Annabelle Vitti C. Valenzuela

BS Agribusiness (University of the Philippines-Los Baños). MS Agricultural Economics (University of the Philippines-Los Baños). MA Development Studies (Murd)

My research project is on the urban poor of Naga City, specifically evaluating the impact of the Kaantabay sa Kauswagan (Partners in Development) program implemented by the City Government since 1988. The program aimed to realize secure tenure for the poor through homelot provision and urban upgrading, and was anchored on governance initiatives to enhance participation of the urban poor in political processes. In 20 years, no attempt has been made to study the development impact of Kaantabay especially as to the impact of tenure security and participation to poverty alleviation, and the sense of agency and exercise of citizenship by the urban poor. On a macro scale, these issues are worth investigating as they could inform on the effectiveness of policy approaches and strategies addressing urban poverty, including the limitations imposed to it by local contexts and local civil society-State relations.

In the Philippines, I have worked mostly in consulting for 13 years as proposal manager, social specialist, and evaluation researcher in various development projects funded by the ADB, WB, JBIC and private entities like the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. Doing a PhD enables me to partake both in the joy and discipline of knowledge building to help shape better lives and better tomorrows.

Postgraduate Researcher, Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150. Fax: 9360 6381, Email: A.Valenzuela@murdoch.edu.au