Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement
Encyclopedia
The Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, abbreviated as PRRM, is a non-governmental organization
and institution formed in 1952 in order to assist the poor members of society in the Philippines
. As a movement, it was initiated by upper and middle class group of individuals based on the experiences gained from the rural reconstruction and development done in China
during the beginning of the 1900s. After World War II
, among its tasks had been the establishment of cooperative
s in rural communities. It was the inspiration of the founding of the Federation of Free Farmers in 1953, as well as the birthing of organizations similar to PRRM in other countries such as Thailand
, Colombia
, India
, and Guatemala
Its main office is currently based in Quezon City
., which became possible through Dr. Yen's establishment of another related organization during the 1960s, namely the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR).
Other than that, the PRRM also plans and implements integrated and community-based resource management . The visions and missions of the PRRM aim to bring the welfare and living standards of the people of the Philippines to a significantly better level.
Secondly, the PRRM believes that one key ingredient for authentic development would nonetheless be unity and peace. It is especially essential for the Philippines as it is a vibrant nation with a diversity of culture and religious beliefs. The variances and differences should be overcome so that the Filipinos can achieve their goals as one united nation, and this will eventually lead to development for the country.
The PRRM also believes that nationalism, a reflection of a common ideology, is the key to authentic development. The people of the Philippines need to truly believe in their capacity in achieving what they want. Indeed, special attention to utilizing and
developing the indigenous efforts is essential in promoting self reliance.
Furthermore, PRRM believes that all development must take into consideration the protection of the environment. This will ensure that the environment will not be heavily strained on and that the future generations can continue to benefit from the Mother Earth.
With regards to culture, PRRM believes that the Filipino people have a vibrant and beautiful culture which they truly enjoy sharing with others.
Last but not least, PRRM also believes that development is for the people and by the people. Genuine people’s participation at every stage of development is the essence of community empowerment.
, technologies in the fishing business and farming, agroforestry
, planning and implementation of managing resources in communities, the fight against ignorance through education, the fight against proverty through livelihood training, the fight against diseases through health education, improvement in access to justice, restoration of cohesion and connection among and between communities, creation of livelihood, environmental stewardship, awareness of public policies, and the dissemination of information to other Philippine and Asian non-governmental organizations.
In addition, the PRRM intends to advocate issues related to environment and sustainable development, economic development, social development and the rights of women, children and youth, and governance and citizen’s participation.
Other long term goals also include the creation of an organization information database and the implementation of a “report card” system. The former acts as the basis for monitoring the ongoing projects and operations and the aim is to boost the efficiency of the different operations by at least 25% . While for the latter allows progress and accomplishments of ongoing projects to be recorded and reported. The PRRM aims to achieve workflow streamlining, publication exposure and quality, improved staff training and management accountability.
was founded and inspired by its then leader Dr. Y.C. James "Jimmy" Yen (also known as Yan Yangchu), a national of China. It was brought the Philippines, specifically in Nueva Ecija
and then also in Rizal province, by Filipinos such as Conrado Benitez
, a person connected to the University of the Philippines
, with the vision to empowering and developing rural communities and the aim of providing training on self-government and on how such communities can sustain
itself globally, nationally, and locally.
Apart from Conrado Benitez, original members of PRRM's Board of Trustees also included Salvador Araneta
, Cornelio Balmaceda
, Cecilio Putong
, Juan Salcedo, Jr.
, Asuncion A. Perez
, Gil Puyat
, Paul R. Parrette
, and Albino Z. Sycip. Apart from Benitez, Sycip, Putong and Salcedo, Jr., PRRM's original incorporator
s also included Esteban E. Abada, Eulogio Rodriguez, Jr., Roland Renne
, Juan Cojuangco, Oscar B. Arellano, and Jose S. Camus.
In 1970, former Philippine Secretary of Health
and Senator Dr. Juan Flavier
, conveyed his experiences while working with and for PRRM by writing his book entitled Doctor to the Barrios
.
In 2009, PRRM became a partner of the Ayala Foundation USA, with the task of building potable water facilities within chosen Philippine barangay
s.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
and institution formed in 1952 in order to assist the poor members of society in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. As a movement, it was initiated by upper and middle class group of individuals based on the experiences gained from the rural reconstruction and development done in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
during the beginning of the 1900s. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, among its tasks had been the establishment of cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
s in rural communities. It was the inspiration of the founding of the Federation of Free Farmers in 1953, as well as the birthing of organizations similar to PRRM in other countries such as Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
Its main office is currently based in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
., which became possible through Dr. Yen's establishment of another related organization during the 1960s, namely the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR).
Vision And Mission
The PRRM envisions a world of equity and sustainability, where society is free of ignorance, poverty, disease, and powerlessness; and where development takes place within the environment’s carrying capacity .Other than that, the PRRM also plans and implements integrated and community-based resource management . The visions and missions of the PRRM aim to bring the welfare and living standards of the people of the Philippines to a significantly better level.
Values
The PRRM believes in several values . Firstly, PRRM believes in justice and equity, which means that the poor should be treated with a preferential bias since they would have already been faced with much inequality in the past. PRRM also wishes to promote gender inequality and this would be shown in the projects done by PRRM.Secondly, the PRRM believes that one key ingredient for authentic development would nonetheless be unity and peace. It is especially essential for the Philippines as it is a vibrant nation with a diversity of culture and religious beliefs. The variances and differences should be overcome so that the Filipinos can achieve their goals as one united nation, and this will eventually lead to development for the country.
The PRRM also believes that nationalism, a reflection of a common ideology, is the key to authentic development. The people of the Philippines need to truly believe in their capacity in achieving what they want. Indeed, special attention to utilizing and
developing the indigenous efforts is essential in promoting self reliance.
Furthermore, PRRM believes that all development must take into consideration the protection of the environment. This will ensure that the environment will not be heavily strained on and that the future generations can continue to benefit from the Mother Earth.
With regards to culture, PRRM believes that the Filipino people have a vibrant and beautiful culture which they truly enjoy sharing with others.
Last but not least, PRRM also believes that development is for the people and by the people. Genuine people’s participation at every stage of development is the essence of community empowerment.
Goals
Among its present-day roles is the promotion of sustainable agricultureSustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment...
, technologies in the fishing business and farming, agroforestry
Agroforestry
Agroforestry is an integrated approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock.It combines agricultural and forestry technologies to create more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy and sustainable land-use systems.-Definitions:According to...
, planning and implementation of managing resources in communities, the fight against ignorance through education, the fight against proverty through livelihood training, the fight against diseases through health education, improvement in access to justice, restoration of cohesion and connection among and between communities, creation of livelihood, environmental stewardship, awareness of public policies, and the dissemination of information to other Philippine and Asian non-governmental organizations.
Future Goals
A core objective of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement is to build up the Conrado Benitez Institute for Sustainability (CBIS), which functions as the educational, research and technical troubleshooting wing of the PRRM. By focusing on education for sustainability through providing educational courses which cover topics such as sustainable local economy, agriculture, coastal resource management, new and renewable energy, and gender issues, CBIS aims to inculcate sustainability into the future generation.In addition, the PRRM intends to advocate issues related to environment and sustainable development, economic development, social development and the rights of women, children and youth, and governance and citizen’s participation.
Other long term goals also include the creation of an organization information database and the implementation of a “report card” system. The former acts as the basis for monitoring the ongoing projects and operations and the aim is to boost the efficiency of the different operations by at least 25% . While for the latter allows progress and accomplishments of ongoing projects to be recorded and reported. The PRRM aims to achieve workflow streamlining, publication exposure and quality, improved staff training and management accountability.
Historical background
In the 1900s, the Philippine Rural Reconstruction MovementRural Reconstruction Movement
The Rural Reconstruction Movement was started in China in the 1920s by Y.C. James Yen, Liang Shuming and others to revive the Chinese village. They strove for a middle way, independent of the Nationalist government but in competition with the radical revolutionary approach to the village espoused...
was founded and inspired by its then leader Dr. Y.C. James "Jimmy" Yen (also known as Yan Yangchu), a national of China. It was brought the Philippines, specifically in Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Palayan City...
and then also in Rizal province, by Filipinos such as Conrado Benitez
Conrado Benitez
Conrado Benitez was a former dean of the University of the Philippines. He was also the first president, as well as chairman, and one of the original incorporators of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement.-References:...
, a person connected to the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
, with the vision to empowering and developing rural communities and the aim of providing training on self-government and on how such communities can sustain
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
itself globally, nationally, and locally.
Apart from Conrado Benitez, original members of PRRM's Board of Trustees also included Salvador Araneta
Salvador Araneta
Salvador Z. Araneta was a Filipino nationalist, constitutionalist, statesman, civil servant, lawyer, educator, economist, businessman, industrialist, environmentalist, and philanthropist. He was a member of the Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1933 and 1971 and founder and twice president...
, Cornelio Balmaceda
Cornelio Balmaceda
Cornelio Balmaceda was a former Secretary of Commerce and Industries in the Philippines. He was also one of the original board of trustees and then later became president of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement....
, Cecilio Putong
Cecilio Putong
Cecilio Kapirig Putong was a Filipino educator, writer, Boy Scout leader, UNESCO fellow, author, pensionado and later became the Philippine Secretary of Education in 1952.-Writings:...
, Juan Salcedo, Jr.
Juan Salcedo, Jr.
Juan Salcedo, Jr. was a former Secretary of the Department of Health in the Philippines. He was also one of the original board of trustees and incorporators of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement.-See also:...
, Asuncion A. Perez
Asuncion A. Perez
Asunción A. Pérez was a former Social Welfare secretary and administrator in the Philippines from 1948 to 1953. She was also one of the original board of trustees of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement....
, Gil Puyat
Gil Puyat
Gil J. Puyat was a Filipino businessman and politician who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 1951, and as Senate President from 1967 to 1972.-Education:...
, Paul R. Parrette
Paul R. Parrette
Paul R. Parrette was a former general manager of the Philippine Manufacturing Company in the Philippines. He was also one of the original board of trustees of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. He is married to Frances E...
, and Albino Z. Sycip. Apart from Benitez, Sycip, Putong and Salcedo, Jr., PRRM's original incorporator
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
s also included Esteban E. Abada, Eulogio Rodriguez, Jr., Roland Renne
Roland Renne
Roland R. Renne , an Agricultural Economics Professor, served as President of Montana State College from 1943-1964. Dr. Renne was also active in Washington D.C. and United States overseas agricultural economics work...
, Juan Cojuangco, Oscar B. Arellano, and Jose S. Camus.
In 1970, former Philippine Secretary of Health
Department of Health (Philippines)
The Philippines’ Department of Health is the principal health agency in the Philippines. It is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for ensuring access to basic public health services to all Filipinos through the provision of quality health care and the regulation of...
and Senator Dr. Juan Flavier
Juan Flavier
Juan Martin Flavier is a former politician from the Philippines. He was a former Secretary of the Department of Health and a senator. He was born in Tondo, Manila eventually moving to Baguio City where he finished his secondary studies at the Baguio City High School...
, conveyed his experiences while working with and for PRRM by writing his book entitled Doctor to the Barrios
Doctor to the Barrios
Doctor to the Barrios is a book authored by Juan M. Flavier, a physician and former senator in the Philippines. Its complete title is Doctor to the Barrios, Experiences with the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. In this book, Flavier focused on the common problems encountered by Filipinos...
.
In 2009, PRRM became a partner of the Ayala Foundation USA, with the task of building potable water facilities within chosen Philippine barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s.
External links
- PRRM official website
- About PRRM, prrm.org