Questions/Answers

The ERDB through this initiative “Kapaligiran at Likas Yamang Pag-unlad sa Nayon: An Adopt a Community Project by the ERDB-Gender and Development Focal Point System” is a three-year undertaking implemented in July 2015 to September 2018 in Barangay Bucal, Magdalena, Laguna, Philippines. It introduced ERDB’s bamboo propagation and plantation establishment technology making use of the culm cuttings (one and two node cuttings) of kawayan tinik with the application of Hi-Q VAM 1 (ERDB’s developed bio-fertilizer). The project was implemented to enhance partnership with People’s Organization (PO) through proactive intervention mechanisms toward the adoption of need-based and demand-led ENR technologies. It also promoted environment-friendly and sustainable environment and natural resources management practices and technologies through capacity building initiatives. The undertaking adopted the enhanced PARTNER-BOND (Pro-active Response towards Nurturing Environmental Relations: A Barangay Outreach Program/Project based on community Needs and Demands) Strategy. The following are its objectives: General: To adopt a selected community (barangay, sitio, or purok) through an existing People’s Organization (PO) and introduce ERDB’s mature technologies for improved productivity and sustainability of its ENR. Specific: 1. To create/raise level of awareness and or interest of a selected community to ERDB’s mature and commercialized technologies; 2. To partner and bond with grassroots stakeholders through pro-active intervention mechanisms toward the adoption of identified need-based and demand-led ENR technologies; 3. To document the process of technology adoption with emphasis on gender participation and mobilization; and 4. To draw lessons learned in the adoption of technologies and formulate gender-based recommendations and strategies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of technology transfer.

The selected category for this initiative is Category 3: Promoting gender-responsive public services to achieve the SDGs. The project was funded by the ERDB-GADFPS, thus it ensured that more women than the men were benefitted by the project. The involvement and active participation of the twenty (20) women-cooperators of the Clean and Green Women’s Club from planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring and evaluation enhanced their skills and provided them new learnings. Likewise, the conduct of various capacity building initiatives, action planning and the conduct of cross-visit cum field trip empowered them to become active partners in environmental conservation and management.

The project “Kapaligiran at Likas Yamang Pag-unlad sa Nayon: An Adopt a Community Project by the ERDB-Gender and Development Focal Point System” supports 4 out of the 17 goals targeted by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With women as the primary target, the initiative is in line with achieving gender equality by ensuring that they had full and effective participation and equal opportunities at all level of project’s decision-making (Goal 5). Members of the CGWC had equal access and control over the resources provided by the project, including the remuneration that came along as a result of the local government involvement after its turn-over. Regardless of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic status, beneficiaries mostly women (67%) learned the technology and participate in all project related activities (Goal 10). These were directed towards conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable use of Balanac river with its river banks susceptible to erosion (Goal 15). The initiative was also able to mobilize significant resources from all sources coming from local government and private organization to finance management of bamboo plantation. Accordingly, a successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society (Goal 17).

In terms of its sustainability, the initiative is said to be socially, economically and environmentally sustainable considering that it was accepted by the community and the local government expressed and provided support to continue the project. Furthermore, it is economically feasible with the potential of beneficiaries to generate income from sale of the bamboo poles and planting materials they can raise from the established plantations.

With the lack of opportunities supposed to be accorded by the government for women to have a decent work, it became “normal” for the CGWC members to just depend on their husband for the financial need of the family. They usually are left in the house doing the reproductive role, while their husbands are out working. The initiative opened up opportunity for these women to engage in the productive and community roles where they could earn and learn how to make a living. The technology on bamboo propagation and utilization transferred by ERDB gave them the privilege to capacitate themselves and be empowered to help in providing for the needs the family.

Traditionally, in the Philippine family setting, husbands usually are those who are involved in the productive activities to support the financial needs of the family. Wives usually asked the consent of their husbands whenever invitation to participate in a community activities are needed. With this initiative, both women and men became the beneficiaries. They both have equal access to all of the project activities requiring participation like capacity building, hands on demonstrations, cross visits and the like. Consultation were likewise made both for all female and male participants whenever there’s a decision to be made or action to be done.

Upon consultation with local officials of Magdalena, Laguna, target groups considered in this project include members of the two people’s organization, the Clean and Green Women’s Club (CGWC), and the Balikatan 2005 both are residents of Barangay Bucal. The CGWC members are into projects like tree planting and “operation linis” while Balikatan 2005 is also into tree planting and medical mission. Majority of the family that these members represent had income below poverty level and they are highly dependent on extracting gravel and sand from the Balanac River. Considering that these activities contributes to the destruction of the river ecosystem, and it was actually illegal, members sometimes have no alternative income. The initiative provided the target group opportunity to have other source of income. Aside from the knowledge gained on how to propagate bamboo planting materials, they were thought also on how these bamboos can be utilized in bamboo stick making or in the production bamboo furniture. Sale of bamboo poles and bamboo shoots could also provide them additional source of income.

Project implementers conducted reconnaissance surveys and data gathering activities in four (4) municipalities of Laguna. The group also gathered additional secondary data from the internet. Cooperators selected for the project were members of the People’s Organization – Balikatan 2005 (an all-male PO) and the Clean and Green Women’s Club (CGWC) of Barangay Bucal, Magdalena, Laguna. A Technology Needs Survey (TNS) was conducted and the result showed that the bamboo propagation and plantation establishment technology was the felt technology in the area. The Stakeholder’s Analysis, KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices) Survey and the PRAGEN (Participatory Rural Appraisal on Gender) were also conducted to seek qualitative information from the project-cooperators. There were five (5) trainings/seminars conducted in the project site for which action plans were prepared. As a result, bamboo planting materials were raised and outplanted and a bamboo plantation was established at the river banks of Balanac River. Memoranda of Agreements (MOAs) were also executed to facilitate implementation of project activities. As a follow-up activity to the “Training-workshop cum hands-on demonstration on bamboo production”, a cross-visit cum field trip to the Los Baños Experimental Station (LBES) and ERDB were conducted. Regular monthly visits (M&E) were conducted and quarterly meetings were held for updating project activities in the field. Furthermore, continuous coordination activities were done with the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (MPDC). Financial assistance was thus extended to the cooperators by the LGU of Magdalena through their “cash for work” program for the maintenance activities in the plantation site. Penultimate to this was the conduct of two (2) year-end assessments cum workshop activities that were undertaken to strategize succeeding/remaining activities of the project. The last, was the preparation of the phase-out/sustainability plan that was signed and turned over to the LGU of Magdalena on March 25, 2019.

The only obstacle encountered during project implementation was the issue on the use of two (2) idle privately owned lands located along the riverbanks of Balanac River where the bamboo plantation was established. The issue was overcome through a dialogue conducted separately with Mr. Efren Bucal, the caretaker of Mrs. Justa Co (owner of the land) and Mr. Edelito Zoilo C. Edralinda. Two (2) Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) were then executed between them and the 2 People’s Organization. The MOAs serve as guiding document in the sharing of anticipated produce from the established bamboo plantation.

The initiative opens the opportunity both for the local community and the extension agents to have broader perspective on the connections of the environment, livelihood, participation of women and technology transfer. For the recipients, they recognized the importance of protecting the environment and witnessed how both gender could earn income without depending much on the extraction of natural resources. For the extension agents, they realized that technology transfer should not end with the conduct of FGDs, trainings; action planning, and project turn-over. Instead, they should make sure that “inclusive growth” has been felt already before they totally leave the community.

This initiative also made the surrounding barangay to engage in the production of bamboo using the technology introduced by ERDB. With the importance on bamboo given by the current administration, more and more communities also want to get involved in the national greening program of the government.

No emerging and frontier technologies were used.

So far the initiative has not yet been totally transferred and/or adapted to other context, though the adjacent barangay of Ibabang-Atingay showed interest in the project. Two of their barangay councillors requested to be participants to the “Seminar-workshop on Bamboo Plantation Maintenance and Utilization” which was held in Barangay Bucal on August 23, 2018. Afterwhich, they requested for an orientation meeting about the project which the group conducted in their barangay sometime in August 2019. On September 4, 2019, a hands-on demonstration on bamboo production was held in the barangay and was attended by around 20 participants who were barangay councillors and drug surrenders. Unfortunately, no follow-up activity was conducted as the pandemic already occurred in the first quarter of 2020.

The project has really a great potential for its transferability since the technology introduced was the propagation of bamboo which is now considered as the “green gold” because it is becoming increasingly more valuable in the global economy. Along with the variety of uses, it is highly renewable, sustainable and easy to grow. Likewise, bamboo rapidly sequesters carbon in biomass and soil, taking it out of the air faster than almost any other plant.

When the initiative was approved in July 2015, a total budget of Php 300,000 was given, divided into a yearly allotment of Php 100,000. It covered expenses for travel, training, communication, supplies and materials and representation expense. For the human resource, 3 project implementers and 4 co-workers from the Bureau provided technical assistance in the conduct of trainings, seminar-workshops and hands-on demonstration. In addition, a bamboo processor was also invited to extend assistance on bamboo stick production and furniture making. Labour for the maintenance activities and the raising of additional planting stocks was the counter part of the 2 POs.

The initiative is sustained over time with a financial support from the Municipal LGU of Magdalena through its “cash for work program” and the Barangay LGU and TUPAD funds (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Moreso, ERDB through its GAD Focal Point System dedicated to conduct continuous progress tracking activities. The MLGU also committed to conduct their own M&E activities to include the expansion of the project area coverage by raising and planting additional bamboo along the riverbanks of Balanac River within the jurisdiction of Barangay Bucal.

Yes

The local government of Magdalena, Laguna evaluated the initiative and performance of the CGWC and Balikatan 2005 members to assess the readiness of the groups for the LGU’s possible provision of financial support and continue activities indicated in the phase-out plan. The project reports submitted by the project implementers were evaluated internally specifically on the targets and accomplishment by the members of the ERDB GADFPS and by some technical staff. On the other hand, project implementation was reviewed internally using the Box 16 & 17 of the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) assessment tool.

The evaluators used the Box 16 & 17 of the HGDG assessment tool in order to review the project implementation of the initiative. In here, indicators are: 1) project management support, 2) technical competent staff or consultants in promoting gender equality and integrating GAD in their respective positions/locations, 3) involvement of Philippine government agency in implementing GAD initiatives, and 4) GAD implementation processes and procedures.

The main findings of the project implementation evaluation was that: 1) there is an adequacy of resources mobilized for the initiative from the implementing institution and local government of Magdalena, Laguna; 2) in terms of quality of implementation, there are regular monitoring to ensure that set activities are properly implemented. Some of the problems however, include unavailability of male beneficiaries in some of the activities set to be undertaken, like maintenance operation. Conflict among members also were observed particularly on the non-participation of other members in project activities; and 3) to ensure the sustainability of the initiative, a phase-out sustainability plan was developed, taking into consideration the situation of the target community. With these, implementers reminds always the beneficiaries of their roles to ensure success of the initiative.

The initiative titled, “Kapaligiran at Likas Yamang Pag-unlad sa Nayon: An Adopt a Community Project by the ERDB-Gender and Development Focal Point System” was proposed to be duplicated in other research development and extension centers (RDECs) as part of their ENR Technology extension project.

The project would not have been successful without the unwavering support, engagement and partnership of various stakeholders. For the design of the project, proponents led by the project leader designed the initiative with the adoption of the PARTNER-BOND Strategy which was coined by an ERDB researcher. For the implementation phase, still the project implementers spearheaded all project activities with the cooperation and support of 4 researchers from the bureau who served as extension service providers in the conduct of capacity building initiatives. The Mayor of Magdalena, Laguna, Mayor David O. Aventurado, Jr. and the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Mr. Norman B. Licong for the provision of financial assistance through their “cash for work program”. Barangay Captain, Nomar L. Sune, for showing interest, cooperation and commitment to the project. For the two (2) POs who partnered with the project and showed full support, active participation and heartfelt commitment for a successful project implementation. Lastly, the evaluation phase (from proposal to completion report) was primarily undertaken by the Planning, Information, Communication and Technology Division (PICTD) with assistance of researchers from the technical divisions of the bureau. Moreso, Dr. Florentino O. Tesoro, an ERDB consultant was also tapped to evaluate the completion report.

The key lessons learned from the initiative include the following: a. Frequent visits and meetings are necessary activities to gain cooperators’ interest and enthusiasm. Likewise, regular visits conducted with the Offices of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator and the Barangay Captain in Bucal paved way to the smooth implementation of the undertaking. (Visibility is the key) b. Project implementers should always adjust to the community’s daily activities. They should somehow immerse themselves to the community’s way of living. c. It would be easy to convince project co-operators to adopt a technology if it will provide and assist them with livelihood activities. They don’t care much of the environmental aspect; rather the economic benefit is of interest to them. d. In any extension project it is important that both project co-operators and implementers show commitment, cooperation and constant communication for a successful project implementation. With these, the organization plans to allot additional and or more funds for the conduct of continuous progress tracking (M&E) activities. This is to sustain the partnership and the adoption of the introduced technology. In short, the “inclusive growth” should already been felt by them before project implementers totally leave the community.