basic education, which is the newest aspect of our programme. There is disparate access to formal and non-formal education in the country and the most deprived are children in rural areas.

To achieve its aim, we work side-by-side with Philippine development organisations.

We influenced the development of Community-based Coastal Resource Management and continue to work on the fishery sector.

Natural disasters and conflict are almost constant threats to people's lives and livelihoods. The Philippines, because of its geography and location is the most disaster-prone country in East Asia. In Mindanao, the second largest island, conflict has raged for the last 30 years due to cultural intolerance, inequality and the absence of representative political structures.

Indigenous people are the most marginalised in the Philippines. More than 4.5 million of them have been struggling for equal rights in Philippine society. We have supported their efforts to claim their right to their ancestral domains and to self-determination.

Basic education

"Education for All" has been our focus for the last two years, aiming to ensure that marginalised, excluded and vulnerable populations realise the right to basic education. Oxfam and others have pushed the government to convene an "Education For All" network, a broad campaigning and advocacy group.

Disaster management and emergency response

We support the right to life and security by promoting community-based disaster management programmes that equip communities with the knowledge and skills to prepare for, cope with, and mitigate the effects of natural or human-made disasters.

In Central Mindanao, where a war between government forces and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) escalated in 2000, Oxfam provided shelter, health care, and education facilities for evacuees. Now that families are returning home, Oxfam is working with partner organisations to support the efforts of communities to rebuild their lives.

Ensuring poor communities have access to and control of their assets

We have worked in the area of fisheries development since the late 1980s, supporting fishing communities in improving their technology with the aim of securing their right to a sustainable source of food and income. We support their attempts to be recognised by government as resource managers with a say in policies that affect their lives and livelihoods.

Fishing communities are often made up of poor farmers who head to the coast after finding themselves unable to make a living off the land. It is estimated that there are about one million working fishers in the Philippines, with some four to five million dependents. Of these, about 100,000 are paid labourers on commercial fishing vessels. Another 200,000 or so are in aquaculture. The rest are artisanal fishers who ply their trade in small boats. The impending fish trade liberalisation, large-scale commercial fishing, and the abuse of the environment are all threats to the fisheries that provide a livelihood to thousands of coastal communities.

Last updated: January 03