The Promise of Hilal by Local Governance Support Program in ARMM

Seven

Outstanding LGUs

Technical Team

Writers Rorie Fajardo Charina Sanz Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr. Jeffrey M. Tupas

The Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) encourages the use, translation, adaptation and copying of this material for noncommercial use, with appropriate credit given to LGSPA. Although reasonable care has been taken in the preparation of this pubication, neither the publisher nor contributor, nor writer can accept any liability for any consequences arising from the use thereof or from any information contained herein. ISBN 978-971-94572-0-6 Printed and bound in Davao City, Philippines Published by: The Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) Unit 72 Landco Corporate Centre J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada 8000 Davao City, Philippines Tel. No. 63 2 227 7980-81 www.lgspa.org.ph This project was undertaken with the ﬁnancial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). LGSPA was implemented by Agriteam Canada. www.agriteam.ca

Bonggang Bongao Internal Control System Initiative Bongao, Tawi Tawi

The Boardroom Beckons Professionalizing Governance in Datu Paglas Datu Paglas, Maguindanao War and Peace The Enduring Saga of Kapatagan Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur

Listening to Voices from the Margins Lamitan’s Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Governance Lamitan, Basilan

Zero Waste Heroes Solid Waste Management as Development Mantra Datu Odin Suat, Maguindanao

Coastal Clear Panglima Estino’s Campaign to Preserve its Marine Resources Panglima Estino, Sulu

Coming to Terms with the Future in Mamasapano Implementing Education Governance Reforms in Selected LGUs in ARMM Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Managing Editor Sef Alba Carandang Technical Review Team Rizal Barandino Gemma Borreros Jose Deles, Jr. Jaime Dumarpa Abduljim Hassan Merlinda Hussein Rachel Jungco Mags Z. Maglana Wilhelmina Morallas Joseph Palanca Veronica Quinday Wesley Villanueva Fatima Darwizzah Yusah Technical Coordination Maya Vandenbroeck

TH E P R O M I SE OF H I L A L

22 Editor Red Batario

Editorial and Creative Direction Myn Garcia

ontents C

The Upi Equation Peace Equals Economic and Social Development in Upi Upi, Maguindanao Wao, Wow, Whiz! Lanao del Sur Town Shows the Way in Gender and Development Wao, Lanao del Sur

Seven

Good Practices

Photography Bobby Timonera Cover and Divider Photos Bobby Timonera (7s & 4s) Maya Vandenbroeck (4s) KFI Photos Bobby Timonera KFI Fotobank Design and Layout Jet Hermida, creativejet

The Community Kitty Siasi’s Barangay Paluwagan System Siasi, Sulu

Four

Special Citations

98 Good Governance, Peace and Halal Certiﬁcation Assembly of the Dar’ul Iftah

Working as One for a Grand SLAM! Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities (SLAM)

104 Ethnic Justice Bleye Kitab

Mobile Governance Sultan Mastura’s BISITA sa Barangay Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao

112 The Pursuit of Development and Good Governance in the Midst of Strife and Conﬂict Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc.

Water Worlds

118 Peace Builder, Hope Weaver Sindaw Ko Kalilintad

Kabuntalan’s Way with WASH Kabuntalan, Maguindanao

Sultan Kudarat: Water as Builder of Hope Sultant Kudarat, Maguindanao

Hilal is an Arabic term for crescent moon: the very slight crescent moon that is ďŹ rst visible after a new moon. The sighting of the hilal determines the beginning and end of Islamic months.

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The Promise of Hilal: Stories of Good Governance in ARMM recognizes the efforts and contributions of the select local governments and civil

and their work to the public eye, LGSPA

society organizations in ARMM as

hopes to encourage the continuation

guiding lights in the dark pathways of

of good governance initiatives in the

governance. Against the stereotyped

autonomous region.

picture of gloom, LGSPA recognizes and afﬁrms the performance of

The Promise of Hilal likens the select

selected local governments as

local governments and civil society

building blocks for greater creativity in

organizatins to the thin sickle light of

overcoming perceived difﬁculties for

the dark new moon - the crescent –

governance reform.

or hilal in Arabic. The sighting of the hilal in the month of Ramadan marks

The Promise of Hilal imparts simple

the beginning of sacriﬁce. But it is

and practical examples that can

also a time of celebration for renewal,

lend themselves to replication and

forgiveness and greater resolve to

generate more concern, demand and

improve.

commitment for good governance in ARMM. By holding up key partners

Like the thin crescent light, these outstanding local governments and civil society organizations demonstrate the beginning of the triumph of commitment to public service against indifference in the face of obstacles.

The crescent moon is faint at the beginning, but brightens from night to night as the crescent thickens. LGSPA believes that like the hilal, these local governments and civil society organizations will be the rising light that will grow and thicken into higher standards of service and leadership in ARMM. Seven well-rounded local governments recognized for their outstanding performance. Seven good governance practices. Four civil society organizations with special citations for their signiﬁcant contributions to promoting peace and development in ARMM. Know their stories. And celebrate them!

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Oustanding LGUs

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BONGGANG ONGAO Who says ﬁnancial control systems should be difficult

Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

and complex? A town in Tawi-Tawi shows that with some computerization, transparent banking transactions and a little dose of good, old honesty and public service, more money could actually ﬂow into the local government’s coffers that can translate to development. By Jeﬀrey M. Tupas Internal Control System Initiative

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What

gives in this town that 10 or 15 years ago had seemingly sleep-walked through time and tide when governance meant poor roads, dismal services, nearly empty public coffers and a local economy afflicted by disincentives and neglect?

If perchance told that story, a visitor would be hard put to connect current realities with Bongao’s past.

Everywhere one looks a frenzy of activity is present: outrigger canoes (bancas) from outlying towns of Tawi-Tawi bringing in an assortment of fresh produce, delicacies, cigarettes, dried fish, noodles, clothes, stacks of DVDs and the goods of everyday commerce. Grocery stores, restaurants, a hotel, mobile phone shops, internet cafes, and a bank with (hallelujah!) a working automated teller machine (ATM) in downtown Bongao everyday attract a steady stream of people. Not far from the busy thoroughfare, workers are rushing to finish construction of the P20-million public market, a two-storey edifice that, once finished in March 2010, will dominate the skyline of downtown Bongao. Local officials say they expect the market to somewhat inject new life into the local economy. They have to be optimistic. They’ve sunk in P1 million per year starting 2007 to the public market project. Mayor Albert Que said that some 20 years ago, economic and social development in Bongao was very slow. 10 HILAL

“I have seen how Bongao has matured as a local government unit since then. The things that the people enjoy now are fruits of years of struggle and tough decisions that had to be made,” said Que. Que, who was a member of the Sangguniang Panglunsod for several years before he was elected mayor, said he knows the potentials of Bongao that had not been tapped by years of weak governance and misplaced development priorities.

“Nothing good was happening to Bongao and to the people. Life was severely difficult and miserable. Prices of basic goods were high and the government was barely doing anything to remedy social problems. There were no roads. School buildings and health clinics were dilapidated and there were not enough medicines. The business sector was hesitant to pour in their investment here,” Que said.

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With a current population of nearly 100,000, Bongao is a magnet for traders from the island municipalities of TawiTawi and other provinces. Its proximity to Sabah, Malaysia makes it a strategic business hub in this part of the Southern Philippines. Bongao is the seat of the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi. There are at least six colleges in the municipality where a shopping mall will soon open. Recently the government, in partnership with the Growth with Equity in Mindanao project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), rehabilitated the Bongao airport. Upon assuming office in 2001, Que said the first thing that he did was to make sure that government resources are efficiently managed. To do this, he said, he had to change the old system of “personally keeping the daily collection of the local government.”

Internal Control System Reform “The income, the local collection, was not being monitored. The collectors were handling the money according to their personal whims and disposal. The cash is with them, deposited somewhere in their respective houses for days. They could have used the money for their personal needs and wants and nobody would know…they could even fix the books,” he said. Que prescribed something simple: ensure that the day’s collection is deposited in the bank at the proper time. The mayor, who was also a businessman, hired a certified public accountant to handle the finances of the local government. “Even that system of handling our resources was questioned by many. But we have to show that we are serious in instituting change for us to be able to respond appropriately to the needs of the people.

Many things at that time needed to be done -- schools, health centers, livelihood for the people, roads -- and we could not do it if we do not have money. Even the salaries of the employees were affected because of the old practice,” he said. “It was a change that we made to deliver what we must to the people,” Que added. Mary Ann Abdulmonap, the municipal accountant hired by the mayor, said they had difficulty reconstructing the financial and management systems because of poor record keeping practices. The LGU then partnered with the National Computer Center through the help of the Local Governance Support Program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (LGSPA) to computerize all its departments, putting its governance reforms into high gear. This paved the way for systematic government transactions, timely

disbursement of salaries and tax roll preparations, including financial reports. Bongao was the first LGU in Tawi-Tawi to implement a project of this kind. Abdulmonap said that with the new system effectively in place, the LGU was able to start implementing infrastructure projects. Local collections were used as counterpart contribution for foreign-funded infrastructure and other development projects.

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resources of Bongao when they saw how this was being depleted by destructive practices, such as dynamite fishing, over the years. With the declaration of Aguada Bay as marine protected area, some 50 hectares opposite Pababag Island, particularly Barangay Lagasan and Barangay Pababag, are now regenerating. “For the people of Bongao, the sea is very important. Our marine resources are one of the major sources of our livelihood. If we do not protect the sea, it is tantamount to giving up our main source of livelihood. A destroyed sea means disaster for the thousands of fishermen and their families,” the mayor said.

“

“That approach to governance was new and turned out to be really helpful. Before, we even questioned the usefulness of trainings, seminars and study tours; we just couldn’t see their signiﬁcance in the middle of our desperation to generate money for our projects and programs. How can we be build roads if we keep on attending seminars? How can we build schools? We needed money. Later, we realized during the preparation of the Executive and Legislative Agenda that all that we learned along the way can become useful tools in good governance.” Mary Ann Abdulmonap, Municipal Accountant

The local government has also focused attention on improving health services and school facilities. More than 2,000 health cards have been distributed so far. Abdulmonao, who is also concurrently Municipal Administrator officerin-charge, said the initiatives of the LGU were guided by its Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA) formulated with support from LGSPA.

Coastal Resource Management In its CDP-ELA, one of the things the LGU identified as a priority area is the protection of Bongao’s marine resources. Mayor Que said they realized the necessity of protecting the marine 14 HILAL

”

The establishment of protected marine sanctuaries in Bongao benefits other island municipalities like Panglima Sugala and Simunul which also rely mainly on fisheries and marine resources for livelihood and employment. The Bongao government also issued Executive Order No. 8 creating the Municipal Coastal Law Enforcement Team (MCLET) and Executive Order No. 14 constituting the Municipal Fisheries Office. The office worked with the Sangguniang Bayan for the approval of the municipal fisheries management plan to address the issue illegal fishing practices. The MCLET is an inter-agency group that includes the Municipal Fisheries Office (MFO), Philippine National

Police (PNP), Bantay Sanctuary, the military’s Task Force 62, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Since 2006, when the body was activated, cases of illegal fishing, particularly the use of dynamite, had dropped by 98 percent. Earlier, LGSPA supported the construction of fish cages in Barangay Pababag. This was followed by an LGU-initiated expansion of the marine protected areas to include other villages. When local officials and members of the MCLET went on a study tour to Bohol, where marine resources are highly valued and protected, they were inspired to replicate what they saw. Zulficar S. Ladjahali, chair of Barangay Lagsan and head of the Bantay Sanctuary said: “I realized that protecting our marine resources will not only provide us with abundant fish and other marine products but that this will also attract tourists (that in turn will translate into livelihood opportunities). These things can also be done in our village.” Bongao’s CDP-ELA also identified agriculture as a major source of livelihood. But because roads have become nearly impassable over the years, agriculture production has declined. With support from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the former’s Infrastructure Rural Enhancement Sector – Department of Agriculture (INFRES-DA) project, Bongao was able construct and rehabilitate farm-tomarket roads, after the LGU showed readiness to undertake the project by providing counterpart funding.

People’s Participation Manuel Pampora, the Municipal Planning and Development Officer, said all the good things now happening in Bongao became possible only through strong partnerships forged by the LGU with other sectors.

“We have recognized and valued the importance of the participation of the community in governance. We are here for the people so it would be better if we include them from the early stage of implementing certain programs,” said Pampora. “The consultations and dialogues with the members of civil society groups and government line agencies really provided significant inputs in the programs of the local government,” he added. Said Mary Ann Abdulmonap,“It (people’s participation) was helpful when

we were crafting the Executive and Legislative Agenda especially when we opened our doors to other government line agencies, civil society groups and other stakeholders. The process was to go down to the level of the grassroots. We asked them what they needed. The time when political leaders and donor agencies dictate on what the people must have is over…now they decide what they want and need.” Que said that many things have changed for the better in Bongao when the LGU instituted governance reforms

but that many things still need to be done. Part of this equation is peace making. As a development and governance thrust, it gave the local government of Bongao added perspective on how to build and sustain their gains by working to create a peaceful environment. For starters, the people declared the municipal hall a zone of peace. “I know that we are on the right track. Still, a lot of things must be done. Bongao can become better in the coming years if the gains of the present will be continued in the future,” he said. HILAL 15

The BoardBeckons room ittle Abjulamin curls in his cloth hammock gently rocked to sleep by his 20-year-old mother Marina Usop, herself barely out of her teens. “He came as a blessing to us,” she said, despite the difﬁcult childbirth that necessitated a cesarean operation that cost a staggering P19,700.

“I was shocked. I do not have work and I could not afford it,” said Usop. But thanks to the Philhealth card the local government of Datu Paglas gave her, she paid only P120 to the provincial hospital where she gave birth.

A small town in Maguindanao shows that techniques and strategies used by private corporations can be

Usop is only one among 5,000 indigents in Datu Paglas town in Maguindanao enjoying the beneﬁts of Philhealth. “This came as another blessing,” she said while expressing thanks to the local government which is paying the annual premium of P120.

adopted to streamline local government operations and administration with amazing results. By Charina Sanz Professionalizing Governance in Datu Paglas Datu Paglas, Maguindanao 16 HILAL

Not only that, the LGU is also investing on “promotive” and preventive healthcare by providing monthly honorarium and allowances to rural health workers to enable community members to beneﬁt from health education. What makes this any different from the basic services delivery of other local government units? In Datu Paglas, they have some ready answers:

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Have Garbage, Will Segregate

he solid waste management program is a top priority in the Executive and Legislative Agenda of Datu Paglas. The town had no solid waste disposal system before which was starting to pose problems. Solid waste was not segregated and dumping was indiscriminate. “The LGU had no garbage truck and the police car and ambulance car were all junks,” said Mayor Paglas. The drainage canals in the market were also clogged. While the delivery of services for ecological solid waste management is a responsibility of LGUs, as mandated by Republic Act 9003 also known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act,” many LGUs across the country, especially in ARMM, do not have the capacity to meet the technical speciﬁcations of the law. The law stresses the importance of minimizing waste through recycling, resource recovery, reuse and composting.

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The turnaround came when Mayor Paglas, along with key ofﬁcials, attended a threeday Solid Waste Management (SWM) seminar in General Santos City supported by the LGSPA. Participants included barangay captains, teachers, municipal councilors, department heads and CSO representatives. Seven key components must be present in a good SWM program such as Environmental Organization; Engineering, Enforcement and Policy; Education; Enterprise Development; and Equity. The seventh ‘E’, according to Mayor Paglas, is “Executive Will”. To generate public support, the LGU showed the video “Basura”(Garbage). “We also gathered the leaders in the market and gave them an SWM orientation,” Mayor Paglas said. An “Operation Linis”(Clean-up Drive) was also conducted where all the LGU employees spent a day cleaning the market to jumpstart the SWM campaign.

The market was divided into four sections: wet; restaurant; vegetables; and dry goods. Sets of two trashcans “nabubulok” (biodegradable) and “di nabubulok” (non-biodegradable) were also provided to each stall owner and even ambulant vendors, making waste segregation a personal responsibility. A solid waste management ordinance was passed to enforce payment of penalties for non-segregated waste. SWM enforcers were deputized to help implement “Operation Linis”. Citation tickets were also issued to violators and an SWM orientation became mandatory prior to the issuance of business permits. An ordinance banning the selling and buying operations of mobile junk shops was also passed to ensure that all segregated waste goes directly to the MRF. The LGU also allotted a speciﬁc fund for SWM from the 20 percent Economic Development Fund (EDF) of the LGU budget.

This early, the Solid Waste Management program is already paying off with garbage in the market signiﬁcantly reduced. The collection system has also improved. Only “compostable” waste is collected at 3 p.m. every day while recyclable/residual waste is collected every Monday afternoon at 4. With reduced garbage volume, there is no longer any need for a garbage truck and only a collection pushcart is now being used. Three pushcarts were built, one each for the pilot barangays of Poblacion, Madidis, and Damalusay. HILAL 19

Myrna Akmad, the poblacion’s MRF supervisor, said that since they started operations in January 2009, they have been earning twice their capital of P2,500 by selling recyclables. Proceeds go to the Datu Paglas Women’s Cooperative which operates the facility, providing livelihood for its members. She also points to a vegetable garden a few meters away from the facility where cucumber, ampalaya, camote and other crops are planted. Biodegradable wastes are composted and used as soil conditioners for the garden. The women earn about one thousand pesos a month from their vegetable harvest. Because of the effective partnership with women civil society organizations, the solid waste management program has been considered as a leading practice of the LGU. Mayor Paglas leads the implementation of the LGU Solid Waste Management Plan.

Viral Effect Municipal employees reporting for work punctually and performing their functions efficiently demonstrate the viral effect of efforts to professionalize LGU operations. Administrative and financial systems are computerized and internet access is readily available in the municipal hall. Sangguniang Bayan members take turns to report and attend to the needs of constituents as an “officer of the day”. The SB has passed a number of significant legislation relating to social, economic development and environmental management.

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An enlightened leadership and competent government administration Leaders who readily embrace the principles of good governance Productive and transparent relations with barangay officials, municipal staff, government line agencies, civil society organizations, community members and neighboring municipalities Participatory planning methods and public performance reporting Administrative competence as reflected in its financial operations and revenue systems including tax collection

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“We want to professionalize the LGU operations in the same way one would run a corporate business,” says Mayor Mohamad Paglas, “ensuring customer satisfaction, savvy marketing and sound management principles”. This “corporate brand of governance”, as shown by Datu Paglas, cascades from the mayor to the municipal hall employees who strictly observe ofﬁce hours, down to the barangay ofﬁcials and even the market vendors who seriously take waste segregation as part of the LGU’s solid waste management program.

At the market, for instance, vegetable vendor Kasma Manlumbingla says she brings her own sacks and trash bins to segregate waste. “Otherwise, if we are caught violating, we have to pay a ﬁne,” says Kasma. On Mondays, in the late afternoon, a motorized pushcart goes from house to house in the poblacion collecting recyclable materials which are later brought to a materials recovery facility (MRF). All 23 barangays have their own MRFs which are run by allwomen teams.

Moves to professionalize public administration in Datu Paglas began during the incumbency of the late Datu Ibrahim “Toto” Paglas III, the present mayor’s brother, who was elected mayor in 1996. Datu Paglas has been a partner LGU of the Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program (LGSP) and LGSPA since 1996. Under the late mayor’s administration, Datu Paglas earned accolades for its transformation “from a war zone to an economic zone”. The current administration, while reaping the beneﬁts of that transformation, is also building on the gains of the past. One dis-

tinctive feature of all Paglas administrations is their consultative development planning that permeates the executive and legislative departments down to the barangay level. The LGU’s strong partnership with various stakeholders also helped in the effective implementation of the Executive and Legislative Agenda by providing opportunities for citizen participation through functional Local Special Bodies and efficient service delivery mechanisms. Values education is also a priority in Datu Paglas. Across classrooms in the elementary and high school levels, around 23 ustadz (religious leaders) inculcate Islamic values among students. “Instilling values among our children will go a long way in preventing lawlessness,” Mayor Paglas said. Datu Paglas has achieved competence in the management and delivery of conflict transformation services. It promotes conflict resolution at the barangay level through the Barangay Justice System. It has functional structures and systems for peace building and conflict transformation mechanisms such as the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) and the Council of Elders.

palm oil and sugarcane plantations that provide local employment. Known for its large tracts of lands planted to bananas, the LGU is also exploring other agriculturerelated partnerships and investments. Private sector investments on palm oil plantations are being eyed with the projected opening in 2010 of an oil processing plant. . Datu Paglas’s membership in the Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities (SLAM) also opened more windows for partnership. SLAM is an inter-LGU alliance of four Maguindanao municipalities that include Paglat, G.S.K Pendatun and Sultan sa Baronguis (See related story on the SLAM). Asked why the LGU of Datu Paglas is successful, Mayor Paglas says it is because of his family’s commitment to care for their people by running the LGU as a corporation. “We care because it is our responsibility. Besides most of the people here are our relatives. How could you not take care of your own kin?” “Our leadership is also based on faith and fear in God. Our belief is wherever the people are, God is also there with them,” he adds. “In our own little way, we can make a big difference”.

The LGU’s local economic development also supports the establishment of banana, HILAL 21

Local leaders and citizens of a Lanao del Sur town join hands to rebuild their community from the ravages of conďŹ&#x201A;ict and demonstrate that peace is possible when this is willed. Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur

warpeace &

The Enduring Saga of Kapatagan

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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to flee. Thereafter, it became a ghost town, until people started to come back. With the election of the first lady Mayor, Raida Bansil Maglangit, whose respected royal family commands a large following, the return to normalcy took on heightened speed. Local inhabitants who were initially anxious to return learned about the many

pro-people programs she had initiated and decided it was time to come home and rebuild their lives.“We did not rebuild our community overnight”, said Mayor Maglangit, whose fame as a no-nonsense local chief executive has travelled to the ARMM provinces and beyond. That she has received international recognition as a Quran reader adds to her luster, but keep-

ing her feet on the ground, she has chosen to put to good use her wide knowledge of the Islamic way of life to transforming her municipality into a thriving community. “I knew that I would not be able to do this on my own”, said Maglangit.“At the outset, I realized it was important to get everyone’s cooperation”.

ny first timer in Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur, will be surprised to know that the municipality was once a no-man’s land. What one sees today is a thriving community where people are engaged in agriculture, fishing and trading. They attend programs and socials in the community center, and volunteer their time to civic causes. The young men play basketball, the children attend school, and groups

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of boys and girls tease and laugh while walking together on the street. A visit to the houses will show mothers cooking, taking care of their babies, washing clothes or tending vegetable plots in the front yard. One of the sons fetches water in a communal faucet, with clean, cool and potable water coming from a spring in the

mountains. Not too long time ago, Kapatagan was the site of clashes between Muslim rebels and government forces. Described by the media as the “classic disaster area”, it suffered the most during the full-scale 2000 war because its predominantly Muslim population was perceived to be supportive of the rebels. The people had no choice but HILAL 25

Her fellow leaders and the people of the community responded with equal zeal. Sultan Junaid Maglangit, the mayor’s brother who inherited his title from their late politician father, revered and admired in his time, said that “my sister adopted a fresh approach to her leadership, one that sought to unite the people and not divide them into factions to gain their loyalty”. “What the people saw was an honest desire to make a difference in the people’s lives”, said Edwina Tobias, the municipal accountant who goes beyond the scope of her duties by assisting the mayor in her development undertakings.“She might have been reluctant at first when she was prevailed upon by her family to run for office, but when she won, she plunged into her responsibilities with dedication and resoluteness”.

lation, resource mobilization and in formulating the Comprehensive Development Plan - Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA) in a participatory manner. The CDP-ELA as the blueprint for development of Kapatagan was used as the basis for mobilizing resources from the provincial, regional and national government and from donor and funding agencies. “LGSPA got us out of the old mode of municipal governance”, said the mayor.“It used to be that the local government unit worked without direction. It was a day-today thing, depending on what cropped up. Line agencies delivered their services as they pleased, depending on what resources came in by trickles from the national government, if these reached our munici-

The Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) brought in a timely initiative, as it provided know-how support to the local government unit of Kapatagan in the area of enhanced leadership and management skills for effective local legis26 HILAL

“With coaching from LGSPA as well as UNFPA, we were able to formulate a Comprehensive Development Plan which included the ELA, a Gender and Development Plan, Municipal Food Security Plan, Coastal Resource Management Plan, Gender and Reproductive Health Population and Development Strategies Plan”, said the MPDC.“We made sure to incorporate gender equality, poverty reduction, peace, cultural integrity and environmental sustainability in these plans”.

how to elicit positive response from people, sharing feedbacks from the populace, and presenting future needs. Mamintad Abangad, the Municipal Agricultural Officer said, “On the part of line agencies, we are able to share information on the latest programs and projects of our mother agency. Since farmers and fisherfolks representing their barangays or organizations are present, we tell them, for example, about the availability of seedlings or fertilizers. Hearing of this, the municipal officer concerned works out a schedule for distribution. Or when we announce schedules for immunization of animals, the ABC Chairman, who is part of the KMIACC, assures us that livestock raisers will bring their animals on such dates at a designated place.”

“Then, someone points out the need for a farm-to-market road, and the official concerned gives the information that with the support of an agency like the Asian Development Bank, a kilometer of concrete roads will be built from this barangay leading to the poblacion. Then, he asks for assistance in terms of manpower, and the barangay chairman commits a number of people. A traditional leader, probably a Sultan who lives in the barangay, commits an amount for the snacks of the volunteer workers. The president of the barangay women’s organization says her members will prepare and serve the food. The SK chairman offers the services of the youth group in fetching water. This is bayanihan at work, and everyone is willing to help because the results are for everyone’s good”.

The success of the KMIACC is greatly attributed to Mayor Maglangit’s strong political will, evidenced by her proactive stance in advancing the cause of peace in the community. “We had to show that it was worth giving their all to making a life in the municipality, and this was only possible if peace reigns”, she said. Under LGSP Phase II (2000-2006), Kapatagan received initial assistance to stabilize its peace and order situation after the 2000 conflict that drove people away from their homes. With the help of LGSP officers, the LGU reorganized the Municipal Peace and Order Council, which immediately got down to the task of peace assessment and peace planning.

To bring these plans to fruition, the Mayor organized the Kapatagan Municipal Inter-Agency Coordination Committee (KMIACC), which she described “as a loose formation of LGU officials, heads of line agencies, representatives of civil society, and development workers of different agencies assisting the municipality”.

“The people were surprised, but equally pleased that a lady mayor in a town known for bloody feuds and the presence of lawless elements who carry around guns, showed that she meant business and she meant to get everyone to work together”, said Soledad Dirumpungan, the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (MPDC). Vice Mayor Paisal Bansil said that “our mayor knew she would be able to move forward and achieve her goals if she had a strong support from the Sangguniang Bayan, so she presented to us, the members of the legislative body, her vision and plans, and in time, we crafted our Executive And Legislative Agenda (ELA)”.

The people realized that Mayor Maglangit meant to push development when she reconstituted the Municipal Development Council (MDC). She sent the MDC staff to trainings to improve their competence and welcomed LGSPA mentors as well.

pality at all. People were used to dole-outs especially when calamities happened. In the past, the local peace and order situation worsened as people took for granted that conflict was a way of life. As a result, genuine and sustained support from the outside did not come in. We needed to show that we welcome assistance and that we are willing to do our part for development projects to succeed”. Soon, LGSPA broadened its support for Kapatagan through its leadership development and gender equality mainstreaming projects.

“We have a once-amonth regular session”, said Dima Totodan Mama, the Sanguniang Secretary.“We discuss what our respective offices and organizations have done, we bring up challenges and suggest solutions as well. We then decide on our priorities for the coming month, with each of us defining what we can contribute to a common undertaking.“ The KMIACC serves various purposes. By gathering stakeholders and key players in development efforts, the LGU saves on time and resources as it becomes a venue for defining monthly priorities, assigning human resources, allocating resources among various activities, synchronizing schedules, reviewing processes undertaken, assessing accomplishments, strategizing HILAL 27

“The people decided to declare Barangay Daguan, the poblacion where the Municipal Hall stands, as a peace zone”, said the lady Mayor.“What we were aiming at was to show that peace building is possible with the people of Kapatagan and its local government unit, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the revolutionary groups working together and committing to the cause of peace”. Wing Morallas Aquino, LGSPA Program Officer in the municipality, explained that “advocacy on the culture of peace, the series of skills trainings aimed to enhance competencies and skills in non-violent ways of conflict resolution and transformation, Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment as well as community organizing resulted in the build up of peace advocates in Kapatagan. Peace advocates who are in the barangays also enable the barangay justice system to be effective in the reduction of conflicts in the areas. Peace advocates from the ranks of the military and LGU staff promote the framework of the culture of peace and respect for the rule of law and enable the Municipal Peace and Order Council and the Municipal Peace Committee to function well”. The manifestations have been obvious. Hadji Wahid Pembay, a traditional leader who is active in local conflict resolutions said that “people no longer carry firearms in the barangay because it is part of the covenant. People move about freely without fear of getting caught in the crossfire between warring groups. Moreover, family feuds or rido have stopped. Rido used to be a way of life until we declared Daguan as a peace zone. As an example, it has been effective because even in other barangays, we have achieved a level of peace which we never enjoyed before. I can go to sleep at night knowing no one will wake me up because people are fighting”. Aquino said that with “the creation of the Municipal Peace and Order Council and the Council of Elders / Municipal Peace Committee, clan feuds have been reduced significantly. For example, the longstanding Imam-Macapeges clan feud that

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affected a large portion of the Iranun territory, spread over portions of Matanog and Barira municipalities in Maguindanao and Kapatagan-Balabagan municipalities in Lanao del Sur, was finally resolved because of the efforts of the local chief executives of the affected municipalities including Kapatagan, officers of the 37th Infantry Battalion and the Arbitration Committees”. Simultaneous with peace building efforts, the LGU embarked on developing basic services with the help of donor agencies. “Representatives of these funding agencies have been coming to offer their assistance after we showed our willingness to forge peace. We all realize that the advancement of peace has to go hand in hand with providing a good life for the people”, said Mayor Maglangit. The economic and social gains today are visible more than ever. With the help of the UNFPA, 13 out of 15 barangays received health services that led to the reduction of infant and maternal mortality rate. Health workers, young women with appropriate training, regularly conduct lectures and home visitations to educate mothers on nutrition, hygiene, reproductive health care, and indigenous medicine. People and the various agencies led by the LGU worked together in providing 65% of the households access to potable water, with assistance coming from the ASFP and the Assissi Foundation. LGSPA contributed to building a storage tank. The people themselves provided the human resources in installing the pipes to bring water from a spring to communal faucets. The municipality also invested heavily in providing farm-to-market roads to remote barangays through the assistance of World Bank-assisted INFRES and ADB-assisted Agrarian Reform Communities Program because Mayor Maglangit believes that opening inaccessible areas will increase agricultural productivity and marketability, improve peace and order and provide easy access to basic services.

The best proof of development may be seen in the empowerment of women. “Peace is primary and it has to start at home”, said Barangay Chair Norodin Bansil of Pinantao, who was elected to his post because of women power. “Our barangay justice system has been strengthened in addressing violence against women and children. Conflicts at home are now reduced, leading to women and men sharing common workloads at home and women being “allowed” by their husbands to attend seminars and other activities. The improvement of husband – wife relations allows them to engage in fruitful activities”. A women’s desk handles Violence against Women (VAW) cases, as women have been more open in reporting abuses by their husbands. On the economic front, some 100 women organized themselves and with initial capitalization from the ARMM Social Fund and trainings from DSWD and UNFPA, they learned how to make soap and herbal products. These are now being sold locally and in some areas in the region, thus providing income for these women. “My dream is to see a peaceful Kapatagan where families enjoy economic progress with various sectors contributing to the betterment of society”, said Mayor Raida. “When I took my oath of office in 2001, this was a far-fetched situation, as we have had to face challenges from within as well as from conditions that we perceived to be beyond our control.” The Mayor continued,“Now, we realize that we have contributed our share in peace building, that we can engage in viable livelihood using our available resources, we can work with development agencies in promoting a better way of life and, most importantly, we can work together, share the same vision and move forward as a community of people who love, respect and support one another”. To that may be added a hope that others may be encouraged to take the same path to peace.

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The town of Lamitan, the center of trade and commerce of the province of Basilan and once the target of mindless violence, redeﬁnes community participation in governance by adopting local agricultural development and environmental management approaches. The results provide room for optimism. By Jeﬀrey M. Tupas Lamitan’s Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Governance

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Listening to Voices from the Margins Lamitan, Basilan

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profusion of yellow gumamelas, held at bay by recycled plastic cola bottles, strikes a colorful counterpoint against a row of red roses in a corner garden of the Claret School in downtown Lamitan.

The plastic bottles, cut in half to serve as garden dividers, are but one expression of the town’s solid waste management campaign initiated by the local government unit (LGU) to combat environmental degradation. It is a ﬁght that both the LGU and citizens of Lamitan are willing to wage on a daily basis. At the backs of their minds the violent siege of Lamitan and the Claret School remains painfully etched still. By focusing on a battle to preserve the environment through citizen and multi-stakeholder participation, they not only hope to exorcise the ghosts of the past but also to forge a happier tomorrow. Local leaders admit that the leading concern of Lamitan is how to keep the peace considering its proximity to other parts of Basilan that have gained notoriety for the presence of various armed groups. They believe that lasting peace is crucial to the development of the town. “After the Lamitan siege in 2000 (by armed men believed to be members of the dreaded Abu Sayyaf), it is very important that we maintain the peace and order that we have now. Very, very important. We are really trying to maintain and sustain this. We don’t want to experience that (siege) again. Right now, we are experiencing and celebrating the transformation of Lamitan from that very horrible experience in 2000. And that transformation you can see around,” said Mayor Roderick H. Furigay.

Governance vs. Politics Today, it seems those efforts to maintain peace and order are paying off. Business is brisk and the economy seems to be perking up as evidenced by a mini construction boom, groups of traders examining wares, and students happily walking along the business district. “What we needed was good governance. And this is our brand of good governance,” said Vice-Mayor Arleigh W. Eisma. The Vice-Mayor was obviously referring to how he and Mayor Furigay, who is from another political party, were able to set aside their political differences for the sake of Lamitan and its people. Both attribute this convergence to their formulation and implementation of the Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDPELA) that was supported by the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) to aid local chief executives, local officials and community stakeholders formulate their development framework. The CDP-ELA was developed with the participation of different sectors and at various levels of governance including the barangay. Key to this effort was the strengthening of communication, information and connectivity technology among government officials and citizens through “enetworking” as identified in the CDP-ELA. Through LGSPA support, 86 LGU staff members and officials were given basic computer training. Partly through this technology, the Lamitan LGU made sure that voices from the margins were heard. The Sangguniang Bayan also regularly conducts sessions at the village level through eight cluster groups. 32 HILAL

“We wanted to know what they want. We want to hear them and make them a part of the system. This government is not about officials holding higher offices but about people who want to be heard and felt. They have to be consulted, they have to be heard. The local government unit of Lamitan is going where the people are, closer to them,” said Eisma. Their presence in the barangay also allows them to assist village officials in crafting their budget and project implementation plans and in the process ensuring that government funds are spent accordingly and opportunities for corruption are eliminated. After each village-level session, the LGU also extends health assistance to local folk. Lamitan has also institutionalized transparency in government allowing people easier

access to information about budget, expenditures, and the like. The Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has rated as excellent Lamitan’s level of financial transparency. “The books are open to the public. Anyone who wants to check and inquire will have access to it, anytime. And we made sure that government offices in Lamitan are accessible to the public. Their questions and concerns will be responded to and given attention appropriately. The office of the Vice Mayor has an open cellphone line for the public to reach if they want to report or inquire about something…That is how transparent the LGU of Lamitan is,” Mayor Furigay said.

Local Economic and Agricultural Development With Lamitan’s economic strength primarily anchored on agriculture and fisheries, the local government adopted a convergence strategy to promote the two industries by partnering with at least 17 national and local government agencies and civil society groups. This partnership, according to Olivia Ablao, Municipal Agriculture Officer, has resulted in the effective delivery of appropriate support to farmers--from irrigation, road rehabilitation, needed farm inputs, to technical assistance. Through LGSPA’s support, the LGU conducted a Local Economic and Competitiveness Assessment (LECA) and confirmed the strategic importance of rubber as a HILAL 33

ian Reform Beneﬁciaries Inc. Development Cooperative (SCARBIDC), the largest cooperative in Region 9 and ARMM. The cooperative allotted more than 10.5 hectares for a rubber nursery. The nursery is currently developing new clones to be distributed to Lamitan farmers.

Managing Waste, Preserving the Ecology Realizing that while having other aspects of good governance imbibed by the LGU, other challenges have to be addressed as well. One of this is having in place an effective Solid Waste Management (SWM) program that will not only focus on preserving the town’s ecological balance but will also serve as livelihood source. Thus, six “metro villages” in Lamitan were mobilized to lead the advocacy to promote environmental protection, waste segregation and recycling. Five of the six villages have also put up their respective material recovery facilities (MRF) which are being managed by the Barangay Solid Waste Management Committees (BWMCs).

high-value industry. LGU and civil society representatives from Lamitan joined study tours supported by LGSPA to learn from the success of other rubber plantations in the Philippines. Ablao said there are at least 24 existing rubber associations in Lamitan grouped into a confederation of rubber growers. “The objective is to empower them, to capacitate them through exposures and trainings. We have already established four demo-farms and nurseries as we hope to increase the rubber production of the municipality. The focus now is rubber because many farmers in Lamitan are into rubber production,” said Ablao. She added that coconut remains the leading agricultural product of Lamitan. Spearheading the rubber development program of Lamitan is the Sta. Clara Agrar34 HILAL

In each of the MRFs, members of the committees turn plastic-based garbage into curtains, toys, photo frames, table runners, and other creative materials which have the potential for becoming sources of livelihood.The plastic bottle garden dividers at the Claret School came from one of the BWMCs. Prior to this, a Municipal Solid Waste Management Board was formed that now oversees the coordinated implementation of the town’s ecological solid waste management initiatives. Susan Mauricio, Vice Chair of the Lamitan Recycling Movement, a group composed of mostly women who salvage plastic garbage and turn these to handmade crafts, said the movement is facing a difﬁcult challenge while admitting that “it’s very worthwhile”. “We know that we are doing something good for the environment while honing our skills and creativity in the hope that it can be a good source of livelihood,” Mauricio said.

Mauricio has attended trainings and seminars supported by LGSPA on solid waste management. She said that through the trainings, she was able learn new product designs and how to possibly market the products. Right now, her group has produced handbags made out of tetra packs, corn husk photo frames, paper bags, among others.

LGPMS he Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) is one of the strong advocates and users of the DILG’s Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS). LGSPA adopted a pro-active strategy in ensuring that the LGPMS is appreciated and maximized as a management tool not only by ARMM LGUs but also by the Autonomous Regional Government (ARG).

Councilor Jessica Flores, Chair of the Committee on Health, said putting in place the solid waste management program not only provides people with the opportunity to earn from garbage and help conserve the environment but it also helps promote people’s health.

LGSPA has integrated the LGPMS in its own Performance Information System (PIS) ensuring that performance management processes and activities are supported and performance information are analyzed and used in the Program’s capacity development programming.

“This is closely related to health. If we have a dirty environment, then we can expect the rise of diseases. Right now, what we find a little difficult is how to make people from the villages outside the six metro villages to appreciate the benefits of a clean environment. We are hoping that they will be able to see it,” said Flores. To convince the public that they are serious with the campaign, local officials practice what they preach: employees of the LGU segregate their own garbage. An SWM ordinance was also passed by the Sangguniang Bayan following a series of seminars and forums on the benefits of implementing a solid waste management program. Recently, the Lamitan Tourism Council launched the cleanest and greenest barangay contest, apparently as part of the LGU’s advocacy campaign. “We are continuously campaigning for segregation, recycling…we already implemented this in 2003 but we became more focused in 2007. As mandated by Republic Act 9003, solid waste management has now become the primary concern of local government units around the country,” said Teresita Araneta, the Chair of the IEC Solid Waste Management Technical Working Group. The SWM information and education campaign is also brought to households by members of the purok (sub-village) committees of the BSWMCs.

This “engaging in conversation” advocacy strategy appears to be working. When Barangay Matibay took up the SWM campaign, the officials found out they had to deal not only with residents but with “outsiders” who daily flock to the market to do business. Said Flor de los Santos, Barangay Secretary: “The public market is (located) here and people come and go leaving us with their wastes. We have been painstakingly educating them to respect not only the ordinance but the essence of the campaign, which is the protection of the environment. Right now, we are still fighting that fight and hopefully, the public will be able to appreciate and respect that.” But they seem to be winning. What used to be the village’s murky Gubawan River--with all sorts of garbage and flotsam -- is now a clean body of water. The river is being used by residents of Tuburan, Sumisip and other parts of Basilan to get to Lamitan. “The riverside residents fortunately responded to our call to spare the river from their wastes. Now, seldom do we see floating plastic bags in the river,” she said. Ruben Domingo, a resident of Barangay Maligaya, has set up a compost pit at his yard in response to the call of the local government to preserve the environment.

The program coached LGUs in linking the LGPMS self-assessment results to more effective development planning, reporting, policy development and capacity development planning. Some ARMM LGUs have become advocates of the use and beneﬁts of LGPMS nationally. At the regional level, LGSPA supported the DILG-ARMM in analyzing the results of the LGU annual self-assessment. The regional analyses were useful in identifying and promoting more focused regional agency support to local governments. Aggregated results were also incorporated in the Regional Governor’s State of Local Governance Report (SORA) thereby making the system an instrument in policymaking in the Autonomous Regional Government. The LGPMS is also a prominent feature of LGSPA’s published knowledge products. LGUs and other users are guided on how to integrate and maximize the LGPMS performance results in LGU operations and management including CDP-ELA formulation, local economic development and capacity development planning.

“We have a responsibility. We cannot just ask people to act on environmental degradation without doing our share. We have to walk what we talk,” he said.

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Coastal

Clear

Panglima Estino, Sulu

In a bid to protect its threatened marine resources, the LGU of Panglima Estino, Sulu focused on Coastal Resource Management supported by a campaign for the implementation of a Solid Waste Management program. By: JeďŹ&#x20AC;rey M. Tupas Panglima Estinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Campaign to Preserve Its Marine Resources

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woman laying out agaagal (seaweeds) to dry on a low overhang of her stilt house barely pauses from her work at the chugging sound of an approaching banca (outrigger canoe). The boat sputtered to a stop underneath one of the “high-rise” huts built close to the shore. There is nothing unusual about the comings and goings of bancas in the coastal town of Panglima Estino in the province of Sulu. Sandwiched by the towns of Panamao and Talipao, it is an easy jump-off point for people going to Jolo. Traders also come to Panglima Estino to buy or sell products and wares, sometimes engaging in the time-honored tradition of barter.

When Mayor Munib Estino assumed office in 2004, the first thing that his administration did was to construct a wharf to serve the town’s fisherfolks, seaweed farmers, and people from outlying islands. “The people from the island villages and fisherfolks dock here. If the tide is high, they have to anchor several kilometers away and wade through the water to get here. The local fisherfolks also experience the same. Panglima Estino is a coastal community with the sea as our primary highway”, said Mayor Estino.

Re-engineering the Bureaucracy It wasn’t just the wharf that the new mayor built. He also began building a new culture of governance by streamlining the bureaucracy. For starters, Mayor Estino weeded out ghost employ-

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ees from the roster of the local government by calling for a general assembly. It was also an opportunity for the new leadership to connect with the people through citizens’ groups, non-government organizations and other community stakeholders.

annual budget of the local government unit so much has been allotted to plantilla positions which were all filled. But we found out that those names were nothing but names…they were ghosts”, the mayor said.

History of neglect Not one from the supposed employees of the local government came. “It only meant one thing. There were no employees”, said Estino, also the former Vice Governor of Sulu for three terms and a board member for two terms. A fifth class town dominated by the Tausug, Panglima Estino had been so neglected that basic services were virtually non-existent, a situation exacerbated by tenuous of peace and order, poor infrastructure development and nearbankruptcy. “Before, if you look at the

The problems of Panglima Estino, the mayor said, have been aggravated by a history of neglect by agencies that were supposed to help “ease the miserable condition of the people and better their lives”. “What (development) you see around now did not come from the national government or DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) but purely because we were resolute in doing things our way. We were able to put up all these things because of the local government’s money”, he said. HILAL 39

The local government has declared its more than 500-hectare mangrove area as protected. Opposite the mangroves are seaweed farms. There are now four marine protected areas in Panglima Estino. The local government also formed BantayDagat (marine wardens) tasked to monitor and guard from intrusion the protected area and marine sanctuaries. Panglima Estino is also the only municipality in Sulu where all coastal villages are involved in natural resource management initiatives.

“This town is not solely dependent on the internal revenue allotment and our performance is really very impressive considering that other towns were hitting zero collection”, Baliton said.

High level of readiness

In 2004, with only P250,000.00 as budget for development, Mayor Estino prohibited travels including official ones because “I believe that official travels are very expensive and will bleed the local government unit dry”. His priority was getting the LGU back on track. During the four months that official travel was suspended, the local government was able to save close to P1 million. The money was used for the construction of the wharf and a portion of it was used to pay for the rental of the heavy equipment. The construction was completed in three months, instead of the three years that it usually took to finish a similar project.

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Money Matters To sustain government operations and projects, the local government systematized revenue generation and resource mobilization. Tax collection was intensified helped along by an information drive, something that had not been done in the past. John Romeo Baliton, Treasurer OfficerIn-Charge, said Panglima Estino has been performing well in tax collection and revenue generation and is the envy of other Sulu municipalities. The collection, he said, is “smooth and doing very well, even increasing…perhaps because they (people) see how their money is being used”.

In an assessment, the Local Governance Support Program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (LGSPA) found Panglima Estino as having “a high level of readiness for capacity development, demonstrating a willingness to improve existing efficiencies in carrying out functions and delivering services”. Panglima Estino actively participated in 19 projects of LGSPA, showing excellent progress in the LGSPA focus areas of Development Planning, Barangay Governance, Coastal Resource Management, Solid Waste Management, Water Supply and Sanitation and Local Agriculture Development. Being highly dependent on agriculture and fisheries, the local government of Panglima Estino gives primary importance to the development and protection of their marine and agricultural resources.

A Coastal Resource Management (CRM) Technical Working Group (TWG) was created that later resulted in the birth of community-based CRM committees in six Panglima Estino coastal barangays. The initial task of the committees was to conduct an inventory of species of fish and marine vegetation and to assess the health condition of the coral reef. The Sangguniang Bayan passed an ordinance prohibiting human activities in the protected area, particularly banning dynamite fishing along the coast. The ordinance also hoped to eliminate illegal and harmful fishing practices. Municipal and Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils were also convened to serve as mechanisms for participation and to provide strategic guidance to resource management efforts in Panglima Estino. A Municipal CRM Officer was also designated to coordinate the activities.

Kahawa Sug Aside from ﬁshing, the main source of livelihood of people in Panglima Estino is coffee production. Its development was supported by LGSPA through the introduction of appropriate technology and trainings aimed at deepening the knowledge and skills of farmers. Through LGSPA, agriculture experts were given capacity building support in nursery management, coffee production (pre- and post-production), primary processing and value adding, and community-based agricultural extension services that resulted in the expansion of the barako and robusta coffee nurseries to three other villages of Panglima Estino. An 8-hectare demonstration farm with coffee nursery, vegetable production section and green house multipurpose dryer was also set up. The farm is being run by the Panglima Estino Farmers Association (PEFA), a group composed mostly of women. For the robusta coffee nursery, Nestle Corporation provided technical support to the members of the PEFA and government technicians while Figaro Foundation provided seedlings and technical support for the barako variety nursery. The Panglima Estino coffee initiative dovetails with the program of the Sulu provincial government to revive the coffee industry by promoting Kahawa Sug (Sulu Coffee). Louie Pacana, LGSPA resource person for agricultural development for Sulu, said the coffee project in Panglima Estino will provide a stable source of livelihood for the people if developed properly. There are about 2,000 hectares of land around the province planted to coffee, involving about 5,000 farmers. About 90 percent of the total area planted to coffee is located in the upland villages of Talipao, Patikul, Parang, Indanan, Luuk, Tongkil, Maimbung, Panamao, Pata and Panglima Estino. “Coffee is an important part of our lives. You see, we would rather choose not to have ﬁsh on our tables than not have coffee. If developed, we know that it (coffee) will be able to help us even more,” Anna Hussain, a member of PEFA, said. HILAL 41

With reduced incidents of illegal fishing, people living in the coastal villages have noted the reappearance of dolphins. To further protect its marine resources and as part of its Solid Waste Management (SWM) program campaign, the LGU also relocated its seaside dumpsite from the coastline. Through LGSPA’s capacity building support, a Solid Waste Management Board was formed that laid out a plan on how to manage the municipality’s waste. Barangay Solid Waste Management Committees were organized to anchor segregation and recycling initiatives and overall enforcement of SWM policies in their areas of responsibility.

Cool, Hands-on Mayor Mayor Estino, who came from the influential and prominent Estino family after whom the town was named, is widely known as a hands-on leader. The mayor also lives in town, one of the few in the ARMM who does so. Whenever he is around, he would find time to talk to people, listen to their stories and problems ranging from dowry to food, from work to medicines and education. Often he would discuss with them possible solutions. He would spend hours talking with some local public teachers about dilapidated school buildings and the lack of chairs for pupils. Later he would be sitting in front of the stage in the plaza watching the rehearsal of a local band composed of young Tausug. Not far from the plaza are 30 colorful houses built by volunteers of the Gawad Kalinga, a non-profit that builds free houses for the poor through partnership and participation. Through his work in the Asian Institute of ManagementMirant Foundation Bridging Leadership Program, Mayor Estino was able to partner with Gawad Kalinga and prove that his town is peaceful enough to ensure the security of local as well as international volunteers from the US, Australia, Europe, Nigeria, Singapore, Brunei, and 42 HILAL

Malaysia who built the houses together with local folk. “Nakakagaan ito ng loob… (It lightens the heart) I always tell people that if they are afraid to go to Jolo they must not fear when they are in Panglima Estino. I will also put my life at stake when you are here. I will guarantee you 100 percent you will be safe”, he said.

Delivering on Promises The LGU knows how important it is for people to feel the government in their daily lives. It is one reason why it sought the involvement of civil society groups and people in the barangays in formulating the Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA). Improving school facilities is also a top priority of the local government. There are more than 900 elementary pupils in Panglima Estino and local school officials describe this as “problematic” because of the lack of school facilities. Mayor Estino said that the local government funded the college education of three of the town’s brightest students, one of them now a top performing nursing student at the Sulu State College in Jolo, to motivate others to do well in school“We have been encouraging parents to send their children to school. We even signified our willingness to give a minimal incentive for those who will enroll in high school or college”, the mayor said. Recently, the Mayor submitted a project proposal to a foreign donor agency that detailed a multi-million dollar project which will include a mini-hydropower plant, a water system, seaport, housing project, seaweed processing facility, cattle raising, poultry processing and an oil refinery facility. “We submitted the proposal hoping that it will be approved. If they will turn it down, at least we submitted and tried. I don’t want to be blamed for not doing

anything all…for not taking chances”, he said. But Mayor Estino believes that the future and survival of the people of Panglima Estino are not dependent on the generosity of others. “With the way things are going on now, with all these interventions coming in and their impact on the economic independence and capacity of the residents of Panglima Estino, I am optimistic that the future is good for all of us”, he said. “But we cannot just rely on others, not even on the national government. We have to rely on each other and on ourselves”, he added.

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Away from public glare, a small Maguindanao town is demonstrating that it can generate local wealth through Local Enterprise Development by creating the social infrastructure for peace and professionalizing itself.

By Charina Sanz

THE UPI EQUATION Upi, Maguindanao

Peace Equals Economic and Social Development

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“W

ait here,” said Mayor Ramon Piang, excitedly pointing to a group of farmers using wooden sticks to plough the corn fields. “That’s the old indigenous way of farming.” He alighted from his vehicle and spoke with them in Teduray, his native dialect. Upi is the homeland of the Tedurays, a non-Islamized ethnic group. The early August morning is still bathed in a soft glow that is unable to mask the Mayor’s pride about his beloved mountain town. It is obvious he takes great pleasure in showing off the beauty and promising prospects of Upi, a lush landscape of hills and valleys constantly swept by a cool breeze. Light and shadows played a game of cat and mouse across fields planted to corn, the town’s main produce, symbolized in a giant corn edifice set up in the middle of the plaza. “The beauty of Upi not only lies in its natural endowments but also in the cultural diversity of its peoples,” the three-term mayor said. Upi, located 36 kms south of Cotabato City, is home to Teduray, Maguindanao and Christian settlers. From the 70s to the 80s, 46 HILAL

Upi was wracked by violent conflicts marked by the burning of houses in 1974. The memory of that violence still lingers in the mind of Piang. When he became mayor, he defined his style of governance by tapping the diverse cultural resources of its peoples. "It is only when we respect each other and understand why we have different ways of doing things can we be reconciled and unified for a common good," he said. When he became mayor in 2001, he created the Mayor's Council which presides over conflict resolution by integrating the various indigenous justice systems. It was part of an Executive Agenda project entitled “Tri-people Dialogical Process in Peace and Order Campaign”. The Mayor’s Council was formally created through the issuance of Executive Order No. 4. To generate people’s support and understanding of the project, the DXUP “Radio for Peace” (See inset) was tapped. The conflict resolution procedure is

explained over DXUP during LGU programs like “Usaping Bayan ng Upi” and “Pareng Mon”. The Mayor’s Council is composed of six members (two Teduray elders, two Moro elders and two settler elders). These two mechanisms gave an avenue for people’s participation in governance and support for initiatives of the LGU. For this reason, Piang has been named one of the Ten Outstanding Municipal Mayors in the country in 2003. Upi, too, has received the "Galing Pook" Award and was one of 42 local government units, which received the Kaagapay Seal of Excellence in Local Governance in 2004, bestowed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funded Local Government Support Program Phase II (LGSP II). Piang was also one of ﬁve awardees of the 2005 Ramon Aboitiz

Foundation for Exemplary Individuals. With the foundations of lasting peace established through participatory governance structures, the local government of Upi has been shifting gears and focusing its attention on development initiatives. On this morning, Piang is leading a group of visitors to take a look at the water reservoir in Barangay Nangi. A mini-dam is being constructed that would give Upi a level III water system. While en route to Barangay Borongotan, Piang points out several ongoing road constructions in the town. “When the roads and water systems

become operational soon, we expect more growth and development in Upi. Hotels and restaurants are expected to rise and with these, the coming of tourists,” he says. They are projecting Upi as a prime tourist destination in Mindanao.

Doing Business in Upi The LGU also encourages investors to pour in money on Upi. They have no reason to worry. Through a facility called Upi Business Development Center (BDC), they are assisted on how to do business in the town.

“The BDC is a facility where people can go and ask how they can do business, conduct feasibility studies and it also serve as a center for livelihood,” said Raul Gardoze, the BDC manager. The UPI Business Development Center was conceived as a catalyst for the agri-industry competitiveness of Upi. It offers business development services to enable individuals, HILAL 47

enterprises, and farmers’ cooperatives to take advantage of business opportunities and allow them to generate employment and income for their families.

t is eight o'clock in the evening. Here, inside DXUP “Radio for Peace,” Julio Bilual anchors a program entitled “Kaadat-Adatan” (a Teduray term for their customs and traditions). Biluan is Teduray and he talks about the tribe’s cultural values and beliefs. DXUP is an FM radio with an AM format, which is managed and run by a corps of community volunteers. Diverse programming and democratic space for all stakeholders is the strength of the “Radio for Peace”. It is the “people’s radio” as perhaps every sector – from children and teenagers, women, farmers, Maguindanaoans, settlers, barangay captains, senior citizens, even the military - are given time slots to talk about their programs and advocacies.

Piang said that with the BDC, the local government could tap the business community and supervise economic enterprise and livelihood programs. Piang shared that he was inspired to set up the BDC when he went to Nova Scotia in Canada in a study tour sponsored by the Local Governance Support Program Phase II (LGSP II). While there, he took note of the one-stop shop livelihood programs and the success of a business center where people go for assistance on starting and managing their business. In 2007, the idea to establish the BDC became a reality through technical assistance from LGSPA in support of the local government’s efforts to identify priority areas in the Executive and Legislative Agenda.

With P2 million in support funds coming from the Regional Impact Project of ARMM Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan, 48 HILAL

pines. Upi is also one of the partner LGUs of the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA).

Culturally-diverse programming "DXUP's programming," according to station manager Mario Debolgado, "has become a role model for the rest of the country”. According to CMEC's mission, the radio station aims to "serve the different tribes or sectors through information dissemination and advancement of issues to uplift the socioeconomic, cultural and educational status. “Suara Talainged” (Voice of the Native Inhabitants), which airs from 6 to 7 pm, is a program on "peace and cultural development of the Bangsamoro Muslims. "Kaadat-adatan”, which follows from 7 to 8 pm, focuses on Teduray values and traditions. Finally, from 8 to 9 pm, before signing off, DXUP entertains its listeners with "Musika at Iba Pa", a musical and cultural program integrating the various cultures in the community. Christian music is aired on Sundays with the anchor sharing his testimonies on Christian values and beliefs. On Saturdays, there is the "Islamic Education on Air" which is an Upi Arabic Schools program. Soon, the mayor hopes to bring the station right down to the barangays on board a multicab vehicle "or they can take turns hosting the barangay program every morning”. This will be realized once the municipal government can source funds to buy the vehicle that can transport the station from one barangay to another. “While volunteerism will always get the radio station going," he said, "I feel that the LGU should also do its part in helping the staff address their basic needs”. Most of the station's workers are volunteers including the station manager. Piang also envisions the role of DXUP "as a radio of hope and peace”. He pointed out that contrary to mainstream media's focus on "violence, intrigues and misunderstanding," they deliberately choose "to pass on the message of cooperation, respect and understanding”.

Tune In to Peace

These included a series of trainings and partnerships with Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) and Corporate Volunteers for Enterprise Development (CVED) and cross-visits to Small and Medium Economic Development Council (SMEDC) Davao and Davao City Chamber of Commerce. The series of training activities also led to the drafting of the local economic development (LED) plan. LGSPA also provided ﬁnancial support for the BDC and extended linkages to organizations such as the Davao Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Department of Trade and Industry where women were taught to process tomato jam and nito vine products. LGSPA also contracted CVED to help assist the LGU that included the crafting of the manual of operations for the BDC. An organizational structure called the SMEDC was set up. SMEDC serves as a policy making body and is composed of multi-sectoral groups from the LGU, local CSOs, line agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Science and Technology.

give feedbacks to the mayor himself. Timely information is also easily shared with Piang citing the case of a missing cow and, in one instance, a missing relative. A few minutes after Piang reported these on air, a barangay councilor from a neighboring town who had seen the cow sent a text message. A person reported as missing also made known his whereabouts. Whether it is a case of a missing cow or matters of governance, this community radio is deﬁnitely democratizing access to information. "Radio," Piang said, “has certainly made things easy and fast. We can reach out to our constituency and to our neighbors”.

the Upi-BDC building was constructed and inaugurated on June 10, 2007. Congressman Didagen Dilangalen also donated one computer set. “While initially managed by the LGU, eventually the plan is for the BDC to be privatized,” said Mayor Piang. Only two years after it began operations, the BDC is already yielding tangible results such as opening the market for farmers. Upi farmers now supply ginger pickles to a Japanese corporation.

“The ﬁrst delivery was 2,000 kilos in 2008. Now we deliver 5,000 kilos,” added Mayor Piang. “So far, we are only using ﬁve hectares producing 15 tons of ginger but this is still inadequate because the supplier requires about 20 tons per month.” The BDC also paved the way for carrot production with Century Tuna as one of the prospective buyers. “Before, there was no production and no market for carrots. Now, we are going into mass production

Mayor Piang has his own program called "Pareng Mon". He takes over the airwaves, chats with listeners, and reads text messages on air. Topics can go anywhere from the day-to-day concerns of the local government to appeals for help of ﬁnding a lost cow. The program is being aired every Wednesday where Piang takes time off to exchange views and interact with the local folk. Launched in 2004, the community radio project is credited to have helped promote a culture of good governance as the people can now immediately air their concerns and

DXUP-FM was established by the municipal local government with training fund support from the Local Governance Support Program II (LGSPII), a capacity building program funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). A multi-sectoral body called the Community Media and Education Council (CMEC) manages and supervises the radio station following guidelines formulated by the community through a participatory process. The station is one of only two established by LGSP II and one of a total of forty community radio stations in the Philip-

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SERVICE DELIVERY

ervice delivery is an important aspect of local governance, and is a key expectation and claim that citizens make on government as a duty-bearing institution. Service delivery is all the more compelling in ARMM, given the pressures posed by underdevelopment and conﬂict. Due to policy and other system-related challenges, LGU involvement in service delivery in the region has been weak and budgets for social services have been meager – only 1.5% of total LGU expenditures in the ARMM as opposed to 21.5% among non-ARMM LGUs (World Bank, October 2003).

and expanding the areas from six to eight barangays,” said Mayor Piang. “It is through the BDC also that interventions were made in the cycle of agricultural production,” said Mayor Piang. Agricultural inputs are now being produced in Upi such as bio-organic fertilizer and halal-organic fertilizers catering to ARMM. Some 3,0000 hectares had already been used to develop the fertilizers. Vegetables and livelihood gardening production are in the meantime undertaken by women.

New Directions for Business New directions are now being set for the BDC. Last year, the local government helped form the Upi Agricultural Development Corporation which was launched in February 2009. “In order to create wealth within Upi and start off a sustainable economy, we realized that the intervention should start within the cycle of production,” said Mayor Piang, explaining the need to go into agricultural productivity. Through its Local Economic Development (LED) program, LGSPA helped the LGU conduct an economic competitive assess50 HILAL

ment in the whole of Upi. From the analysis, they were able to identify corn as its comparative advantage against other Maguindanao municipalities with corn production reaching up to 80-90 percent per metric ton. “With that analysis, we realized that in order to be effective, there should be interventions in the production process so that farmers will have a big return of investments in corn production,” said Mayor Piang. Given that realization, they decided to form a corporation through the LED Program, “with the BDC having a bigger role and farmers having bigger returns,” said Mayor Piang. The corporation is privatized to ensure its sustainability but the LGU has a 40 percent share of the paid-up capital while community incorporators own 60 percent. For a start, the corporation seeks to engage in the production and marketing of halal fertilizers with the aim of reducing production costs to increasing the return of investments. With all these achievements, Upi shows that through excellence in governance, peace and development are possible.

LGSPA’s vision for enhanced delivery of social, economic and environmental service optimizes the potential of devolution in an autonomous setting, while speaking to the realities of the region. The Program’s work with barangay, municipal/city and provincial governments has led to the creation or strengthening of plans, policies, mechanisms, processes, practices and arrangements for collaborative and participatory service delivery involving citizens, communities, civil society organizations, religious and other local authority centers, higher levels of government including oversight agencies, the private sector, and multi/bilateral programs. As a result, more citizens and communities beneﬁt from locally initiated and responsive initiatives in education and shelter, and from replicable systems that provide safe potable water. Strategic economic, agricultural and resource management choices also make livelihood and wealth creation in the locality more viable. Further, citizens enjoy the gains of their own efforts to clean their surroundings, and protect, stabilize and renew ecological systems. Since LGSPA began in 2005, 64 local governments have been assisted in the delivery of social services (water supply, sanitation and hygiene, education and shelter); 79 LGUs in economic services (agricultural development and local economic development) and 53 LGUs in environmental services (natural resource management and solid waste management).

In the municipality of Wao, Lanao del Sur, men and women work together to solve their problems and accomplish their goals. The result is a happy community where understanding, peace and hope solidify relationships and strengthen economic, socio-cultural and political gains. Lanao del Sur Town Shows the Way in Gender and Development

Wao, Wow, Whiz! Wao, Lanao del Sur

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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ayor Elvino Balicao Jr., 38, could have been a pilot had he chosen to, having earned his aeronautics degree in Cebu and his wings from a prestigious flying school. He opted to come home instead to Wao where his father was the incumbent mayor. “I was interested in farming because food is a need and Wao is an agricultural town,” he said. Call it fate or destiny but Balicao Jr. soon succeeded his father as mayor. His youthful vigor and enthusiasm make it easy for Mayor Balicao to work closely with his fellow leaders and his constituents. Vice Mayor Mary Ruth Catalan said,“I am happy to be working with him because he offers as much as he accepts ideas. He does not decide on his own.” Not surprisingly, the Office of the Mayor and the Sangguniang Bayan, which Catalan chairs, cooperate and maintain a dynamic yet smooth working relationship. As a joint body, they crafted the municipal Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA) to identify their needs, define their priorities and set the over-all plan to achieve their goals. High on the list of concerns of both branches of government was gender and development. “The Sangguniang Bayan has set aside the budget for the construction of Balay Dalangpan (House of Refuge),”said Catalan. “Mayor Balicao demonstrates a proactive stance when it comes to the protection of the rights of women and children. He is vocal about the need for a place where victims of violence can run to for safety.”She said that the Sangguniang Bayan is now working on the municipality’s Women’s Code. As early as 2006, Wao was one of four local government units in the ARMM that showed interest in gender and development (GAD). The Local Governance Support Program in ARMM noted its potential and initiated the mainstreaming of gender equality at the municipal and barangay levels of governance.

Barangay officials, officers of women’s organizations, representatives of line agencies including the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine National Police, the Vice Mayor, the Mayor and his wife, formed the GAD Team as a first step. The Mayor’s wife, who serves as private secretary to Balicao, was chosen focal person. Her appointment was the GAD Team’s way of communicating to the community that the group is serious about its work, with the local first couple spearheading gender equality concerns. Mrs. Emelita Balicao, said,“We first needed to make everyone aware of gender issues. Our approach was to promote the rights of women and children.” With the support of LGSPA, represented by its local resource partner, the GAD Team conducted a participatory research to identify issues, craft a municipal situation analysis of violence against women and children (VAWC), and formulate recommendations to address the problem.

in other barangays,“did not just lead to awareness. It also strengthened the resolve of barangay officials and community members to unite and engage in activities that will minimize violence against women and children.” Said Mercedes Oyangoren, Social Work Assistant,“What transpired in these theater forums was the voicing out of problems and oppressive issues that women used to keep to themselves. All of a sudden, they found a venue for articulating their concerns.” ABC President Audie Loyola stressed that the mainstreaming of GAD in local governance “encouraged us barangay officials to do more than just pay lip service to the issues. While we bring up the topic of women’s rights in barangay meetings as well as informal conversations, we make sure to let our constituents know that the law is firm in dealing with those who violate the rights

Barangay Manila Chair Ramon Pomares said that his barangay was one of the first two where the community action research took place.“The people were curious at first, so they came. But when they found out what the activity was all about, they clammed up. We needed to get them out of their shells.” “To find out the situation of women, we encouraged them to act out roles in simple skits,” said Hon. Nenita Ali, Sangguniang Bayan, Chair of the Committee on Women and Family Welfare.“We only needed to draw out their experiences and they soon came up with scripts that bear some resemblance to their personal situations. The women wrote of physical abuse, lack of financial support from the head of the family, and being overworked while their husbands did not help them. The men played roles of husbands who are violent, lazy or just indifferent to the family situation.” Barangay Milaya Chair Hernanie Bacaling said that the theater forum, replicated

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of women. More importantly, we have strengthened the Katarungang Pambarangay or barangay justice system so that at our own level, we can address the problem and find solutions that will strengthen the family. It is important to know the root of the problem, and to remind both husband and wife that they have to work together and not to be a burden to each other.”

Examining the Roots of the Problem In addressing gender-related issues, Mayor Balico pointed out that “economic problems can be a major cause for violence in the family. That’s why we are doing our best in providing livelihood to our people.” Among the family-based enterprises encouraged by the local government is livestock production. In cooperation with the local state university and the Department of Agriculture, the LGU brought in high quality cattle for breeding. Local technicians underwent training in artificial insemination and are now engaged in breeding first class cattle using their acquired technology. The local government provides the necessary equipment and facilities to ensure the success of the project. “Now, men are involved in producing livestock and they feel more secure in their roles as breadwinners,” said agriculture technician Elma Baliton The local government realized it can provide better service if it is also economically strong.“We do our best to raise the income of the local government through revenue-generating projects,“ said Mayor Balico. The Municipal Economic Enterprise Office (MEEO) head, Jonathan Simon, explained that income is derived from the public market, transport terminal, public cemetery and the slaughter house which is being improved to suit the halal requirements of Muslims who comprise roughly 20 per cent of the local population. “We make the people know where their taxes and fees for business permits and licensing go,” said Vice Mayor Catalan. She pointed to charts and posters related to financial transactions and government expenditures prominently displayed in various parts of the municipal hall. 54 HILAL

“Transparency and accountability are really very important,” said Mayor Balico.“We are able to work together in Wao because we are clear about what we want and how to get them.” His program of government exemplifies a holistic approach to governance that includes integrating the various functions and responsibilities of the LCE. Obviously, he and the rest of the LGU team are aware that delivery of services, peace and order, economic stability, and cultural integrity are interrelated. They understand each service delivery area affects the rest, and the absence of, or weakness in, one can destroy existing gains in the others. Whether it is his youth or enthusiastic approach to his job, the Mayor is able to successfully elicit support from various sectors. At the same time, he also encourages inter-sector and inter-office cooperation. No wonder that men and women, Christians and Muslims, leaders and constituents, municipal officials and government officials, and the executive and legislative branches of the Wao LGU work well with each other. The GAD Team is one perfect example. Women, men, barangay officials, constituents, and line agency officials visit the barangays together. Armed with key information, they then conduct interactive community forums with community members observed by teachers, children, spiritual leaders and elders. Wao’s women have become more visible and articulate after going through such exercises. The men participate by preparing statements signifying their renewed view of women and children, as well as the roles shared by husbands and wives at home and in the community. It also helps that the mayor’s wife champions their cause. Barangay officials resolved to address VAWC-related problems through enhanced mechanisms for solving ticklish issues. Wao is a remote, rural community but it is blessed with breathtaking landscapes, rich natural resources and people who are willing to do their part in attaining the common good. Together with an effective and responsive local government, it has all the necessary ingredients to meet the challenges of development. In fact, through its gender and development initiative alone, small town Wao has shown an exciting example of good governance for others to follow.

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING rior to 2005, the quality of leadership and management abilities varied extremely across ARMM LGUs. More than 90% of the local governments did not have mandated development plans. LGU capacity to plan, implement, mobilize resources for, coordinate, monitor and evaluate social, economic and infrastructure development programs and projects was generally weak. Local ofﬁcials lacked opportunities to develop skills in strategic, physical and consultative development planning. LGSPA signiﬁcantly addressed this capacity development gap over the past four years.

LGSPA’s support to ARMM LGUs in development planning focused on building institutional mechanisms that would sustain strategic and participatory planning processes and promote meaningful local autonomy in ARMM. The participatory formulation and implementation of the Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDPELA) and other mid and long-term municipal and provincial plans facilitated a development process that increased the leadership and management capacities from provincial down to the barangay level, which consequently enhanced the core LGU functions of public consultation, investment programming, budgeting, revenue management, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. The institutionalization of the Provincial Interagency Coach Teams (PICTs), the involvement of oversight agencies, CSOs and communities, and the mainstreaming of LGU concerns in the ARMM Regional Executive and Legislative Agenda (ARELA) ensured integration of common development priorities and effective intergovernmental and citizen relations. The quality, relevance and responsiveness of the plans in addressing poverty, environment and gender issues in culturally diverse ARMM communities have also improved. Further, LGSPA assistance enabled government ofﬁcials to leverage resources and engage CSOs in the implementation of identiﬁed priority projects. Stronger abilities in development planning across 102 LGUs caused the implementation of 2,495 projects out of 3,817 municipal and 373 barangay priority development projects in 92 municipalities or an achievement rate of 65%. LGSPA’s efforts in development planning support the Rationalized Planning System being pursued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). HILAL 55

Good Practices

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ZER

WASTE HEROES In Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, garbage disposal had always been a dilemma testing the capacity of the local government to meet the challenges of urbanization; but through a combination of â&#x20AC;&#x153;learning-bydoingâ&#x20AC;? and encouraging people participation, it has developed a Solid Waste Management program that is nothing short of a small miracle. Solid Waste Management as Development Mantra Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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arangay Awang sits on thousands of hectares of beautiful mountains and green plains, its rich topography bisected by a long river. It serves as a watershed for nearby Cotabato City. It is the site of the Cotabato airport and a camp of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It became a melting pot of sorts through the years with families of soldiers stationed in the camp choosing to reside there permanently. It then became a commercial center with a lively public market and a string of establishments selling wet and dry goods as well as cooked food. While heightened commercial activity and increase in population led to economic growth, they also brought about related problems. One of the biggest problems: rapid increase in the volume of waste which, at its highest, totaled 60 tons a day.

“We had a problem with disposing our waste products,” said Barangay Chairperson Rommel Sinsuat. “There were heaps of garbage everywhere, the river bank was dirty, and the public market had a foul smell. This naturally led to disease, and disease led to school absenteeism and other problems.” As the garbage problem reached alarming proportions, the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) came to the rescue by way of a timely project: coaching the municipal government in undertaking barangay-level management of its solid waste. “We welcomed LGSPA because they offered to be with us in this journey of attaining zero waste. We were given a tour of another municipality -- in Linamon, Lanao del Norte as well as Sto. Tomas Davao Del Norte, and we realized that if it is possible there, it is also possible for us,” said Abdulrachman Amil, an engineer and focal person for Solid Waste Management (SWM) in the municipality. As an initial step, the municipal LGU created the Solid Waste Management Board. At the municipal level, this is composed of Amil, Municipal Planning staff and concurrent SWM Officer-InCharge; Kagawad Sophia Abbas Sinsuat, who chairs the Sangguniang Bayan on Environment; and Budget Officer Isniya Masukat. Amil, Sinusuat and Masukat are at the forefront of introducing solid waste management in the barangays of Datu Odin Sinsuat.

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sure that there are enough seedlings for the eco-park and all over the barangay. Mayor Datu Ombra S. Sinsuat commended the people of Barangay Awang for “giving their all-out support to our municipal efforts to address the waste problem in the barangays. We can only go as far as educating them, providing mechanisms for enforcement but, in the end, it matters that they take the cause themselves and appreciate what it can do for their lives.”

clean up their surroundings. We also cleaned up the river bank. On the day of the launch, you could not see a single (piece of) garbage on the streets. They were piled up in designated places where they were picked up by the garbage collection truck.“

“We chose Awang as the showcase barangay because people there were truly receptive. Understandably, there was a need which they easily realized. Organizing the officials and the people of the barangay was easy. Mobilizing them was even easier,” said Abbas. “If we do not manage our waste, we might end up throwing all of our garbage in the river, and we do not want that to happen because we are the biggest source of potable water for our municipality and the whole of Cotabato City,” said Sinsuat. At the barangay level, the first phase included the creation of the Barangay Solid Waste Management Board. Kagawad Feby Acosta was designated by the people as the focal person for SWM. “Educating the people meant holding seminars for everyone. We needed to 62 HILAL

bring in the various sectors since they all contribute to the waste – market vendors, households, school children, youth, store operators, teachers, government workers and informal leaders,” said Acosta. Training workshops, conducted by experts including the staff of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, covered topics such as waste characterization, segregation, ordinances and codes and operational guidelines. According to Sinsuat, “those who attended were expected to pass on what they learned. We mobilized the sitio leaders for our solid waste management drive, and the people pledged to cooperate.” “We targeted a date to launch the SWM program in the barangay,” said Acosta. Then we asked everyone to join us to

Business establishments cleaned up their store fronts. A lady who operates a restaurant said, “We have segregated our biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste. We have a compost pit in our backyard, while someone comes to pick up our non-biodegradable waste.” Sinsuat said that the barangay government “has an agreement with the owner of a junk shop. So, he sends his people to go from house to house, establishment to establishment to pick up their recyclables. This has also provided additional income for many residents who take the initiative to collect junk.” Kagawad Harry Manalo pointed out that ordinances are in place concerning the throwing of garbage in the streets. To enforce these, policemen and barangay tanods (deputized village watchmen) work hand-in-hand. Even soldiers stationed nearby help ensure that waste disposal regulations are followed.

Aside from committing human resources to the program, the barangay government has also improved its garbage collection system ensuring that segregated wastes are disposed of properly. According to Sinsuat, “the barangay government has mapped out strategies to improve our waste recovery, composting and disposal facilities. Our plans will not happen overnight, but we are slowly but surely inching our way to achieve them.”

Sustaining and Replicating Other government entities and sectors help in sustaining the SWM program. Through the Department of Education, teachers at the Awang Elementary School incorporate solid waste management practices in various subjects such as health and science and civic studies. The Department of Health-ARMM is instrumental in providing health care workers who provide continuing education on the hazards brought about by improper waste disposal. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources donated 15 hectares of land which now serve as an eco-park where the barangay residents have conducted tree planting activities. Tree seedling plots are also being maintained to en-

“The response from the civil society is heartwarming,” he continued. “While we in government are doing our best as a matter of duty and concern for the people’s welfare, the people themselves are contributing to our success by giving their full commitment to the SWM program. Now, we have a clean environment, a healthy populace, and a community that has proved it can be a dedicated partner of the government in bringing about sustainable development.” Datu Odin Sinsuat is replicating the success of the SWM project in Barangay Awang in two other barangays: Dalican and Semba. The LGU allotted P800,000 as initial cash requirement for mobilizing both government and civil society and educate various stakeholders on SWM. The SWM project in Barangay Tamontaka is showing signs of success in its initial stage. Barangay Chairperson Sinsuat happily reported that “our volume of waste, originally 60 tons a day, has been reduced to nine tons a day. We have received positive comments regarding the cleanliness of our surroundings, including the commercial areas, the public market, school grounds, homes and community spaces. Our river bank is much cleaner. But other than these changes, our cooperation has also improved, making us believe that if we can do it in this project, we can also move on to other projects and expect good results.”

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Coming to Terms with the Future in Mamasapano Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Implementing Education Governance Reforms in Selected LGUs in ARMM

In 2008, the municipality of Mamasapano in Maguindanao province joined an LGSPA project on education governance because of the increasing number of out-of-school youth and unemployed adults. Today, the town boasts of having in its midst a Technical Vocational and Training Center turning out skilled and motivated graduates. By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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oung people in Mamasapano grapple daily with difficult choices. They have been witness to traumatic events in the past, fierce fighting between government troops and rebels that forced the evacuation of thousands of families. Often, the terrible sights and sounds of war re-echo in their mind’s eye, coming unbidden in the middle of the night. Only a few months ago, a wayward artillery shell hit the wing of the beautiful Mamasapano municipal hall, shattering its windows and cracking its walls. Families displaced by the fighting remain in evacuation centers right beside the municipal hall. Many young people have dropped out of school because of the uncertainty of the situation. There is no telling how many have taken up arms, either lured by the romance of the warrior or pushed to the wall. Still,

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many others have chosen to stay home, but they are uncertain about their future. The local government unit (LGU) of Mamasapano has not turned a blind eye to the situation. Among the many issues that the LGU is addressing, education takes priority. In 2008, Mamasapano was one of the participating LGUs in the LGSPA project, “Implementing Education Governance Reforms in Selected LGUs in ARMM”. “We decided to join the project because of the increasing number of out-of-school youth and adults without livelihood,” said Monsor Akmad, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator. “These are the people who can be easily swayed into taking drugs or joining gangs. Some of them, especially those with a strong sense of idealism, can be easily recruited to join the rebel forces.”

In time, the LGU included in its Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA) a plan to set up a college that will upgrade the skills of the youth and adults, and to prepare them for productive employment. With LGSPA backstopping its initial effort, Mamasapano explored the possibility of providing technical vocational education and training for its young people. LGSPA was instrumental in linking Mamasapano to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Maguindanao. Actively involved in the initiative was the Municipal School Board, which performs advisory and oversight functions pertaining to education programs in the municipality. The key players – LGSPA, Mamasapano and TESDA-Maguindanao – entered into a tripartite agreement. They agreed that Mamasapano will ﬁrst establish a Technical Vocational and Training Center (TVET Center).

“Our immediate task was to provide a venue, so we refurbished our social hall and converted it into a two-room training center,” said Totoy Kesid, Municipal Administrator who doubles as Center Director.

tion of hand-outs, printing of certiﬁcates and the funding of the consumer electronics course which required equipment and supplies.

A Community Concern He said that the Ofﬁce of the Mayor “gave its all out support where budget was concerned. Our mayor (Datu Mohammad Bahnarin A. Ampatuan) saw to it that we would have training materials, tools and supplies for courses in Building Wiring Installation and Photographic Screen Printing.” TESDA assigned its accredited trainers to the Center, and paid their monthly salaries. Being the expert institution, it focused on designing the courses to suit the needs of prospective students. Mamasapano provided the trainers’ meals, lodging and transportation. LGSPA continued to coach the LGU in educational governance, and provided ﬁnancial assistance for the reproduc-

“The project became a community concern,” said Mario Ealdama, the LGUassigned focal person for the TVET Center. “With the help of barangay ofﬁcials, we informed the people about the courses, and we encouraged them to send the young people to enroll with us. We also explained to them that they would have to take care of their own meals and transportation, and the parents agreed to provide these for their children.” “We interviewed the applicants,” said Asraf Latip, one of the TESDA-accredited trainers. “We needed to know their basic knowledge, how far they have gone in

school and their interests as far as the courses were concerned. We did not turn down any applicant but divided them into classes, depending on their capabilities. Those whom we felt would be able to learn faster were grouped together, while those who dropped out from school earlier and did not have advanced knowledge of math and physics went to another group.” Classes finally opened on June 8, 2008 in the first LGU-managed technical vocational training in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Tatonot Gani, one of the first graduates of the Building Wiring Installation course, said, “I am now able to use the skills that I acquired from the training. It all started with a neighbor asking me to install their electrical warning. Then, a relative of theirs heard about my capability, so they employed my services too. I am just starting but HILAL 67

governments aimed at providing appropriate training and education for Filipinos interested in acquiring certain livelihood skills.

Looking Ahead The future truly looks bright for these young people who now dream of opening their own shops or enrolling in advanced courses in Davao or Cotabato so they can get employment. “Who knows, we might even be able to go abroad and use our skills to make a living?” asked Jerimi Acosta, who takes pride in being able to whip up a few international dishes and bake pastries. Even as the LGU has reaped praises, it has to contend with the peace and order situation. When fighting broke out between the Philippine military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in August 2008, the soldiers took over the center and used it as camp headquarters. For a time, the LGU had to suspend classes as the skirmishes continued. When the fighting stopped classes resumed but this time in another concrete building deemed safer. LGSPA further supported the educational initiatives of Mamasapano by conducting a TVET strategic direction-setting with the various stakeholders – the LGU, TESDA the local Education Board, parents, graduates and prospective enrollees – sharing their views, committing their support and strategizing towards enhancing the capabilities of the TVET Center. somehow, I am making some money unlike before when I didn’t even have enough for a meal unless I asked from my parents.” Gani is one of the TVET Center graduates who took advanced courses in the KoreaPhilippines Training Center in Davao City. “We were sent to acquire advanced skills, so we can share this knowledge with our fellow graduates as well as the incoming enrollees,” he said. Gani later took the TESDA qualifying exam and is now accredited as a trainer. The Mamasapano Technical Vocational Education Training Center is the first munici-

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pal LGU-managed technical and vocational skills training center in ARMM. According to LGU reports, a total of 144 men 36 women have been trained by the center. The LGU is looking into the expansion of curricular courses. “That’s why we sent some of the young people of Mamasapano to Davao to take special courses at the Korea-Philippines Training Center. They enrolled in culinary arts, food services and catering and they will also serve as lecturers in the Center,” Mansor Akmad said. He explained that the training center, popularly referred to by the locals as Korphil, is a joint project of the Korean and Philippine

Hon. Dangkua Daud, Chair of Barangay Pidsandawan and ABC President, summed up the over-all feeling that has pervaded the community since the TVET Center was opened: “Parents feel happy that their children are being prepared for their future roles in society. They are happy, too, that with less idle young people, there are less cases of juvenile wrongdoings. But the happiest of all are the young women and men who thought that poverty and the peace and order situation have prevented them from pursuing their dreams for a better life. They are optimistic and they see a bright future ahead of them.”

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the local government of Siasi in Sulu embarked on a journey of self-

The Community Kitty

discovery, enabling it, together with local townsfolk, to develop a simple

Siasi’s Barangay ‘Paluwagan’ System

Supported by the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA),

Siasi, Sulu

system of addressing basic development issues through the “barangay paluwagan”. By Jeﬀrey M. Tupas

70 HILAL

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group of people huddle underneath the overhang of a small sari-sari store at the foot of Mt. Gorro somewhere in Siasi in the province of Sulu. They ward off the chill of the cold wind caressing the mountain by sipping mugs of steaming, freshly-brewed native coffee. A young woman appears, bearing a platter of Tausug delicacies daral (coconut toffee in flour wrapper), punjang (cone-shaped sweets) and junay (rice cooked with spices and wrapped in banana leaf). She joins the cheerful conversation that, upon closer look, appears to be a celebration of sorts. The people gathered around the store have spent many days and many nights making sure that the road to their barangay is completed to their satisfaction. They have every reason to celebrate. The construction of the road to the village of Singko was made possible without the help of any foreign donor agency. It was done through a scheme called paluwagan implemented by the LGU of Siasi. An informal system of pooling funds, usually practiced among small groups within a community, the paluwagan encourages people to save and instills in them the virtue of patience. “It was heartwarming to witness how each of us were willing to give whatever we could just to keep the project going. We were so excited and happy that something good was happening and all of us could not really wait to see it done,” said Johaira Hadjirul, village chair of Barangay Singco.

coastal villages and transport them to Siasi aboard bancas which is very costly for us,” Hadjirul said. “The (completion of the) road is really a big relief,” she added. Siasi’s use of the paluwagan system as an approach to enable villages implement their projects could be considered a breakthrough in local governance in the ARMM. In the Barangay Paluwagan scheme, the 50 villages of Siasi were asked to spare P5,000 a month to be put in a common fund. The pooled amount will then be used to finance projects that they have identified as priorities in their respective Barangay Development Plans (BDP). Within a month, the villages were able to pool P250,000 cash. The Siasi LGU then contributed P50,000 to round off the fund to P300,000 that was then divided among three barangays selected by lottery. The involvement of the Liga ng mga Barangay and the Municipal Technical Working Group in the preparation of the program of works and in monitoring ensured that the projects were technically and financially viable. It also further demonstrated inter-barangay and municipal LGU support to community initiatives.

For many years, the road to Barangay Singco was passable only by foot. Sometimes motorcycles braved the road made even more dangerous by deep ruts and sheer cliffs on one side.

At least 15 villages have already joined the paluwagan and implemented various projects in their communities since it started in early 2009. These included the construction or rehabilitation of roads, water facilities and community centers, purchase of hoses to pipe in water, and the construction of communal toilets for daycare centers and barangay halls.

“Traveling on the road is very difficult and dangerous for the people. Our fruit products rot because no vehicle can get inside the village. We bring our copra down the

Mayor Arthur Muksan said that it would be very difficult for a third class municipality to respond to all the needs of the 50 barangays comprising it. Siasi is accessible

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only by boat from Jolo or Bongao in the Province of Tawi-Tawi. It derives its income largely from agriculture and fisheries.

Helping Villagers Help Themselves Muksan said the idea came to him after realizing that the fate of the villages must not be reliant on local government units or donor agencies. He said the villages must help themselves become self reliant government units able to deliver basic services to the people. “Development must emanate from the grassroots. All the infrastructure development at the municipal level will be useless if down in the villages even the most basic of services are not being delivered. The measure of good governance is reflected

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by how good the state of the village is,” Muksan said. Usually, village leaders cite inadequate funding as an excuse for their failure to implement barangay projects, said Muksan. “The only way for us to help them is help them help themselves,” Muksan said. He added that “the objective is for them to access a sum (of money) that is good enough to construct a road or a water system. It is also hoped that because of this, they will learn to appreciate the value of their own money, giving them that sense of ownership over their project…that the project was implemented because of their own efforts and not because of the help of others.”

Hadjirul added that when it is her barangay’s turn again to avail of development funds under the paluwagan program, they will build a madrasah. “I know that the fund is minimal so the village officials must identify their priorities,” said the mayor. ”Convincing some of the village leaders to appreciate and understand the paluwagan system was sometimes madugo (colloquialism for ‘difficult’),” said Jameel Matarul, Siasi Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator.

Rising Above Poverty Pindal Hadjirul, a woman leader who chairs Barangay Sablay, said that if it were not for the pooled resources under the paluwagan program, it would have been next to impossible to build a road to make their lives easier. Sablay is one of the poorest villages of Siasi. “Our road used to look like a waterway with potholes. When the scheme was in74 HILAL

officials on developing Barangay Development Plans (BDP) and Annual Investment Plans (AIP). Barangays who fail to present their BDPs will receive less support from the municipal LGU.

troduced, I knew immediately that it would help us a lot. Now we are able to go to the market easily and our children can go to school without the hassle of dirty shoes and uniforms,” she said.

“There were those who doubted the motive and questioned it. But we cannot give up just like that. Instead, we took pains to make them understand that what the local government unit is doing is for the benefit of the barangay and the people hungry for development,” said Matarul. Several consultations on how barangays can become part of the program were conducted. One of the prerequisites was

the formulation of Barangay Development Plans that was supported by the Local Governance Support Program in the ARMM (LGSPA).

Building Local Capacities LGSPA, through capacity building trainings for the Siasi local government, helped the LGU craft their Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA). Through the CDPELA, barangay priorities reflected in the Barangay Development Plans (BDP) were identified which later helped in the formulation of the paluwagan system. LGSPA also provided capacity development support to the LGU in the area of education, water supply, sanitation, hygiene, solid waste and coastal resource management. To put the plans in the CDP-ELA into action, the municipal government signed a Memorandum of Agreement with barangay

A municipal technical working group (MTWG) was also created to monitor the progress of the project together with the Liga ng mga Barangay. Meriannly Muksan, head of the Liga ng mga Barangay, said that so far project implementation has been smooth with villages patiently awaiting their turn to receive their share of funding support. She said that her own barangay, Sipanding, has yet to get its funding share for the construction of a community-based water system, a priority it identified in the BDP. The water system will benefit not only Sipanding but other nearby villages as well. “We have to be patient and wait until it is our turn. While waiting we prepare people on the changes that will happen and explore the possibilities of making them actively involved in the process,” said Merrianly, who happens to be the sister of Mayor Muksan.

Multiplier Effect “The projects that we implement do not only directly benefit us but also the other villages,” she said. The road -- built through the paluwagan system -- connecting Siasi to barangay Singko also serves the barangay of Jambangan, a village that identified the construction of a wharf as the people’s priority need. In Barangay Pislong, the P100,000 paluwagan fund was used to develop a communal water system and community center where pilgrims can take shelter especially during Islamic religious events, addressing both basic and spiritual needs of the villagers. Every year, people from as far as Zamboanga, Bongao, Jolo or even Malaysia, gather in Barangay Pislong during Rajab, the seventh month of the Islamic calendar or two months before the Muslims’ observation of the Holy Month of Ramadan. “Thousands of people,” village chair Bandaw Irijani said,“gather at the tampat (sacred place) where the Batu Piangkat (rock piles) can be found. Believers, offer prayers

and intentions to the spirits whom they believe are keeping the Batu Piangkat safe.” “The community center,” he said,“can shelter pilgrims who used to spend the night under makeshift tents. This is a community where residents pray to Allah inside a langgal, a traditional mosque without walls.” While the paluwagan system is helping village projects get off the ground, something beautiful is also happening among local folk. When the 300-meter road in Campo Islam was being constructed, village youth, some as young as nine, became curiously interested. They soon found themselves volunteering to do part of the construction work. Jeffrey Mar Unok, one of the volunteers, said that upon learning about the project, he went to the construction site to find out what he can do. He added: “I did not wait to be invited in. Even my friends were quick to respond to the need for people to work. We didn’t think twice because we knew that the project was for us.”

HILAL 75

By Charina Sanz Four ARMM Local Government Units (LGU) form an alliance and demonstrate how best to solve common problems by replicating a proven practice, the Kabalikat PALMA Infrastructure Program of North Cotabato, where limited resources are maximized through sharing, coordination and convergence. PALMA stands for the towns of Pigkawayan, Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap and Aleosan.

one SLAM!

Working as for a Grand

Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities Paglat, Maguindanao Datu Paglas, Maguindanao Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao Gen. S.K. Pendatun, Maguindanao

76 HILAL

ineteen-year-old Zahir Kal will soon live his dream. It is written. Here inside a classroom in a vocational school in downtown Tacurong city, Kal, who used to be a farmer from Gen. S.K. Pendatun, is diligently learning the basics of automotive repair. He hopes to become a skilled automotive mechanic and work abroad to support his family. It is a story shared by Mohammad Kamid, 23, and Jahir Sumapol, 21, both from Datu Paglas who just finished a short course on welding. Before taking up the course, they knew no other skill except farming. In the rural health clinic of Gen. S.K. Pendatun (GSKP), Abubakar Abdullah, 36, recalls the night of August 12 when he had to undergo emergency surgery in a hospital in Tacurong City. The surgical procedure was successful but Abdullah almost fainted when he was presented with a five thousand peso bill. Luckily for him, he has been enrolled by the LGU as a Philhealth beneficiary and had to pay less than half of the bill. “I could not afford the cost,” he said. Dr. Renalyn Masukat, GSK Pendatun’s rural health physician, says that the LGU provides honorarium to 25 barangay health workers to ensure that health services are accessible to the poorest barangays. “It

is voluntary on the part of the LGU and we are grateful,” said Masukat. In her 18 years as a doctor of the Department of Health, she said that it is only now that the LGU is actively involved in addressing health concerns such as the high infant mortality rate in GSKP.

All for One With the improved delivery of education, health and other services following the formation of the Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities or SLAM, stories of hope and self-determination began to be told in the towns of Paglat, Datu Paglas, Sultan sa Barongis and Gen. S.K. Pendatun comprising the alliance in the province of Maguindanao. The towns are located around the Ligawasan Marsh, an extensive swamp region in Central Mindanao. Although the marsh is noted for its rich biodiversity, massive floods and continuing armed conflict have seriously eroded the people’s quality of life. Poverty and lack of access to basic services such as health and education also make life in the marsh area extremely difficult. The mayors of the four LGUs formed the Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities or SLAM on June 25, 2008 “to find common solutions to common problems”.

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The idea of working together as an alliance gelled in December 2007 at the LGSPA Executive and Legislative Leadership Development Course. During the training, several of the mayors listened to former Libungan town Mayor and current Board Member of the Cotabato Provincial Council, Ronaldo Pader, describe the experience of the LGSP II-supported Pigcawayan-Alamada-LibunganMidsayap-Aleosan Alliance, popularly known as PALMA. Pader is the first Chair of PALMA. He told the four mayors how they have jointly and effectively worked on addressing common priorities of the five LGUs since 2002. PALMA won a Galing Pook award in 2007 for their Kabalikat PALMA Infrastructure Program which pooled municipal equipment, machinery, personnel and expertise from five contiguous towns for farm-to-market road construction.

Maintaining Momentum Greatly motivated by the success of PALMA, Mayor Abdulkarim Langkuno and the other three mayors of SLAM immediately pursued the formalization of SLAM. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed between the four municipalities committing to their participation in SLAM and deﬁning roles and responsibilities. The Provincial Government of Maguindanao, DILG-ARMM and LGSPA served as witnesses to the MOA. Each mayor agreed to initially provide a monthly contribution of P15,000 to a common SLAM fund. This was later raised to P25,000 when the alliance activities began gaining momentum. The fund will be used to support the development projects of the alliance as well as the Project Management Ofﬁce operations. Monthly meetings are held with each LGU taking turns hosting the meeting (i.e. cost of venue and food). Mayor Langkuno was elected 78 HILAL

Chairperson of the SLAM Board with four Sangguniang Bayan members, four CSO representatives (i.e. one from each town) and the DILG-ARMM Maguindanao Provincial Director comprising the rest of the members. Datu Paglas Vice-Mayor Ahmed Paglas was initially designated Interim Project Manager. SLAM’s Project Management Office in Datu Paglas was recently launched with Padido Usman, the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (MPDC) of Datu Paglas designated as the interim Project Manager until a full-time manager is hired. On an interim basis, each LGU assigned one of their staff (to be rotated) to report to the PMO and a full-time technical officer was hired to work with Usman. The four municipal planning coordinators, municipal engineers and municipal agriculture officers from the four towns serve as the Technical Working Group of the SLAM Board. With the mentoring support of PALMA, the alliance developed a Strategic Plan and a manual of operations. This will guide the SLAM in their operations, systems and procedures including the pooling of human, financial, equipment/material resources, prioritizing activities, external resource generation, and others. The alliance also agreed to put a premium on peace and order cooperation, particularly on security, sharing of information, settlement of feuds, boundary disputes and crime prevention.

Celebrating Initial Victories To showcase their first initiative, the four LGUs pooled their resources to conduct a medical mission in Sultan sa Barongis where 12 barangays had been heavily flooded for several months. The medical outreach, said those in the affected communities, was a first in Maguindanao and opened the way for SLAM to become better known among the people. With LGSPA assistance in access-

ing resources and networking, SLAM has forged a Community Health Partnership Program with Zuellig Foundation to strengthen health services in the area, harnessing the commitment of the LGUs’ leadership in prioritizing health service delivery as articulated in their respective Executive and Legislative Agendas (ELA). The partnership with Zuellig will develop models that will be able to deliver more effective and efficient health services to the people of these four towns. Zuellig Foundation saw the opportunity to support an inter-local health zone in ARMM through SLAM. The alliance was an added value to their acceptance in the community health partnership program. Each of the SLAM LGU passed the screening of Zuellig Foundation. The four SLAM mayors, health officers, CSO leaders and MPDCs participated in a fiveday Bridging Leadership on Health training in February 2009. The first module on grounding and visioning on health concerns enabled the participants to begin “owning” the health concerns and formulating their Vision, Mission, Objectives, Key Result Areas and Performance Indicators [VMOKRAPI]. The four LGUs are in the process of sharing the VMOKRAPI through barangay assemblies and municipal consultations as part of “co-owning” the issues and performance targets on health. With the support of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Department of Health (DOH)-ARMM, the SLAM LGUs opened four community pharmacies (Botika ng Barangay) in each municipality in February 2009 to increase access to affordable medicines. Each of the SLAM LGU provided the site and building for the community pharmacy. They also paid for the salary of the pharmacy aide who will operate it. “Health is our focus because the health situation around the Ligawasan Marsh is very poor. Because many areas are inaccessible with no access to medical services, there were many incidents of deaths,” said Mayor Langkuno. Mayor Allan Datu Angas of Sultan sa Baronguis cited the case of three children who died from diarrhea because there were no

Replicating the Kabalikat PALMA Infrastructure Project

nspired by Mayor Pader’s description of how simple yet successful the alliance was in achieving concrete results by systematically organizing the sharing of resources, Paglat Mayor Abdulkarim Langkuno was convinced it could be done in Maguindanao. He discussed a similar idea of working together with fellow mayors and, with LGSPA assistance, hosted an orientation session on the Kabalikat PALMA Infrastructure Project. They invited Pader once again to share more details about PALMA – how it was established, the difﬁculties it faced, the steps it took and the results it has been able to achieve. The four Maguindanao mayors wasted no time in committing to pursue the creation of a similar alliance. The objective: to facilitate development in their respective towns through the pooling and sharing of resources. The LGUs agreed on the basic principle that with combined resources, much can be accomplished in a shorter period of time. LGSPA then organized a study tour for the four mayors and their key staff to PALMA. Aleosan town Mayor Loreto Cabaya, current chair of PALMA, updated the ARMM mayors on the 281.45 km farm-to-market roads that have been constructed at a cost of P8.47 million through their pooled efforts. The Mayors of SLAM learned that this strategy was also being used to pursue other related development initiatives in environmental protection and health and had a chance to interact with fellow mayors, LGU staff, barangay ofﬁcials and residents of PALMA. Through the study visit, the members of SLAM heard from their peers about the importance of barangay development planning, revenue generation strategies and the computerization of the real property tax system: processes that LGSP II had supported in PALMA and which LGSPA was currently strengthening in SLAM and other ARMM municipalities. The PALMA leadership pledged to assist SLAM in getting established, even offering to share their manual of operations and other information.

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GSK Pendatun Mayor Bonnie Kali said that they provided Philhealth coverage for 2,000 indigents. They also paid for the honorarium of 10 barangay health workers and two midwives. In the case of Datu Paglas, 5,000 indigents were given Philhealth cards. The LGU also hired a nurse and gave allowances for 25 barangay health workers, according to Mayor Mohammad Paglas. Aside from health, education is also another top priority. “We lack teachers, which is why we ourselves pay for volunteer teachers. SLAM provides volunteer teachers from elementary to high school, including Madaris,” said Mayor Paglas.

health personnel around. Sultan sa Barongis is a far-ﬂung area that easily becomes isolated and inaccessible when ﬂoodwaters inundate the town. The LGU encouraged barangay health workers to become readily available by giving them incentives. The four LGUs share only two doctors who spend most of their time doing hospital duty at the Buluan municipal district hospital. They also have very few barangay health workers. To ensure that they report for work, the LGUs provide honorarium.

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Right now, two of their LGUs (Datu Paglas and Paglat) have already forged a partnership with Synergia, the Notre Dame Marbel University and University of Southeastern Mindanao. SLAM is looking for partners for Salipada K. Pendatun and Sultan sa Barongis. Forming SLAM was strategic and had a big impact in terms of accessing resources and “it is also good for donors to know that SLAM LGUs move with one direction,” he said. Last March 19, a MOA signing was held at Datu Paglas to formalize the sister LGU relationship with Makati City. Aside from this, SLAM also obtained 100 scholarship vouchers from the TESDA National Ofﬁce for a three- to six-month vocational course on any TESDA-accredited school. They are currently recruiting potential students in the four SLAM LGUs.

The alliance has also supported the construction of 11 units of shelter for displaced families from Barangay Elbebe, Datu Paglas. Last August 19, a kilometer long farm-to-market road in Barangay Makaines in General S.K. Pendatun was started.

Encouraging Others In just a short span of time, SLAM has shown to other ARMM LGUs, particularly in Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan, the beneﬁts of working together. There are neighboring towns that have expressed interest to join the alliance. The SLAM LGUs believe that they are still in the process of developing and strengthening the alliance and need to prove that their collective effort will work. For the meantime, they have decided to work with the four original members. What also went well for SLAM was the close kinship among the four mayors. It was easy to arrive at a consensus because of their blood relations. They all belong to the Pendatun clan. “We can talk things out without reservation. What one of us faces, we can discuss it directly,” Langkuno said. As traditional leaders of the people around the Ligawasan Marsh, it is customary for the people to seek help from them every time there is a disaster or a problem. The four SLAM mayors recognize that much needs to be done, but with strong camaraderie and motivation, the alliance is on its way to success. They have planted the seeds of good governance and with some patient nurturing, reaping a rich harvest may not be too far off.

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MOBILE G

Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao

82 HILAL

VERNANCE

One-day visits by a local government unit to villages in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao make a life-changing difference for local folk by bringing basic services closer to where these matter most. By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr. Sultan Masturaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BISITA sa Barangay

HILAL 83

ne day each month, Mayor Armando Mastura of Sultan Mastura town in Maguindanao holds office under a tree. Sometimes he does so in a kiosk in the playground of a public elementary school. At other times he can be found in the porch of a two- classroom building where people can easily approach him.

“This informal setting makes the people more talkative. They tell me their concerns and I listen. It is time for me to know their stories,” said Mastura, who brings with him seventy percent of the municipal government staff, including workers and heads of line agencies, to the informal meetings so “we can be with the people and do what we can for them in a span of one day.” Also with him are representatives of civil society and donor organizations. The one-day barangay visit is “an opportunity for the people to avail of the services of the government right in their own communities, a few steps away from their homes,” he said. The LGU refers these monthly visits, conducted at an average of one barangay a month, as BISITA sa Barangay. BISITA stands for Bringing Integrated Services and Innovation through Team Approach. This approach resulted from the information generated from the LGU development planning process, assisted by the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA). The support focused on the crafting and implementation of the Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA), including Barangay Development Plans (BDP). The ELA helped the LGU recognize the need to improve the 84 HILAL

municipal and barangay databases and formulate barangay plans. From the initial pilot assistance of LGSPA on the BDP process, the LGU expanded the initiative to include all barangays. In every consultation with community stakeholders, issues and concerns raised on health, education, and agriculture were noted by the Mayor. The consultation strengthened the programs in the CDP-ELA and sharpened the barangay plan implementation by providing critical information inputs. The BISITA was born in response to these needs. It provides a unique opportunity for the LGU and the people to learn from each other up close and personal. “I had to reach out to them because fathers are too busy in the fields to come to the municipal hall. Mothers are taking care of their babies while the children are in school,” said Mayor Mastura. “Of course, we are not only honored by the Mayor’s presence, we are also gratified by the services that he brings to the people,” said Racma Simang, Chairperson of Barangay Tapayan, the first to be visited by the BISITA sa Barangay. During these visits, Mayor Mastura engages local school stakeholders in a dialogue to identify their priority needs. He also treats Day Care Center pupils, pre-school children and elementary school students to steaming bowls of arroz caldo (porridge). The festive atmosphere is certainly infectious. Rolando Guanzon, Municipal Planning and Development Officer, said “the staff

looks at the BISITA as a break from the routine of office work. So they go about their tasks with joy and eagerness. Besides, their sense of service is heightened as they come face to face with the people in the barangay, many of whom seldom visit the municipal hall.” Dr. Raul Delosa, the Municipal Dentist, added: “We give children toothbrushes with toothpaste. We teach them how to brush. Then, we also clean their teeth. And, finally, we extract teeth. More than half of the schoolchildren have tooth decay due to bad health habits.” A nurse and three midwives assist mothers who bring their children, including babies, for medical consultation and immunization. They get medicines including vitamins. Pregnant women avail of prenatal medication and checkup. “We also instruct the women on health and hygiene, and water sanitation,” said the Municipal Nurse.

Registration, licensing and other business transactions, otherwise neglected by citizens throughout the year, are finally attended to because the municipal hall is right at their doorsteps. “We have our hands full, because they find out before hand that mothers can register for free the births of their children six years old and below. We gave out as many as 600 birth certificates during our first BISITA,” said Guianema Olampayan, the Municipal Civil Registrar. Adults get their cedulas (residence certiciates) while operators of barangay-based businesses secure business permits. Usually, these are owners of sari-sari stores, repair shops and carinderias (eateries). Landowners verify or pay their real property taxes, while senior citizens and persons with disabilities can apply for their corresponding ID cards entitling them to certain privileges.

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Livestock raisers, on the other hand, bring their carabaos, goats and cows to designated places for vaccination and de-worming by representatives of the Department of Agriculture. Agricultural technicians distribute seedlings and share their know-how with farmers. “It is heartwarming that they have come to us,” said one farmer. “Now, we know them personally and consider them friends. So, when we need something, we can approach them easily.”

Two-Way Benefits Obviously, the BISITA benefits not only barangay residents but the LGU too. The Bureau of Internal Revenue staff distributes statements of real property tax to ensure that these are paid on time. These are information that the Mayor would not readily have to guide his decision making had he chosen to simply stay put in the comfort of his office. “It is important that they become aware of their responsibilities as citizens,” said Mastura. “They do not fulfill them, like paying taxes, because they lack awareness. With us going to them, we also take the opportunity to remind them of their obligations.” Education is also the mayor’s priority. He pointed out that the lack of teachers and classrooms continue to hound public schools. Also high on his list of priorities are health and sanitation. He said that in Sultan Mastura “70 percent of children are malnourished, 75 percent of school children have tooth decay, majority of children and pregnant mothers are not immunized, and 46 percent of households have no sanitary toilets, so we are trying to address these problems through the BISITA sa Barangay.” “The BISITA sa Barangay has not only addressed the immediate needs of citizens,” said Guanzon, the Municipal Development Officer. ‘It has improved relations between the people and the local government unit. 86 HILAL

To many people, governance is something that takes place only in the municipal hall. Now, they realize that the local government unit would go out of its way to accomplish its goals.” Sarah Abid, the local desk person for CSOs, pointed out that that the monthly outreach activity is supported by local civil society organizations. Said she: “Officers and members of barangay-based associations take care of informing the citizenry of the forthcoming BISITA. At the same time, they assist in identifying people who require immediate medical attention. They register in advance farmers and livestock raisers who are interested to meet the municipal agricultural officer and technician and designate a venue by sitio clusters because barangays can be very large.” Both community participation and inter-agency coordination are by-

products of the BISITA. On an informal level, the local government officials and staff have become closer. “It used to be that we seldom talked with each other because we were only limited to our respective offices. We were too shy to approach the top officials other than our bosses,” said Amina Dalandag, Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO). “Now, we relate to one another better and our common experience in the BISITA has made us closer. We all look forward to the next BISITA.” Mastura intends to strengthen the BISITA “so we can address the other problems of the barangays. We have in-

creased the budget, which we get from our Development Fund.” He also hopes that assistance will come in, and cites the example of Mayor Mus Sema and his wife, Bai Sandra of Cotabato City who, having seen the BISITA reported on local television, sent boxes of medicine for the next one. But, more than simply putting in place a unique program, the town of Sultan Mastura has demonstrated that through the BISITA sa Barangay, the LGU walks its talk in bringing the benefits of good governance to all.

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waterworlds Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao

Kabuntalan, Maguindanao

Two municipalities demonstrate the transformative nature of community-driven action to develop and sustain an initiative on access to potable water, sanitation and hygiene services through engaged governance practice. This is the compelling story of Kabuntalan and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao. 88 HILAL

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its Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA). Barangays Ganta and Pedtad were chosen as pilot areas for the WASH implementation that were later expanded to two other barangays. The Kadtabanga Foundation for Peace and Development Advocates, Inc. (KFPDAI), the civil society organization helping manage the WASH project in Kabuntalan, closely works with the MWTF in overseeing its implementation. KFPDAI is a member of the MWTF. Kadtabanga’s Amino “Shay” Kusain said that they started the project by conducting a WASH inventory and survey among household and water sources in the two barangays. The results became the basis for the formulation of the municipal WASH plan that was presented to the community and MWTF for ﬁnalization. “In the WASH inventory, it was found out that there is a need for potable water because children were suffering from diarrhea,” said Kusain.

Kabuntalan’s Way By Charina Sanz

onnie Limba, Kagawad (Councilor) of Barangay Ganta, has many reasons to be happy even though floods recently inundated his village in Kabuntalan, Maguindanao located along the Rio Grande de Mindanao and Tamontaka rivers. The elevated well that the community built had withstood the rampaging floods and continuously provided safe water to around 500 families including those from other barangays. “This well was able to provide water to everyone, including soldiers in the nearby detachment, as there is no other source,” said Limba, his face beaming with pride as he pumps water from the well. It used to be that when the floods come to Kabuntalan during the monsoon season, outbreaks of diarrhea usually occur affect90 HILAL

with WASH

ing mostly children due to the lack of potable water. “Before the well was built, our water tested positive for e-coli,” he said. “Come, taste the water,” he added. “It is now completely safe.” The well which costs only around P7,000 was built by the community in February 2009 using two culverts and a PVC pipe to keep the water free from arsenic contamination. They used a technology from the organization called “A Single Drop of Safe Water” (ASDSW), Inc. in a training supported by the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA). Pendatun Latip, head of the Water and Sanitation Association of Barangay Ganta, said that community residents helped dig the well. “Some carried sand and gravel, others helped in the construction. There was division of labor.”

The well was like an “answered prayer” to a long-suffering community. “Kabuntalan is a flood-prone area and lack of potable water is a perennial problem,” he said. In fact, the need for a well was identified in their Barangay Development Plan which was formulated using a participatory approach. But what is more significant in Barangay Ganta’s project is how it got the community involved in identifying its needs through enhancing the people’s capacities to design and implement WASH projects, said Ahmad Kamid, Kabuntalan’s municipal planning and development coordinator. WASH stands for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene. The Kabuntalan WASH project took off with the creation of the Municipal Water Task Force (MWTF) and Water and Sanitation Associations that were organized following the local government unit’s formulation of

Based on the WASH plan, an organizational project management training was given to the two pilot barangays on the how-to’s in implementing community-based projects such as digging and constructing wells. While the process that went into the plan’s formulation was long and tedious (it included consultations and data-gathering for the WASH inventory and analysis), these efforts paid off in the end. The community “owned” the plan.

“Pintakasi” At the heart of the success of the community-based well project in Barangay Ganta is what Kabuntalan Mayor Salaban Diocolano calls the spirit of pintakasi, a Maguindanaoan term for sama-sama bayanihan, or “pooling of resources”. Diocolano said that his administration used pintakasi in addressing community concerns. It involves everyone, from the LGU and barangay ofﬁcials to civil society organizations (CSO) in the area. This approach was born out of the realization that the LGU needs to work with various stakeholders to get things done. This was applied not only to WASH but also to other projects.

The LGU also formed the Kabuntalan Integrated Team Approach to Governance and Basic Services (KITAB) when the need to harmonize the work of all departments, from the executive to the legislative, became apparent. KITAB, created in 2007 through an Executive Order, is headed by the mayor and composed of LGU officials such as the Municipal and Planning Development Coordinator, Municipal Health Officer, Sangguniang Bayan Sanitation Committee Chair; Municipal Administrator; the MWTF and WSA (Water and Sanitation Association), other multi-sectoral agencies, CSOs and People’s Organizations (PO). “With the use of technology and a governance-centered approach, communities benefit from a successful WASH program in the long run,” said Anwar Salic, Kabuntalan Municipal Administrator.

By harnessing competencies from across the entire range of the LGU from the barangay to the municipality and province, regional government, CSOs and communities, this collaboration shows that WASH systems can become sustainable. Admittedly, there are remaining challenges. These include guaranteeing the continuity of the projects over time, ﬁnding funding opportunities for infrastructure development, increasing the demand for water and sanitation services, and CSOs and communities using their capacities appropriately. But gauging from the experience of Kabuntalan, the results are encouraging. “Thanks to pintakasi and the WASH trainings, we now know that there are many ways to ensure safe, drinking water. Hopefully, no child will ever get sick from diarrhea again because of unsafe water,” said Limba.

The WASH Strategy ASH projects supported by LGSPA usually get off the ground with an orientation on the governance approach as a strategy to mobilize the LGU and community to take action. Eventually the training will cascade down to local communities to ﬁnd solutions to WASH issues. “People are very enthusiastic. They see the need, and once they go back to their areas, they put to good use the skills we have passed on,” said Kiwi Lee, Executive Director of ASDSW (A Single Drop of Water).

“The governance approach is to create demand, not just multi-sectoral participation but active participation by all sectors,” he added. “Some people don’t know they are sick unless they are aware that they are sick. You need to educate them on what is causing the illness and raise their capacities. LGUs have to be engaged as well as partner with the people.” Recently, ASDSW has been using a portable microbiology water tester to examine water samples from the community. The portable tester is very effective in raising awareness as the participants immediately see the results. “Often they are shocked at the level of water contamination. As a result of the water sample tests, the community members are often galvanized into action and supporting the WASH program,” said ASDSW staff Noraida Chio. Aside from Kabuntalan, there are other WASH models that are also showing much promise such as those in Guindulungan and Talayan in Maguindanao which demonstrate strong collaboration between the LGU and the Municipal WASH Task Force. There is also the construction of bio-sand ﬁlters in Mulondo, Lanao del Sur.

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ties in establishing and maintaining the WASH project in their area.”

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

Sultan Kudarat: Water as

Builder of Hope

he people’s need for clean water was among the top concerns of former Mayor Tocao Mastura of Sultan Kudarat municipality in the province of Maguindanao. “I know the feeling of a thirsty person,” said Mastura, who now serves as the Municipal Administrator for his daughter, Mayor Bai Shajida Mastura. “For years, I was in the mountains as an MNLF Commander. As we moved from one place to another we made do without water,” he recalled. “We were not just thirsty we also had problems with hygiene. That’s why I can say with certainty that water is very important to keep one’s good health. 92 HILAL

Many of my fellow combatants contracted diseases due to dehydration”. Years later, as Mayor of Sultan Kudarat, he vowed he would ensure that “my constituents will have access to clean and potable water.” It was a promise that he did not just articulate. When he deﬁned his priorities and strategies in the Executive and Legislative Agenda, he made sure to include his vision for clean and safe water. Mastura knew his desire for his constituents was about to come true when the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) supported Sultan Kudarat in its quest to provide citizens access to potable water supply, sanitation and hygiene services.

By the time Mastura’s daughter, Bai Shajida, became mayor, the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project had been put in place. Bai Shajida adopted the project to widen its coverage and sustain the initial WASH accomplishments of her father. “Among its initial efforts, the previous administration organized the Municipal WASH Task Force, formulated the local WASH action plan, conducted the inventory of local water resources and identiﬁed priority barangays,” Bai Shajida said. “It also organized the Water and Sanitation Associations in the various barangays and conducted planning workshops in targeted barangays so the people will know their responsibili-

She narrated that her predecessor “supported the installation of 22 ferro-cement iron filter systems in the Rio Grande River, which benefitted some 600 households in the Rio Grande cluster of 11 barangays.” These filters were introduced earlier through another organization that was brought in by LGSPA — the Philippine Center for Water and Sanitation (PCWS). Bio-sand filters and ferro-cement iron filters are different technologies but operate on the same principles of filtration. The iron filters are a system appropriate to making water along the Rio Grande, that have pronounced undesirable physical and biological properties, more safe. “The local government allocated a budget to give all-out support to the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Water Task Force in purchasing the systems, and the civil society organizations in the area contributed manpower, so it was a joint effort of the LGU and the people,” explained Mastura. According to Daturaiz Mamadra, Sultan Kudarat Municipal Planning and Development Officer, “LGSPA linked our LGU

with the A Single Drop of Safe Water, Inc. (ASDSW), which promotes the use of the bio-sand filter technology, which was developed by the Canadian foundation, Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology.” Five out-of-school youth then participated in a training workshop on the installation of bio-sand filters. “Our technical know-how has brought us income,” said Wilhelmina Karim, one of those who participated in the workshop. “People are receptive because they know the value of clean and safe water. That’s why there is a strong demand for bio-sand filters.” Wilhelmina is grateful that she is no longer idle. “But aside from having something useful to do and earning from it, I have also gained friends as my clients still get in touch with me. More importantly, I realized that when people are given the opportunity to better their lives, they grab it. They are not only excited and fulfilled that they now have clean and safe water. Moreover, they have a sense of pride in themselves and their families because their lives have improved. In a way, I also feel proud because I can say that I have done something for their welfare,” she said.

A bio-sand filter costs P1,500. The amount covers installation of the product and a manual on how to maintain it. Seven women now promote the product. Sixty bio-sand filters were installed in 60 households in six barangays. Interestingly, households with the equipment sell water to those who have yet to buy their own filters. They sell filtered water at one peso per liter, and iced water at one peso per pack. Due to the increase in demand, local women entrepreneurs decided to invest in the project by providing the capital outlay for the purchase of bio-sand filters. “We give the people good prices,” said Nawara K. Karim. “What is important is we are able to help ensure that people have clean water right in their homes.” “People have been giving us positive feedback,” said Noda Chio, ASDSWF worker in the area. “They now have clear and odorless water at home. They say that the taste has improved too.” Elizabeth Ebus Sumail, Municipal Sanitary Inspector, pointed out that “there has been a decrease in the incidence of water-born diseases from 20 to 5 percent. Tests also

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All about WASH

ccess to water distributed through communal faucets (level II) and household taps (level III) is lowest in ARMM compared to the other regions; thus, most households resort to remedial means such as rain collection and purchasing from private vendors. Generally, responses tend to focus on infrastructure support, which exclude sanitation and hygiene education and do not necessarily build up stakeholders’ abilities to expand and address needs of adjoining communities. LGU involvement is also kept to a minimum, mainly through the provision of local counterpart. The sad reality is that many LGUs have been conditioned into thinking that WASH programs initiated by external partners entail direct delivery to target end users such that LGUs do not necessarily regard themselves as responsible for driving the process. LGSPA’s approach to improving the delivery of water supply, sanitation and hygiene services or WASH is linked to governance processes in the locality and through the same processes, seeks to enable stakeholders so that WASH needs of the rest of the constituents are systematically addressed. This is particularly valuable for areas that are resource-constrained, and where governance relationships remain tenuous. The governance approach to WASH is an empowering process of engagement that would increase the supply and quality of WASH services by increasing the demand for it, enhancing the abilities of suppliers to provide it, and providing opportunities for both dutyholders (government) and claim-makers (citizens and communities) to systematically work together, thereby creating and strengthening governance relationships. LGSPA support for engagements among LGUs, CSOs, and community members is contributing to im-

show there are no e-coli (bacteria) in the water taken by the people.” “I am glad that we now have water,” said one of the women. “Because there was a time when we had to fetch water from distant barangays, and we were not even sure of its cleanliness. When women gathered, we would talk of our difﬁculties, and the number one problem that cropped up was water. In Islam, water is 94 HILAL

proved access to WASH services in ARMM. Municipal capacities for WASH were strengthened in at least 31 LGUs. With LGSPA assistance, stakeholders in 115 barangays constructed and installed filtration and sanitation systems, water harvesting and storage tanks, and the repair of dug wells, pipes and pumps. LGSPA supports water testing in all systems as well as a WASH information and education campaign for community members. As a result, more communities have access to safe water, to means of appropriately disposing wastes, and are better aware of options for maintaining cleanliness and preventing health problems or illness. The highlights of the approach include: 1. Creating municipal and barangay-level structures such as the Municipal WASH Task Force and Water and Sanitation Associations to initiate, anchor and coordinate efforts and ensure participation 2. Developing local capacities to systematically pursue WASH through resource inventory; preparation of WASH plans and linking these to the local development plans; undertaking information and education campaigns; and effectively managing organizations and projects/community initiatives 3. Applying capacities by undertaking communitybased WASH projects such as improving access to WASH through rehabilitation and installation of new systems; and developing information and education materials with the participation of community leaders and ARMM agencies 4. Working with ARMM CSOs to effectively communicate demand for WASH and strengthen capacities of local suppliers and providers 5. Working with other organizations and programs undertaking WASH for a coordinated response 6. Developing customized knowledge products (such as the WASH Field Guide) to supplement other WASH materials and support replication and expansion

very important because we need to practice cleanliness. Without water, how can we be clean? Our families are happy because the children don’t get sick.” The woman is grateful that the local government unit under Bai Shajida continues to support the WASH project. “It has also made the people in the barangays work together.”

Daturaiz Mamadra, the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, said that “several men received training on how to manufacture the toilet bowls using available materials. It is now their livelihood and they are making good, because people have been educated on the use of toilet bowls, which was not feasible in the past when they did not have access to clean and safe water.” The current LGU administration continues to support the project by allocating funds for organizing and strengthening Barangay Water and Sanitation Associations. In her own ELA, Bai Shajida prioritizes WASH and its expansion to other barangays, while providing the ﬁnancial and technical support essential to the maintenance of the existing ﬁlter systems. She directed the provision of counterpart funds for systems installation, repair and maintenance.

The Chair of Barangay Porbsaudi agrees. She said “the WASH project did not just give us access to water, it also imbued in us a sense of cooperation, and the strong desire to work together since we had to decide for ourselves how we would implement the project in our barangay. Since this involved the needs of everyone, both husbands and wives were enthusiastic, with adults and children sharing their opinions and even manpower. Our young women too became involved as they helped in setting up the ﬁlter systems at home.”

She attributes this renewed enthusiasm to the LGSPA mentors “who coached us in preparing our community plans and strategies, with the local government unit supporting us all the way, but giving us the freedom to make decisions, as we organized our own barangay water and sanitation association.” Also part of the WASH project is the installation of toilet bowls in homes that, for the longest time, did not have toilets.

“As a mother, I know that water is very important. When you have a baby to take care of, you cannot tell them to wait for the water. You also need water to bathe them. And we’re not just talking of babies but the whole family. Water is really important. Cleanliness is a must in Islam and the only way this can be realized is with the availability of water,” Bai Shajida said. By continuing the WASH project that her predecessor began, Bai Shajida made it possible for the rest of her constituency to enjoy the services that they awaited with hope and optimism. “Aside from having clean and safe water, our people have attained gains in other aspects of our Islamic way of life. One is their realization that by cooperating with their local government unit, common good can be achieved. And secondly, that in setting goals for themselves they should agree on what they want, and they should work together in achieving them,” she said.

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Special Citations

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Filipino Muslims, whether they live in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or in other parts of the country, have two good reasons for rejoicing. Their religious leaders have joined hands with government and development agencies in two important projects: publication of a collection of khutba on governance and peace building to serve as reference for sermons during Friday worship; and the standardization of halal products. The results were nothing short of amazing.

Assembly of the Darâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ul Iftah

Good Governance, Peace and Halal Certification By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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uslim religious leaders have always been a source of inspiration and guidance for their people. The Friday worship, more than an obligation to fulfill, is a venue for hearing what the ustadz has to say not only on the spiritual life of man, but also on economic, political, social and cultural matters. Islam, after all, is both about worshipping Allah and practicing what the Qur’an prescribes among mortals. So when they listen to their ustadz deliver the Friday sermons, Muslims in Mindanao take the cue from the holy man on how they will fulfill their roles as members of the family, as citizens and as professionals. They go back to their homes with minds and spirits awakened on how to essentially weigh

their options and make decisions in their daily life – how to choose one’s leaders through the electoral process, how to transact business, how to deal with women, how to settle a conflict, among myriad human concerns. Muslim religious leaders (MRLs), without a doubt, exert great influence over their flock. The improved and comprehensible way of preaching of many of these religious leaders may be attributed to the release of an important publication, The Selected Khutba – A Guide to Social Development for the Muslim Communities in the Philippines, developed and produced with the assistance of the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA). “The Selected Khutba is a helpful reference in inspiring our fellow Muslims in living the kind of life that we all should practice in the midst of current challenges,” said Ustadz Esmael Ebrahim, spokesman of the Assembly of the Dar’ul Ifta of the Philippines, which put together the 48 selected sermons. Dar’ul Ifta is an Arabic word, meaning House of Islamic or legal opinion. In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Assembly of the Dar’ul Ifta of the Philippines is composed of the provincial muftis from the provinces of Tawi – Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. These senior ulama and recognized Muslim scholars in the community of Muslims regularly meet to deliberate, discuss, reflect and interpret issues and concerns on matters related to Islam; “we envision steering the community towards a God-fearing and developed Ummah despite social ills such as poverty and corruption,” says Ustadz Ebrahim. The group was formalized in 2003 and has been involved in several breakthroughs such as drafting of the Halal Guidelines of the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Inc. (MMHCBI). Ustadz Ebrahim, who finished Islamic Studies in Pakistan’s International

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Islamic University, considers it the obligation of religious leaders “to offer direction to the affairs of the faithful because we realize that guidance is important. As the world keeps changing, and all kinds of problems crop up, it is necessary that we enlighten our fellowmen. The Qur’an is clear on all matters affecting human life and man’s relationship with God, nature and his fellow human beings, and all we have to do is convey the message to them in such a way that they will find the teachings practical and easy to fulfill.” This concern for the people’s way of life is equally illustrated by the MRLs’ role in supporting the halal industry by defining and identifying products that are deemed halal or allowed by the Holy Qur’an. “By naming what are permissible and not permissible as prescribed by the teachings of Islam, we set the parameters for implementation by the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board (MMHCBI),” said Ustadz Ebrahim, who was also appointed MMHCBI spokesman. The MMHCBI was created jointly by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-ARMM, the ARMM Business Council and the Assembly of the Da’rul Ifta. “Halal products are those that are processed in accordance with Islamic laws and traditions,” he added.

Halal-Certified The formulation of the first ever halal guidelines in Muslim Mindanao has benefited business establishments and consumers alike. Halal certification standards were also motivated by a DTI-ARMM program to gain inroads in the multi-billion halal export market. An example is Tam’s Bakery in Cotabato City, which was the first establishment to be certified by the MMHCBI.

When owner Tony Chua learned about the presence of a certifying body in Cotabato, he immediately went to its office and inquired about how his bakery can be halal certified. After he was briefed, he complied with the requirements to use ingredients that are certified halal. Expectedly, the number of his Muslim customers has since increased. Said Bai Raga Mustapha, a 63-year-old resident of Sultan Kudarat, “I have not eaten pan de sal for many years because I was not sure if the local bread sold in the market did not use pork fat. But with Tam’s halal certification, I have finally tasted pan de sal again.” She has also encouraged her friends and relatives to patronize Tam’s Bakery, which has increased its production volume due to heightened demand. What started out in Cotabato -- giving Muslims halal choices -- became a reality for Muslims nationwide when the Department of Trade and Industry adapted the halal guidelines of the MMHCBI as the template for the national version after seeking permission from the Muslim Religious Leaders of ARMM. The ARMM MRLs also participated in the national consultations involving 11 regions. Two hundred of the 364 participants were MRLs. The Philippine National Standards on Halal Food was approved and recommended by the DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards in February 2008. In June of that year, the National Halal Convention took place attended by 100 MRLs from all over the country. Consequently, the national government organized the National Halal Accreditation Board (NHAB). Of its 19 ulama members, five muftis (high Muslim clerics considered experts in interpreting the Qur’an) and one senior Islamic scholar are from the ARMM. In 2009, the NHAB formed the Council of Muftis, which renders opinions regarding halal matters. Of the seven members, five belong to the MMHCBI.

CSOs in ARMM With LGSPA support, civil society organizations (CSOs) in the ARMM have become a distinct and significant force in the advocacy for transforming governance in the region. Senior CSO leaders have since been able to take common positions on critical issues and weigh into the peace and governance debate in ARMM. Despite having been on the margins of the official peace process due to the policy of the official peace panels to limit substantive participation of other stakeholders, CSOs have achieved institutional capacity to initiate parallel efforts to address peace issues. Serious initiatives have been taken to enhance the peace discourse not only related to the political arena but also in relation to economic and cultural dimensions. Following the collapse of the peace talks and the peace panels being disbanded, this same CSO institutional capacity was demonstrated in their ability to mobilize a collective effort to respond to the changing conditions. At the local level, with LGSPA support, more CSOs are making the difficult effort to engage with local governments. Over the duration of the program, CSOs have invested major time and resources to be part of local planning and, more importantly, to be part of implementing the plans and monitoring the progress. As CSOs improved in their capacity to engage government, LGSPA supported efforts to sharpen the CSOs’ techniques and tools in working with communities. Service delivery is seen as a main medium of engagement between CSOs and communities. LGSPA-funded technical assistance has helped key ARMM CSOs to adopt new methods of delivering services that ensure projects become an educational and empowering experience for citizens. The approach is built on the principles of participatory and democratic governance and not simply a contractor-client relationship between the LGU/CSO and the community. Moreover, Muslim religious leaders, through LGSPA-supported activities, have taken a more active role in governance advocacy and hence have further strengthened ARMM civil society and raised public awareness and demand for good governance in ARMM. LGSPA supported activities brought together the muftis, the most senior Islamic religious leaders of the region. The muftis have since evolved into the Assembly of the Dar’ul Ifta of the Philippines. As a group, they have emerged as a strong voice in governance advocacy, taking public positions on corruption, electoral reform and violence. As a collective effort, they have developed guidelines for Friday sermons (khutba) for ulamas that provide messages, based on the Qur’an, related to important governance issues. The local chief executives of LGUs have responded positively to the use of the khutbas and their message is improving the environment for civil society engagement in local governance.

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In February 2008, the Selected Khutba was published and launched in three locations where feedbacks ranged from “the need for the khutba on leadership and good governance to be integrated in school curricula” to “emphasizing transparency in governance based on the teachings of Islam.”

The Khutba as Governance Guide and Moral Compass “The influence of MRLs in the affairs of Muslims is to be expected,” said Ustadz Ebrahim. “Our involvement in the writing of the Selected Khutba and the formulation of halal standards merely demonstrates our commitment to lead Muslims toward the way of life prescribed by the Qur’an.”

Citing the khutba on gender, rights of women and status of women in Islam, a woman judge in Tawi-tawi underscored “the need to consult women and include them in leadership and peacebuilding.”

Joseph Palanca, LGSPA Program Officer, pointed out that “with the growing mistrust of a number of Muslims for government officials whom they perceive to have failed them, many people look to religious leaders for guidance in political and economic matters, and not just in the social, spiritual and cultural spheres of their existence.” To underscore the role of the MRLs, Palanca shared his readings: “In the Islamic world, every Muslim state has its Dharul-Ifta, a term in the Arabic language which means the House of Islamic/legal opinion. This is the assembly of the most senior ulama and the most recognized Muslim scholars in the community who deliberate, discuss, reflect and interpret issues and concerns on matters related to Islam. ” He said that “the Dharul Ifta in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao can help steer the community towards a God-fearing and developed Ummah (Muslim community or world) and lead in the combat against poverty, corruption and immorality, which are the real enemies of the people. Muslims in the region consider the muftis and the ulama to be at the vanguard in the journey towards peace, development and social justice.” Palanca pointed to the “mimbar (pulpit) as an important tool of the muftis in reaching the community every Friday. Muslims consider listening to a khutba during Friday prayers in the mosque an obligation”.

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Deles said that the Selected Khutba “served as a reference for voters’ education modules used by electoral reform advocates during the last ARMM elections, specifically the teachings on Leadership, Trust and Justice in Islam, Preserving the Trust, The Leaders and the Led, Effects of Dirty Politics, Islam Condemns Bribery, Consequences of Graft and Corruption, and The Virtues of Consultation.”

Jojo Deles, LGSPA Regional Development Manager, said that “LGSPA has always recognized the critical role of Muslim religious leaders in educating the community on various issues affecting their daily lives.” He said that the LGSPA initiative began during the 2005 ARMM election. “The LGSPA supported voters’ education by partnering with the late Ustadz Ahmad Ali A. Bud, then Dean of the Southern Philippines Center for Islamic Teaching and Training at the Mindanao State University in Tawi-Tawi.” “Seven khutbas were developed by Ustadz Ali Bud covering the seven Fridays of the 45-day election campaign period. Being the chairperson of the Maslisul ‘ala (Supreme Council for Islamic Teaching and Advocacy), he met with the masjid preachers to discuss

the guidelines and to promote the use of the guidelines for the Friday worship homily,” added Deles. The electoral initiative proved a success, as evidenced by positive feedback from the local people, which emboldened the LGSPA to partner with four muftis, Aleem Abdulwahid Inju (TawiTawi), Aleem Mahmod Polangi (Lanao Sur), Aleem Abdulla Hamja Utoh (Basilan), and Aleem Shariff Jul Asiri Abirin (Sulu) in the production of khutbas for year-round use. Organizing themselves into the Assembly of the Da’rul Iftah, they developed khutbas in the areas of good governance, social justice, conflict resolution, poverty and economic development and Islam as a Way of Life. With the help of their shariah aides, they wrote and developed the one-year set of guidelines in eight months.

LGSPA supported the crafting and publication of the Selected Khutba as part of its Citizens’ Education Project for Peace and Good Governance. While the it now serves as reference for sermons in mosques during Friday worships all over the country, the halal industry has also taken off. Ustadz Ebrahim said that the MMHCBI “continuously meets with food producers and manufacturers to brief them on the religious and technical aspects of producing halal foods.” Among those who have attended were representatives of the Mindanao Poultry Growers’ Association which counts among its members large companies like Magnolia and Swift. He emphasized that “companies have sought to enrich their technologies’ research and development for market expansion to be able to comply with the strict Philippine Halal Products Standard.”

“Getting a halal certification from the MMHCB for both food and non-food products like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, among others, will benefit both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, as this means that those products comply with international standards,” Ustadz Ebrahim said. These international standards, according to Ustadz Ebrahim, are HACCP (hazard analysis critical control for products); GMP (good manufacturing

practices); and ISO (International Standardization Organization). Through these two projects, which aim to strengthen the Islamic way of life both at home and in the community, the Muslim Religious Leaders have proven that Islam nourishes both the spirit and the physical body. LGSPA, by partnering with the MRLs and supporting their initiatives, contributed to the enhancement of cultural integrity, one of the program’s cross-cutting themes. HILAL 103

ETHNIC JUSTICE The ‘Bleye Kitab’

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In supporting the South Upi Mayor’s Council, the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) has helped strengthen a local institution, recognized, respected and admired by the people; helped legitimize a cultural practice that serves as a function of governance; and enhanced local efforts toward uniting a community of various ethnic groups. By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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and, hopefully, encourage replication by other local government units in ARMM.

“win-win situation” is a contemporary term that the people of South Upi, Maguindanao may not be familiar with. Yet, it is almost always the outcome when disputes are settled by the Mayor’s Council also known as the Bleye Kitab.

“Decisions made by the Bleye Kitab do not only come from gut feel and common sense or, for that matter, tradition,” said Timuay Martin. He pointed out the role of the LGSPA in strengthening communities’ capacities and encouraging conflict management to become more transformative, culturesensitive and peace-promoting. South Upi has been one of those communities, and Bleye Kitab is one of the 16 local conflict resolution mechanisms that underwent training and seminars on culture of peace, conflict management, conflict mediation, peace keeping, and peace and conflict impact assessment.

Bleye Kitab, according to one of its active members, Timuay Jovito Bello Martin, a former municipal mayor, “is a T’duray term which means ‘House of Justice.’ “ Originally composed of nine members, it is a group of respected personalities appointed by the municipal mayor to settle conﬂicts that could not be resolved at the barangay level. The active members are Timuay Jovito Martin, Timuay Jose Mamo, Datu Angkay Diokolano, Fintoylan Jocelyn U. Gomera and Bgy. Kagawad Edse Alimuddin. “To start with,” said Timuay Martin, “Bleye Kitab came into existence because Mayor Abdullah A. Campong realized that the indigenous people preferred to go to him instead of the courts to settle their disputes. Muslims also go to him because he is a Balik Islam, a Teduray who embraced Islam. “As a result, he issued Executive Order 01 in 2005 creating the Mayor’s Council, composed of ﬁve members from the T’duray, four members representing the Muslims, and two representatives of other ethnic groups like the Lumad,” said Timuay Martin. He explained that the mayor serves as Chairperson, while the members, according to the Executive Order, are chosen based on their integrity, honesty, independence, sound mind, experience, and exposure in settling disputes within their tribes and their barangays.

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The people’s deference to the mayor is in keeping with the ethnic tradition of the Muslims and the Tedurays which puts high premium on the leader who, when s/he so chooses, plays the role of chief executive, legislator, and judge. On the other hand, by creating the Mayor’s Council, Mayor Campong applied an equally respected custom of seeking guidance from the elders or the wise men of the group. Democracy is at work in Bleye Kitab as the mayor shares an important responsibility with the members of the community. In the course of promoting good governance practices in ARMM, LGSPA took notice of Bleye Kitab as an innovative local conﬂict resolution mechanism and consequently included it in its capacity building program. For example, through its local resource partner, Community Organizers Multi-versity (COM), it helped document Bleye Kitab processes to ensure its institutionalization,

Community Organizers Multiversity enumerates its three main functions, “to counsel, mediate and to arbitrate disputes forwarded to them by the Barangay Chairperson; to restore justice and preserve interpersonal relationships between parties in dispute; and heal victims’ wounds, restore offenders to law-abiding lives, and repair harm done to interpersonal relationship and the community.” According to Timuay Mama, “the cases brought to Bleye Kitab vary from petty offenses like simple theft and oral defamation. We also settle disputes involving family relations, properties like land, and contracts.” What seems like an unorthodox approach to the delivery of justice is, to the people of South Upi, “a legitimate process that has always been part of our culture and tradition, especially because of the absence of regular or special courts like the shariah,” said Datu Angkai Diokolano representing the Muslims. “This is in keeping with the tradition of settling disputes among fellow tribesmen, friends and relatives, people you still

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consider your neighbor even when you live several hundred meters apart from one another, and people you have grown up with.” Timuay Jose considers his appointment “an honor, because the people’s recommendation is a proof of their faith in me. To us, the appointment means that we enjoy the people’s respect.” Datu Diokolano realizes “it is not an easy task because on many occasions, our friends and relatives are involved. That is why it is important that we have an impartial view. Our knowledge of the justice system, both traditional and the shariah court, in the case of Muslims, makes it pos-

sible for us to make decisions with fairness. It is not just a matter of deciding which one is the guilty party, or if both parties are to be blamed. It is also looking beyond the offense itself.“ Fintahlan Gomera explained that “we always consider the community. It is because I think of myself as a member of the community, not above the law. I always tell my family that if there is anyone who should behave they should be the ﬁrst and should set the example. It would be a shame to mediate in a situation when one’s own family member is involved. Of course, I will inhibit myself, if that happens, but still, what would people say?”

Local Folklore as Arbitration Aids In cases involving both Muslims and Tedurays, the Bleye Kitab invokes local folklore. According to Timuay Martin “in situations when feelings are at a boiling point, especially where land disputes are concerned, and reconciliation is difﬁcult, Bleye Kitab members remind the disputants that they are descended from the same ancestors – Mamalu and Tabunaway – brothers who lived during the time of Shariff Kabunsuan, the Muslim missionary from Johor.” “While Mamalu refused to embrace Islam and moved to the mountains, Tabunaway stayed and converted into Islam. The brothers remained friends and in their peace

pact, apportioned the area between them. Mamalu kept the highlands and part of the seashore; and Tabunaway, the lowlands and another part of the seashore. Whenever food was scarce, they shared their respective harvests.” Timuay Martin said that “given their common origin, the people consider themselves part of the conﬂict as much as the solution. They all feel that in the end, the goodwill between disputants can be sustained if everyone helps them.” According to COM’s Madett Gardiola ”the central premise of Bleye Kitab is its regard for victims, offenders and the affected com-

munities as key stakeholders in the amicable settlement process. It functions with the understanding of everyone concerned that the victim is not the only person affected, but it includes those indirectly affected by the offense like family members of the parties and members of the affected community. With everyone involved, the safety, support and needs of the victims are met.” To the members of the Bleye Kitab, the healing process between disputants is important “because if their differences are healed, everyone can sleep in peace. But if they still do not see eye to eye, there are possibilities that disagreements between two people, whether neighbors, friends

or husbands and wives, can lead to family feuds, or people taking sides,” said Datu Diokolano.

Binding Respect A leader of one of the factions in a rido (clan feud) said that “our respect for the Bleye Kitab and our belief in God both keep us committed to our promise not to engage in rido again. What is nice about Bleye Kitab is we do not lose face. The Bleye Kitab focuses on making both parties appreciate the value of ending the feud and living in peace. Restitution is also practiced, with a token sum of money changing hands to compensate the other party.” A man, who refused to be identiﬁed, is now an inﬂuen-

The Council’s Credibility

leye Kitab members may have the people’s blessing, but their credibility is continuously being evaluated. A member of the community Zenaida M. Lim said,“The members of the Bleye Kitab have shown through the years that they themselves are law-abiding people. In the past, long before Bleye Kitab was created, they had been helping settle disputes in the barangay level in their personal capacities. It is because they have always had our respect. There is no point in seeking help from the Bleye Kitab if the members change their attitudes or if they look at their roles as a source of personal power. We will always go to the mayor and tell him if we are not happy with the way any member is acting in the community.” “Our role is mandated by Executive Order No. 1 of the mayor,” Fintahlan Gomera said,“so we must do our job because this is not just an informal appointment.” “The members of the Bleye Kitab come from far places,” she said.“Sometimes we have to walk all the way to the poblacion to fulfill our responsibilities. This is not a job with a rewarding pay. We get P3,000.00 a month as honorarium. But we are in this not because of what we get. Besides, when

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one tills the farm, one gets more. But this is really our form of public service. We have been recommended and we accepted the appointment, so we perform our duties. When you desire peace, you will do anything to make it happen.” Timuay Mama described the process of mediation,“which starts when the barangay chair elevates the case to us. Among ourselves, the members, we choose the presiding officer. If it is a case involving Muslims, a Muslim member of the group presides and we refer to shariah law. If it is between Tedurays, we use the T’duray tribal justice system, based on knowledge and tradition handed down through generations of Timuays, or wise and respected T’durays. And if it is a dispute between Tedurays and Muslims, we choose someone who, we believe, is acceptable to both parties, someone perceived by both as fair and not, in any way, personally interested in the outcome of the case.” “At the outset, we tell them that they were the ones who came to ask for help, and that we did not ask them to come to us so we can settle their dispute,” said Datu Diokolano.“In the end, it is they who will settle their differences. Our purpose is pri-

marily to ensure that both parties are able to talk and convey their desires and come out with an agreement.” “It is important that both parties treat each other well, so we advise them to relax and to be honest, and not to get angry because we are here to help them,” Kagawad Alimuddin explained. “It is all very cordial,” he continued.“We sit down and ask what the problem is. They talk, and we discuss how the problem can be solved. If it is theft and it becomes clear that one took possession of the material property of the other, we advise them that this be returned immediately. A fine is also agreed upon, depending on the capability of the offender.” Timuay Martin drove home this point: “We consider the relationship of the two parties because we try to show that they are meant to be friends and not enemies, or that they are related to each other by blood or affinity. There is no point in destroying one another. We look back to tradition and history and we tell them that peaceful relationships have been handed down from generations, why should their simple dispute now get in the way of co-existence?” HILAL 109

tial leader in his barangay. Having shown his humility and having proved true to his commitment to keep the peace, he has gained the people’s respect. The mayor, moreover, depends on him to mobilize the people when volunteers are needed for development projects. Whether it is fear or the desire for peace that inspires compliance with the agreement, the ritual has proved effective in ending many feuds between families and political factions. Timuay Martin recalled the many times “we have had to ﬁnd a solution to these ridos, which meant that both

parties had to agree. This happens when one side takes the lead in shedding off pride or maratabat. The other always follows. But this requires a process and a lot of talk which makes both sides realize that by ending the rido, they are not only doing themselves good, but most importantly, they are doing something for the community.” He said that “the police force has expressed its thanks to us. Fighting related to ridos has been reduced since the Bleye Kitab was created through an executive order. Having acquired a legal mandate, it serves a purpose that is respected and recognized by the

police. So, they allow us to mediate between factions. In short, we have prevented ﬁghts, and the peace and order situation has improved. Besides, the policemen themselves are aware that people do not immediately go to them when there’s a problem. The barangay justice system is at work here, and when it has exhausted all efforts, that’s when the disputants come to us.” “All along, the police force watch with patience, but ready to enforce the law if necessary, but that seldom happens because the people are contented to be heard by the barangay chair and the Lupon ng

Mediating Land Conﬂict

hat the Bleye Kitab has proved to be an effective body for resolving conflicts in South Upi is best illustrated by its role in facilitating the peaceful process of reintegration of a group of Moro evacuees in Sitio Pomogonon, Barangay Pandan. More than 30 years earlier, these Moros had fled the area to escape the outbreak of anti-Moro violence. They returned in 2008 and were reclaiming their lands, now being cultivated by Tedurays, a number of them Christians. The Bleye Kitab decided to intervene by finding out which of these Moros were the same ones who fled decades ago, and thus may establish their right to their old possessions. To confirm the identities of the returnees, the Bleye Kitab gathered the members of the community and asked each of the returnees to move forward. A panelist then asked from the people if there was anyone among them who recognized the person. “Do you know this person?,“ asked the panelist. And someone from the crowd moved forward and answered,“Yes.”When the newly-arrived Muslim recognized his Teduray playmate, they embraced each

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other, and the rest of the crowd, remembering as well, swarmed on the long-lost friend or neighbor or playmate. One by one, the legitimate returnees were identified and the pretenders weeded out. The Sangguiang Bayan enacted an ordinance allowing the returnees to settle and requiring them to show proofs of ownership of the properties they abandoned in haste. Those who were known to have committed crimes in the past were required to get a certificate from the mayor stating that they had come back to seek peace and start a new, clean life. An important issue that had to be settled was the ownership of lands that had been taken over by the residents. The Bleye Kitab showed its wisdom by asking the parties to agree to amicable solutions. As a result, some lands were returned, and others shared for a time, with the present cultivator allowed to keep a part of the harvest for a number of seasons, after which the original owner got his possession back. All the parties concerned were grateful to the Bleye Kitab. For one, they were spared the high cost of litigation which includes docket fees and professional fees of lawyers. Moreover, Bleye Kitab came up with a solution fast enough to allow the people

concerned and the community to resume their lives. In a normal court situation, resolution of the case might have taken years. With the Bleye Kitab playing a significant role in settling disputes over ownership of lands, and identifying which of the returnees were genuine, the reintegration process received the support of the other official bodies and agencies in the community, like the Municipal Peace and Order Council, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine National Police, Department of Health and the Department of Agrarian Reform. Truly, the local government of South Upi has shown that peace building is possible with the Office of the Mayor, the Sangguniang Bayan, the different line agencies, the barangay officials and the people themselves working together to achieve unity. The Bleye Kitab, as a part of the process, takes a large slice of the credit and praise because it is involved in initiating appropriate action and ensuring that all stakeholders receive what is due them. What is remarkable is that the Bleye Kitab has done all these without much fanfare but with a lot of heart.

Tagapamayapa and, eventually, the Bleye Kitab. In South Upi, the authorities exercise maximum tolerance,” said Timuay Martin. “Our responsibility does not end with merely helping decide the means for restitution of the victims,” stressed Timuay Jose. “It is important as well that we ensure that our decision is implemented, whether it means the payment of ﬁnes or the agreement to bury the hatchet between enemies. When a husband and a wife have agreed to the conditions, we would expect them to go home together and live happily. That is why when any of the disputants does not fulﬁll his commitment we consider it a disrespect to the Bleye Kitab, the leadership in the person of the municipal mayor and the people themselves who recommended us.”

Settling Family Issues Aptly, the Bleye Kitab is sensitive in handling family issues and do so in closed hearings. Before complaints by women are heard by the panel, she and her husband are ﬁrst given the chance to settle their differences, sometimes with a Bleye Kitab member introducing situations that will lead to the couple’s reconciliation.

This happened in the case of a Muslim couple who ended up fighting with each other because the husband was allegedly not fulfilling his material obligations to their children. The woman, who wanted a divorce, alleged that he always came home late since he always went out with his friends. A member of the Bleye Kitab found out, though, that she had her lapses too, when it came to fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother. The Bleye Kitab member asked his fellow panelists to give him a few days to settle the problem. The panelist then asked the couple to stay in his house for one week before the Bleye Kitab would finally act on her petition. On the first night of their stay, the wife of the Bleye Kitab member prepared two separate beddings in a room that the couple shared. The next day, upon waking up, the panelist saw that the man looked happy. After breakfast, he asked them if they had a good night’s sleep, to which they answered yes. An hour later, the wife asked permission to leave because she was missing her children. Both husband and wife left, explaining to the panel member that they had

settled their differences the night before, when they were left to themselves. Timuay Martin sums it all up for his fellow council members: “In the end, we are upholding the dignity of an institution that we have inherited from our forefathers and shared by all of us here, in South Upi. We may have a new name for it, but since time immemorial we have practiced this form of settling disputes, whether these are between neighbors, families, individuals or members of varied ethnic and religious groups. “That our local chief executive has given it a legal basis for existence merely conﬁrms the democratic space that we have in our municipality, where every person has the right to seek redress, to defend himself and to be heard. To us, whether we are Tedurays, Muslims or Christians, everyone is innocent unless proven guilty, and he who is guilty, if he makes amends, is taken back by society because after all is said and done we are all human beings. If God can forgive, why can’t we?” As of July 2009, the Bleye Kitab has resolved 52 cases, with 6 currently being heard. HILAL 111

The Pursuit of Development and Good Governance in the Midst of Strife and Conflict Kadtuntayaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Near-Epic Journey By Rorie Fajardo Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc. (KFI) 112 HILAL

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“Good governance has eight major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.” – United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)

staff assessment, we were concerned that rather than empowerment, the communities served by KFI were becoming more dependent on KFI.”

t first glance, no one would think that people in this remote province in Central Mindanao still have the luxury of time to know and understand problems of their communities, identify solutions to these, and engage their local government leaders to work for meaningful change. In the first place, they already have more than enough on their hands everyday: constant displacement from the continuing conflict between government and Moro insurgents and threats from multi-million peso logging companies encroaching on lands that their families have tilled for generations. “I cannot believe that in just less than a year, my community and I are already close to becoming legally recognized as stewards of our own land,” said 51-yearold Rolando, a member of the Teduray indigenous peoples in Barangay (village) Temikur in Ampatuan town. Rolando’s claim to their ancestral land is now being processed under the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) program. Rolando’s organization - Teduray Fagamfungon Temikur (TFT or the Association of Tedurays in Temikur) together with other claimants filed their claim-application before the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) way back in 1997. The claimants come from 27 barangays from the 5 towns of Upi, Paglat, Ampatuan, Talitay and Talayan federated under the Teduray, Lambangian, Dulangan Manobo 114 HILAL

“People are always looking for projects” added Cliff Alvaro, KFI Field Director. “After a project, they ask what project will KFI bring next.” KFI sought the assistance of the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) to strengthen its methods of work among the communities it was serving. LGSPA in turn linked KFI with Task Force Mapalad, a group working among farmers in Negros, Bukidnon and Davao Oriental. This resulted in the retooling of KFI staff to adopt methods that are truly empowering.

Ancestral Domain Claim (TLDMADC). The claim was based on then newly enacted Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) protecting the indigenous people’s rights to self-determination. More than a decade later however, NCIP, the main implementer of IPRA, has not acted on the claims, citing constraints such as lack of personnel and funds to conduct delineation surveys, the first step to process claims. For the past 10 years, they have been getting assistance from different organizations to address effort to secure their ancestral domain. But it was only in the last 2 years that they saw a way out of the dead-end at the NCIP. The breakthrough came when Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc. (KFI), an NGO

that had been supporting the farmers in Temikur improve their lives, took another strategy in the pursuit of their advocacy. KFI, realizing that the farmers it had been assisting for more than 10 years are even more vulnerable to losing their rights, decided to reassess its methods of working with its community partners. KFI, in its vision statement, is committed to “facilitate the empowerment of the people, especially the grassroots, so that collectively they can improve their socio-cultural, economic and political well-being”. But according to Guiamel Alim, Executive Director of KFI, “ After more than a decade of working among the communities in Maguindanao, we observed that our communities were not any closer to our vision. During a

According to Jaime Dumarpa, Program Officer of LGSPA, “LGSPA technical assistance helped KFI reorient its projects from just delivering certain type of goods or services to opportunities to build a collective awareness on the issues of the community. The methods emphasized projects as tools to analyze problems and broad community action based on the analysis.” “LGSPA is fortunate to have worked with KFI who, as an institution, is not afraid to recognize and institutional weaknesses and willing to make bold moves to address the weaknesses,” added Dumarpa.

Understanding problems, protecting their rights Through the LGSPA-supported “tactics sessions”, TLDMADC and KFI community organizers realized that as they waited for NCIP to move forward, other interests had already began to encroach on their claim area. They realized the need to protect the area in the interim from further encroachment while their ancestral domain claim was being processed. Subsequent tactics sessions helped the leaders and KFI community organizers explore other legal instruments, in this case the CBFM, as a means to secure their claim. First implemented in 1995, the CBFM under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) became the national strategy to conserve and develop damaged forests. It was perceived to be the Philippine government’s response to the then growing HILAL 115

public clamor to bring back control and management of forest resources to IPs, upland farmers and forest dwellers.

their field problems before experimenting in their assigned farm plots. Each group monitors, analyzes and shares the experiment results. These small groups then discuss their field observations and share findings to come up with a community output.

The program’s tactics session enabled TFT and KFI to see CBFM as the best option to secure land tenure of their members: they were all qualified CBFM claimants because of their undisputed years of productive occupancy of the land. KFI also engaged the Teduray leaders to assess their advocacy on ancestral domain issues.

Barriers “Farmers gain confidence through this process,” said Rene Salazar, LGSPA consultant for FFS. He observed that many farmers have grown used to being told what to do with their own farms by agricultural specialists, resulting in loss of trust in their own selves.

In March 2009, or 12 months after enhancing their knowledge of their situation and studying options, Teduray leaders began to engage local and regional government agencies to pursue their claims. From passive beneficiaries of KFI interventions, they were now taking concrete steps to solve their own problems. These steps involved working with barangay officials to help certify the qualification of the claimants; the municipal council, which is predominantly composed of Maguindanao, another ethnic group, to secure a resolution in support of their claim; and the provincial and regional officials of the DENR. While dealing with barangay officials who were also among the claimants was easy, securing the municipal resolution needed more preparation, such as setting up a team to dialogue with the municipal council, identifying an ally within the council, and appearing before the council committee to explain their request for a resolution. The concerted efforts bore fruit: during a committee hearing the council unanimously approved the draft resolution even without Teduray representation. The mayor approved and signed the resolution a few days later. With support from KFI, the TFT members invited DENR-ARMM to a CBFM forum to update local officials on the current status of their application process for CBFM. The leaders were able

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In the town of Upi, for instance, farmer organizations, apart from addressing farm production issues, now also work with the local government to engage the Department of Agriculture to set up a P30-million grain/corn center.

“But through FFS,” Salazar said, “farmers become aware of their own abilities, their capacity for critical thinking and

to present some of the difficulties they faced like complying with requirements, particularly the “technical description of the claimants”. The DENR representatives clarified in the forum that there were no such requirement. This compelled the community environment office to waive the supposed requirement and finally endorse the TFT application to the provincial office three weeks after the forum.

“We used to plan for our farms without direction. This is what agriculture extension workers told us,” Maulana said. With LGSPA assistance, KFI introduced a different approach to agricultural extension. Maulana joined 19 other farmer leaders who received a 10-day intensive training on the Farmers Field

Some FFS trainees from Talayan and Talitay towns, for instance, were prevented from applying what they learned in their own farms because of the outbreak of hostilities between government troops and the MILF in August 2008 following the non-signing of the Memorandum of Agreement of Ancestral Domain. “In Talitay, we saw the restlessness of some of our trainees,” said Cliff Avarico, KFI representative. “The men were readying themselves for possible displacement in their areas.”

Facing hurdles In Barangay Mapayag in the town of Datu Anggal Midtimbang, farmer Macabalang Maulana admits that he and his fellow farmers heavily used pesticides without considering their long-term effects on the environment and their health.

But as in any other development program, the work in empowering CSOs for better governance is not problem-free. In Maguindanao, armed conflict proves to be one of the persistent barriers.

School (FFS), an agricultural approach that shifts from mere agricultural extension to deeper farmer education and community empowerment. Rather than prescribing a technology with a set of inputs, the FFS helps farmers gather, analyze and interpret information on their farm production, take action based on this information, evaluate the results, and plan based on the specific conditions and problems which farmers face in the field. Using the FFS approach, farmer groups, with five to seven members each, define

a sense of ownership on the knowledge they gained.” Apart from helping farmers become experts in their own field and motivating them to make their own decisions, FFS organizing also encourages participatory, experiential and discovery-based methods and sharing of new knowledge among farmers. “The FFS approach has helped them to actively access available services on agricultural support from LGUs,” Maulana said. It has also enabled farmer organizations to collaborate on major agricultural development projects and collectively address issues linked to land tenure and productivity.

The farmers, including women, saw the need to shift FFS application to vegetable production because it would still serve them well even if they stay in evacuation centers. Armed conflict has continued to lead to other problems such as internal displacement, poor peace and order situation, health risks, disruption of education of children, and land insecurity. “Farmers lose capital whenever they evacuate,” Avarico said. Farmers themselves see the need to attain genuine peace so they could actively participate in governance undertakings. “Even if we exhaust ourselves to become experts in farming, our people get to eventually ask about how and

when peace will be finally attained,” Maulana said. His own organization has in fact set up a committee on peace to help build peace in their own way. But as peace remains an elusive and long-term work, Maulana and other farmers share whatever they can to work for genuine participation and better governance in their communities, equally important steps in the achievement of peace. Farmers now use FFS problem-solving approaches to address community issues including landlord-tenant relations, boundary conflicts, and land acquisition. In November 2008, another 129 farmers in Talitay and Datu Anggal were trained in FFS approaches, focusing on vegetable production and crop diversification. “Instead of focusing on just one crop, we realized that we could earn more from vegetables,” Maulana said. Now, his group plants corn, tomatoes, eggplants, squash, ampalaya and other vegetables. “Not only do vegetables require low farm input, but they also help address food security at the household level,” he said. Maulana and farmers see the value of FFS and other approaches in increasing their participation: “Through these tools, we gain more strength, lakas ng loob, to find solutions not only to issues on production but also on peace.” For Teduray leader Rolando, the days and months of trying to understand the intricacies of ancestral domain issues and finally taking steps to secure their land is worth the wait. “Once we become CBFM claimants, I would be assured that for 25 years, I will use my share of the land only on my free, prior and informed consent,” he said. “That kind of awareness is the heart of empowerment. This brings us a step closer to our vision,” said Alim.

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PEACE BUILDER, HOPE WEAVER An alliance of concerned individuals and organizations in Central Mindanao shows that cooperation, convergence, collaboration and setting aside differences can bring peace to a land long blighted by war, animosity and neglect. Sindaw Ko Kalilintad By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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and Daguan where the people were able to convince the military to transfer to other barangays. "They believed that a peace zone should be free from ﬁghting. And this was only possible if there was no military (presence) in the place. The military understood their point and agreed to leave."

From Conflicted Areas to Zones of Peace These zones of peace used to be areas of conflict. Some of them are located near the MILF’s Camp Abubakar. Others have served as homes to feuding families for generations. In some instances, fighting has erupted between illegal loggers and residents concerned about forest denudation. In other barangays, illegal gambling and drugs caused conflict.

s the year 2003 drew to a close, Hadji Quirino Oranto and other peace advocates representing their respective barangays in seven municipalities in three provinces of Central Mindanao, formed an alliance called "Sindaw Ko Kalilintad", vernacular for "Light of Peace." Their vision: transformation towards peace and unity.

It was this kind of environment that the Community Organizers’ Multiversity (COM) found in 1999. Funded by a multi-donor program initiated by the United Nations Development Programme, the COM aimed to help the communities in post-conﬂict situations.

Oranto, elected as the ﬁrst president of the alliance and today its chair, said that all 70 peace advocates who formed the alliance came from the municipalities of Balabagan and Kapatagan in Lanao del Sur; Matanog, Buldon, Barira and Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao; and Bagumbayan in Sultan Kudarat. All of them are actively involved in peace initiatives in seven municipalities that the people have declared as zones of peace.

"The peace covenant," continued Oranto, "lists acts that all parties agreed to prohibit in the zones of peace, among them the carrying or

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"As a result of constant dialogues and sharing, the people saw for themselves the need for declaring their barangays as zones of peace," said Gardiola.

Building Capacities, Forming the Alliance The formation of Sindaw Ko Kalilintad was a major breakthrough in peace building efforts that the Community Organizers’ Multiver-

The Roots of Conflict that Led to Peace In early 2003, when conflict between the MILF and the government was flaring anew, the seven municipalities got together in an Inter-Area Peace Advocates’ Forum. They crafted a statement calling for a ceasefire and the resumption of peace talks.

sity (COM) conducted in strategic places in Mindanao as a local resource partner of the two ﬂagship governance programs of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA): the Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program Phase II (2000 – 2006) and the Local Governance

By the middle of the same year, the peace advocates held a Walk for Peace. For a brief moment they "reclaimed" the LangkungSarmiento stretch of road along the Narciso Ramos Highway that had seen numerous ﬁreﬁghts between rebels and government soldiers.

Support Program in ARMM or LGSPA (2005 -2009). LGSP II was engaged in building the capacities of local government units on good governance in Visayas and Mindanao. The pro-

Madett Gardiola, COM coordinator in Mindanao, said that "our ﬁrst effort was to train ex-combatants and zone commanders in community organizing. We wanted to empower the people so they would participate in decision-making and in other affairs of the community. For all their lives, they have been used to taking orders either from the commanders or the traditional leaders whose word was the law."

According to Oranto, currently Municipal Administrator of Barira, Maguindanao, "the kind of peace that the people want right in their own barangays is best articulated in the ‘peace covenant’". He is referring to the document signed by the datus (clan leaders), barangay ofﬁcials, elders, and spiritual leaders, and representatives of various sectors including women, youth, and, where they have a presence, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the military.

focus barangays where the peace advocates concentrated their efforts in “creating a culture of peace” through dialogues and other activities.

displaying of ﬁrearms by a civilian, gambling, and the use of illegal drugs.” He said that "actualizing peace as the people deﬁne it really varies from barangay to barangay. That is why no two peace zones are alike in the sense that the people of each zone decide for themselves how far they are willing to go in their walk towards total peace." "Undoubtedly, declaring the whole barangay as a zone of peace has given the people a more effective voice," Oranto said. He cited the example of Bayanga Norte

In 2001, when the Local Government Support Program Phase II (LGSP II) implemented its peace project, it purposely identiﬁed four areas in the periphery of Camp Abubakar. With the help of COM, LGSP organized the local government units and civil society organizations (CSOs) in the locality to work together in creating a culture of peace in their communities. From among the combatants, zone commanders and CSO members emerged peace and development advocates who in turn shared their knowledge in their respective barangays. In time, LGSP II and the seven local government units identiﬁed

In between all these, LGSP II conducted a training conference, "Looking at Conﬂict in the Eye: Community-based Mapping and Impact Assessment " in Davao City. The peace advocates did not only learn mediation and other forms of conﬂict-resolution. They also honed their skills in community empowerment aimed at breaking the culture of silence.

gram later focused and expanded to cover the entire of ARMM through LGSPA as CIDA saw the need to give extensive support to the autonomous region in building the capacities of its local government units. Merlinda Hussein, then LGSP II

Gardiola said that "in a lot of places, the people refuse to speak out their feelings and aspirations. They have gotten so used to taking orders from traditional leaders and the zone commanders. Either way, this has led to violent outbursts or indifference and complacency." LGSPA Manager Merlinda Hussein added that "if others perceive peace as the mere absence of war, the alliance even goes beyond this traditional concept, as it realizes that with peace comes development."

Area Manager and now the LGU Capacity Development Manager of LGSPA, explained that “the path of peace that the people of these various municipalities have taken, as a result of the peace building workshops organized by the LGSP II which LGSPA built on in their localities, has led them to strengthen the initial gains they have achieved and sustain them as well. As a consequence, they declared their barangays as

She explained that LGSP II, and later LGSPA, focused on the seven barangays in seven municipalities because "our engage-

zones of peace.”

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Its members continue to pursue individual peace-building activities right in their homes and communities but taking into consideration larger concerns. For example, Guialel, a civil engineer who used to be active in literacy education, became involved in safeguarding electoral reforms in the last ARMM elections. “I got into mobilizing people to do their part in securing the ballot because peace requires us to be vigilant. Democratic processes like the election can only succeed and reflect the people’s true choices if the people themselves protect their votes. To me, having the right leaders is an important step in peace building,” he said. Sindaw peace advocates also shine in the field of conflict resolution. In June 2009, it was appointed by the participants in an interarea forum on local conflict resolution mechanisms as the secretariat for an Inter-Local Conflict Resolution Mechanism (LCRM) Alliance in Central Mindanao. This is another LGSPA peace project which aims to strengthen local conflict resolution mechanisms. At the barangay level, Sindaw has been at the forefront of efforts in building capacities in promoting a culture of peace, peace and conflict assessment, conflict resolution and mediation. The peace advocates are normally asked to speak before workshops and symposia attended by members of the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa of different barangays in the ARMM. The zones of peace are accredited as civil society organizations and participate in municipal undertakings, from the usual celebration of Independence Day, to tree planting to people’s organizations’ education on peace. The peace advocates are also invited to sit in the Municipal Peace and Order Councils.

ment is more intensive. We help the people organize themselves based on certain issues that they have chosen to tackle, speciﬁcally their needs for water, electricity, livelihood, and other basic services." One good example of how people’s empowerment in a zone of peace can be articulated is through the electriﬁcation project in Bayanga Norte, Matanog. Romy Guialel, a member of the Board of Directors of Sindaw, said that "the Iranun Farmers Association of our barangay was given P20,000 by LGSP II so we could engage in an income-generating project. "When the members of the community gathered, we discussed what we needed, and realized it was electricity. With forty thousand pesos, we were able to buy (electric) wire, a generator and other materials. The people themselves looked for lumber

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that could serve as posts and they themselves put these up," he said. As a result, houses in Bayanga Norte are now lighted. To generate income for the community, families using one bulb pay a reasonable amount a month, while those with two shell out a larger amount. The total amount collected is then divided for the maintenance of the equipment and the salaries of two operators. A portion is set aside for savings so that a generator with greater capacity could be purchased to allow other families to avail of the power service. Other than the electricity project of the Iranun Farmers Association of Bayanga Norte, the other barangay people’s organizations were also supported by LGSP II. Cagawaran Taayon Farmer’s Organization put up its own consumer store. Iliana Daguan Benito Malinday Association used the monetary

assistance to augment its budget for constructing a multi-purpose building. The members of the Barorao Unity Association chose to build a water system reservoir. The Balasaenged Movement for Peace and Development also put up a building where it holds its meetings while the Maralitang Mamamayan ng Makir installed a water pump, considered important by its members and the residents of the barangay. “These projects earn income for the organization and the members” said Hada Pagrangan of Balabagan and Sindaw member. “But what is more important is the people learn how to manage enterprises.” While the seven barangays have achieved various levels of success, the peace advocates see themselves also as winners, having witnessed their villages’ transformation from war-torn communities to areas of relative peace.

Sindaw continues to be a partner of LGSPA and its member zones of peace have become models that other local government units, such as those from from Sulu and Marawi, are including in their Lakbay Aral itinerary for possible replication.

Sindaw partnered with the LGUs in the conduct of peace dialogues participated in by the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), peace zone leaders, municipal local chief executives and the media. In a related development, the alliance helped raise the awareness of people’s organizations on humanitarian protection through an Orientation Forum in partnership with the CCCH and Bantay Ceaseﬁre.

The peace zones continue to inspire similar efforts in other towns. In the municipality of Kapatagan, Mayor Raida B. Maglangit decided to expand the zone of peace in barangay Daguan to the rest of the municipality. “What was once a no-man’s land is now a thriving and peaceful community where anxiety has been replaced by smiles and contentment,” said Ami Pualas, current Sindaw President.

Overall, Sindaw has become an independent and sustainable alliance. “We were able to survive despite minimum funds coming from donor agencies,” said Urantu. “The various livelihood projects run by the seven people’s organizations in the zones of peace remain viable with our own members running them and patronizing them, too.”

With a woman mayor declaring her whole LGU as a zone of peace, the Sindaw could only agree that “women are effective catalysts of peace and development,” said Pualas, adding “so we helped organized a women’s alliance called ‘Bangsa Bae’ which is now linking with gender–oriented organizations to be able to address issues of women in peace building.”

Maintaining its independence while keeping true to its faith has strengthened the credibility of Sindaw. Local government units, social development agencies, and people’s organizations look up to it as a legitimate partner that is truly committed to the cause of peace.

Replicable Models

Despite its successes, Sindaw Ko Kalilintad has its feet planted ﬁrmly on the ground.

The best argument for the continuing existence of Sindaw is best articulated by COM’s Gardiola: “Sindaw Ko Kalilintad is not just the structure of an alliance. It is a lived experience that the HILAL 123

people who have been involved in it will continue to value and nurture through the years. It is the experience of coming together amidst an atmosphere of mistrust and pain to ﬁnd a common ground where they can start to rebuild their shattered lives.

It is a fabric of hopes and aspirations that have been woven into a tapestry of cooperation, agreement and collaboration among peace advocates, local government units, civil society organizations and the citizenry. The story of Sindaw is an unending

this was a big disturbance because they sometimes exchanged gunﬁre right in the highway. I told them that they are actually related, since they belong to the same clan. When ﬁnally they met, with the governor in attendance, the whole process went smoothly because initial talks had been made. For the sake of peace, these two warring factions decided to forego pride. ”

Proﬁles of Courage and Determination

adji Quirino Oranto was a former MNLF commander. “When I was 21 in the early 1970s, I saw army men ambush a truckload of farmers, both men and women, on their way to the next town to sell their harvest of corn. Two years after, I joined the rebels. I laid down my arms in the early 1990s when a daughter of mine called me by radio and asked me to be present in her elementary graduation exercises because she will receive honors. I felt very sorry for my family. Not long after, I decided there was no point in ﬁghting.” He had no inkling that years later, he would be a pioneer peace advocate in his barangay and that he would become the ﬁrst chair of the peace alliance. Oranto has also become famous for his mediating skills. In one instance he was instrumental in helping end a 10-year feud between two political families. “I travelled back and forth between their territories. It was not easy because the feud was political in nature, which means a lot of pride or maratabat was at stake. It was a feud that now and then escalated into war, and 124 HILAL

For 10 years, Hada Pagrangan of Balabagan had been a rebel, too, starting out as a combatant under the famous Commander Gordon, eventually becoming a commander himself. “It was Martial Law and I did not believe in the government, so I joined the MNLF,” he said. After 10 years of ﬁghting he returned to his family, and started a copra business. He later became vice mayor of his town for one term. This was followed by a one-term stint as mayor before Pagraangan returned to his copra business. “I believe one of the reasons people take up arms is their lack of livelihood. That’s why the zones of peace have livelihood programs,” he said. Ami Pualas, current Sindaw Kalilintad President, started out in community work by joining the other women in Buldon. “We had an informal and loose organization,” she said, “and I joined it because I felt that I should be doing something for the community. Most of the women did not have husbands because they had joined the combatants, so they did not only take care of their home and their children. They also earned livelihood for their families. And yet, they had time for community work. Since we were in a battle zone, we cooked rice and viand for the combatants. We administered ﬁrst aid to the wounded, but what truly impressed me was these women brought those needing attention to the hospitals. When COM and LGSP II helped us organize our people’s organization, I joined because

series of small but steady steps towards empowerment, thus strengthening and afﬁrming the belief of its members in their own capacity for self-determination in an atmosphere of peace, goodwill and understanding.”

I knew I was in the company of people who think of others ﬁrst before themselves.” Kash Urantu, a public administration degree graduate, serves as Program Coordinator of Sindaw Ko Kalilintad. A son of a combatant, he recalled “that my father was in the mountains when there was combat. But he would visit us when there was a ceaseﬁre, but just to be sure, he would come in very quietly and we hid him because there were soldiers around. Finally, he too left the cause. My involvement in peace advocacy started when I was a teenager. I was probably the youngest of those who attended peace building workshops.” Today, he serves as a human repository of Sindaw’s history, as he can easily recall important events that have taken place since its founding. What excites him is “Sindaw’s campaign for peace has reached the level of children and teenagers. We developed a training module on culture of peace for children and youth. We started out with a workshop attended by two from each of the peace zones. These 14 young people became facilitators in peace building workshops that we organized. We have reached out to at least 312 young people, and our documentation proves that children and teenagers have a unique view of peace. Their perceptions are truly different from those of adults. I believe that if they hold on to these, we can attain peace faster.” Urantu helped organize the Tinig ng Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Kabataan sa Mindanao, or TINALAK, with membership coming from 18 barangays in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City. Pualas is particularly proud of the “Araling Pangkapayapaan” a publication featuring learning modules for peace advocates. “We may not be able to go everywhere so we can promote peace, but with this pamphlet, we are able to share the processes that have made us successful in establishing our peace zones and sustaining our gains,” she said. HILAL 125

LGSPA Team

he Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) is a joint undertaking of the Governments of the Philippines and Canada with the goal of supporting efforts of the former, particularly through the Autonomous Regional Government, to achieve poverty reduction and sustainable peace and development through excellence in local governance. Building on the achievements of the first two phases of the Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program (LGSP) and began in 2005, LGSPA covers the whole of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This includes 119 municipalities, Marawi City, and the provinces of Maguindano, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and TawiTawi. LGSPA’s capacity development efforts have revolved mainly around two major outcome areas of building excellence in local governance and an enabling environment for good governance, peace and development. In the area of excellence in local governance, LGSPA has focused support on strengthening performance in five key areas: local government leadership and management, service delivery, resource generation and management, participatory governance, and peacebuilding.

Alix Yule

Abduljim Hassan

Maya Flaminda Vandenbroeck

Project Director 2005, 2008-2009

Program Ofﬁcer, Tawi-tawi

Program Assistant

Alison Redford

Fatima Darwizzah Yusah

Annabelle Jamaluddin

Project Director – 2005-2006

Program Ofﬁcer, Sulu

Technical and Administrative Assistant

Marion Maceda-Villanueva

Veronica Quinday

Ma. Margarita Mata

Project Director – 2006-2008 Canadian Field Program Manager 2005-2006; 2008-2009

Program Ofﬁcer, Basilan

Executive Assistant

Rachel Jungco

Dante Winston Lucero

Program Ofﬁcer, Maguindanao

Executive Assistant – 2006-2007

Peace and Communications Manger 2008-2009 Canadian Field Program Manager 2009

Wesley Villanueva

Pamela Pitulan

Program Ofﬁcer, Cotabato

Administrative Assistant

Cindy Fair

Jodl Isahac

Rena Ong

Program Ofﬁcer, CSO

Administrative Assistant

David Ali

Juvylyn Sobrivega

Finance Manager – 2006-2007

Program Ofﬁcer, Enabling Environment 2008-2009

Administrative Assistant

Glen Husack

Victor Alfaro

Myn Garcia

Governance Advisor – 2005-2006 Canadian Field Program Manager – 2006-2008

Alain Dondainaz

Finance Manager – 2005-2006

Art Mooney Finance Manager - 2005

Jose Deles, Jr. Regional Development Manager

Romelia Moita

Gilbern Manampan Sukarno Pendaliday

Ma. Nellie Luna Ben-Rino Pepino

Administrative Assistant

Program Ofﬁcer, Sulu – 2006-2008 ICT Ofﬁcer – 2005-2006

Alan Abbang

LGSPA consciously mainstreams the four themes of poverty reduction, gender equality, cultural integrity and environmental sustainability in the delivery of its assistance; and seeks to increase the capacity of the ARG and LGUs to integrate these themes in their policies, programs and plans.

Tonina Mabang

Ma. Victoria Maglana

Crisologo Tagupa

Gemma Borreros Enabling Environment Manager

Rizalino Barandino Program Manager/Advisor, Agriculture/Economic Development and Performance Measurement

Edgardo Catalan Assistant Manager, LAD and Performance Measurement

Cecilia Isubal Assistant Manager, Service Delivery and Program Sustainability

Joseph Palanca

Peace and development through excellence in local governance

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Program Ofﬁcer, Lanao del Sur – 2006-2008

Gracia Cuison Administrative Assistant

Program Ofﬁcer, Lanao del Sur – 2005-2007

Janette Ancog Administrative Assistant - 2005-2006

Ricardo Limbaga Program Ofﬁcer, Basilan – 2005-2006

Abduraphy Ayub Administrative Assistant – 2005-2008

Sonny Abing III Program Ofﬁcer, Sulu – 2005-2006

Nur-aine Sangki Administrative Assistant – 2006-2008

Charina Sanz Program Ofﬁcer, Communications – 2006-2007

Angela Umali Administrative Assistant - 2005-2006

Arlene Avanceña Administrative/Finance Ofﬁcer – 2005-2007

Jonah Dolendo Inventory, Library & Utility Clerk

Shena Cornejo Senior Finance/Administrative Ofﬁcer

Grizeline Olaybar

Program Ofﬁcer, Regional Development

Finance Ofﬁcer

Jaime Dumarpa

Robert Raguro

Program Ofﬁcer, Lanao del Sur

ICT Ofﬁcer

Wilhelmina Morallas

Gajer Bensali

Program Ofﬁcer, Lanao del Sur

www.lgspa.org.ph

Administrative Assistant

Local Government Capacity Development Manager

Service Delivery and Crosscutting Themes Manager

Administrative Assistant

Program Ofﬁcer, Maguindanao – 2006-2008

Merlinda Hussein

To boost barangay and municipal level initiatives, LGSPA has been supporting the creation of an enabling environment for local governance and working with stakeholders at the regional level to help develop policies and programs that shore up local governments and peacebuilding efforts. Thus, capacity development assistance was extended to the Autonomous Regional Government, civil society organizations, peace networks, academic institutions and LGU leagues.

Administrative Assistant

Program Ofﬁcer, Maguindanao – 2005-2009

ICT Ofﬁcer

Jesse Bacal ICT Ofﬁcer – 2005

Natalio Cuizon Jr. Reynante Bacaron Ramil Garcia Eleno Albilda Fraolyn Aggabao Buenaventura Miro Samuel Torreda Romancito Cabantac Allan Dumarpa Yusof Alfad Drivers

128 HILAL