Project Detail

Integrated Conservation and Rehabilitation of the Environment (ICARE) of Ligawasan Marsh

The project shall respond to the ecological balance of the marsh has been, and still is, threatened by increasing human interventions within and around it. First, the deforestation of surrounding mountains and hills (watersheds) has caused the erosion of topsoil. The Suitability Assessment observed heavy silt deposits in the rivers and on to the marsh. Due to heavy siltation, the rivers and the marsh have become shallow, and the volume of water they can hold gradually diminished. On the other hand, excess waters from irrigation systems usually overflow to the communities, submerging rice and corn fields and other agricultural areas. (It should be noted that the marsh is the catchments or drainage of several rivers in the so-called Cotabato River Basin.)

Second, ?modern agricultural technologies? with heavy use of inorganic and chemical-based inputs that are drained into the marsh have significantly affected the natural condition of its waters. Some towns in the periphery of the marsh have vast irrigated rice fields that use chemical inputs (inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides). All these toxic chemicals are drained into the marsh through the natural river and irrigation systems.

Third, the unregulated cutting of freshwater tree species, as well as, illegal fishing has disturbed the natural integrity of the marsh environment.

Finally, some areas around the marsh have become sites of armed conflicts mainly between the Moro Liberation Fronts and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The major outbreak of armed confrontation that hit the area started in the early part of 1970 until the Tripoli Agreement was signed in December 1976. The latest and one of the most devastating gunfights between the government armed forces and the Moro Fronts took place in the marshy part of Pikit, North Cotabato in February 2003.

Thus, the project aims to initially provide the needed components and opportunities to protect, conserve and rehabilitate the marsh from further destruction and improve agricultural productivity and eventually contribute in improving the socio-economic condition and the quality of life of people.

Objectives of the project:

The proposed project aims to continue and expand the development interventions previously assisted by UNDP-Small Grant Programme, particularly in the following areas:

1. Establishment of Ligawasan Marsh development and protection cluster shall be developed and made functional through the active role of MDFI, MINSUPALA, LYASDI, and other PO?s organized under the project implementation.

2. 4 new PO?s organized and developed into a functional organization through the initiative of 4 PO?s organized by MDFI under the UNDP/SGP support.

3. 40 hectares of freshwater forest is delineated and planted with local forest trees species.

4. 40,000 assorted seedlings of freshwater tree species are produced in community nursery.

5. Environmental Councils and Bantay sa Pawas are organized in each of the barangays covered.

6. Information and advocacy materials are produced and distributed, and symposiums and forums are conducted. in the barangays covered.

7. At least 20 members of each PO are directly participating in agricultural and fishing production using sustainable and natural technologies.

8. At least 20 women are directly involved in handicrafts production using local raw materials.

9. Preventive health and sanitation systems are in-placed in each barangay through nutrition education, processing and use of local herbs, and production of healthy foods
10. ?Botika sa Barangay? distributing locally produced medicines is established in at least 2 barangays.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Maguindanaon Development Foundation Inc.

Country:

Philippines

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP3 - Y2 (Mar 06 - Feb 07)

Grant Amount:

US$ 50,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 66,459.93

Project Number:

PHI/145/06

Start Date:

10/2007

End Date:

9/2009

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Gender Focus

Both men and women are involved in major project undertaking, but women outnumbered the men in terms of participation in almost all activities, except in the community assemblies. Balance gender participation is usually a product of gender awareness and internalization of their roles and functions in community life gained by the previous UNDP-GEF-SGP assistance. At present, in barangays of Lasangan, Lao-Lao and Panosolen, initially started to recognize the role of women in community development. The women feel that they should be given equal importance with men specifically in the implementation livelihood activities and capability building in the area. Shared participation by both husband and wife in community activities serves as an inspiration to their children. It demonstrates that equal treatment, equal opportunities, benefits and access to existing resources within the community should be available to everyone. Generally, gender biases still exist in the area some of which are men are given priority in decision making and control of resources while women are multiple burden in a household chores besides they are also actively involve and participate in economic activities. Presently, gender equity, peace, good governance are incorporated in the project activities as cross cutting theme in community organizing, and there are group of ustadzes and women organizations advocating gender equity/equality through radio program.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Maguindanaon Development Foundation, Inc. (MDFI) believed that in sustaining any development project, there should be sustainable sound and friendly livelihood integrated with it, to make sure that projects beneficiaries/partners will not only be developing a skills, knowledge any services, ecological balance, social preparations, health and others over and top is establish economic activities that support them in uplift their living conditions. This include the regeneration of the livelihood materials (pandan, buri,tambilil and others weaving materials). In this manner, not only livelihood that is being developed but environment conservation as well. In fishing as economic activities, all economic activities shall be done friendly supported by policy support to be made by BLGU and SB members to make sure that no negative impact with flora and faun in the area Identification and prioritization of community livelihood activities are usually linked on the availability of raw materials, including the skills of the community. The ?Livelihood Guidelines? would contribute to the biodiversity conservation, MDFI had been promoting sustainable livelihood with the peoples organization we organized. The project is focus to promoting sustainable livelihood projects in the context of sustainable agriculture like organic farming, conservation of traditional crop varieties, preservation of native farm animals and preservation of cultural farming practices.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Presently, the following are some of the activities for biodiversity conservation: Enhancing the capacities and capabilities of community organizations in the barangays and form them into a functional people?s organization that eventually will increase community awareness and concern for the marsh, and increase people?s participation in its environmental protection, conservation, and improvement. Part of this is the organizing and strengthening of Bantay sa Pawas (guardians of the marsh), a group tasked to keep watch of the situation of the marsh. Establishment of nursery centers/plant propagations in the barangay /regeneration of freshwater forests using endemic species. Organizational development/strengthening and environmental advocacy campaigns through community formal and informal meetings, symposiums, forums and radio broadcasting is part of Biodiversity Conservation activities.

Project sustainability

The Formulation of Sustainability Management Plan is on the process but basically project is definitely going towards this direction in terms of organizing and strengthening of people?s organizations into functional and responsive to the needs of the community?s. Natural resource utilization and management, basic capability building, capability building, resource management and capability buiding, livelihood capability building, advocacy capability building, harvesting and consumption of nature?s produce and in agricultural and fishing production are the components to be considered in the management plan. The promotion of sustainable technologies the consumption patterns should be towards integration, re-utilization, and recycling of wastes because these are re-injected into the natural environment as organic matter. Regulations in fish catching, in expanding agricultural areas, and in agricultural, handcrafts, and other forms of production shall certainly regulate consumption and, thus, prevent abuse and destruction of the natural environment and the marshland resources.

Notable Community Participation

The activity concern on the social planning approach of project implementation, that begin with social investigation, gathering of data, ranking of priority needs and develop the community members in making decisions out of the data gathered. For further involvement of community members, a team building and core-group strengthening were being developed. This approach were actively adopted through the aggressiveness of the Barangay leaders, Pepoles? Organization members, Women, youth and even school children. The stakeholders around like Ustadzes, Bantay Pawas and other neighboring community members were even started to get involved through attending meetings, symposium and other related project activities for getting more information, technologies, and sometimes raising questions on how they can be part of the project. As the project going on, this manifested and implies a reality of empowered community as they actively participating in the development of their community particularly the conservation and protection of the marsh.

Policy Impact

The project implementation is still partial (about 3 months) and, therefore, the policy impact will determine towards the ending or even after of the project implementation. But the project has a major project component in rehabilitating the forest and developing a protected area for fish and bird sanctuary. The farming and fishing systems that should be applied in the conduct of productivity improvement should be those of the sustainable types, particularly those that are relevant and appropriate to the situation of marsh. This is another way of giving a local policy support and to the environment. The most significant municipal ordinances passed and approved by the council prohibiting community members in using illegal fishing/ collection, gathering and hunting of flora and fauna. Even the local field commanders of MILF are also strictly imposing and supporting the policy. With this project gains hoping that this will be sustain and replicated to other areas in the marsh.

Planning gef grant

This includes administrative functions in regular scaling up of project and ensuring that it is implemented according to its objectives and purposes. This will be done both on the level of the individual coops and the level of MDFI, MINSUPALA, LYASDI . This includes preparation, production, submission of reports and project implementing team meeting with PO officers and LGU representatives. This will be done through the following: ? Conduct sites visits of proponent project to determine if the said projects are fully implemented as reflected in their proposal. ? Interviews the proponents if there were able to attain their desired objectives. ? Developed and implement feed back and evaluation system that will measure impact of the project.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

To insure sustainability of the project, the community shall be equip with the needed inputs such as; training activities, organizational capability building, development of PO?s leaders, the local governance, needed livelihood for processing of product, and marketing, resource management, health and nutrition and financial management. These systems are held in the community level. In some occasions, there are exposures to actual model people?s organizations in the region, and discussions with PO officers especially on the financial management to deepen their appreciation and understanding on the importance of financial system. MDFI finance admin officer with bookkeeper are continuously coaching the PO treasurers and bookkeepers on simple financial system. They are being taught on how to manage and utilization of funds from the original source up to the implementation process. Infact, If not of financial constraints, the proponent planning to hire roving bookkeepers who will do regular coaching and installation books of accounts. Thus, these made community-based organizations capable managing their funds as one of the basis of transparency and accountability.

Replication of project activities

Unanticipated Benefits/Effects in Brangay Lasangan, Lao-lao, Panosolen, and Makainins. The active participation and cooperation of other sectors especially women and the youth sectors (including even children) in the project are quite exceptional. They are always there participating in Information education Campaign and plant propagation, volunteering during bayanihan. This has resulted in creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and promotion women role in resource management, and increased awareness of other sectors on the gender issues of partnership men and women in social responsibilities of protecting and rehabilitating the marsh towards sustainable development. With the smooth implementation, therefore, the project has found beneficial to the project implementation hoping to replicate to other areas.

Project Results

Quantitative Outputs. Thus, with active community participation and cooperation, the project was able to realize the following outputs during and within this reporting period:

i) to level off the expectations of implementers vis-a-vis project targets, MDFI, MINSUPALA, & LYASDI conduct series of meetings and consultations with the project staff, roles and functions were thoroughly discussed and terms of reference drafted for signing.

ii) conduct of two level of project orientations from municipal and Barangay level, attended and participated by some SB members, department heads, MPDC?s and barangay officials and leaders, including those from the private sector.

iii) organization and formation of a core group leading to a formally organization of one community association/ cooperative.

iv) conduct of training on the establishment of Botika ng Barangay in coordination with Department of Health & Bureau of Food & Drugs, which was participated by the 5 women & 2 men health workers in barangay Lasangan, Lao-lao; Panosolen, initial plan of construction and establishment of the Botika sa Barangay, and herbal input center.

v) conduct of delineation of 10 hectares per barangay in eight (8) barangays covered by the project for forest tree plantations through the support & assistance of barangay council and PO leaders.

vi) conduct of establishment of nursery centers in barangay Lao-lao, Badak, Panosolen, Lasangan, Makainis, Panosolen, Masulot, Tabungao, Masulot, Badak and initially propagated 25,925 hills of indigenous forest tress species.

viii) conduct clearing/slashing of five (5) hectares for reforestation area in barangay Lasangan.

viii) conduct of tree planting activities, in barangay Makainis planted 3,125 hills of bangkal covering an area of five (5) hectares more or less.

More details on the project?s quantifiable outputs are indicated in the attached Table of Accomplishment.

Table of Total Accomplishment (Please see attached individual accomplishment of partners)
KRA/PROJECT COMPONENT ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN QUANTITATIVE/QUALITATIVE OUTPUTS
Pre-Implementation Phase
? Meeting and consultation with the MLGUs of SKP, SSB, Rajah Bauyan, SB representative, & department heads ? LGU of General Salipada K. Pendatun, Sultan sa Barongis, & Rajah Buayan pledged their commitment and support to the protection and conservation of LM
? Barangay meeting and Consultation ? Presented the goals and objectives of the project and its roles and functions in protection of the marsh
? Eight (8) BLGU also expressed their commitment of support in the protection of the marsh through policy advocacy and tree planting activities
Implementation Phase
1. Organizational Development and Management ? Meeting and consultation with the NGO partners: MDFI, MINSUPALA, LYASDI ? Three partners NGOs leading to the protection and management of marsh leveled off their expectations and its roles and functions based on the project objectives and targets.
? Drafted Terms of Reference & to be sign by both partners next meeting.
? Meeting and consultation with PO officers/ members and barangay council Makainis, Lasangan, Lao-Lao & Panosolen ? 4 PO?s made functional paved an active role in the protection & rehabilitation of Ligawasan Marsh
2. Environmental Conservation & Management Nursery Establishment through Bayanihan system
? Bagging/seeds/ seedlings propagation ? 3,000 hills bagged/ propagated in Barangay Lasangan, GSKP
? 6,000 hills bagged/propagated in Barangay Lao-lao, GSKP
? 3,150 hills bagged/propagated in Barangay Panosolen, GSKP
? 2,000 hills bagged/propagated in Barangay Makainis, GSKP
? 7,000 hills bagged/ propagated in Barangay Badak, GSKP
? 1,650 hills bagged/propagated in Brgy Masulot, Sultan Sa Barongis
? Ground area delineation of target site for reforestation ? 10 hectares per barangay allotted for reforestation area is delineated with presence of local leaders.
? Slashing area for reforestation site thru Bayanihan system
? 5 hectares slashed in barangay Panosolen
? 5 hectares slashed in barangay Makainis
? Tree planting thru Bayanihan system
? 5 hectares planted with 3,125 hills of Bangkal in Barangay Makainis
3. Livelihood Assistance ? ?
4. Health and Nutrition ?
6. Capability/ capacity Building ? ?

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