Strategies of Containment and the Case of the Kaliwa Dam in the Philippines and the Curtailment of Civil Society Groups

From 2016 to 2023, the Philippines intensified its efforts to align with China and its then-fledgling Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), along with other developing nations, in the hope of securing comprehensive assistance without the structural adjustments and requirements that other funding institutions and nations impose. The Philippines under Rodrigo Duterte has flaunted its infrastructure-driven economic policy, or the Build, Build, Build (BBB) program, projected to lay the foundations for domestic economic growth and fulfill long-term transition goals for inclusive growth. One of these targets is the energy transition towards clean, renewable, and reliable sources, having been reliant on fossil fuels in its energy mix. While the BRI projects have been in stasis under the Marcos administration since 2023, an exploration of the failure of one of the largest pledges is to be studied through the lens of Rodan’s Modes of Participation by discussing modes and dynamics of escalation, and possible strategies for containment. Furthermore, it will shed light on the effects and challenges of civil society and the impact of development aid packages from other sovereign actors that are designed to counter and fill in the inequity gaps found in sustainability projects, leading to long-lasting structural change.