Galing Pook Foundation
Transcription
Galing Pook Foundation
Galing Pook 2011 • 1 2011 Galing Pook Contents 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 32 34 35 The Galing Pook Global Public Innovation Network Message from President Benigno S. Aquino III Honoring the Brilliance of LGUs DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo Promoting a More Inclusive Growth Process GPF Chair Ma. Nieves Confesor Development Strategies Worth Emulating LBP Pres. and CEO Gilda Pico Supporting Innovative LGU Initiatives DBP Pres. and CEO Francisco del Rosario, Jr. Justice on Wheels Sarangani Poor Municipality Can Eliminate Malnutrition Limasawa, Southern Leyte Turning Red to Green Misamis Oriental Rural Community e-Center Upi, Maguindanao LGU-Led Cadastral Survey Maribojoc, Bohol Empowering the Subanen People Zamboanga del Norte Community-Based Mental Health Management Real, Infanta, Gen. Nakar, Panukulan Bringing High Schools Closer to Home Alimodian, Iloilo Rabies Prevention and Elimination Bohol Health Strategy for MDG Attainment Albay 2011 Galing Pook Awards Finalists 2011 National Selection Committee Galing Pook Foundation Board of Trustees and Secretariat Galing Pook Hymn Cover Design, Layout and Main Articles by Allen M. Mariano • References supplied by LGUs • Photos courtesy of LGUs and from Galing Pook File Photos 2 • Galing Pook 2011 The Galing PPook ook T he Galing Pook awards is a pioneering program that recognizes innovation and excellence in local governance. It started in October 21, 1993 under the joint initiative of the Local Government Academy-Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Ford Foundation, and other individual advocates of good governance from the academe, civil society and the government. The Asian Institute of Management carried on the awards program until 2001. Earlier in 1998, the Galing Pook Foundation was formed as a juridical institution to sustain the program. Since 1994, more than 250 programs from at least 160 local government units and alliances have already won recognition. The Galing Pook winners are chosen each year from a wide array of programs from local governments after undergoing a rigorous multi-level screening process. The winning programs are selected based on positive results and impact, promotion of people’s participation and empowerment, innovation, transferability and sustainability, and efficiency of program service delivery. Vision We are a leading resource institution that promotes innovation, sustainability, citizen empowerment, and excellence in local governance. Mission We promote excellence in local governance through recognition, sharing of information and support of efforts to replicate best practices at the local level. We encourage partnerships among civil society organizations, private sector, and government agencies at local, national and global levels to improve quality of life. Par tners artners Galing Pook 2011 • 3 Global Public Innovation Network T he Global Public Innovation Network, established in 2002, is a collaborative network of 10 public policy awards programs from around the globe. With support from the Ford Foundation and contributions by the individual programs, the Innovation Network gathers and disseminates knowledge about innovations in public service provision, public action, and governance. These innovations represent significant contributions to the collective well-being of citizens and to the reduction of social, economic, political, gender, and ethnic inequalities. By sharing successful local practices through an international network, the impact of each awards program can extend far beyond its country’s borders. Innovation Network activities include workshops, research, and publications. Partner Programs The Global Public Innovation Network includes the following programs: American Indian Tribes in the United States of America: Honoring Nations Program Brazil: Public Management and Citizenship Program Chile: Citizen Participation and Public Politics Program China: The Innovations and Excellence in Chinese Local Governance Program East Africa: The Mashariki Innovations in Local Governance Awards Program Mexico: Government and Local Management Award Peru: Participation and Local Management Program Philippines: The Galing Pook Foundation Awards for Outstanding Local Government Programs South Africa: Impumelelo Innovations Award Trust United States of America: Innovations in American Government Awards Program Source: Harvard Kennedy Sc hool: Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Website (http:// www.ash.harvard.edu/Home/Programs/Innovations-in-Government/Global-Public-Innovation-Network), accessed January 5, 2012. 4 • Galing Pook 2011 Malacañan Palace Manila It is my pleasure to congratulate the recipients and finalists of the 2011 Galing Pook Awards, and I commend the Galing Pook Foundation for spearheading this annual recognition of exemplary community programs. Local government units are our key partners in implementing reforms at the grassroots level, serving as the national government’s arm in ensuring an environment of equitable progress. This occasion demonstrates your commitment to uphold the system of decentralization with efficiency and excellence. The innovative activities that the awardees and finalists have carried out in their respective localities redound significantly to our agenda of good governance, which includes the resolution of socioeconomic issues such as poverty, health, and peace. Thus, I applaud your steadfast dedication to work toward the fullest development of your territories. Your initiatives indeed strongly contribute to forging self-reliant communities. May your endeavors inspire others to foster dynamism in public service. I exhort our LGUs, represented by the different local leaders, to sustain accountability and transparency in fulfilling our Social Contract with the Filipino people. May our paths be guided by our aspiration for genuine reforms in this time of renewal. BENIGNO S. AQUINO III Manila January 2012 Galing Pook 2011 • 5 Honoring the Brilliance of LGUs T he Department of the Interior and Local Government would like to extend its sincerest congratulations to the 2011 winners of Galing Pook Awards. Galing Pook Awards does not only recognize but more importantly honors the brilliance of local government units that continue to provide stories of hope and inspiration as a proof that good governance is alive and thriving in the country. I salute the LGUs that have taken part and showcased the best practices in their localities. It is my fervent hope that they sustain and upscale the efforts they started. I would also like to acknowledge our strategic partners from the private sector and the civil society organizations for their continued efforts in helping us promote good local governance. Jesse M. Robredo Secretary I believe that by working hand in hand we can make positive changes in the lives of our Department of the Interior people. and Local Government Congratulations and Mabuhay! Promoting a More Inclusive Growth Process T oday, we recognize that millions of poor Filipino families, including many women and children, in both rural and urban areas, continue to be left behind even as the country's economic prospects have improved. The challenge is to promote a more inclusive growth process --- one that sustains competitiveness and robust economic growth performance, while ensuring that wealth creation provides the widest possible benefits, notably for the expanding low-income population. Growth alone, while critically important, does not necessarily alleviate poverty and reduce inequality. There is convincing evidence that inequality does retard growth and render growth to be "sporadic" and short-lived in developing economies such as ours. Thus, eighteen years and more than 250 awardees later, the search for innovative sustainable arrangements are "cocreated" by local governments and communities, even in the most challenging of conflict conditions, to ensure that growth is for ALL, and not captured by an elite. "Acting locally", such local governance mechanisms have been sustained by transparency, clear accountability, expanding inclusion of all stakeholders, and their increasing empowerment. For many of those in leadership, whether exercised with authority or not, the choice to lead has been marked by courage to create. For many of those who have been recognized, the programs have produced leaders, not with the capital "L", but by a growing band of innovators, leaders with a "small l", as some would say. Such courage would account for re-configuring the system and multi-sectoral relationships for the early attainment of millennium development goals in the province of Albay; mobilizing a 6 • Galing Pook 2011 systemic approach to eliminate rabies in the province of Bohol; for achieving zero-mortality rates for Limasawa, Southern Leyte; for an LGU-led cadastral survey, with simultaneous systematic adjudication to address the conflict "fall-out" from clearly plotted lines and boundaries; establishment of an inter-local health zone for community-based mental/psychosocial health management; creation of strategically located and much needed high schools in barangay clusters in Alimodian; and the first community e-center in the country in Upi. Peace-building initiatives, through Misamis Oriental province's Lantad Peace-building Experience and Zamboanga del Norte's program to bring the lumads to access mainstream services, continue to be recognized. Sarangani's JEEP (Justice Enhancement and Empowerment Program) creates "inclusive growth" by bringing the justice system to the people, by setting up mobile courts, among others, with clear results. Organizations, be they public or private, fail to create the future not because they fail to predict it but because they fail to imagine it. Congratulations to the awardees and finalists! They have imagined and they have created. Ma. Nieves R. Confesor Chairperson Galing Pook Foundation Development Strategies Worth Emulating F or yet another remarkable year of worthy causes, LANDBANK commends all the winners of the 2011 Galing Pook Awards who have made tireless efforts to effect changes especially in hard-to-reach communities. We also laud the Foundation for continually finding new and innovative measures to help people attain economic growth and sustain livelihood projects. Having programs sparked by local governance is a clear indication of the significant strides of LGUs in empowering people and their communities toward a culture of responsible economy. We are more than grateful for the commitment they have shown in providing lasting opportunities of employment and development strategies worth emulating by other institutions and societies. With the success of LGUs in implementing projects of socio-economic influence, the nation is well on its way to a quality of service that is anchored on efficient delivery of basic needs in education, health, housing, and other basic services that will soon be standard among all Filipinos. As the LGUs continue to promote avenues for model countryside development, so shall LANDBANK remain a dedicated partner in advancing your public service objectives ripe with sustainable impact. Gilda E. Pico President and CEO Land Bank of the Philippines To the 2011 Galing Pook Awardees, a well-deserved congratulations! Supporting Innovative LGU Initiatives T he Development Bank of the Philippines congratulates the winners of the 2011 Galing Pook Awards. Truly, your stories have shown how powerful our local government units are in promoting progress in their communities, particularly those in the countryside. Francisco F. Del Rosario, Jr. President and CEO Development Bank of the Philippines DBP has been a staunch ally of the Galing Pook Foundation in recognizing the best practices in local government in line with the bank’s commitment to promote good governance in the country, particularly on the local level. We in DBP believe that good governance results to the responsible use of public funds, growth of local communities and efficient delivery of services. We encourage our local government units to adhere to the anti-corruption and good governance directives set by President Benigno S. Aquino III. As one of the two policy banks of government, DBP will remain steadfast in supporting the initiatives of our local government units. We have more than P69billion in available funds to support various priority projects, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and logistics, environment, social services, and micro and small enterprises. We can help LGUs in their funding requirements for projects such as farm-to-market roads, public markets, housing, mariculture parks, schools, hospitals, clinics, water supply and sanitation, solid waste management, sanitary landfill, among others. Again, congratulations to the winners! May you all continue to be shining examples of how genuine public service can bring a positive effect on the lives of millions of Filipinos. Galing Pook 2011 • 7 Sarangani limited access of litigants and witnesses to the courts— physically as the farthest municipality is about 117 kilometers from the lone Regional Trial Court and financially as most of the litigants were impoverished and have limited funds to pursue court cases, let alone pay fare for transport. The confluence of these factors ustice dictates that the punishment should fit the left many of the detainees serving more than the crime. But in the real world, justice is not efficiently mandated length of sentence if they were convicted carried out. Take the case of the farmer in Sarangani of their crimes. who remained a detainee for 13 years for stealing a carabao and a cheap loaf of bread. The injustice of Armed with the findings, the Sarangani LGU designed his plight is so glaring especially when personalities JEEP to hasten the disposition of cases involving accused of graver crimes do not spend even a night indigent litigants whose family member remained a detainee in jail because of the slow pace of litigation. in jail. JEEP involved the provision of a mobile court dubbed There are other poor souls in Sarangani’s jail who “Justice on Wheels” or JOWs. Essentially, it is a bus remain detainees longer than they should because of that has been reconfigured into a court room so that the slow disposition of their cases. Learning about their hearings can be conducted inside it when the bus is plight prompted the provincial government to put in deployed to the municipalities. It is the only mobile place a program that would hasten the resolution of court with a permanently assigned judge and which court cases and reduce jail congestion. Thus, was born has been authorized by the Supreme Court to assist the Justice Enhancement and Empowerment Program the regional trial court. In 2008, this mobile court was deployed to the municipalities to improve access to (JEEP) in 2006. indigent litigants and witnesses. Sarangani’s jail was designed to accommodate only 220 inmates, but it is now home to more than 600. A As part of JEEP, an Alternative Dispute Resolution baseline study done by the LGU revealed that the component was institutionalized to encourage litigants jails are congested mainly due to the snail-paced to arrive at an amicable settlement instead of disposition of cases, which in turn was due to the very elevating their case to a court litigation. A Provincial limited number of trial courts. The study also cited the Mediation Center was established for this purpose. Justice on Wheels J 8 • Galing Pook 2011 This component is also covered by the Court Annex Mediation (CAM) program of the Supreme Court, which involves court-trained mediators in the settlement of disputes. Lastly, JEEP also organized Barangay Justice Advocates (BJAs) who would detect and help settle brewing disputes at the community level so that the petty disputes are managed and do not needlessly get elevated to a lengthy trial process. When the program started, 60 percent of the pending cases at the RTC were turned over to JOWs for litigation, considerably de-clogging the docket of the RTC. The JOWs program has conducted hearings for more than a thousand cases since then. As a result, detainees who have practically been serving more lengthy sentences than if they were convicted have been released from jail. JOWs has also halved the number of provincial jail inmates from 600 to 286 as of June 2011and this has also translated into reduced maintenance expenses for the jail. Meanwhile, 43 percent of cases referred to CAM between 2008 and 2010 were successfully settled through mediation. Needless to say, this reduced the number of cases that were elevated to court litigation. More importantly, the community leaders who were trained as BJAs have been quite successful in resolving petty conflicts at the family or clan level. More Sarangani residents have also taken legal awareness trainings at the community level and this mechanism has effectively reduced the cases that get elevated to the Barangay Court and Trial Courts. CONTACT With so much accomplished in just a few years, the JEEP program indicates that the wheels of justice can spin much faster with the proper impetus. Sarangani’s example also shows that with a little inventiveness, poverty-stricken provinces can still make substantial gains even with very limited resources at their disposal. Gov. Miguel Rene A. Dominguez [email protected] Fax (083) 508-2258 “Justice on Wheels” is a bus that has been reconfigured into a court room. It is the only mobile court with a permanently assigned judge and which has been authorized by the Supreme Court to assist the Regional Trial Court. Galing Pook 2011 • 9 Limasawa, Southern Leyte Poor Municipality Can Eliminate Malnutrition M any advertisements are trying to sell products that purportedly help improve the health of buyers. But, Limasawa’s program on proper nutrition and healthy living seems to be much more effective in convincing people to pursue a healthy lifestyle. Limasawa’s LGU was able to accomplish this feat by developing an innovative nutrition plan with clearly defined roles for the stakeholders. This plan aimed to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition among preschool and school children and promote healthy living among adults. The plan was designed with the help of the Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC), which is multisectoral and is composed of the Sangguniang Bayan Members, National Agency representatives, Municipal Government Department Heads, Barangay Captains, Sc hool Administrators and non-government organization representatives. The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office spearheaded the feeding program for the malnourished pre-sc hool and sc hoolc hildren. Meanwhile, the Barangay Nutrition Scholars and Elementary School Class Advisers were tasked to monitor the weekly growth status of the pre-school c hildren and the monthly weighing of the schoolchildren. The Women’s Health Teams (WHTs) and Breastfeeding Support Groups (BSGs) were tasked to monitor the children’s nutritional status from womb to birth. Pregnant women were closely tracked to ensure that they complete their prenatal visits and develop their birth plans in cooperation with the Rural Health Unit (RHU). A “Healthy Baby Contest” was regularly held to promote exclusive breastfeeding. Interestingly, the fathers were also trained about the proper care and feeding of infants and schoolchildren. Under the “Tatay Ko, Kaagapay sa Kalusogan Ko” Program, the fathers in the barangays are gathered every quarter for a lecture on good nutrition, breastfeeding and responsible parenthood. Under the “Gulay Bawat Bahay, Hahaba Ang Buhay” Program, households, schools and barangays were encouraged to maintain vegetable gardens for household consumption. The Municipal Agriculture 10 • Galing Pook 2011 Office (MAO) provided seeds, seedlings, planting materials and technical assistance. To motivate the residents and school children, cash prizes were awarded to winners of the “Best Barangay Garden” and the “Best School Garden” contests that were organized yearly by the MAO. Livelihood skills trainings were also provided to families with malnourished children so they can augment their income and buy sufficient food. In addition, motor bancas with fishing gear were given to these families. To promote proper hygiene among its residents, the LGU launched the “Handog Pamasko sa LGU” Program. Households without toilets were given a toilet bowl, a bag of cement and iron bars so that they can build their own under the supervision of the Rural Sanitary Inspector. With these programs in place, the residents of Limasawa are now healthier than before. The regular supplemental feeding helped bring up the nutritional status of children from below normal to normal. The prevalence of malnutrition among pre-school children went down from a high of 8.8% in 2004 to 2.61% in 2009 and from 6.0% to 2.17% among school children. The close tracking of pregnant women by the RHU resulted in a zero mortality rate since 2007. Almost all infants from 0-6 months old were also exclusively breastfed. In just a few years, food production in the locality blossomed to a point where the need for vegetable supply in the municipality was also addressed. Remarkably, the household gardens used organic fertilizer from the vermiculture project to produce the varieties of vegetables. Limasawa showed that even a poor, 6th class island-municipality can eliminate malnutrition through innovative strategies. CONTACT Every quarter, residents who are 20 years old and above are encouraged to report to the Barangay Nutrition Outpost for the calculation of their Body Mass Index (BMI). Those categorized as at risk, overweight and obese are then urged to participate in the “Healthy Lifestyle” campaign. An Executive Order was issued requiring Municipal Officials and Employees to participate in an hour-long exercise session every Monday afternoon and sports activities every Friday afternoon. The municipality also holds a “Biggest Loser” contest to encourage people to lose weight. Mayor Melchor P. Petracorta [email protected] 032-3433612 To augment its limited budget, the LGU used various fund generation schemes such as solicitations, raffle draws, placing coin banks in strategic places for donations, fines from illegal fishing, diving fees and forging partnerships with donors. Just recently, Limasawa earned the Nutrition Honor Award—the first for Region VIII—given by the National Nutrition Council. For a 6 th class islandmunicipality, eliminating malnutrition is quite a feat, but one that is easily replicated. Among the key factors to the program’s success are innovative strategies, eliciting active community participation and judicious enactment of ordinances. Galing Pook 2011 • 11 Misamis Oriental Turning RRed ed to Green I solated communities, especially those that seldom receive government social services, fall prey easily into the hands of insurgents. More so, when the insurgents offer alternatives that seem better than nothing. Sitio Lantad in Brgy. Kibanban, Balingasag not only fell prey; it became an insurgent stronghold in the hinterlands of Misamis Oriental. Accessible only by foot or by horse, Lantad is home to an indigenous people, the Higaonons. A valley with rough terrain, treacherous trails, steep elevations and hairpin curves, it was physically isolated and neglected for a long time by the government. During its fight against the Marcos regime, the Northern Mindanao Revolutionary Committee of the CPP-NPA-NDF transformed Lantad into its Regional Headquarters and the area soon erupted into a war-zone. Caught in the cross-fire between government and insurgent forces, the settlers either had to flee or join the insurgents to survive. Hundreds died in the fighting and many residents fled. The conflict continued even well after the Marcos regime had been ousted. The difference this time was that the Higaonons began their struggle to reclaim their ancestral domain. For the most part, government remained deaf to their pleas, while the NDF provided land titles which had no legal teeth. 12 • Galing Pook 2011 Eventually in 2005, when the Provincial Peace and Order Council was already in place, the Misamis Oriental LGU began to literally pave the way to peace and development. After a visit to the area showed them the extent of government neglect in Lantad, the provincial government employees painstakingly brought in sand and gravel by the kilo to initially construct a solar dryer for the community and to start the construction of a road. Sand and gravel had to be brought up the mountain by foot because there was no road yet. This painstaking effort by the LGU helped them gain the trust of the residents of Lantad. During the crucial road opening phase, the community expressed its support and ownership of the road building project by voluntarily mobilizing Higaonons to guard and protect the heavy equipment of the Provincial Engineering Office. This motivated the engineering team to hasten the completion of what was back then an inconceivable road development project. The 25-kilometer road development project stretched from the national highway into the heart of the once isolated Higaonon community. In July 2006, Lantad finally became accessible to wheeled vehicles and the 16-vehicle convoy of the provincial government was welcomed warmly by the residents when they came to visit again. In 2007, Lantad was declared as a Special Agrarian Reform Community by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Subsequently, the community became a beneficiary of DAR’s Solar Power Technology Support (SPOTS) program, which provided electricity to 128 homes, to the community area, and to the school building. The community also obtained a DVD player and TV set for the education of the children. Lantad also erected a health center with a freezer for medicine storage and a properly lit community center for public meetings and activities. The SPOTS program also included the construction of a multipurpose building, which housed the AC-10 solar power station as well as the mini theater, mini grinder, chipping machine, peanut sheller, videoke, and computers of the community. In addition, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources implemented a 60-hectare Reforestation Program for the community. Meanwhile, the Department of Education provided school buildings and facilities and implemented the Mobile Teacher Program which taught 106 residents to read and write. Subsequently, the new Lantad Multi-Purpose Cooperative was formed as a vehicle for socioeconomic empowerment. Corn, banana and peanut production improved. Families who fled in the 90’s have also returned to Lantad. From 500 residents in 2005, a total of 1,033 people now reside in Lantad and the Internal Revenue Allotment of its mother barangay has also increased. Today, Lantad is a showcase of how peace and development efforts should be pursued—not by might but through sincere and concrete efforts to reach out and make a difference in the lives of people. The PPOC was successful in making inroads into Lantad because it was able to re-engineer its organizational structure towards greater transparency and participation. Its membership includes the broadest spectrum of possible peace and development stakeholders. Tribal leaders are now key members of the Council. In sum, building the capacities of the people and empowering them to stand on their own paved the way to a successful peace and development campaign. Misamis Oriental’s success has bolstered its confidence in pursuing similar peace-building initiatives in Sitio Sio-An, Barangay Malinao, Gingoog City in the coming years. The Lantad peace-building experience demonstrates the paradigm shift of the Provincial Peace and Order Council from reactive, sometimes passive approaches, towards a pro-active Council advancing Social Equity, People Empowerment, Building of Roads and Bridges, and Access to the best possible social services. CONTACT Balay Mindanaw, an NGO and active PPOC member, assisted in the formulation of a Barangay Peace and Development Plan through a participatory process that encouraged the community to share their own peace and development agenda and to hold discussions concerning local governance, barangay peace and development and partnership initiatives. Gov. Oscar S. Moreno [email protected] Tel. (08822) 729995 Fax. (08822) 729894 Galing Pook 2011 • 13 Upi, Maguindanao Rural Community e-Center I nternet access is prevalent in urban communities these days but is still almost absent in most rural communities. As a result, many rural communities get left behind in terms of access to information that is vital to their development. Such was the case of Upi’s residents before 2004. Back then, the Municipality of Upi used to be an isolated rural area with very limited telecommunications services. There were no landline phones nor fax ser vices, let alone broadband internet services. Calls made to trading centers were expensive as these were carried out through mobile phones. Thus, the LGU had difficulty transacting business with regional offices and its trading partners. Limited courier service meant that those who needed to send packages had to travel for two hours over dilapidated roads to Cotabato City to mail urgent documents. The delivery of local and national newspapers was always delayed and Cotabato radio stations were the only reliable source for local and national news. Students also had difficulty conducting research because there was no public library. Realizing that better access to information could substantially improve their situation, Upi’s LGU proceeded to install wireless broadband Internet connection in October 2004 and establish their Community e-Center (CeC). This move encouraged other government agencies to pursue their Information and Communications 14 • Galing Pook 2011 Technology (ICT) projects in the municipality. Similar to most privately-run internet access businesses, the CeC offers a host of ICT services such as internet access, document encoding, scanning, photocopying, printing, CD/DVD writing, PC repair and maintenance, IT consultancy, system development, IT training and tutorials. What sets it apart was that it ventured into broadcast media to expand its reach. The CeC helped establish the local radio station DXUP-FM and now also manages a local TV channel which airs LGU activities and projects through its daily public affairs program, The Working Public Servant. The CeC is now also responsible for the photo and video documentations of events in the municipality. In addition, the CeC maintains the LGU’s eNational Government Accounting System in partnership with the Commission on Audit. It also hosts the Legislative Tracking System and the municipality’s official website. These services helped improve the financial efficiency of the LGU, the legislative transparency of the Sangguniang Bayan, and introduced Upi to the world. The community has since been transformed and empowered in various ways. Business transactions between Upi’s residents and their domestic or foreign partners could now be conducted daily and almost in real-time. Communication expenses were reduced to almost nil and Upi residents had better access to more information and income-earning opportunities. The CeC made it to the top ten ecenters in the country that represented the country in the 2005 APEC Digital Opportunity Center contest in Taipei, Taiwan. While remaining a rural community, Upi and its residents now enjoy urban amenities and services. The Upi CeC helped improve the computer literacy of the women and youth of Upi through the StepUP Project, a partnership between the Visayan Forum and the Local Government’s Gender and Advocacy Program. It also helped in the computerization of Datu Paglas Municipality. The CeC now plans to train barangay officials on computer literacy and to conduct a campaign against internet crimes in the schools so that students can avoid becoming victims. In terms of economic development, the Upi CeC also plans to accept web advertisements, engage in eticketing, e-banking, and ecommerce. It has plans to organize Upi residents working abroad and create a foundation for ICT projects and programs in Upi. While the CeC was established by the LGU, it is managed by an ICT Council which is composed of 13 representatives from various sectors—LGU, women’s, indigenous people’s organization, REACT, student council, out-ofschool youth, federation of PTCAs, business sector and the academe. This multi-sectoral composition of the council encouraged broader participation in the planning, decision-making, and approval of the CeC’s annual work plans. The council sets the directions, guidelines and strategies for the e-Center and ensures that the program framework is consistent with the community’s culture. The council also sets the policies and procedures relating to the CeC’s membership, usage, data collection, financial management, and other operations. Like most privately-run internet access businesses, the CeC offers a host of ICT services. What sets it apart is that it ventured into broadcast media to expand its reach. CONTACT The Upi CeC has been operational for seven years and is now located in a new, separate building with 15 units of computers for instructional and research purposes, 3 work stations, and 2 computer servers. It also has image, video capture and printing equipment. There are more than 750 Community eCenters established in the country. But Upi CeC remains as the only fully operational CeC in Maguindanao Province. With its success and service expansion, it hopes to inspire neighboring municipalities to follow its footsteps and is willing to help other Maguindanao municipalities establish their own CeCs. Mayor Ramon A. Piang, Sr. [email protected] Galing Pook 2011 • 15 Maribojoc Maribojoc,, Bohol LGU-Led Cadastral Sur Survvey T he primary objective of a cadastral survey is land titling. Other land use information that are obtained in the process are gathered to support tenure or legal hold. However, the results of the cadastral survey can also be used as basis for Internal Revenue Allotment or IRA. The IRA is the money received by all LGUs from the national government. Its amount is based on an LGU’s land area, population and tax collections remitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) first commissioned a surveyor in the 1960s to conduct cadastral surveys of the coastal town of Maribojoc in Bohol. This was followed by a series of surveyors who failed to produce the desired results. In 2003, the town’s LGU commissioned three surveying companies to conduct cadastral surveys. But these also went to naught. Fed up with the lacklustre performance of the sur veyors, the Sangguniang Bayan issued an ordinance rescinding the contract of one of the companies and urging the others to hasten the process. The LGU also lobbied for inclusion in the DENR’s Land Administration and Management Project 2 (LAMP2), which aimed to automate land records through computerization. In 2008, Maribojoc became the first LGU-led participant to the LAMP2. In the agreement between the Maribojoc LGU and DENR-PENRO Bohol, Maribojoc will oversee the overall conduct of the cadastral survey and land titling; appoint Community Development Assistants (CDAs) and adjudicators; provide funds for the CDAs and adjudicators, office supplies, computers and transportation expenses; provide office space; conduct initial sketching in coordination with the survey team; mediate initially on land disputes; conduct information dissemination; and mobilize barangay officials to assist the survey team in their areas. DENR-PENRO’s responsibilities were to: provide technical supervision and the survey team; monitor the actual progress of the survey with the LGU; verify the completed survey to avoid overlaps; approve 16 • Galing Pook 2011 technical descriptions of the cadastral surveys; determine barangay boundaries; provide cadastral map of the approved survey; delineate or exclude land considered as salvage zones, watersheds and municipal/barangay roads; train LGU personnel assigned as CDAs and adjudicators and to process free patent applications (FPAs) with DENR Project Implementation Office and the Register of Deeds. Land valuation has since appreciated and there has been a significant increase in Real Property Tax (RPT) collection. The LGU has earned additional income from certification fees and payments of arrears. The acquisition of land titles is now simplified and faster to process. More importantly, the tenurial status of title holders have been secured at a minimal cost and land grabbing has been reduced or eliminated. Boundary disputes that were resolved led to improved relations between neighbors. The intensive Information, Education and Communication campaigns undertaken by LGU-led LAMP2 team encouraged the participation of stakeholders in the cadastral sur vey. Sur vey applications were religiously scrutinized for accuracy. The applications were then submitted to the DENRLAMP 2 office for screening and validation. In turn, the Register of Deeds approved the FPAs and issued land titles to qualified land owners. As of June 30, 2011, 830 land titles have been issued to land owners. Eliciting active community participation and a committed LGU leadership were the key ingredients in the successful implementation of the cadastral survey project of Maribojoc. So far, the Maribojoc LAMP 2 project has been replicated in the towns of Talibon, Garcia-Hernandez, Balilihan, Candijay and Trinidad. CONTACT Mayor Leoncio B. Evasco, Jr. [email protected] Tel. (O38) 504-9979 Fax. (038) 504-9555 The tenurial status of title holders have been secured at a minimal cost and land grabbing has been reduced or eliminated. Boundary disputes that were resolved led to improved relations between neighbors. Galing Pook 2011 • 17 Zamboanga del Nor te Norte Empo wering the Subanen PPeople eople Empow R iver dwellers who now reside in upland areas—these are the Subanens, the indigenous people (IP) of the Province of Zamboanga del Norte. Like most of their IP brethrens, the Subanens are largely marginalized. Forced to relocate upland by the migration of people from the Visayas and Luzon and by the intrusion of large mining campaigns in their ancestral domains, the Subanens suffered countless indignities, discrimination and ridicule. And for several decades, the Subanens were left with limited education and livelihood opportunities and lacked access to government services. Their situation changed for the better recently when the provincial leadership intervened to bring them back into the mainstream of government processes. On February 26, 2008, the provincial government issued Executive Order No. 08-03-A to create the Provincial Indigenous People Coordinating Unit (PIPCU), which was primarily tasked with promoting the welfare of the Subanen people and empowering them economically, socially and politically. In 2011, the Subanen numbered 367,906 or 38.4 percent of the total provincial population of 957,230. Subsequently, the PIPCU introduced and implemented the following programs and activities, namely: Kasalan ng Bayan Program; Free Registration of Marriages and Live Births of Children; Livelihood Activities; Documentation of Subanen Culture, Customs and Traditions, Arts and Music; and Formal Organization of the Subanen People in the Barangays. Formal organization of the Subanens aims to provide them legal personality and enable them to access government services. The Kasalan ng Bayan serves to formalize and solemnize the relationship between common-law couples who number in the thousands among the Subanen. In conducting the marriage rite, Subanen customs and traditions are followed. To date, a total of 2,501 common-law couples have been formally married under the program. 18 • Galing Pook 2011 The free registration of marriages ensures that the event and the births of the couple’s children are recorded with the Local Civil Registrar’s Office and the National Statistics Office (NSO). So far, 1,552 live births have been registered with the MCRO and NSO. This activity effectively provides legal documentation to the Subanens which they can then show when accessing government services, enrolling their children in school, getting a job or obtaining medical services. The provision of livelihood activities is primarily carried out through the introduction of appropriate farming technology so that the Subanen farmers can increase the productivity of their farms, attain food security The creation of the Provincial Indigenous People Coordinating Unit (PIPCU) encouraged the Subanen people to participate in community development and in government processes. tasked to coordinate the collective participation of the Subanens in various development processes. The Councils of Elders were also formally organized at the barangay level to serve as mediators during disputes among the Subanens. Composed of Timuay Labis, Timuays and Salilings, the members of the Councils of Elders now total 4,343. PIPCU has been tasked to continually document Subanen culture, customs, arts and traditions, and it now has a compilation of Subanen rituals, clothing and ornaments, and musical instruments. To further preserve the Subanen culture, PIPCU also organized Tribal Dance Congresses, Costume Parades and a Battle of Festivals showcasing Subanen art, tradition and culture. With these programs in place, the bond between married Subanen couples have been strengthened and responsible parenthood is now more widely practiced. More importantly, the Subanens can now provide marriage contracts or birth certificates in transactions requiring such legal documents. For instance, they can now access government programs such as Philhealth and the Pantawid Gutom Program (Conditional Cash Transfer) to name a few. They now have legal instruments that enable the enrolment of their children as well as facilitate their employment and travel abroad. CONTACT With the introduction of appropriate farming technology and the establishment of formal linkages with agricultural agencies, the Subanen Indigenous Councils were able to profit from the sales of their agricultural produce. While their total earnings were modest, it was a feat that they had never experienced before. Gov. Rolando E. Yebes [email protected] Tel No. (065) 212 2597 Fax No. (065) 212 3563 for their households, judiciously manage their environment, and increase their family’s income. To facilitate the delivery of basic services to the Subanen communities, PIPCU helped organize 19 councils which were registered with the Department of Labor and Employment. These 19 councils are Clearly, the creation of PIPCU encouraged the Subanen people to participate in community development and in government processes. They readily provided labor and project sites as counterparts for the government programs. This shows that the “pahina” or “bayanihan” spirit is also practiced by the Subanen people. Slowly but surely, the Subanens in Zamboanga del Norte are now getting integrated into the mainstream. And this was simply accomplished by putting in place a coordinative mechanism that elicited cooperation and participation; an innovation that can be easily replicated by other LGUs with an IP constituency. Galing Pook 2011 • 19 R eal, Inf anta, Gen. Nakar Infanta, Nakar,, and Panukulan, Quezon Community-Based Mental Health Management I n the aftermath of the flash floods that claimed hundreds of lives in Infanta and General Nakar in November 2004, mental distress afflicted the survivors. Psychosocial intervention was provided so they could move on. This intervention led to the partnership between the Infanta Integrated Community Development Assistance, Inc. (ICDAI), the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) and the World Association for Psyc hosocial Rehabilitation-Philippines (WAPRPhil). They developed the Community-Based Mental/Psychosocial Health Management Program which the Inter-Local Health Zone (ILHZ) II adopted in 2008. The community-based mental/ psychosocial health management program pools together resources from various sectors to address and fill in the gaps in mental/ psychosocial health care and the shortage of mental health professionals in the ReINaPan (Real, Infanta, Gen. Nakar, and Panukulan) area. Over time, the program broadened its scope from psychosocial processing and stress debriefing to mental and psychosocial health consultation and treatment. In 2006, a partnership with the Claro M. Recto Memorial District Hospital (CMRMDH) led to the 20 • Galing Pook 2011 establishment of a psychiatric clinic. The program is now managed by the ReINaPan local government units of the ILHZ II in partnership with ICDAI, CMRMDH and UP-PGHWAPR-Phil. Several strategies were implemented, namely: establishment of a psychiatric clinic; conduct of psychiatric consultation and treatment; implementation of socialized rate of psychotropic medicines; telepsychiatry; mental and psychosocial health education and information dissemination; formation of family support groups; and, capability building on mental health service delivery. After four years of implementation, the program increased the knowledge and skills of LGUs in mental health care. It improved delivery of general health care in the municipalities, with mental and psychosocial health now included in the LGU’s regular health care program and with municipal health officers and area-based physicians providing psychiatric consultation and treatment. The Psychiatric Clinic in CMRMDH was established with the assistance of the Northern Quezon Medical Society in whic h the partnerpsychiatrists and trained general physicians in the locality hold consultations. Prior to the establishment of the clinic, visiting psychiatrists held consultations in barangay halls. Since medications for mental disorders are available only in Metro Manila health institutions and pharmacies, the ILHZ II purc hased medicines from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and National Mental Health Center (NMHC) for stockpiling and retail to patients. The availability of medicines in the ILHZ II Pharmacy bridged the physical distance of ReINaPan municipalities from PGH and NMHC. The ILHZ II also ensured that medicines would be more accessible to indigent patients. A socialized scheme was developed where indigents pay only 25% of the actual medicine cost, while those who could afford pay the full amount. The psyc hiatric consultations, coupled with the administration of medicines, proved to be successful in addressing mental health problems in the area. From 2006 to 2010, additional cases were recorded each year albeit in a decreasing pattern—from 110 new cases in 2006; 59 additional cases in 2007; 55 new ones in The communitybased mental health management program pools together resources from various sectors to address and fill in the gaps in mental health care and the shortage of mental health professionals in the ReINaPan area. 2008; 36 more in 2009; and another 28 cases in 2010. These figures indicate improved awareness about mental health care. In 2009, a radio program dubbed as “ILHZ II in Action” served as medium for ILHZ II to reach a wide number of people and encourage more families to bring their patients for consultation and treatment. The program also convinced the community to show more compassion for mental patients. There is now a growing acceptance among families that this condition is not something to be ashamed of; that it is manageable and that mental patients deserve mental health care. Many of those with mental disorders have been brought back to normalcy. Some of the sc hizophrenic patients who exhibited violent behavior, auditory hallucination, and unhygienic practice are now able to help in household chores and are doing productive work outside their homes. The formation of family support groups also contributed in hastening the recuperation of patients. Dialogues and activities between the families strengthened their resolve to provide proper mental health care for their patient and gradually break the stigma of mental disorder. CONTACT What is notable is that the program is being successfully managed by medical personnel who are not mental health professionals. This Mayor Filipina Grace R. America [email protected] Tel. (042) 535-4045 Fax. (042) 535-2281 suggests that any LGU can provide mental health care service and that the absence or lack of mental health professionals in the area is not at all a hindrance as there are external stakeholders that can be tapped to assist the LGUs in developing their capacity in the delivery of mental health care service. Telepsychiatry in CMRMDH allows real-time communication between the remote site in CMRMDH and the hub site in the Department of Psyc hiatry/National Telehealth Center in UP-PGH. A teleconference among the stakeholders is now also possible through Skype. With this mechanism in place, the partner psychiatrists are able to remotely assist the trained municipal health officers and general physicians in diagnosing and formulating mental health care plans for the patients. In addition, the psychiatrists could also provide continuous capacity development/ enhancement through telementoring. and human resource limitations were addressed by the pooling of resources among the partners. UPPGH-WAPR-Phil provided their tec hnical knowledge and professional expertise to the ILHZ II so it could identify those who needed care. Meanwhile, ICDAI provided financial support and technical expertise, and took the lead in building family support groups. On the other hand, the LGUs together with the CMRMDH provided funding, human resources and created mechanisms to enhance the program. The cooperation of the families of individuals with mental disorders was also crucial. Without their support, their patients would not have been referred for consultations and treatment. Lastly, capacity development of the LGU’s health personnel and volunteer health workers, and general physicians in CMRMDH ensures sustainability in the Partnership building is the key provision of mental health care in factor that made the implemen- the area. tation of the program in the ReINaPan area successful. Funding Galing Pook 2011 • 21 Alimodian, Iloilo Bringing High Schools Closer to Home D istant education facilities are among the reasons why there is low attendance and low academic performance in rural high schools. This is especially true in communities with rough terrain such as Seven Cities of the Municipality of Alimodian. A 3rd class municipality, Alimodian is composed of 51 barangays clustered into nine districts. Transportation is scarce especially during bad weather because of the mountainous and steep terrain. The lone jeepney ferries passengers only twice a day—once in the morning and another in the afternoon, while motorcycles are rented at PhP150.00 per trip for 22 • Galing Pook 2011 the 25-kilometer or one-hour drive from Seven Cities to the poblacion. A large number of students coming from the upland barangays cannot afford secondary education because of high costs for board, lodging, allowances and transportation and are consigned to helping their parents in crop and vegetable farming. In 2005, there were only two secondary sc hools in the municipality—the Alimodian National Comprehensive High School (ANCHS) and the Gines National High School (GNHS), which are located in the Poblacion and in Barangay Gines. The congested classrooms forced the teachers to hold classes in hallways and even under the trees. Consultations between the Department of Education (DepEd), the LGU and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) led to the proposed establishment of four new high schools. This proposal was developed into the program called Hugpong Barangay, Edukasyon Parapit sa Balay or Bringing Education Closer to Home. The program aims to bring secondary education closer to students by establishing secondary schools in strategically-clustered barangays. The aim was to provide secondary sc hools whic h are accessible and affordable to the community, improve the quality of living through education, train people to become economically efficient in livelihood programs and projects, and to lower the percentage rate of out-of-school youth in the community. In the construction of the high sc hools, community residents contributed bamboo poles or tracts of land. Meanwhile sc hool equipment were provided or purchased through donations and fund raising activities. Association of Barangay Councils and PTA was passed to ensure that sc hool improvements are implemented and given priority. Provincial School Board resolutions were also passed to support the program. Normally, approval for the establishment of a new school takes a long time. But the collective effort of the communities, ParentsTeachers Association (PTA), DepEd, private associations and individuals, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the LGUs hastened the process. Thus, the first extension sc hool of the ANCHS was established in Barangay Cabacanan, which was identified as the most accessible site within the Seven Cities area. The school was later renamed Adriano Cabardo National High School in honor of the lot donor. Three more campuses were established in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The strong leadership of the Local Sc hool Board (LSB) was instrumental in the success of the program. The LSB took the lead in conceptualizing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the program. The PTA and Barangay Council took the lead in the public meetings and consultations, identification of proposed sites, pooling of materials, construction of buildings, and monitoring of progress. In addition, the PTA campaigned for support, raised funds and helped in the completion of the documentary requirements of the DepEd. Eventually, the schools produced 342 graduates who went on to pursue college education through scholarships and work student programs. The high schools also encouraged over-aged (17 and above) individuals to resume their studies and pursue a high school diploma as in the case of the 22-year old mother who graduated Class Valedictorian last March 2011. A total of 809 out-of-school and over-aged individuals were given the opportunity to go back to school because of the program. New schools meant employment opportunities for licensed teachers and 48 were hired. Barangay and Municipal resolutions and ordinances were passed adopting the establishment of the secondary schools through the “Hugpong Barangay, Edukasyon Parapit sa Balay”. A bill was also passed in Congress for the Adriano NHS. A Joint Resolution of the Constructing four secondary schools in a municipality within five years may seem impossible for other LGUs. But through Hugpong Barangay, Edukasyon Parapit sa Balay, the people of Alimodian showed that innovation and dedicated action can bring about the desired results. The establishment of the high schools closer to the communities allowed the families to reduce their school expenses. It also led to improved academic performance among the students. CONTACT The establishment of the high schools closer to the communities allowed the families to reduce their school expenses. It also led to improved academic performance among the students. On the other hand, the local DepEd took responsibility in the completion of all the required paper work. Through the LGUCommunity-DepEd partnership, Barangay Officials enhanced their capacity to prioritize projects and efficiently allocate their budget. Local NGOs such as Taus Puso Foundation, Inc. and Tagipusuon Foundation, Inc. were involved in the consultation and implementation process, together with religious groups, youth representatives and senior citizens. The Department of Education later ranked Bancal National High School as 2nd and 3rd in the search for Outstanding Schools in the 2nd Congressional District in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Mayor Juanito T. Alipao [email protected] Tel. (033) 331-0288 Fax. (033) 331-0450 Galing Pook 2011 • 23 Bohol Rabies Prev ention and Elimination Prevention R abies is a fatal disease that is easily preventable. Yet, it still poses a significant public health problem in many countries in Asia and Africa. More than 99% of all global human rabies deaths occur as a result of being exposed to infected dogs. been no reports of death by rabies since October 8, 2008. barangay (Bantay Rabies sa Barangay or BRB) levels. A Knowledge, Attitude, Practices (KAP) survey in 2009 revealed that 94% of local people already knew about rabies, 61% had knowledge about rabies transmission, and 89% were aware of the rabies elimination program. More people were also seeking medical assistance for dog bites. The number of potential rabies carriers was also reduced by 24% as the dog population in Bohol decreased from 100,572 in 2007 to 76,407 in 2009 as reflected in the barangay master list of dogs. About 70% of the dog population was also registered and vaccinated within that period. The BRB organized Barangay Rabies Elimination Task Forces that compiled a master list of dogs and dog owners through house-tohouse surveys and arranged mass vaccination in their areas. It was the responsibility of the BRBs to secure the registration of dogs, collect fees and facilitate the sharing of the collected fees with the provincial and municipal LGUs. They also helped settle disputes arising from dog bite incidents or other violations of the program. In the Philippines, about 250 people die eac h year due to rabies because victims failed to seek immediate treatment or vaccination. About ten of those who die are reported in Bohol, which made the province rank 4th among the top ten provinces in the country for human rabies deaths. To correct the situation, the provincial LGU of Bohol developed its Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program (BRPEP) in March 2007, with the goal of Bohol’s LGU attributes the eliminating rabies cases in the successful program implementation to the collaboration and province by 2010. cooperation of various stakeInstitutionalized through an holders. Community participation ordinance, the BRPEP initially was deemed crucial in various involved 124 government aspects of the program namely, employees from the provincial dog population control, mass dog down to the barangay level, who vaccination, dog bite management, spearheaded a massive infor- veterinary quarantine, surveilmation drive. To hasten program lance and monitoring. implementation, community participation was enlisted in carrying out At the provincial level, the program various aspects of the program. is managed by the Bohol Rabies And to help defray the high Prevention and Eradication Council, program costs, the LGU developed which is chaired by the provincial partnerships with private sector governor and whose members represent various sectors and organizations. agencies. This multi-sectoral The results were dramatic. In the composition of the council is first half of 2008, the number of mirrored at the municipal (the human rabies deaths decreased by Municipal Rabies Prevention and 50%. More importantly, there have Elimination Council or MRPEC) and 24 • Galing Pook 2011 Today, there are more than 15,000 people actively involved in implementing the program. The bulk are made up of community volunteers and teachers. Various organizations such as the Bohol TriMedia Association and different government agencies such as the Department of Health and the Department of Education continue to work in concert to implement the program. This cooperation has effectively transformed the awareness campaign on rabies prevention and elimination from a government-led to a community or people-led program. The Philippine National Rabies Awareness Month in March and the World Rabies Day on September 28 are regularly observed by the province to continually remind people about the importance of eliminating rabies in Bohol. Bohol has since become one of the first provinces in the country to integrate lessons on rabies and responsible pet ownership in the curriculum of all its elementary schools. Given that 25 percent of the rabies fatalities have been children below the age of 15, this innovation is very effective at increasing awareness on rabies prevention, especially among school-aged children. This also helps inculcate responsible pet ownership for the next generation. International recognition of Bohol’s success is now evident as the provincial government has also been invited to share its experience in rabies elimination to an international audience. The LGU sent its program manager to present the program during the International Conference on Rabies in Vietnam in September 2009, in Indonesia in March 2010, and in Mexico in October 2010 during the 21st Conference on Rabies. Transforming the public’s attitude and cultural practices towards responsible pet ownership is perhaps Bohol’s longest lasting contribution to the global campaign to eliminate rabies. With rabies elimination and responsible pet ownership integrated into the public elementary sc hool curriculum, the younger generation will surely grow up to be more aware about responsible pet ownership and help eradicate the disease altogether. Transforming the public’s attitude and cultural practices towards responsible pet ownership is perhaps Bohol’s longest lasting contribution to the global campaign to eliminate rabies. CONTACT The Global Alliance of Rabies Control is helping replicate the Bohol Program in the Bicol Region and Palawan. Last July, international rabies experts met in Bohol to learn from the province’s experience and to explore the possibility of replication in other countries with high incidence of rabies. Gov. Edgardo M. Chatto [email protected] Tel. (038) 412-3300 Fax. (038) 412-3063 Galing Pook 2011 • 25 Albay Health Strate gy ffor or MDG Attainment Strategy M ayon Volcano comes to mind when the Province of Albay is mentioned because it is its most prominent landmark and tourist attraction. It is an active volcano that has erupted 47 times since 1616, with the recent ones occurring in August 2006 and December 2009. Albay also happens to be one of the most typhoon-prone provinces in the Philippines. In late 2006, the province was also hit by two major typhoons, Milenyo and Reming. These series of disasters in that year posed a significant threat to the health situation of the people in the province. In the following year, the newly elected governor’s policy declaration was to “make MDG the goal and the rest follows.” He meant that policies, resource mobilization, program implementation and institution building should be geared towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are eight international development goals that all United Nations member states have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. They include eradicating extreme poverty, reducing child mortality rates, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS, and developing a global partnership for development, to name a few. To improve the health situation of Albay’s residents, the provincial LGU implemented a health improvement strategy that was aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of the 2006 disasters and hastening the attainment of the health-related MDGs. The LGU aimed to “build a health system by 26 • Galing Pook 2011 and for the public whic h is sustainable through multi-sectoral contributions, revenue shares, and a domestic-universal health insurance to help anc hor the provincial health reform program on a realistic solid base.” The Albay Health Strategy towards Early Attainment of MDGs became a focused approach to health reform implementation to ensure that all Albay residents, especially the poor, could receive the benefits of health reform and the province can attain the health-related MDGs much earlier than 2015. The health program is composed of six strategic instruments, namely: providing financial risk protection through reimbursements; improving access to quality medical facilities; ensuring equitable access to health ser vices, medicines and tec hnologies; establishing mec hanisms for efficiency, transparency and accountability and public-private partnerships; enhancing the capacities of health workers; and, supporting the immediate and efficient provision of health care through health information. To date, Albay is either close to achieving or has achieved the major indicators under MDG 4 (Reduce Child Mortality), MDG 5 (Improve Maternal Health Care), MDG 6 (Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases), MDG 1 (Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger) and MDG 7 (Ensure Environmental Sustainability). Albay has been certified by Philhealth as having close to universal health coverage. The health budget of the province likewise increased from 2007 to 2010 by 67.66%. This improved access to health ser vices and expanded the supply of health services. A total of 30 Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Centers and 3 Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn The DOH and the World Health Organization have certified Albay as a malaria-free province and the provincial government is now aiming to eradicate measles, filariasis and leprosy in the next five years. To combat rabies, the LGU implements a responsible pet ownership program and offers free treatment to dog bite victims. It also implements a DOH approved program to combat dengue. With the support of AECID, a Spanish donor agency and DOH, Albay has started to renovate and re-equip all the hospitals and health centers throughout the province, including the water systems of five resettlement sites. Its disaster risk reduction program was enhanced to include preemptive medical care, post-disaster health inter vention, and rapid health assessment sur veys of evacuation centers and establishment of the Albay Health Emergency Management (AHEM) for pre-hospital care. Bicol University conducts LGU-subsidized emergency paramedic training for government personnel and the province now has 457 paramedics. In terms of policy support, the Committee Chairman on Health in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan pushed for the passage of evidence-based ordinances for the TB, Rabies, Dengue Programs and for the Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Programs. The province also issued ordinances for SmokeFree Albay and the creation of the Albay AIDS Council. By identifying strategic priorities through the five year provincewide investment plan for health and the annual operations plan, the Albay provincial government managed to build on its health initiatives. The provincial government also utilized DOHmandated governance structures such as the Local Health Boards (LHBs) and the Inter-Local Health Zones (ILHZs), Public Finance Management (PFM) and Local Health Accounts (LHA). The skills of Albay’s health workers are continually improved through trainings, orientation seminars and refresher courses. The provincial doctors also enhance their skills through the residency program of the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital. To date, Albay is either close to achieving or has achieved the major indicators under MDG 4 (Reduce Child Mortality), MDG 5 (Improve Maternal Health Care), MDG 6 (Combat HIV/ AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases), MDG 1 (Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger) and MDG 7 (Ensure Environmental Sustainability). In sum, the provincial government managed to successfully pursue its strategy because of the involvement of various stakeholders in program implementation and during the planning stage of the Province-Wide Investment Plan for Health in Albay. The health sector alliances that have been organized include the federations of barangay health workers, the TB patrol (TB management councils in the barangays) and the organization of Tambal-Tandok healers. There are also organizations that are actively involved in specific health programs in their respective target areas like MIDAS (Mayon Integrated Development Alternatives and Services) and Gay-on Bicol for STI and HIV/ AIDS. Ordinances and executive orders are already in place, ensuring the sustainability of Albay’s health sector reform strategy. When the province-wide investment plan for health is completed by 2012, another sector-wide planning session for the next 5 years will be undertaken to sustain the gains and to scale up community participation in the program. Pursuing the attainment of the MDGs diligently has worked for Albay. The strategy could work wonders for other provinces as well. CONTACT Care Centers cater to expectant mothers. Community Health Teams actively track pregnant women and help them with their birth plan. The province has 63 ambulances distributed among the local LGUs and deployed to hard-to-reach areas to ferry expectant mothers to birthing centers. The province also conducts an annual door-todoor immunization program for children. Gov. Joey S. Salceda [email protected] Tel (052)481-2555 Fax (052)480-3444 Galing Pook 2011 • 27 A L I N G P O O K A W A R D S CONTACT 2011 G Iloilo City Promoting Good Governance and Human Capital through the Dinagyang Festival From merely promoting religious and cultural practices, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival has evolved into a green festival of sorts. A project called “Squeak for Dinagyang” has become an integral part of the celebration. And like the festival, it F I N A L I S T S Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog Fax: (033) 3350689 [email protected] also involves the cooperation of practically the whole city. In December, the festival organizing committees spearhead a clean-up and beautification campaign to prepare Iloilo City for the arrival of visitors. Barangay residents along the parade route help in cleaning the city streets. Schools in the area require the students to help in the civic action on two Saturdays preceding Dinagyang. The fire trucks of the Bureau of Fire Protection and other fire fighting volunteer groups conduct the water flushing of the performance areas. While the festival activities still puts emphasis in arousing interest for Iloilo’s arts, culture and heritage, it has prompted the city to also pursue clean and green initiatives such as deploying electric driven vehicles and using recyclable materials for the costumes. Dinagyang shows that festivals can be effective vehicles to promote worthy causes and is an excellent showcase of government-private sector-NGO cooperation. The LGU of the municipality of Leon implemented a program that improved the operations of its market. It strictly implemented several measures such as zero waste disposal through the daily collection of segregated garbage. It imposed a no permit-no sale policy, no calibration-no sale policy and observed the price monitoring board. Curfew hours were imposed in the market and a grievance committee was in place to settle disputes between vendors. The meat and produce are categorized to provide consumers with correct information on the quality of the products they are buying. In addition, the vendors were organized into various associations with clearly identified responsibilities such as garbage collection, price monitoring and policing of ranks. To further encourage cleanliness, the LGU also holds contests such as the “Shoot for a Cause” which entails throwing empty plastic bottles into a big receptacle in the Public Market. As a result of the strict enforcement of policies and the cooperation of the vendor associations, the municipal market has become a clean, safe and hazard-free environment for the sale of agricultural products. 28 • Galing Pook 2011 CONTACT Leon, Iloilo Market Development through People Empowerment Mayor Rolito C. Cajilig [email protected] Fax: (033) 3310036 2011 G A L I N G P O O K A W A R D S F I N A L I S T S Health was not a priority issue of the Dao LGU. But after Dao was included in the pilot batch of the Zuellig Family Foundation’s Community Health Partnership Program (ZFFCHPP), the LGU began to have a better appreciation of health issues. After that, the LGU took the lead in introducing innovations in the areas of maternal and child health care, nutrition, and health information. The LGU has since increased its budget allocation for health and expanded the membership of its Local Health Board and PhilHealth programs. Expectant mothers were closely monitored and taught about pre and post natal care. The creation of Nanay Buhay Alagaan Teams (NBA teams) contributed significantly to the zero maternal and infant death in 2010. With the renovation of Dao’s RHU, the number of patient consultations increased from only 4% in 2008 to 62% in 2010. The LGU also regularly sent health workers including midwives and barangay health workers to attend skills upgrade trainings and professional education courses. And the LGU also reactivated a feeding program for pre-school and school children to reduce malnutrition. With an improved health care program in place, Dao’s residents are now in better shape than before. CONTACT Dao, Capiz Leading and Managing Health Innovations Mayor Joselito Y. Escutin [email protected] Fax: (036) 6580018 CONTACT Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur Investment and Tourism Promotion Sta. Cruz was a battlefield between government and rebel forces in the late 1980s to early 1990s. When the hostilities died down, a major policy shift from the government emboldened the LGU to transform the municipality into an Agri-Industrial Center (AIC) of the province of Davao del Sur. Subsequently, Sta. Cruz became part of the 11 Provincial AICs in Region XI. Through its Investments and Tourism Promotions Program, the LGU of Sta. Cruz was able to entice corporations to invest in the municipality. The two investors in 1994 grew to 23 multi-national investors in 2011. And total investments have now reached 21 Billion pesos. The employment rate has also increased to 64.73% in 2011 from 31% in year 2003. Community-based tourism enterprises and tourism-related establishments have also grown, as has tourist arrivals, which increased by 56% from 4,161 in 2006. Mayor Joel Ray L. Lopez [email protected] Fax: (082) 2720741 Galing Pook 2011 • 29 2011 G A L I N G P O O K A W A R D S F I N A L I S T S CONTACT Alaminos City, Pangasinan Bright Child Program Mayor Hernani A. Braganza [email protected] Fax: (075) 5527109 In Alaminos, Pangasinan, the LGU implemented the Bright Child Program which was designed to support the physical and intellectual growth of children from birth to graduation in college. A major component of the program is the supplemental feeding program which aims to eliminate malnutrition, one of the leading causes of low scholastic performance, absences and high drop out rates among pupils. The program aims to reduce the malnutrition rate by at least 5% yearly among children so that there are no more malnourished children in the city by 2013. With the assistance of the City Agriculture Office, households plant vegetables and raise animals, which the city government then purchases. The feeding program also increased economic activity in the city, particularly in raising the income of the farmers because their produce are ingredients in the nutritious meals. The parents and teachers prepare the nutritious meals, which are served three times a week. Because of the program, Alaminos no longer holds the dishonor of being number one in malnutrition in Region I. The city government is also implementing a scholarship program for poor but deserving college students. It has established 14 computer laboratories, provided internet connectivity in 43 schools, and is implementing a sports program for the students. In 2012, the LGU will broaden the feeding program to include high school students. The experience of Barangay San Jose Sico residents in Batangas shows that cooperative efforts go a long way towards improving people’s lives. When the City Government of Batangas relocated the city dumpsite within the barangay in December 2000, it helped organize 13 residents into the San Jose Sico Sorters Association, which sorted garbage and collected recyclables. Eventually, the Office of the City Veterinary and Agricultural Services (OCVAS) helped the sorters and community leaders form the San Jose Sico Landfill Multipurpose Cooperative with 29 female and 26 male members and with a paid-up capital of PhP84,600.00. After two years of learning the ropes, the Board of Directors and officers of the cooperative took over the management of the cooperative from the LGU. Operations expanded from scavenging to direct buying of recyclables. With financial assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment and the City LGU, the cooperative has branched out into hollow block making. The cooperative now also offers credit and loan services to its members. To date it has 187 members with a paid-up capital of PhP428,000.00 and PhP3 million in assets, indicating that indeed there is money in garbage. 30 • Galing Pook 2011 CONTACT Batangas City SWM Enterprise through LGU-Cooperative Partnership Mayor Vilma A. Dimacuha [email protected] Tel. (043) 7231511 Fax. (043) 7231558 2011 G A L I N G P O O K A W A R D S F I N A L I S T S CONTACT The Tagum City LGU addressed several problems—i.e. flooding, forest denudation, eroded accretion zone, siltation and people living in danger zones— through a multi-dimensional program dubbed the Watershed, River Management, Livelihood and Disaster Risk Reduction. The project involves the management of the upland, lowland and coastal environments. It involves sustainable reforestation, urban greening, Hijo River accretion reforestation and livelihood development through Inter-Cropping Farming System, dredging and re-channeling of the river, mangrove rehabilitation and reforestation and desiltation of the river mouths. To ensure the successful implementation of the program, the LGU consulted and elicited the participation and cooperation of the affected families in the design, implementation and monitoring of the program. It also partnered with the private sector, the academe, other government institutions, religious sector, military and the police. The denuded hills along the Hijo River Accretion Zone, mangroves along the coastal area and hills in the urban and lowland areas were replanted with various tree species. This regenerated and rehabilitated the ecosystem in the upland, lowland and coastal areas. As a result, flooding along the Hijo River has been totally eradicated, and 288 families have been relocated away from high-risk areas to safer environments. Family incomes have also risen by as much as 135% because of the livelihood projects. Mayor Quintin B. Saludaga [email protected] CONTACT Tagum City Watershed, River Management, Livelihood and Disaster Risk Reduction Mayor Rey T. Uy [email protected] Fax: (084) 2181957 Lavezares, Northern Samar Integrated Eco Farm A 4.6 hectare garbage dumpsite was transformed by Lavezares LGU into what is now an Integrated Eco Farm that produces organic fertilizer through vermicomposting. Today, the Eco Farm is a model of integrated services and programs. It has a housing project whose beneficiaries were families displaced by typhoons, and are the ones who manage the Materials Recovery Facility and Vermicomposting Facility. Together with other farmers, these families produce hollowblocks made up of pulverized non-biodegradable wastes and vermicasts from biodegradable wastes that help fertilize barren and unproductive lots. The Eco Farm is also a training facility for farmers. The organic farms that were established as a result of the Eco Farm now supply organic vegetables in the local market. Through its livestock and poultry production and dispersal program, the Eco Farm also supplies the demand for nutritious meat and poultry products in the market. Almost nothing is wasted as the manures of these animals are used in enriching the vermicompost. Local officials from three nearby municipalities have paid a visit to learn how the ecofarm operates. Galing Pook 2011 • 31 2011 N A T I O N A L S E L E C T I O N NERIC ACOSTA, Ph. D. is an experienced legislator, an educator, an ardent advocate of the environment, and an international sc holar. He is Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection and concurrently head of the Laguna Lake Development Authority. He is Secretary General of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) and Vice-President for International Affairs of the Liberal Party of the Philippines. Dr. Acosta was named the first Filipino World Fellow of Yale University in 2004 in recognition of his advocacies on education and the environment. As a former congressional representative, he is the principal author of the landmark 1999 Clean Air Act, the 2004 Clean Water Act and the 2001 Solid Waste Management Act. VICTOR GERARDO BULATAO represents agrarian reform beneficiaries and serves as an Independent Director in the Board of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the leading lender to local government units, as well as small farmers and fishers. He continues to be active in NGOs pursuing participatory local governance in 200 rural barangays. In the 1970s Mr. Bulatao worked with the Federation of Free Farmers and the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Men in the Philippines. In the 1980s and 1990s he served in the Department of Agrarian Reform in various capacities, the last as Undersecretary for Field Operations and Support Services. He has a Master of Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School. MA. NIEVES CONFESOR presently teaches at the Asian Institute of Management, with special research and training focus on general management, public policy development and analysis, leadership development, strategic negotiations and conflict management, labor-management relations, human resources development and general management. She had served as Secretary of Labor and Employment, as well as consultant/ trustee to various companies, educational institutions, and multi-lateral organizations. She has also served as Chairperson of the Government Panel negotiating with the CPP-NDF-NPA. She is also Executive Director of the AIM-TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Leadership, a research and training center for leadership development at the AIM. She currently serves as Chairperson of the Galing Pook Foundation as well as the Kaunlaran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Inc., both NGOs. 32 • Galing Pook 2011 C O M M I T T E E RAFAEL L. COSCOLLUELA, immediate past Chairman of Galing Pook Foundation and National Selection Committee Chairman for 2011, recently served as Administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, Vice Chairman of the National Biofuel Board and Chairman of the Philippine Sugar Corporation. Prior to that, he was Presidential Adviser on Cooperatives and Presidential Adviser for Western Visayas after serving as Governor of Negros Occidental for three consecutive terms, during which time the province garnered two Galing Pook Awards. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Synergeia Foundation and also serves as President of the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation. MA. LOURDES FERNANDO is currently the Vice-Chairperson of the Galing Pook Foundation. She served as an awardwinning Mayor of Marikina City from July 2001 to June 2010. Under her leadership, Marikina City was judged as one of the most competitive metropolitan cities in the Philippines. She is also a Founding Chair of the Alliance for Healthy Cities. JAIME GALVEZ TAN has the rare combination of the following expertise: solid grassroots community work in far flung doctorless rural areas; national and international health planning and programming; a faculty of colleges of medicine and health sciences; clinical practice combining North American and European medicine with Asian and Filipino traditional medicine; national health policy development, national health field operations management, private sector health business development, research management and local government health development. He has worked with NGOs, international development agencies, the academe and government agencies. He is currently a Professor of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and the President of Health Futures Foundation, Inc. JOSE RENE GAYO, DBA is the Executive Director of the MFI Farm Business Institute and President of the Foundations for People Development. He was the Executive Director of PAREF Southridge School in Alabang and was the Founding Dean of the School of Management, University of Asia and the Pacific. His academic interests include agricultural and rural development, agribusiness, management of NGOs, and environmental issues. KENNETH HARTIGAN-GO, MD is a member of the World Health Organization Advisory Committee on Safety of Medicinal Products and Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, a consultant to the EU- FP7 Monitoring Medicines and member of the Health Policy Steering Committee of NUS Initiative to Improve Health in Asia (NIHA). In June 2010, he joined AIM as core faculty at the Center for Development Management and in September, appointed Executive Director of the Dr. Stephen Zuellig Center for Asian Business Transformation. A member of the Board of Regents of the Philippine College of Physicians, he is currently the president of the Philippine Society of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology. His consultancy work with multilateral agencies in different Asian countries, including leadership positions in various medical organizations and government (Department of Health, PhilHealth, Department of Science and Technology, Congressional Commission) provides unique health systems perspective. ELISEA "Bebet" G. GOZUN is the Presidential Assistant II for Climate Change. She also serves as a member of the Manila Bay Advisory Committee providing support to the Supreme Court in implementing the continuing mandamus for the Manila Bay clean up. She served as Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from December 2002 to September 2004. Before rejoining the government, she chaired and was President of the Earth Day Network Philippines, a movement which aims to make caring for mother earth the concern of all. She was also the Program Director for the environment of Gawad Kalinga and the Project Director of the City Development Strategy (CDS) project of Cities Alliance with League of Cities of the Philippines. An activist involved with many NGOs, she also served as consultant on environmental management and urban development for many development agencies and was the 2007 UNEP Champion of the Earth for Asia and the Pacific. MILWIDA GUEVARA is the 2nd recipient of the Haydee Yorac Award for Public Service. She is the President and CEO of Synergeia Foundation with a mission to provide every Filipino child with access to quality basic education. She built a career in Public Finance and served as Career Undersecretary of Finance under President Ramos. She also served as Chair of the Movement for Good Governance from 2007 to 2010 and Chair of the Galing Pook Foundation from 2003 to 2007. TINA MONZON-PALMA is the Program Director of ABSCBN Sagip Kapamilya and Bantay Bata 163, co-anchor of The World Tonight over the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), and host of Talkback aired at ANC. Ms. Monzon-Palma is a board member of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. EMMA PORIO is Professor of Sociology and chairman of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, School of Social Sciences of the Ateneo de Manila University. She sits on the Executive Council of the International Sociological Association (Madrid, Spain), Board of Directors of the Global Development Network (Washington D.C.), as well as edits the Philippine Sociological Review (Journal-on-Line). Dr. Porio has done extensive research as well as published widely on development issues related to urban governance, children, women, housing, poverty and climate change. MARIVEL SACENDONCILLO is the Executive Director of the Local Government Academy. She is also the President of the Local Government Training and Research Institutes – Philippine Network. Ms. Sacendoncillo’s areas of competence include local governance and capability building, strategic management, institutional development, participatory assessment, poverty reduction, and community-based resource management, among many others. MARION MACEDA VILLANUEVA is currently the Canadian Field Director of CIDA’s 8-year Local Governance Support Program for Local Economic Development (LGSP-LED), which assists clusters of local governments to grow their economies. Over the past decade, Marion has played senior roles in the management of the Canadian International Development Agency’s (CIDA) programming in the Philippines. She has indepth knowledge of institutional development and public policy issues related to governance reform, decentralization and more recently in complex post-conflict regions which is further enhanced by her educational, personal and professional experiences. Marion also has extensive program management experience in NGO capacity development, participatory rural development and community empowerment. VERONICA FENIX-VILLAVICENCIO has devoted most of her working years with social development organizations - as program developer, manager, writer and evaluator, particularly in the areas of biodiversity conservation and community resources management, gender and development, and community mobilization for poverty reduction. She has served as Executive Director of the Peace and Equity Foundation. She is a member of Pilipina and of InciteGov, which both embody her ideal of social change through people’s empowerment. Galing Pook 2011 • 33 A L I N G P O O K F O U N D A T I O N Board of TTrustees rustees Ma. Nieves R. Confesor Chairperson. Executive Director, AIM-TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Leadership. Ma. Lourdes C. Fernando Vice-Chairperson. Former Mayor, Marikina City. Austere A. Panadero Corporate Secretary. Undersecretary for Local Government, Department of the Interior and Local Government. Alex B. Brillantes, Jr. Treasurer. Professor, National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines Diliman. Yasmin Busran-Lao Trustee. Founding Chairperson, Nisa Ul-Haqq Fi Bangsamoro (Women for Truth and Justice in the Bangsamoro). Karen Davila Trustee. News Anchor and Correspondent, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation. Ma. Josefina M. dela Cruz Trustee. Postmaster General and CEO, Philippine Postal Corporation. Jaime Galvez Tan Trustee. President, Health Futures Foundation. Cielito F. Habito Trustee. Director, Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development. Secretariat Eddie Dorotan, MD, MPA • Executive Director Lorenzo Ubalde, MDM • Program Officer Marie Guzman • Administration and Finance Officer Adrian Adove • Program Assistant Monette Montemayor • Program Assistant Edith Ramos • Administration and Finance Assistant Christine Beltran • Administrative Assistant CONTACT G Galing Pook Foundation 25 Mahusay cor. Malinis Streets UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines Tel. Nos. (+632) 4334731 to 32 (+632) 9264136 www.galingpook.org 34 • Galing Pook 2011 Galing Pook music and lyrics by Gary Granada vocals: Gary Granada, Bayang Barrios, Noel Cabangon, Shane and Dave of Crazy as Pinoy, PETA kids, Luke Granada Ang aming adhikain Ay simple lang naman Sapat sa pangunahing Mga pangangailangan Saan mahahagilap Ang mga munting pangarap Makaigpaw sa hirap Maalwang hinaharap Sa punyagi at kusa Munting pamayanan Sa husay kinilala Umani ng karangalan Kayraming nagsasabing Ang galing galing daw namin Saan ba nanggagaling Ano ba’ng anting-anting? Simple lang yan Kaya mo yan, Bay! Sa malikhaing paraan, sa paraang malikhain Kasama ang mamamayan, mamamaya’y pagsamahin Pagbabago na lantad, lantad na pagbabago Tuluy-tuloy na pag-unlad, tuluy-tuloy na pag-asenso Sa dami ng balakid Sa dami ng hadlang Ang diwang nalulupig Nagtitiis na lang Ngunit huwag kang papayag Huwag kang pabubuway Tadhanang ating palad Nasa ating kamay Chorus counterpoint: Galing Pook.. Ang sabi ng iba, ang galing ng Pilipino Magaling na mang-isa, mandaraya, manloloko Ang sakit sa tenga, kahit di mo matanggap Ganyan daw talaga, yan ang sabi ng lahat Subalit doon sa aming mumunting komunidad Namayani ang maraming kabutihan ang hangad Pinaghusay ang lokal na gobyernong niluklok Pinagpala’t natanghal na isang Galing Pook! Ang sabi ng marami, Pilipino ay tamad Walang respeto sa sarili, dangal at dignidad Palakasang palasak, boto na nilalako Lider na nagbubuhat ng sarili ring bangko Di man maikakaila ay huwag nating lahatin Di mo rin maitatatwa, di man sukat akalain Magandang mga balita sa mga suluk-sulok Kayraming halimbawa ng mga Galing Pook Visit www.galingpook.org to download lyrics and music Galing Pook 2011 • 35 36 • Galing Pook 2011