It recognizes that economic growth does not inherently contribute to human development[1][2] and calls for changes in social, political, and environmental values and practices.
Expanding beyond the environmental scope of sustainability, it advocates small-scale community actions in order to enhance economic self-reliance and create reliable sources of income.
He calls on external development partners to support objectives chosen by the people, building communities' capacity to manage resources and meet local needs independently.
Community participation and true democratic process demand that people have the means to hold government officials and public institutions accountable.
[7] The Manila Declaration proposed global monitoring systems to increase peoples' access to relevant information in order for communities to make rational decisions and protect their interests.
[7] This strategy emphasizes the need for local ownership so that communities have responsibility and control over their resources in order to benefit themselves and also stresses the role of government as an enabler for the peoples' agenda.
It recognized a primary concern of people-centered development – whether or not the benefits of economic growth (e.g. increased employment and income) are seen in underserved communities.