Outstanding LGUs

Bonggang Bongao

Internal Control System Initiative

Bongao, Tawi Tawi

The Boardroom Beckons

Professionalizing Governance in

Datu Paglas

Datu Paglas, Maguindanao

War and Peace

The Enduring Saga of Kapatagan

Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur

Listening to Voices from the

Margins

Lamitan’s Multi-Stakeholder

Approach to Governance

Lamitan, Basilan

Coastal Clear

Panglima Estino’s Campaign to

Preserve its Marine Resources

Panglima Estino, Sulu

The Upi Equation

Peace Equals Economic and

Social Development in Upi

Upi, Maguindanao

Wao, Wow, Whiz!

Lanao del Sur Town Shows the

Way in Gender and Development

Wao, Lanao del Sur

8

16

22

30

36

44

51

58

64

70

76

82

90

92

Good Practices

Zero Waste Heroes

Solid Waste Management as

Development Mantra

Datu Odin Suat, Maguindanao

Coming to Terms with the

Future in Mamasapano

Implementing Education

Governance Reforms in

Selected LGUs in ARMM

Mamasapano, Maguindanao

The Community Kitty

Siasi’s Barangay

Paluwagan System

Siasi, Sulu

Working as One for a Grand SLAM!

Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance

of Municipalities (SLAM)

Mobile Governance

Sultan Mastura’s BISITA sa

Barangay

Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao

Water Worlds

Kabuntalan’s Way with WASH

Kabuntalan, Maguindanao

Sultan Kudarat: Water as

Builder of Hope

Sultant Kudarat, Maguindanao

ontentsC

Seven

Seven

98

104

112

118

Special Citations

Good Governance, Peace and

Halal Certifi cation

Assembly of the Dar’ul Iftah

Ethnic Justice

Bleye Kitab

The Pursuit of Development

and Good Governance in the

Midst of Strife and Confl ict

Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc.

Peace Builder, Hope Weaver

Sindaw Ko Kalilintad

Four

THE PROMISE OF HILAL

Technical Team

Editor

Red Batario

Writers

Rorie Fajardo

Charina Sanz

Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

Jeffrey M. Tupas

Editorial and Creative Direction

Myn Garcia

Managing Editor

Sef Alba Carandang

Technical Review Team

Rizal Barandino

Gemma Borreros

Jose Deles, Jr.

Jaime Dumarpa

Abduljim Hassan

Merlinda Hussein

Rachel Jungco

Mags Z. Maglana

Wilhelmina Morallas

Joseph Palanca

Veronica Quinday

Wesley Villanueva

Fatima Darwizzah Yusah

Technical Coordination

Maya Vandenbroeck

Photography

Bobby Timonera

Cover and Divider Photos

Bobby Timonera (7s & 4s)

Maya Vandenbroeck (4s)

KFI Photos

Bobby Timonera

KFI Fotobank

Design and Layout

Jet Hermida, creativejet

The Promise of Hilal: Stories of

Good Governance in ARMM

Copyright © 2009 Local Governance Support

Program in ARMM (LGSPA)

All rights reserved.

The Local Governance Support Program in

ARMM (LGSPA) encourages the use, translation,

adaptation and copying of this material for

noncommercial use, with appropriate credit given

to LGSPA.

Although reasonable care has been taken in the

preparation of this pubication, neither the publisher

nor contributor, nor writer can accept any liability

for any consequences arising from the use thereof

or from any information contained herein.

ISBN 978-971-94572-0-6

Printed and bound in Davao City, Philippines

Published by:

The Local Governance Support Program

in ARMM (LGSPA)

Unit 72 Landco Corporate Centre

J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada

8000 Davao City, Philippines

Tel. No. 63 2 227 7980-81

www.lgspa.org.ph

This project was undertaken with the fi nancial

support of the Government of Canada provided

through the Canadian International Development

Agency (CIDA).

LGSPA was implemented by Agriteam Canada.

www.agriteam.ca

2 HILAL HILAL 3

Hilal is an Arabic term for crescent moon:

the very slight crescent moon that is fi rst

visible after a new moon. The sighting of the

hilal determines the beginning and end of

Islamic months.

4 HILAL HILAL 5

The Promise of Hilal: Stories of Good

Governance in ARMM recognizes

the efforts and contributions of the

select local governments and civil

society organizations in ARMM as

guiding lights in the dark pathways of

governance. Against the stereotyped

picture of gloom, LGSPA recognizes

and affi rms the performance of

selected local governments as

building blocks for greater creativity in

overcoming perceived diffi culties for

governance reform.

The Promise of Hilal imparts simple

and practical examples that can

lend themselves to replication and

generate more concern, demand and

commitment for good governance in

ARMM. By holding up key partners

The crescent moon is faint at the

beginning, but brightens from night

to night as the crescent thickens.

LGSPA believes that like the hilal, these

local governments and civil society

organizations will be the rising light

that will grow and thicken into higher

standards of service and leadership in

ARMM.

Seven well-rounded local governments

recognized for their outstanding

performance.

Seven good governance practices.

Four civil society organizations with

special citations for their signifi cant

contributions to promoting peace and

development in ARMM.

Know their stories.

And celebrate them!

and their work to the public eye, LGSPA

hopes to encourage the continuation

of good governance initiatives in the

autonomous region.

The Promise of Hilal likens the select

local governments and civil society

organizatins to the thin sickle light of

the dark new moon - the crescent –

or hilal in Arabic. The sighting of the

hilal in the month of Ramadan marks

the beginning of sacrifi ce. But it is

also a time of celebration for renewal,

forgiveness and greater resolve to

improve.

Like the thin crescent light, these

outstanding local governments and

civil society organizations demonstrate

the beginning of the triumph of

commitment to public service against

indifference in the face of obstacles.

6 HILAL HILAL 7

Oustanding LGUs

8 HILAL HILAL 9HILAL 98 HILAL

Internal Control System Initiative

BONGAOWho says fi nancial control systems should be diffi cult and complex? A town in Tawi-Tawi shows that with some computerization, transparent banking transactions and a little dose of good, old honesty and public service, more money could actually fl ow into the local government’s coff ers that can translate to development.

BONGGANG

By Jeff rey M. Tupas

Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

10 HILAL HILAL 11

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

Everywhere one looks a frenzy of activ-ity is present: outrigger canoes (bancas) from outlying towns of Tawi-Tawi bring-ing in an assortment of fresh produce, delicacies, cigarettes, dried fi sh, noodles, clothes, stacks of DVDs and the goods of everyday commerce.

Grocery stores, restaurants, a hotel, mobile phone shops, internet cafes, and a bank with (hallelujah!) a working au-tomated teller machine (ATM) in down-town Bongao everyday attract a steady stream of people.

Not far from the busy thoroughfare, workers are rushing to fi nish construc-tion of the P20-million public market, a two-storey edifi ce that, once fi nished in March 2010, will dominate the skyline of downtown Bongao.

Local offi cials say they expect the mar-ket to somewhat inject new life into the local economy. They have to be opti-mistic. They’ve sunk in P1 million per year starting 2007 to the public market project.

Mayor Albert Que said that some 20 years ago, economic and social develop-ment in Bongao was very slow.

“I have seen how Bongao has matured as a local government unit since then. The things that the people enjoy now are fruits of years of struggle and tough de-cisions that had to be made,” said Que.

Que, who was a member of the Sang-guniang Panglunsod for several years before he was elected mayor, said he knows the potentials of Bongao that had not been tapped by years of weak governance and misplaced develop-ment priorities.

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

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

12 HILAL HILAL 13

disbursement of salaries and tax roll prepara-tions, including fi nancial reports. Bongao was the fi rst LGU in Tawi-Tawi to implement a project of this kind.

Abdulmonap said that with the new system effectively in place, the LGU was able to start implementing infrastructure projects. Local collections were used as counterpart contribu-tion for foreign-funded infrastructure and other development projects.

Many things at that time needed to be done -- schools, health centers, liveli-hood for the people, roads -- and we could not do it if we do not have money. Even the salaries of the employees were affected because of the old practice,” he said. “It was a change that we made to deliver what we must to the people,” Que added.

Mary Ann Abdulmonap, the municipal accountant hired by the mayor, said they had diffi culty reconstructing the fi nancial and management systems be-cause of poor record keeping practices.

The LGU then partnered with the Na-tional Computer Center through the help of the Local Governance Support Program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (LGSPA) to comput-erize all its departments, putting its governance reforms into high gear.

This paved the way for systematic gov-ernment transactions, timely

Internal Control System Reform

“The income, the local collection, was not being monitored. The collectors were handling the money according to their personal whims and disposal. The cash is with them, deposited some-where in their respective houses for days. They could have used the money for their personal needs and wants and nobody would know…they could even fi x the books,” he said. Que prescribed something simple: ensure that the day’s collection is deposited in the bank at the proper time.

The mayor, who was also a business-man, hired a certifi ed public accountant to handle the fi nances of the local gov-ernment. “Even that system of handling our resources was questioned by many. But we have to show that we are serious in instituting change for us to be able to respond appropriately to the needs of the people.

With a current population of nearly 100,000, Bongao is a magnet for traders from the island municipalities of Tawi-Tawi and other provinces. Its proximity to Sabah, Malaysia makes it a strategic business hub in this part of the South-ern Philippines.

Bongao is the seat of the provincial gov-ernment of Tawi-Tawi. There are at least six colleges in the municipality where a shopping mall will soon open. Recently the government, in partnership with the Growth with Equity in Mindanao project of the United States Agency for Interna-tional Development (USAID), rehabili-tated the Bongao airport.

Upon assuming offi ce in 2001, Que said the fi rst thing that he did was to make sure that government resources are effi ciently managed. To do this, he said, he had to change the old system of “personally keeping the daily collection of the local government.”

14 HILAL HILAL 15

“We have recognized and valued the importance of the participation of the community in governance. We are here for the people so it would be better if we include them from the early stage of implementing certain programs,” said Pampora. “The consultations and dia-logues with the members of civil society groups and government line agencies really provided signifi cant inputs in the programs of the local government,” he added.

Said Mary Ann Abdulmonap,“It (peo-ple’s participation) was helpful when

we were crafting the Executive and Legislative Agenda especially when we opened our doors to other government line agencies, civil society groups and other stakeholders. The process was to go down to the level of the grassroots. We asked them what they needed. The time when political leaders and donor agencies dictate on what the people must have is over…now they decide what they want and need.”

Que said that many things have changed for the better in Bongao when the LGU instituted governance reforms

but that many things still need to be done. Part of this equation is peace making. As a development and gover-nance thrust, it gave the local govern-ment of Bongao added perspective on how to build and sustain their gains by working to create a peaceful environ-ment. For starters, the people declared the municipal hall a zone of peace.

“I know that we are on the right track. Still, a lot of things must be done. Bon-gao can become better in the coming years if the gains of the present will be continued in the future,” he said.

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

Coastal Resource Management

In its CDP-ELA, one of the things the LGU identifi ed as a priority area is the protection of Bongao’s marine re-sources. Mayor Que said they realized the necessity of protecting the marine

Police (PNP), Bantay Sanctuary, the mili-tary’s Task Force 62, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Since 2006, when the body was activat-ed, cases of illegal fi shing, particularly the use of dynamite, had dropped by 98 percent.

Earlier, LGSPA supported the construc-tion of fi sh cages in Barangay Pababag. This was followed by an LGU-initiated expansion of the marine protected ar-eas to include other villages. When lo-cal offi cials and members of the MCLET went on a study tour to Bohol, where marine resources are highly valued and protected, they were inspired to repli-cate what they saw.

Zulfi car S. Ladjahali, chair of Barangay Lagsan and head of the Bantay Sanctu-ary said: “I realized that protecting our marine resources will not only provide us with abundant fi sh and other marine products but that this will also attract tourists (that in turn will translate into livelihood opportunities). These things can also be done in our village.”

Bongao’s CDP-ELA also identifi ed agri-culture as a major source of livelihood. But because roads have become nearly impassable over the years, agriculture production has declined.

With support from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Asian Develop-ment Bank (ADB) through the former’s Infrastructure Rural Enhancement Sector – Department of Agriculture (INFRES-DA) project, Bongao was able construct and rehabilitate farm-to-market roads, after the LGU showed readiness to undertake the project by providing counterpart funding.

People’s Participation

Manuel Pampora, the Municipal Plan-ning and Development Offi cer, said all the good things now happening in Bongao became possible only through strong partnerships forged by the LGU with other sectors.

resources of Bongao when they saw how this was being depleted by destruc-tive practices, such as dynamite fi shing, over the years. With the declaration of Aguada Bay as marine protected area, some 50 hectares opposite Pababag Island, particularly Barangay Lagasan and Barangay Pababag, are now regen-erating.

“For the people of Bongao, the sea is very important. Our marine resources are one of the major sources of our livelihood. If we do not protect the sea, it is tantamount to giving up our main source of livelihood. A destroyed sea means disaster for the thousands of fi shermen and their families,” the mayor said.

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

useful tools in good governance.” Mary Ann Abdulmonap, Municipal Accountant

The establishment of protected marine sanctuaries in Bongao benefi ts other island municipalities like Panglima Sug-ala and Simunul which also rely mainly on fi sheries and marine resources for livelihood and employment.

The Bongao government also issued Executive Order No. 8 creating the Municipal Coastal Law Enforcement Team (MCLET) and Executive Order No. 14 constituting the Municipal Fisher-ies Offi ce. The offi ce worked with the Sangguniang Bayan for the approval of the municipal fi sheries management plan to address the issue illegal fi shing practices. The MCLET is an inter-agency group that includes the Municipal Fish-eries Offi ce (MFO), Philippine National

16 HILAL HILAL 17

The Board-room Beckons

Little Abjulamin curls in his cloth hammock gently

rocked to sleep by his 20-year-old mother Marina

Usop, herself barely out of her teens. “He came

as a blessing to us,” she said, despite the diffi cult

childbirth that necessitated a cesarean operation that cost

a staggering P19,700.

“I was shocked. I do not have work and I could not afford

it,” said Usop. But thanks to the Philhealth card the local

government of Datu Paglas gave her, she paid only P120 to

the provincial hospital where she gave birth.

Usop is only one among 5,000 indigents in Datu Paglas

town in Maguindanao enjoying the benefi ts of Philhealth.

“This came as another blessing,” she said while express-

ing thanks to the local government which is paying the

annual premium of P120.

Not only that, the LGU is also investing on “promotive” and

preventive healthcare by providing monthly honorarium

and allowances to rural health workers to enable commu-

nity members to benefi t from health education.

What makes this any different from the basic services

delivery of other local government units? In Datu Paglas,

they have some ready answers:

A small town in Maguindanao shows that techniques and strategies used by private corporations can be adopted to streamline local government operations and administration with amazing results.

Professionalizing Governance in Datu Paglas

By Charina Sanz

Datu Paglas, Maguindanao

18 HILAL HILAL 19

This early, the Solid Waste

Management program is

already paying off with

garbage in the market

signifi cantly reduced. The

collection system has also

improved. Only “com-

postable” waste is collected

at 3 p.m. every day while

recyclable/residual waste

is collected every Monday

afternoon at 4.

With reduced garbage vol-

ume, there is no longer any

need for a garbage truck

and only a collec-

tion pushcart is now

being used. Three

pushcarts were

built, one each for

the pilot barangays of

Poblacion, Madidis,

and Damalusay.

The market was divided into four sections:

wet; restaurant; vegetables; and dry goods.

Sets of two trashcans “nabubulok” (biode-

gradable) and “di nabubulok” (non-biode-

gradable) were also provided to each stall

owner and even ambulant vendors, making

waste segregation a personal responsibility.

A solid waste management ordinance was

passed to enforce payment of penalties

for non-segregated waste. SWM enforcers

were deputized to help implement “Op-

eration Linis”. Citation tickets were also

issued to violators and an SWM orientation

became mandatory prior to the issuance of

business permits.

An ordinance banning the selling and buy-

ing operations of mobile junk shops was

also passed to ensure that all segregated

waste goes directly to the MRF. The LGU

also allotted a specifi c fund for SWM from

the 20 percent Economic Development

Fund (EDF) of the LGU budget.

The turnaround came when Mayor Paglas,

along with key offi cials, attended a three-

day Solid Waste Management (SWM) semi-

nar in General Santos City supported by

the LGSPA. Participants included barangay

captains, teachers, municipal councilors,

department heads and CSO representa-

tives.

Seven key components must be present in

a good SWM program such as Environmen-

tal Organization; Engineering, Enforcement

and Policy; Education; Enterprise Develop-

ment; and Equity. The seventh ‘E’, accord-

ing to Mayor Paglas, is “Executive Will”.

To generate public support, the LGU

showed the video “Basura”(Garbage). “We

also gathered the leaders in the market

and gave them an SWM orientation,” Mayor

Paglas said. An “Operation Linis”(Clean-up

Drive) was also conducted where all the

LGU employees spent a day cleaning the

market to jumpstart the SWM campaign.

The solid waste management program is a top priority in the Executive

and Legislative Agenda of Datu Paglas. The town had no solid waste

disposal system before which was starting to pose problems. Solid

waste was not segregated and dumping was indiscriminate. “The LGU

had no garbage truck and the police car and ambulance car were all junks,”

said Mayor Paglas. The drainage canals in the market were also clogged.

While the delivery of services for ecological solid waste management is a respon-

sibility of LGUs, as mandated by Republic Act 9003 also known as the “Ecologi-

cal Solid Waste Management Act,” many LGUs across the country, especially in

ARMM, do not have the capacity to meet the technical specifi cations of the law.

The law stresses the importance of minimizing waste through recycling, resource

recovery, reuse and composting.

Have Garbage, Will Segregate

20 HILAL HILAL 21

Myrna Akmad, the poblacion’s MRF supervi-

sor, said that since they started operations

in January 2009, they have been earn-

ing twice their capital of P2,500 by selling

recyclables. Proceeds go to the Datu Paglas

Women’s Cooperative which operates the

facility, providing livelihood for its members.

She also points to a vegetable garden a

few meters away from the facility where

cucumber, ampalaya, camote and other

crops are planted. Biodegradable wastes

are composted and used as soil condition-

ers for the garden. The women earn about

one thousand pesos a month from their

vegetable harvest.

Because of the effective partnership with

women civil society organizations, the solid

waste management program has been

considered as a leading practice of the LGU.

Mayor Paglas leads the implementation of

the LGU Solid Waste Management Plan.

Viral EffectMunicipal employees reporting for work

punctually and performing their functions

effi ciently demonstrate the viral effect of

efforts to professionalize LGU operations.

Administrative and fi nancial systems are

computerized and internet access is readily

available in the municipal hall. Sangguni-

ang Bayan members take turns to report

and attend to the needs of constituents as

an “offi cer of the day”. The SB has passed

a number of signifi cant legislation relat-

ing to social, economic development and

environmental management.

Moves to professionalize public adminis-

tration in Datu Paglas began during the

incumbency of the late Datu Ibrahim “Toto”

Paglas III, the present mayor’s brother, who

was elected mayor in 1996. Datu Paglas has

been a partner LGU of the Philippines-Can-

ada Local Government Support Program

(LGSP) and LGSPA since 1996.

Under the late mayor’s administration, Datu

Paglas earned accolades for its transforma-

tion “from a war zone to an economic zone”.

The current administration, while reaping

the benefi ts of that transformation, is also

building on the gains of the past. One dis-

tinctive feature of all Paglas administrations

is their consultative development planning

that permeates the executive and legislative

departments down to the barangay level.

The LGU’s strong partnership with various

stakeholders also helped in the effective

implementation of the Executive and Leg-

islative Agenda by providing opportunities

for citizen participation through functional

Local Special Bodies and effi cient service

delivery mechanisms.

Values education is also a priority in Datu

Paglas. Across classrooms in the elementa-

ry and high school levels, around 23 ustadz

(religious leaders) inculcate Islamic values

among students. “Instilling values among

our children will go a long way in preventing

lawlessness,” Mayor Paglas said.

Datu Paglas has achieved competence in

the management and delivery of confl ict

transformation services. It promotes confl ict

resolution at the barangay level through the

Barangay Justice System. It has functional

structures and systems for peace building

and confl ict transformation mechanisms

such as the Municipal Peace and Order

Council (MPOC) and the Council of Elders.

The LGU’s local economic development

also supports the establishment of banana,

palm oil and sugarcane plantations that

provide local employment. Known for its

large tracts of lands planted to bananas,

the LGU is also exploring other agriculture-

related partnerships and investments. Pri-

vate sector investments on palm oil plan-

tations are being eyed with the projected

opening in 2010 of an oil processing plant. .

Datu Paglas’s membership in the South-

western Ligawasan Alliance of Municipali-

ties (SLAM) also opened more windows for

partnership. SLAM is an inter-LGU alliance

of four Maguindanao municipalities that in-

clude Paglat, G.S.K Pendatun and Sultan sa

Baronguis (See related story on the SLAM).

Asked why the LGU of Datu Paglas is suc-

cessful, Mayor Paglas says it is because of

his family’s commitment to care for their

people by running the LGU as a corpora-

tion. “We care because it is our responsibil-

ity. Besides most of the people here are

our relatives. How could you not take care

of your own kin?”

“Our leadership is also based on faith and

fear in God. Our belief is wherever the

people are, God is also there with them,” he

adds. “In our own little way, we can make a

big difference”.

• An enlightened leadership and compe-

tent government administration

• Leaders who readily embrace the prin-

ciples of good governance

• Productive and transparent relations

with barangay offi cials, municipal staff,

government line agencies, civil society

organizations, community members

and neighboring municipalities

• Participatory planning methods and

public performance reporting

• Administrative competence as refl ected

in its fi nancial operations and revenue

systems including tax collection

“We want to professionalize the LGU op-

erations in the same way one would run a

corporate business,” says Mayor Mohamad

Paglas, “ensuring customer satisfaction,

savvy marketing and sound management

principles”.

This “corporate brand of governance”, as

shown by Datu Paglas, cascades from the

mayor to the municipal hall employees who

strictly observe offi ce hours, down to the

barangay offi cials and even the market ven-

dors who seriously take waste segregation

as part of the LGU’s solid waste manage-

ment program.

At the market, for instance, vegetable ven-

dor Kasma Manlumbingla says she brings

her own sacks and trash bins to segregate

waste. “Otherwise, if we are caught violat-

ing, we have to pay a fi ne,” says Kasma.

On Mondays, in the late afternoon, a motor-

ized pushcart goes from house to house in

the poblacion collecting recyclable materi-

als which are later brought to a materials

recovery facility (MRF). All 23 barangays

have their own MRFs which are run by all-

women teams.

22 HILAL HILAL 23

war&peaceThe Enduring Saga of Kapatagan

Local leaders and citizens of a Lanao del Sur town join hands to rebuild their community from the ravages of confl ict and demonstrate that peace is possible when this is willed.

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur

24 HILAL HILAL 25

to fl ee. Thereafter, it became a ghost town, until people started to come back.

With the election of the fi rst lady Mayor, Raida Bansil Maglangit, whose respected royal family commands a large following, the return to normalcy took on heightened speed. Local inhabitants who were initially anxious to return learned about the many

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

ing her feet on the ground, she has chosen to put to good use her wide knowledge of the Islamic way of life to transforming her municipality into a thriving community.

“I knew that I would not be able to do this on my own”, said Maglangit. “At the outset, I realized it was important to get everyone’s cooperation”.

to know that the municipality was once a no-man’s land. What one sees today is a thriving community where people are engaged in agriculture, fi shing and trading. They attend programs and socials in the community center, and volunteer their time to civic causes. The young men play basket-ball, the children attend school, and groups

ny fi rst timer in Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur, will be surprised

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

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

26 HILAL HILAL 27

how to elicit positive response from people, sharing feedbacks from the populace, and presenting future needs.

Mamintad Abangad, the Municipal Agricul-tural Offi cer said, “On the part of line agen-cies, we are able to share information on the latest programs and projects of our mother agency. Since farmers and fi sherfolks repre-senting their barangays or organizations are present, we tell them, for example, about the availability of seedlings or fertilizers. Hear-ing of this, the municipal offi cer concerned works out a schedule for distribution. Or when we announce schedules for immu-nization of animals, the ABC Chairman, who is part of the KMIACC, assures us that livestock raisers will bring their animals on such dates at a designated place.”

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

The success of the KMIACC is greatly at-tributed to Mayor Maglangit’s strong politi-cal will, evidenced by her proactive stance in advancing the cause of peace in the community. “We had to show that it was worth giving their all to making a life in the municipality, and this was only possible if peace reigns”, she said.

Under LGSP Phase II (2000-2006), Kapa-tagan received initial assistance to stabilize its peace and order situation after the 2000 confl ict that drove people away from their homes. With the help of LGSP offi cers, the LGU reorganized the Municipal Peace and Order Council, which immediately got down to the task of peace assessment and peace planning.

Her fellow leaders and the people of the community responded with equal zeal.

Sultan Junaid Maglangit, the mayor’s brother who inherited his title from their late politician father, revered and admired in his time, said that “my sister adopted a fresh approach to her leadership, one that sought to unite the people and not divide them into factions to gain their loyalty”.

“What the people saw was an honest desire to make a difference in the people’s lives”, said Edwina Tobias, the municipal accountant who goes beyond the scope of her duties by assisting the mayor in her development undertakings. “She might have been reluctant at fi rst when she was prevailed upon by her family to run for of-fi ce, but when she won, she plunged into her respon-sibilities with dedication and resoluteness”.

“The people were surprised, but equally pleased that a lady mayor in a town known for bloody feuds and the presence of lawless ele-ments who carry around guns, showed that she meant business and she meant to get everyone to work together”, said Soledad Dirumpungan, the Municipal Planning and Development Coor-dinator (MPDC).

Vice Mayor Paisal Bansil said that “our mayor knew she would be able to move forward and achieve her goals if she had a strong support from the Sangguniang Bayan, so she presented to us, the mem-bers of the legislative body, her vision and plans, and in time, we crafted our Executive And Legislative Agenda (ELA)”.

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

lation, resource mobilization and in formu-lating the Comprehensive Development Plan - Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA) in a participatory manner. The CDP-ELA as the blueprint for develop-ment of Kapatagan was used as the basis for mobilizing resources from the provin-cial, regional and national government and from donor and funding agencies.

“LGSPA got us out of the old mode of municipal governance”, said the mayor. “It used to be that the local government unit worked without direction. It was a day-to-day thing, depending on what cropped up. Line agencies delivered their services as they pleased, depending on what resources came in by trickles from the national government, if these reached our munici-

pality at all. People were used to dole-outs especially when calamities happened. In the past, the local peace and order situa-tion worsened as people took for granted that confl ict was a way of life. As a result, genuine and sustained support from the outside did not come in. We needed to show that we welcome assistance and that we are willing to do our part for develop-ment projects to succeed”.

Soon, LGSPA broadened its support for Kapatagan through its leadership develop-ment and gender equality mainstreaming projects.

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

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

To bring these plans to fruition, the Mayor organized the Kapatagan Municipal Inter-Agency Coordination Committee (KMIACC), which she described “as a loose for-mation of LGU offi cials, heads of line agencies, representatives of civil society, and develop-ment workers of differ-ent agencies assisting the municipality”.

“We have a once-a-month regular session”, said Dima Totodan Mama, the Sanguniang

Secretary. “We discuss what our respective offi ces and organiza-tions have done, we bring up challenges and suggest solutions as well. We then decide on our priorities for the coming month, with each of us defi ning what we can contribute to a common undertaking.“The KMIACC serves various purposes. By gathering stakeholders and key players in development efforts, the LGU saves on time and resources as it becomes a venue for defi ning monthly priorities, assign-ing human resources, allocating resources among various activities, synchronizing schedules, reviewing processes undertaken, assessing accomplishments, strategizing

28 HILAL HILAL 29

“The people decided to declare Barangay Daguan, the poblacion where the Munici-pal Hall stands, as a peace zone”, said the lady Mayor. “What we were aiming at was to show that peace building is possible with the people of Kapatagan and its local government unit, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the revolutionary groups working together and committing to the cause of peace”.

Wing Morallas Aquino, LGSPA Program Offi cer in the municipality, explained that “advocacy on the culture of peace, the series of skills trainings aimed to enhance competencies and skills in non-violent ways of confl ict resolution and transforma-tion, Peace and Confl ict Impact Assessment as well as community organizing resulted in the build up of peace advocates in Kapatagan. Peace advocates who are in the barangays also enable the barangay justice system to be effective in the reduction of confl icts in the areas. Peace advocates from the ranks of the military and LGU staff promote the framework of the culture of peace and respect for the rule of law and enable the Municipal Peace and Order Council and the Municipal Peace Commit-tee to function well”.

The manifestations have been obvious. Hadji Wahid Pembay, a traditional leader who is active in local confl ict resolutions said that “people no longer carry fi rearms in the barangay because it is part of the covenant. People move about freely with-out fear of getting caught in the crossfi re between warring groups. Moreover, family feuds or rido have stopped. Rido used to be a way of life until we declared Daguan as a peace zone. As an example, it has been effective because even in other barangays, we have achieved a level of peace which we never enjoyed before. I can go to sleep at night knowing no one will wake me up because people are fi ghting”.

Aquino said that with “the creation of the Municipal Peace and Order Council and the Council of Elders / Municipal Peace Committee, clan feuds have been reduced signifi cantly. For example, the long-standing Imam-Macapeges clan feud that

affected a large portion of the Iranun terri-tory, spread over portions of Matanog and Barira municipalities in Maguindanao and Kapatagan-Balabagan municipalities in Lanao del Sur, was fi nally resolved because of the efforts of the local chief executives of the affected municipalities including Kapa-tagan, offi cers of the 37th Infantry Battalion and the Arbitration Committees”.

Simultaneous with peace building efforts, the LGU embarked on developing basic services with the help of donor agencies. “Representatives of these funding agencies have been coming to offer their assistance after we showed our willingness to forge peace. We all realize that the advance-ment of peace has to go hand in hand with providing a good life for the people”, said Mayor Maglangit.

The economic and social gains today are visible more than ever. With the help of the UNFPA, 13 out of 15 barangays received health services that led to the reduction of infant and maternal mortality rate. Health workers, young women with appropriate training, regularly conduct lectures and home visitations to educate mothers on nutrition, hygiene, reproductive health care, and indigenous medicine.

People and the various agencies led by the LGU worked together in providing 65% of the households access to potable water, with assistance coming from the ASFP and the Assissi Foundation. LGSPA contrib-uted to building a storage tank. The people themselves provided the human resources in installing the pipes to bring water from a spring to communal faucets.

The municipality also invested heavily in providing farm-to-market roads to remote barangays through the assistance of World Bank-assisted INFRES and ADB-assisted Agrarian Reform Communities Program because Mayor Maglangit believes that opening inaccessible areas will increase agricultural productivity and marketability, improve peace and order and provide easy access to basic services.

The best proof of development may be seen in the empowerment of women. “Peace is primary and it has to start at home”, said Barangay Chair Norodin Ban-sil of Pinantao, who was elected to his post because of women power. “Our barangay justice system has been strengthened in addressing violence against women and children. Confl icts at home are now re-duced, leading to women and men sharing common workloads at home and women being “allowed” by their husbands to at-tend seminars and other activities. The improvement of husband – wife relations allows them to engage in fruitful activities”.

A women’s desk handles Violence against Women (VAW) cases, as women have been more open in reporting abuses by their husbands. On the economic front, some 100 women organized themselves and with initial capitalization from the ARMM Social Fund and trainings from DSWD and UN-FPA, they learned how to make soap and herbal products. These are now being sold locally and in some areas in the region, thus providing income for these women.

“My dream is to see a peaceful Kapatagan where families enjoy economic progress with various sectors contributing to the betterment of society”, said Mayor Raida. “When I took my oath of offi ce in 2001, this was a far-fetched situation, as we have had to face challenges from within as well as from conditions that we perceived to be beyond our control.”

The Mayor continued, “Now, we real-ize that we have contributed our share in peace building, that we can engage in vi-able livelihood using our available resourc-es, we can work with development agen-cies in promoting a better way of life and, most importantly, we can work together, share the same vision and move forward as a community of people who love, respect and support one another”.

To that may be added a hope that others may be encouraged to take the same path to peace.

30 HILAL HILAL 31

Listening toVoices from the Margins

Lamitan, BasilanLamitan’s Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Governance

The town of Lamitan, the center of trade and commerce of the province of Basilan and once the target of mindless violence, redefi nes community participation in governance by adopting local agricultural development and environmental management approaches. The results provide room for optimism. By Jeff rey M. Tupas

32 HILAL HILAL 33

“We wanted to know what they want. We

want to hear them and make them a part of

the system. This government is not about

offi cials holding higher offi ces but about

people who want to be heard and felt. They

have to be consulted, they have to be heard.

The local government unit of Lamitan is go-

ing where the people are, closer to them,”

said Eisma.

Their presence in the barangay also allows

them to assist village offi cials in crafting

their budget and project implementation

plans and in the process ensuring that

government funds are spent accordingly and

opportunities for corruption are eliminated.

After each village-level session, the LGU

also extends health assistance to local folk.

Lamitan has also institutionalized transpar-

ency in government allowing people easier

access to information about budget, expen-

ditures, and the like. The Local Governance

Performance Management System (LGPMS)

of the Department of the Interior and Local

Government (DILG) has rated as excellent

Lamitan’s level of fi nancial transparency.

“The books are open to the public. Anyone

who wants to check and inquire will have

access to it, anytime. And we made sure

that government offi ces in Lamitan are ac-

cessible to the public. Their questions and

concerns will be responded to and given

attention appropriately. The offi ce of the

Vice Mayor has an open cellphone line for

the public to reach if they want to report

or inquire about something…That is how

transparent the LGU of Lamitan is,” Mayor

Furigay said.

Local Economic and Agricultural Development

With Lamitan’s economic strength primarily

anchored on agriculture and fi sheries, the

local government adopted a convergence

strategy to promote the two industries by

partnering with at least 17 national and

local government agencies and civil soci-

ety groups. This partnership, according to

Olivia Ablao, Municipal Agriculture Of-

fi cer, has resulted in the effective delivery

of appropriate support to farmers--from

irrigation, road rehabilitation, needed farm

inputs, to technical assistance.

Through LGSPA’s support, the LGU con-

ducted a Local Economic and Competitive-

ness Assessment (LECA) and confi rmed

the strategic importance of rubber as a

A profusion of yellow gumamelas, held at bay by recycled plastic cola bottles,

strikes a colorful counterpoint against a row of red roses in a corner garden

of the Claret School in downtown Lamitan.

The plastic bottles, cut in half to serve as garden dividers, are but one expres-

sion of the town’s solid waste management campaign initiated by the local

government unit (LGU) to combat environmental degradation.

It is a fi ght that both the LGU and citizens of Lamitan are willing to wage on a

daily basis. At the backs of their minds the violent siege of Lamitan and the Clar-

et School remains painfully etched still. By focusing on a battle to preserve the

environment through citizen and multi-stakeholder participation, they not only

hope to exorcise the ghosts of the past but also to forge a happier tomorrow.

Local leaders admit that the leading concern of Lamitan is how to keep the

peace considering its proximity to other parts of Basilan that have gained notori-

ety for the presence of various armed groups. They believe that lasting peace is

crucial to the development of the town.

“After the Lamitan siege in 2000 (by armed men believed to be members of

the dreaded Abu Sayyaf), it is very important that we maintain the peace and

order that we have now. Very, very important. We are really trying to maintain

and sustain this. We don’t want to experience that (siege) again. Right now, we

are experiencing and celebrating the transformation of Lamitan from that very

horrible experience in 2000. And that transformation you can see around,” said

Mayor Roderick H. Furigay.

Governance vs. Politics

Today, it seems those efforts to maintain peace and order are paying off. Busi-

ness is brisk and the economy seems to be perking up as evidenced by a mini

construction boom, groups of traders examining wares, and students happily

walking along the business district. “What we needed was good governance.

And this is our brand of good governance,” said Vice-Mayor Arleigh W. Eisma.

The Vice-Mayor was obviously referring to how he and Mayor Furigay, who is

from another political party, were able to set aside their political differences for

the sake of Lamitan and its people.

Both attribute this convergence to their formulation and implementation of the

Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-

ELA) that was supported by the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM

(LGSPA) to aid local chief executives, local offi cials and community stakeholders

formulate their development framework. The CDP-ELA was developed with the

participation of different sectors and at various levels of governance including

the barangay.

Key to this effort was the strengthening of communication, information and

connectivity technology among government offi cials and citizens through “e-

networking” as identifi ed in the CDP-ELA. Through LGSPA support, 86 LGU staff

members and offi cials were given basic computer training.

Partly through this technology, the Lamitan LGU made sure that voices from the

margins were heard. The Sangguniang Bayan also regularly conducts sessions

at the village level through eight cluster groups.

34 HILAL HILAL 35

This “engaging in conversation” advocacy strategy appears to be working.

When Barangay Matibay took up the SWM campaign, the offi cials found

out they had to deal not only with residents but with “outsiders” who daily

fl ock to the market to do business. Said Flor de los Santos, Barangay

Secretary: “The public market is (located) here and people come and go

leaving us with their wastes. We have been painstakingly educating them

to respect not only the ordinance but the essence of the campaign, which

is the protection of the environment. Right now, we are still fi ghting that

fi ght and hopefully, the public will be able to appreciate and respect that.”

But they seem to be winning. What used to be the village’s murky

Gubawan River--with all sorts of garbage and fl otsam -- is now a clean

body of water. The river is being used by residents of Tuburan, Sumisip

and other parts of Basilan to get to Lamitan. “The riverside residents for-

tunately responded to our call to spare the river from their wastes. Now,

seldom do we see fl oating plastic bags in the river,” she said.

Ruben Domingo, a resident of Barangay Maligaya, has set up a compost

pit at his yard in response to the call of the local government to preserve

the environment.

“We have a responsibility. We cannot just ask people to act on environ-

mental degradation without doing our share. We have to walk what we

talk,” he said.

The Local Governance Support Program

in ARMM (LGSPA) is one of the strong

advocates and users of the DILG’s Local

Governance Performance Management System

(LGPMS). LGSPA adopted a pro-active strategy

in ensuring that the LGPMS is appreciated and

maximized as a management tool not only by

ARMM LGUs but also by the Autonomous Re-

gional Government (ARG).

LGSPA has integrated the LGPMS in its own

Performance Information System (PIS) ensur-

ing that performance management processes

and activities are supported and performance

information are analyzed and used in the Pro-

gram’s capacity development programming.

The program coached LGUs in linking the

LGPMS self-assessment results to more effec-

tive development planning, reporting, policy de-

velopment and capacity development planning.

Some ARMM LGUs have become advocates of

the use and benefi ts of LGPMS nationally.

At the regional level, LGSPA supported the

DILG-ARMM in analyzing the results of the LGU

annual self-assessment. The regional analy-

ses were useful in identifying and promoting

more focused regional agency support to local

governments. Aggregated results were also in-

corporated in the Regional Governor’s State of

Local Governance Report (SORA) thereby mak-

ing the system an instrument in policymaking

in the Autonomous Regional Government.

The LGPMS is also a prominent feature of

LGSPA’s published knowledge products. LGUs

and other users are guided on how to integrate

and maximize the LGPMS performance results

in LGU operations and management including

CDP-ELA formulation, local economic develop-

ment and capacity development planning.

LGPMS

high-value industry. LGU and civil society

representatives from Lamitan joined study

tours supported by LGSPA to learn from the

success of other rubber plantations in the

Philippines.

Ablao said there are at least 24 existing

rubber associations in Lamitan grouped

into a confederation of rubber growers.

“The objective is to empower them, to

capacitate them through exposures and

trainings. We have already established four

demo-farms and nurseries as we hope to

increase the rubber production of the mu-

nicipality. The focus now is rubber because

many farmers in Lamitan are into rubber

production,” said Ablao. She added that

coconut remains the leading agricultural

product of Lamitan.

Spearheading the rubber development

program of Lamitan is the Sta. Clara Agrar-

ian Reform Benefi ciaries Inc. Development

Cooperative (SCARBIDC), the largest coop-

erative in Region 9 and ARMM. The coop-

erative allotted more than 10.5 hectares for

a rubber nursery. The nursery is currently

developing new clones to be distributed to

Lamitan farmers.

Managing Waste, Preserving the Ecology

Realizing that while having other aspects of

good governance imbibed by the LGU, other

challenges have to be addressed as well.

One of this is having in place an effective

Solid Waste Management (SWM) program

that will not only focus on preserving the

town’s ecological balance but will also

serve as livelihood source.

Thus, six “metro villages” in Lamitan were

mobilized to lead the advocacy to promote

environmental protection, waste segrega-

tion and recycling. Five of the six villages

have also put up their respective material

recovery facilities (MRF) which are be-

ing managed by the Barangay Solid Waste

Management Committees (BWMCs).

In each of the MRFs, members of the com-

mittees turn plastic-based garbage into

curtains, toys, photo frames, table run-

ners, and other creative materials which

have the potential for becoming sources of

livelihood.The plastic bottle garden divid-

ers at the Claret School came from one of

the BWMCs. Prior to this, a Municipal Solid

Waste Management Board was formed that

now oversees the coordinated implemen-

tation of the town’s ecological solid waste

management initiatives.

Susan Mauricio, Vice Chair of the Lamitan

Recycling Movement, a group composed of

mostly women who salvage plastic garbage

and turn these to handmade crafts, said

the movement is facing a diffi cult challenge

while admitting that “it’s very worthwhile”.

“We know that we are doing something

good for the environment while honing our

skills and creativity in the hope that it can

be a good source of livelihood,” Mauricio

said.

Mauricio has attended trainings and semi-

nars supported by LGSPA on solid waste

management. She said that through the

trainings, she was able learn new product

designs and how to possibly market the

products. Right now, her group has pro-

duced handbags made out of tetra packs,

corn husk photo frames, paper bags,

among others.

Councilor Jessica Flores, Chair of the

Committee on Health, said putting in place

the solid waste management program not

only provides people with the opportunity

to earn from garbage and help conserve

the environment but it also helps promote

people’s health.

“This is closely related to health. If we have

a dirty environment, then we can expect the

rise of diseases. Right now, what we fi nd a

little diffi cult is how to make people from

the villages outside the six metro villages to

appreciate the benefi ts of a clean environ-

ment. We are hoping that they will be able

to see it,” said Flores.

To convince the public that they are serious

with the campaign, local offi cials practice

what they preach: employees of the LGU

segregate their own garbage. An SWM

ordinance was also passed by the Sanggu-

niang Bayan following a series of seminars

and forums on the benefi ts of implementing

a solid waste management program.

Recently, the Lamitan Tourism Council

launched the cleanest and greenest baran-

gay contest, apparently as part of the LGU’s

advocacy campaign.

“We are continuously campaigning for seg-

regation, recycling…we already implement-

ed this in 2003 but we became more focused

in 2007. As mandated by Republic Act 9003,

solid waste management has now become

the primary concern of local government

units around the country,” said Teresita

Araneta, the Chair of the IEC Solid Waste

Management Technical Working Group.

The SWM information and education

campaign is also brought to households by

members of the purok (sub-village) com-

mittees of the BSWMCs.

36 HILAL HILAL 37

CoastalClearIn a bid to protect its threatened marine resources, the LGU of Panglima Estino, Sulu focused on Coastal Resource Management supported by a campaign for the implementation of a Solid Waste Management program.

By: Jeff rey M. Tupas

Panglima Estino’s Campaign to Preserve Its Marine Resources

Panglima Estino, Sulu

38 HILAL HILAL 39

A woman laying out aga-agal (seaweeds) to dry on a low overhang of her stilt house barely pauses from her work at the chugging sound

of an approaching banca (outrigger canoe).

The boat sputtered to a stop under-neath one of the “high-rise” huts built close to the shore. There is nothing un-usual about the comings and goings of bancas in the coastal town of Panglima Estino in the province of Sulu. Sand-wiched by the towns of Panamao and Talipao, it is an easy jump-off point for people going to Jolo.

Traders also come to Panglima Estino to buy or sell products and wares, some-times engaging in the time-honored tradition of barter.

When Mayor Munib Estino assumed offi ce in 2004, the fi rst thing that his administration did was to construct a wharf to serve the town’s fi sherfolks, seaweed farmers, and people from out-lying islands.

“The people from the island villages and fi sherfolks dock here. If the tide is high, they have to anchor several kilometers away and wade through the water to get here. The local fi sherfolks also ex-perience the same. Panglima Estino is a coastal community with the sea as our primary highway”, said Mayor Estino.

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

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

Not one from the supposed employees of the local government came.

“It only meant one thing. There were no employees”, said Estino, also the former Vice Governor of Sulu for three terms and a board member for two terms.

A fi fth class town dominated by the Tausug, Panglima Estino had been so neglected that basic services were virtu-ally non-existent, a situation exacerbat-ed by tenuous of peace and order, poor infrastructure development and near-bankruptcy. “Before, if you look at the

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

History of neglect The problems of Panglima Estino, the mayor said, have been aggravated by a history of neglect by agencies that were supposed to help “ease the miser-able condition of the people and better their lives”.

“What (development) you see around now did not come from the national government or DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) but purely because we were resolute in doing things our way. We were able to put up all these things because of the local government’s money”, he said.

40 HILAL HILAL 41

Aside from fi shing, the main source of livelihood of people in Panglima Estino is

coffee production. Its development was supported by LGSPA through the intro-

duction of appropriate technology and trainings aimed at deepening the knowl-

edge and skills of farmers.

Through LGSPA, agriculture experts were given capacity building support in

nursery management, coffee production (pre- and post-production), primary pro-

cessing and value adding, and community-based agricultural extension services

that resulted in the expansion of the barako and robusta coffee nurseries to three

other villages of Panglima Estino.

An 8-hectare demonstration farm with coffee nursery, vegetable production sec-

tion and green house multipurpose dryer was also set up. The farm is being run

by the Panglima Estino Farmers Association (PEFA), a group composed mostly of

women.

For the robusta coffee nursery, Nestle Corporation provided technical support to

the members of the PEFA and government technicians while Figaro Foundation

provided seedlings and technical support for the barako variety nursery.

The Panglima Estino coffee initiative dovetails with the program of the Sulu pro-

vincial government to revive the coffee industry by promoting Kahawa Sug (Sulu

Coffee).

Louie Pacana, LGSPA resource person for agricultural development for Sulu, said

the coffee project in Panglima Estino will provide a stable source of livelihood for

the people if developed properly.

There are about 2,000 hectares of land around the province planted to coffee,

involving about 5,000 farmers. About 90 percent of the total area planted to cof-

fee is located in the upland villages of Talipao, Patikul, Parang, Indanan, Luuk,

Tongkil, Maimbung, Panamao, Pata and Panglima Estino.

“Coffee is an important part of our lives. You see, we would rather choose not to

have fi sh on our tables than not have coffee. If developed, we know that it (coffee)

will be able to help us even more,” Anna Hussain, a member of PEFA, said.

The local government has declared its more than 500-hectare mangrove area as protected. Opposite the mangroves are seaweed farms. There are now four marine protected areas in Panglima Estino.

The local government also formed Bantay-Dagat (marine wardens) tasked to monitor and guard from intrusion the protected area and marine sanctuaries. Panglima Estino is also the only municipality in Sulu where all coastal vil-lages are involved in natural resource manage-ment initiatives.

A Coastal Resource Management (CRM) Tech-nical Working Group (TWG) was created that later resulted in the birth of community-based CRM committees in six Panglima Estino coastal barangays. The initial task of the committees was to conduct an inventory of species of fi sh and marine vegetation and to assess the health condition of the coral reef.

The Sangguniang Bayan passed an ordinance prohibiting human activities in the protected area, particularly banning dynamite fi shing along the coast. The ordinance also hoped to eliminate illegal and harmful fi shing practices. Municipal and Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils were also con-vened to serve as mechanisms for participation and to provide strategic guidance to resource management efforts in Panglima Estino. A Municipal CRM Offi cer was also designated to coordinate the activities.

Kahawa Sug Kahawa Sug

In 2004, with only P250,000.00 as budget for development, Mayor Estino prohib-ited travels including offi cial ones be-cause “I believe that offi cial travels are very expensive and will bleed the local government unit dry”. His priority was getting the LGU back on track.

During the four months that offi cial travel was suspended, the local gov-ernment was able to save close to P1 million. The money was used for the construction of the wharf and a portion of it was used to pay for the rental of the heavy equipment. The construction was completed in three months, instead of the three years that it usually took to fi nish a similar project.

Money MattersTo sustain government operations and projects, the local government system-atized revenue generation and resource mobilization. Tax collection was inten-sifi ed helped along by an information drive, something that had not been done in the past.

John Romeo Baliton, Treasurer Offi cer-In-Charge, said Panglima Estino has been performing well in tax collection and revenue generation and is the envy of other Sulu municipalities.

The collection, he said, is “smooth and doing very well, even increasing…per-haps because they (people) see how their money is being used”.

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

High level of readiness In an assessment, the Local Governance Support Program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (LGSPA) found Panglima Estino as having “a high level of readiness for capacity develop-ment, demonstrating a willingness to improve existing effi ciencies in carrying out functions and delivering services”.

Panglima Estino actively participated in 19 projects of LGSPA, showing excellent progress in the LGSPA focus areas of Development Planning, Barangay Gover-nance, Coastal Resource Management, Solid Waste Management, Water Supply and Sanitation and Local Agriculture Development.

Being highly dependent on agriculture and fi sheries, the local government of Panglima Estino gives primary impor-tance to the development and protec-tion of their marine and agricultural resources.

42 HILAL HILAL 43

With reduced incidents of illegal fi shing, people living in the coastal villages have noted the reappearance of dolphins.

To further protect its marine resources and as part of its Solid Waste Manage-ment (SWM) program campaign, the LGU also relocated its seaside dumpsite from the coastline. Through LGSPA’s capacity building support, a Solid Waste Management Board was formed that laid out a plan on how to manage the municipality’s waste. Barangay Solid Waste Management Committees were organized to anchor segregation and recycling initiatives and overall enforce-ment of SWM policies in their areas of responsibility.

Cool, Hands-on Mayor Mayor Estino, who came from the infl uential and prominent Estino fam-ily after whom the town was named, is widely known as a hands-on leader.

The mayor also lives in town, one of the few in the ARMM who does so. When-ever he is around, he would fi nd time to talk to people, listen to their stories and problems ranging from dowry to food, from work to medicines and education. Often he would discuss with them pos-sible solutions.

He would spend hours talking with some local public teachers about di-lapidated school buildings and the lack of chairs for pupils. Later he would be sitting in front of the stage in the plaza watching the rehearsal of a local band composed of young Tausug.

Not far from the plaza are 30 colorful houses built by volunteers of the Gawad Kalinga, a non-profi t that builds free houses for the poor through partnership and participation. Through his work in the Asian Institute of Management-Mirant Foundation Bridging Leadership Program, Mayor Estino was able to part-ner with Gawad Kalinga and prove that his town is peaceful enough to ensure the security of local as well as interna-tional volunteers from the US, Australia, Europe, Nigeria, Singapore, Brunei, and

Malaysia who built the houses together with local folk.

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

Delivering on PromisesThe LGU knows how important it is for people to feel the government in their daily lives. It is one reason why it sought the involvement of civil society groups and people in the barangays in formulating the Comprehensive Devel-opment Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA).

Improving school facilities is also a top priority of the local government. There are more than 900 elementary pupils in Panglima Estino and local school offi cials describe this as “problematic” because of the lack of school facilities.

Mayor Estino said that the local gov-ernment funded the college education of three of the town’s brightest stu-dents, one of them now a top perform-ing nursing student at the Sulu State College in Jolo, to motivate others to do well in school“We have been encourag-ing parents to send their children to school. We even signifi ed our willing-ness to give a minimal incentive for those who will enroll in high school or college”, the mayor said.

Recently, the Mayor submitted a project proposal to a foreign donor agency that detailed a multi-million dollar project which will include a mini-hydropower plant, a water system, seaport, hous-ing project, seaweed processing facility, cattle raising, poultry processing and an oil refi nery facility.

“We submitted the proposal hoping that it will be approved. If they will turn it down, at least we submitted and tried. I don’t want to be blamed for not doing

anything all…for not taking chances”, he said.

But Mayor Estino believes that the future and survival of the people of Panglima Estino are not dependent on the generosity of others.

“With the way things are going on now, with all these interventions coming in and their impact on the economic inde-pendence and capacity of the residents of Panglima Estino, I am optimistic that the future is good for all of us”, he said.

“But we cannot just rely on others, not even on the national government. We have to rely on each other and on our-selves”, he added.

44 HILAL HILAL 45

EQUA-EQUA-TIONTIONPeace Equals Economic and Social Development

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

THE UPITHE UPI

Upi, Maguindanao

46 HILAL HILAL 47

“The BDC is a facility where people can go

and ask how they can do business, conduct

feasibility studies and it also serve as a

center for livelihood,” said Raul Gardoze,

the BDC manager.

The UPI Business Development Center was

conceived as a catalyst for the agri-industry

competitiveness of Upi. It offers business

development services to enable individuals,

Foundation for Exemplary Individuals.

With the foundations of lasting peace es-

tablished through participatory governance

structures, the local government of Upi has

been shifting gears and focusing its atten-

tion on development initiatives.

On this morning, Piang is leading a group

of visitors to take a look at the water

reservoir in Barangay Nangi. A mini-dam

is being constructed that would give Upi a

level III water system. While en route to

Barangay Borongotan, Piang points out

several ongoing road constructions in the

town. “When the roads and water systems

become operational soon, we expect more

growth and development in Upi. Hotels and

restaurants are expected to rise and with

these, the coming of tourists,” he says.

They are projecting Upi as a prime tourist

destination in Mindanao.

Doing Business in Upi

The LGU also encourages investors to pour

in money on Upi. They have no reason to

worry. Through a facility called Upi Busi-

ness Development Center (BDC), they are

assisted on how to do business in the town.

“Wait here,” said

Mayor Ramon

Piang, excitedly

pointing to a group

of farmers using wooden sticks to plough

the corn fi elds. “That’s the old indigenous

way of farming.” He alighted from his

vehicle and spoke with them in Teduray, his

native dialect. Upi is the homeland of the

Tedurays, a non-Islamized ethnic group.

The early August morning is still bathed in a

soft glow that is unable to mask the Mayor’s

pride about his beloved mountain town. It is

obvious he takes great pleasure in show-

ing off the beauty and promising prospects

of Upi, a lush landscape of hills and valleys

constantly swept by a cool breeze.

Light and shadows played a game of cat and

mouse across fi elds planted to corn, the

town’s main produce, symbolized in a giant

corn edifi ce set up in the middle of the plaza.

“The beauty of Upi not only lies in its natural

endowments but also in the cultural diver-

sity of its peoples,” the three-term mayor

said. Upi, located 36 kms south of Cotabato

City, is home to Teduray, Maguindanao and

Christian settlers. From the 70s to the 80s,

Upi was wracked by violent confl icts marked

by the burning of houses in 1974.

The memory of that violence still lingers in

the mind of Piang. When he became mayor,

he defi ned his style of governance by tapping

the diverse cultural resources of its peoples.

"It is only when we respect each other and

understand why we have different ways of

doing things can we be reconciled and uni-

fi ed for a common good," he said.

When he became mayor in 2001, he cre-

ated the Mayor's Council which presides

over confl ict resolution by integrating the

various indigenous justice systems. It was

part of an Executive Agenda project entitled

“Tri-people Dialogical Process in Peace and

Order Campaign”. The Mayor’s Council was

formally created through the issuance of

Executive Order No. 4. To generate people’s

support and understanding of the project,

the DXUP “Radio for Peace” (See inset) was

tapped. The confl ict resolution procedure is

explained over DXUP during LGU programs

like “Usaping Bayan ng Upi” and “Pareng

Mon”. The Mayor’s Council is composed of

six members (two Teduray elders, two Moro

elders and two settler elders).

These two mechanisms gave an avenue for

people’s participation in governance and

support for initiatives of the LGU. For this

reason, Piang has been named one of the

Ten Outstanding Municipal Mayors in the

country in 2003. Upi, too, has received the

"Galing Pook" Award and was one of 42

local government units, which received the

Kaagapay Seal of Excellence in Local Gov-

ernance in 2004, bestowed by the Canadian

International Development Agency (CIDA)

funded Local Government Support Program

Phase II (LGSP II). Piang was also one of

fi ve awardees of the 2005 Ramon Aboitiz

48 HILAL HILAL 49

It is eight o'clock in the evening. Here,

inside DXUP “Radio for Peace,” Julio

Bilual anchors a program entitled

“Kaadat-Adatan” (a Teduray term for

their customs and traditions). Biluan is Te-

duray and he talks about the tribe’s cultural

values and beliefs.

DXUP is an FM radio with an AM format,

which is managed and run by a corps of

community volunteers.

Diverse programming and democratic

space for all stakeholders is the strength

of the “Radio for Peace”. It is the “people’s

radio” as perhaps every sector – from chil-

dren and teenagers, women, farmers, Ma-

guindanaoans, settlers, barangay captains,

senior citizens, even the military - are given

time slots to talk about their programs and

advocacies.

give feedbacks to the mayor himself. Timely

information is also easily shared with Piang

citing the case of a missing cow and, in one

instance, a missing relative.

A few minutes after Piang reported these

on air, a barangay councilor from a neigh-

boring town who had seen the cow sent a

text message. A person reported as missing

also made known his whereabouts.

Whether it is a case of a missing cow or

matters of governance, this community radio

is defi nitely democratizing access to infor-

mation. "Radio," Piang said, “has certainly

made things easy and fast. We can reach out

to our con-

stituency

and to our

neighbors”.

pines. Upi is also one of the partner LGUs of

the Local Governance Support Program in

ARMM (LGSPA).

Culturally-diverse programming"DXUP's programming," according to station

manager Mario Debolgado, "has become

a role model for the rest of the country”.

According to CMEC's mission, the radio

station aims to "serve the different tribes or

sectors through information dissemination

and advancement of issues to uplift the socio-

economic, cultural and educational status.

“Suara Talainged” (Voice of the

Native Inhabitants), which airs

from 6 to 7 pm, is a program on

"peace and cultural development

of the Bangsamoro Muslims.

"Kaadat-adatan”, which follows

from 7 to 8 pm, focuses on Te-

duray values and traditions.

Finally, from 8 to 9 pm,

before signing off, DXUP

entertains its listeners with

"Musika at Iba Pa", a musi-

cal and cultural program

integrating the various

cultures in the community.

Christian music is aired on

Sundays with the anchor

sharing his testimonies on Christian values

and beliefs. On Saturdays, there is the "Is-

lamic Education on Air" which is an Upi Arabic

Schools program.

Soon, the mayor hopes to bring the

station right down to the barangays on

board a multicab vehicle "or they can take

turns hosting the barangay program every

morning”. This will be realized once the

municipal government can source funds to

buy the vehicle that can transport the station

from one barangay to another.

“While volunteerism will always get the

radio station going," he said, "I feel that the

LGU should also do its part in helping the

staff address their basic needs”. Most of the

station's workers are volunteers including the

station manager.

Piang also envisions the role of DXUP "as a

radio of hope and peace”. He pointed out that

contrary to mainstream media's focus on "vio-

lence, intrigues and misunderstanding," they

deliberately choose "to pass on the message of

cooperation, respect and understanding”.

Mayor Piang has his own program

called "Pareng Mon". He takes over the

airwaves, chats with listeners, and reads

text messages on air. Topics can go

anywhere from the day-to-day concerns of

the local government to appeals for help

of fi nding a lost cow. The program is being

aired every Wednesday where Piang takes

time off to exchange views and interact

with the local folk.

Launched in 2004, the community radio

project is credited to have helped promote

a culture of good governance as the people

can now immediately air their concerns and

DXUP-FM was established by the

municipal local government with training

fund support from the Local Governance

Support Program II (LGSPII), a capacity

building program funded by the Canadian

International Development Agency (CIDA). A

multi-sectoral body called the Community

Media and Education Council (CMEC)

manages and supervises the radio station

following guidelines formulated by the

community through a participatory process.

The station is one of only two estab-

lished by LGSP II and one of a total of forty

community radio stations in the Philip-

to PeaceTune In

enterprises, and farmers’ cooperatives to

take advantage of business opportunities

and allow them to generate employment

and income for their families.

Piang said that with the BDC, the local gov-

ernment could tap the business community

and supervise economic enterprise and live-

lihood programs. Piang shared that he was

inspired to set up the BDC when he went

to Nova Scotia in Canada in a study tour

sponsored by the Local Governance Support

Program Phase II (LGSP II). While there, he

took note of the one-stop shop livelihood

programs and the success of a business

center where people go for assistance on

starting and managing their business.

In 2007, the idea to establish the BDC be-

came a reality through technical assistance

from LGSPA in support of the local govern-

ment’s efforts to identify priority areas in

the Executive and Legislative Agenda.

These included a series of trainings and

partnerships with Swiss Agency for Devel-

opment Cooperation (SDC) and Corporate

Volunteers for Enterprise Development

(CVED) and cross-visits to Small and

Medium Economic Development Council

(SMEDC) Davao and Davao City Chamber of

Commerce. The series of training activities

also led to the drafting of the local eco-

nomic development (LED) plan. LGSPA also

provided fi nancial support for the BDC and

extended linkages to organizations such

as the Davao Chamber of Commerce and

Industry and the Department of Trade and

Industry where women were taught to pro-

cess tomato jam and nito vine products.

LGSPA also contracted CVED to help as-

sist the LGU that included the crafting of

the manual of operations for the BDC. An

organizational structure called the SMEDC

was set up. SMEDC serves as a policy mak-

ing body and is composed of multi-sectoral

groups from the LGU, local CSOs, line agen-

cies such as the Department of Trade and

Industry, Department of Agriculture and the

Department of Science and Technology.

With P2 million in support funds coming

from the Regional Impact Project of ARMM

Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan,

the Upi-BDC building was constructed and

inaugurated on June 10, 2007. Congress-

man Didagen Dilangalen also donated one

computer set.

“While initially managed by the LGU, eventu-

ally the plan is for the BDC to be privatized,”

said Mayor Piang. Only two years after it be-

gan operations, the BDC is already yielding

tangible results such as opening the market

for farmers. Upi farmers now supply ginger

pickles to a Japanese corporation.

“The fi rst delivery was 2,000 kilos in 2008.

Now we deliver 5,000 kilos,” added Mayor

Piang. “So far, we are only using fi ve

hectares producing 15 tons of ginger but

this is still inadequate because the supplier

requires about 20 tons per month.”

The BDC also paved the way for carrot

production with Century Tuna as one of

the prospective buyers. “Before, there was

no production and no market for carrots.

Now, we are going into mass production

50 HILAL HILAL 51

Wow, Whiz!

Wao,

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

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

Lanao del Sur Town Shows the Way in Gender and Development

Wao, Lanao del Sur

and expanding the areas from six to eight

barangays,” said Mayor Piang.

“It is through the BDC also that interven-

tions were made in the cycle of agricultural

production,” said Mayor Piang. Agricultural

inputs are now being produced in Upi such

as bio-organic fertilizer and halal-organic

fertilizers catering to ARMM. Some 3,0000

hectares had already been used to develop

the fertilizers.

Vegetables and livelihood gardening pro-

duction are in the meantime undertaken by

women.

New Directions for Business

New directions are now being set for the

BDC. Last year, the local government

helped form the Upi Agricultural Develop-

ment Corporation which was launched in

February 2009.

“In order to create wealth within Upi and

start off a sustainable economy, we realized

that the intervention should start within

the cycle of production,” said Mayor Piang,

explaining the need to go into agricultural

productivity.

Through its Local Economic Development

(LED) program, LGSPA helped the LGU

conduct an economic competitive assess-

ment in the whole of Upi. From the

analysis, they were able to identify corn

as its comparative advantage against

other Maguindanao municipalities with

corn production reaching up to 80-90

percent per metric ton.

“With that analysis, we realized that in

order to be effective, there should be

interventions in the production process

so that farmers will have a big return

of investments in corn production,”

said Mayor Piang.

Given that realization, they decided

to form a corporation through the

LED Program, “with the BDC having a

bigger role and farmers having big-

ger returns,” said Mayor Piang. The

corporation is privatized to ensure its

sustainability but the LGU has a 40

percent share of the paid-up capital

while community incorporators own

60 percent. For a start, the corporation

seeks to engage in the production and

marketing of halal fertilizers with the

aim of reducing production costs to

increasing the return of investments.

With all these achievements, Upi

shows that through excellence in gov-

ernance, peace and development are

possible.

Service delivery is an important

aspect of local governance, and is

a key expectation and claim that

citizens make on government as

a duty-bearing institution. Service delivery

is all the more compelling in ARMM, given

the pressures posed by underdevelop-

ment and confl ict. Due to policy and other

system-related challenges, LGU involve-

ment in service delivery in the region has

been weak and budgets for social services

have been meager – only 1.5% of total LGU

expenditures in the ARMM as opposed to

21.5% among non-ARMM LGUs (World

Bank, October 2003).

LGSPA’s vision for enhanced delivery of

social, economic and environmental service

optimizes the potential of devolution in an

autonomous setting, while speaking to the

realities of the region. The Program’s work

with barangay, municipal/city and provin-

cial governments has led to the creation or

strengthening of plans, policies, mecha-

nisms, processes, practices and arrange-

ments for collaborative and participatory

service delivery involving citizens, commu-

nities, civil society organizations, religious

and other local authority centers, higher

levels of government including oversight

agencies, the private sector, and multi/bi-

lateral programs.

As a result, more citizens and communities

benefi t from locally initiated and responsive

initiatives in education and shelter, and

from replicable systems that provide safe

potable water. Strategic economic, agricul-

tural and resource management choices

also make livelihood and wealth creation

in the locality more viable. Further, citizens

enjoy the gains of their own efforts to clean

their surroundings, and protect, stabilize

and renew ecological systems.

Since LGSPA began in 2005, 64 local gov-

ernments have been assisted in the delivery

of social services (water supply, sanitation

and hygiene, education and shelter); 79

LGUs in economic services (agricultural

development and local economic develop-

ment) and 53 LGUs in environmental ser-

vices (natural resource management and

solid waste management).

SERVICE DELIVERY

52 HILAL HILAL 53

Mayor Elvino Balicao Jr., 38, could have been a pilot had he chosen to, having earned his aeronautics degree in

Cebu and his wings from a prestigious fl ying school. He opted to come home instead to Wao where his father was the incumbent mayor. “I was interested in farming because food is a need and Wao is an agricultural town,” he said. Call it fate or destiny but Balicao Jr. soon succeeded his father as mayor.

His youthful vigor and enthusiasm make it easy for Mayor Balicao to work closely with his fellow leaders and his constituents. Vice Mayor Mary Ruth Catalan said, “I am happy to be working with him because he offers as much as he accepts ideas. He does not decide on his own.”

Not surprisingly, the Offi ce of the Mayor and the Sangguniang Bayan, which Catalan chairs, cooperate and maintain a dynamic yet smooth working relationship. As a joint body, they crafted the municipal Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA) to identify their needs, defi ne their priorities and set the over-all plan to achieve their goals.

High on the list of concerns of both branches of government was gender and development.

“The Sangguniang Bayan has set aside the budget for the construction of Balay Dalangpan (House of Refuge),” said Catalan. “Mayor Balicao demonstrates a proactive stance when it comes to the protection of the rights of women and children. He is vo-cal about the need for a place where victims of violence can run to for safety.” She said that the Sangguniang Bayan is now working on the municipality’s Women’s Code.

As early as 2006, Wao was one of four lo-cal government units in the ARMM that showed interest in gender and develop-ment (GAD). The Local Governance Sup-port Program in ARMM noted its potential and initiated the mainstreaming of gender equality at the municipal and barangay levels of governance.

Barangay offi cials, offi cers of women’s organizations, representatives of line agen-cies including the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philip-pine National Police, the Vice Mayor, the Mayor and his wife, formed the GAD Team as a fi rst step.

The Mayor’s wife, who serves as private secretary to Balicao, was chosen focal person. Her appointment was the GAD Team’s way of communicating to the community that the group is serious about its work, with the local fi rst couple spearheading gender equality concerns.

Mrs. Emelita Balicao, said, “We fi rst needed to make everyone aware of gender issues. Our approach was to promote the rights of women and children.”

With the support of LGSPA, represented by its local resource partner, the GAD Team conducted a participatory research to identify issues, craft a municipal situation analysis of violence against women and children (VAWC), and formulate recom-mendations to address the problem.

Barangay Manila Chair Ramon Pomares said that his barangay was one of the fi rst two where the community action research took place. “The people were curious at fi rst, so they came. But when they found out what the activity was all about, they clammed up. We needed to get them out of their shells.”

“To fi nd out the situation of women, we encouraged them to act out roles in simple skits,” said Hon. Nenita Ali, Sangguniang Bayan, Chair of the Committee on Women and Family Welfare. “We only needed to draw out their experiences and they soon came up with scripts that bear some resemblance to their personal situations. The women wrote of physical abuse, lack of fi nancial support from the head of the fam-ily, and being overworked while their hus-bands did not help them. The men played roles of husbands who are violent, lazy or just indifferent to the family situation.”

Barangay Milaya Chair Hernanie Bacal-ing said that the theater forum, replicated

in other barangays, “did not just lead to awareness. It also strengthened the re-solve of barangay offi cials and community members to unite and engage in activities that will minimize violence against women and children.”

Said Mercedes Oyangoren, Social Work Assistant, “What transpired in these theater forums was the voicing out of problems and oppressive issues that women used to keep to themselves. All of a sudden, they found a venue for articulating their concerns.”

ABC President Audie Loyola stressed that the mainstreaming of GAD in local gover-nance “encouraged us barangay offi cials to do more than just pay lip service to the is-sues. While we bring up the topic of wom-en’s rights in barangay meetings as well as informal conversations, we make sure to let our constituents know that the law is fi rm in dealing with those who violate the rights

54 HILAL HILAL 55

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING“Transparency and accountability are really very impor-tant,” said Mayor Balico. “We are able to work together in Wao because we are clear about what we want and how to get them.”

His program of government exemplifi es a holistic ap-proach to governance that includes integrating the various functions and responsibilities of the LCE. Obviously, he and the rest of the LGU team are aware that delivery of services, peace and order, economic stability, and cultural integrity are interrelated. They understand each service delivery area affects the rest, and the absence of, or weak-ness in, one can destroy existing gains in the others. Whether it is his youth or enthusiastic approach to his job, the Mayor is able to successfully elicit support from various sectors. At the same time, he also encourages inter-sector and inter-offi ce cooperation. No wonder that men and women, Christians and Muslims, leaders and constituents, municipal offi cials and government offi cials, and the executive and legislative branches of the Wao LGU work well with each other.

The GAD Team is one perfect example. Women, men, ba-rangay offi cials, constituents, and line agency offi cials visit the barangays together. Armed with key information, they then conduct interactive community forums with com-munity members observed by teachers, children, spiritual leaders and elders. Wao’s women have become more visible and articulate after going through such exercises. The men participate by preparing statements signifying their renewed view of women and children, as well as the roles shared by hus-bands and wives at home and in the community. It also helps that the mayor’s wife champions their cause. Barangay offi cials resolved to address VAWC-related prob-lems through enhanced mechanisms for solving ticklish issues.

Wao is a remote, rural community but it is blessed with breathtaking landscapes, rich natural resources and people who are willing to do their part in attaining the common good. Together with an effective and responsive local government, it has all the necessary ingredients to meet the challenges of development.

In fact, through its gender and development initiative alone, small town Wao has shown an exciting example of good governance for others to follow.

Prior to 2005, the quality of leadership and management

abilities varied extremely across ARMM LGUs. More

than 90% of the local governments did not have man-

dated development plans. LGU capacity to plan, implement,

mobilize resources for, coordinate, monitor and evaluate so-

cial, economic and infrastructure development programs and

projects was generally weak. Local offi cials lacked opportuni-

ties to develop skills in strategic, physical and consultative

development planning. LGSPA signifi cantly addressed this

capacity development gap over the past four years.

LGSPA’s support to ARMM LGUs in development planning

focused on building institutional mechanisms that would

sustain strategic and participatory planning processes and

promote meaningful local autonomy in ARMM. The participa-

tory formulation and implementation of the Comprehensive

Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-

ELA) and other mid and long-term municipal and provincial

plans facilitated a development process that increased the

leadership and management capacities from provincial down

to the barangay level, which consequently enhanced the core

LGU functions of public consultation, investment program-

ming, budgeting, revenue management, implementation, and

monitoring and evaluation.

The institutionalization of the Provincial Interagency Coach

Teams (PICTs), the involvement of oversight agencies, CSOs

and communities, and the mainstreaming of LGU concerns

in the ARMM Regional Executive and Legislative Agenda

(ARELA) ensured integration of common development priori-

ties and effective intergovernmental and citizen relations. The

quality, relevance and responsiveness of the plans in ad-

dressing poverty, environment and gender issues in culturally

diverse ARMM communities have also improved. Further, LG-

SPA assistance enabled government offi cials to leverage re-

sources and engage CSOs in the implementation of identifi ed

priority projects. Stronger abilities in development planning

across 102 LGUs caused the implementation of 2,495 projects

out of 3,817 municipal and 373 barangay priority development

projects in 92 municipalities or an achievement rate of 65%.

LGSPA’s efforts in development planning support the Ratio-

nalized Planning System being pursued by the Department of

the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

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

Examining the Roots of the Problem

In addressing gender-related issues, Mayor Balico pointed out that “economic problems can be a major cause for violence in the family. That’s why we are doing our best in providing livelihood to our people.”

Among the family-based enterprises encouraged by the local government is livestock production. In cooperation with the local state university and the Department of Agriculture, the LGU brought in high quality cattle for breeding. Local techni-cians underwent training in artifi cial insemination and are now engaged in breeding fi rst class cattle using their acquired technology. The local gov-ernment provides the necessary equipment and facilities to ensure the success of the project.

“Now, men are involved in producing livestock and they feel more secure in their roles as bread-winners,” said agriculture technician Elma Baliton

The local government realized it can provide bet-ter service if it is also economically strong. “We do our best to raise the income of the local govern-ment through revenue-generating projects, “ said Mayor Balico.

The Municipal Economic Enterprise Offi ce (MEEO) head, Jonathan Simon, explained that income is derived from the public market, trans-port terminal, public cemetery and the slaughter house which is being improved to suit the halal requirements of Muslims who comprise roughly 20 per cent of the local population.

“We make the people know where their taxes and fees for business permits and licensing go,” said Vice Mayor Catalan. She pointed to charts and posters related to fi nancial transactions and government expenditures prominently displayed in various parts of the municipal hall.

56 HILAL HILAL 57

Good Practices

58 HILAL HILAL 59

ZER WASTE HEROES

Solid Waste Management as Development Mantra

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

In Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, garbage disposal had always been a dilemma testing the capacity of the local government to meet the challenges of urbanization; but through a combination of “learning-by-doing” and encouraging people participation, it has developed a Solid Waste Management program that is nothing short of a small miracle.

Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao

60 HILAL HILAL 61

“We had a problem with disposing our waste products,” said Barangay Chair-person Rommel Sinsuat. “There were heaps of garbage everywhere, the river bank was dirty, and the public market had a foul smell. This naturally led to disease, and disease led to school ab-senteeism and other problems.”

As the garbage problem reached alarm-ing proportions, the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) came to the rescue by way of a timely project: coaching the municipal govern-ment in undertaking barangay-level management of its solid waste.

“We welcomed LGSPA because they of-fered to be with us in this journey of at-taining zero waste. We were given a tour of another municipality -- in Linamon, Lanao del Norte as well as Sto. Tomas Davao Del Norte, and we realized that if it is possible there, it is also possible for us,” said Abdulrachman Amil, an engi-neer and focal person for Solid Waste Management (SWM) in the municipality.

As an initial step, the municipal LGU created the Solid Waste Management Board. At the municipal level, this is composed of Amil, Municipal Planning staff and concurrent SWM Offi cer-In-Charge; Kagawad Sophia Abbas Sinsuat, who chairs the Sangguniang Bayan on Environment; and Budget Offi cer Isniya Masukat. Amil, Sinusuat and Masukat are at the forefront of introducing solid waste management in the barangays of Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Barangay Awang sits on thou-sands of hectares of beauti-ful mountains and green plains, its rich topography bisected by a long river. It

serves as a watershed for nearby Cota-bato City. It is the site of the Cotabato airport and a camp of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

It became a melting pot of sorts through the years with families of soldiers stationed in the camp choosing to reside there permanently. It then be-came a commercial center with a lively public market and a string of establish-ments selling wet and dry goods as well as cooked food.

While heightened commercial activity and increase in population led to eco-nomic growth, they also brought about related problems. One of the biggest problems: rapid increase in the volume of waste which, at its highest, totaled 60 tons a day.

62 HILAL HILAL 63

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

Business establishments cleaned up their store fronts. A lady who operates a restaurant said, “We have segregated our biodegradable from non-biodegrad-able waste. We have a compost pit in our backyard, while someone comes to pick up our non-biodegradable waste.”

Sinsuat said that the barangay govern-ment “has an agreement with the owner of a junk shop. So, he sends his people to go from house to house, establish-ment to establishment to pick up their recyclables. This has also provided ad-ditional income for many residents who take the initiative to collect junk.”

Kagawad Harry Manalo pointed out that ordinances are in place concerning the throwing of garbage in the streets. To enforce these, policemen and barangay tanods (deputized village watchmen) work hand-in-hand. Even soldiers sta-tioned nearby help ensure that waste disposal regulations are followed.

“We chose Awang as the showcase ba-rangay because people there were truly receptive. Understandably, there was a need which they easily realized. Orga-nizing the offi cials and the people of the barangay was easy. Mobilizing them was even easier,” said Abbas.

“If we do not manage our waste, we might end up throwing all of our gar-bage in the river, and we do not want that to happen because we are the biggest source of potable water for our municipality and the whole of Cotabato City,” said Sinsuat.

At the barangay level, the fi rst phase included the creation of the Barangay Solid Waste Management Board. Kaga-wad Feby Acosta was designated by the people as the focal person for SWM.

“Educating the people meant holding seminars for everyone. We needed to

bring in the various sectors since they all contribute to the waste – market vendors, households, school children, youth, store operators, teachers, govern-ment workers and informal leaders,” said Acosta. Training workshops, conducted by experts including the staff of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Offi ce, covered topics such as waste characterization, segregation, ordinances and codes and operational guidelines.

According to Sinsuat, “those who attend-ed were expected to pass on what they learned. We mobilized the sitio leaders for our solid waste management drive, and the people pledged to cooperate.”

“We targeted a date to launch the SWM program in the barangay,” said Acosta. Then we asked everyone to join us to

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

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

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

“The response from the civil society is heartwarming,” he continued. “While we in government are doing our best as a matter of duty and concern for the people’s welfare, the people them-selves are contributing to our success by giving their full commitment to the SWM program. Now, we have a clean environment, a healthy populace, and a community that has proved it can be a dedicated partner of the govern-ment in bringing about sustainable development.”

Datu Odin Sinsuat is replicating the success of the SWM project in Barangay Awang in two other barangays: Dalican and Semba. The LGU allotted P800,000 as initial cash requirement for mobiliz-ing both government and civil society and educate various stakeholders on SWM. The SWM project in Barangay Tamontaka is showing signs of success in its initial stage.

Barangay Chairperson Sinsuat happily reported that “our volume of waste, originally 60 tons a day, has been reduced to nine tons a day. We have received positive comments regarding the cleanliness of our surroundings, including the commercial areas, the public market, school grounds, homes and community spaces. Our river bank is much cleaner. But other than these changes, our cooperation has also improved, making us believe that if we can do it in this project, we can also move on to other projects and expect good results.”

64 HILAL HILAL 65

Coming to Terms with the

Future in Mamasapano

Implementing Education Governance Reforms in Selected LGUs in ARMM

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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

Mamasapano, Maguindanao

66 HILAL HILAL 67

Young people in Mamasapano

grapple daily with diffi cult choices.

They have been witness to traumat-

ic events in the past, fi erce fi ghting

between government troops and rebels that

forced the evacuation of thousands of fami-

lies. Often, the terrible sights and sounds

of war re-echo in their mind’s eye, coming

unbidden in the middle of the night.

Only a few months ago, a wayward artillery

shell hit the wing of the beautiful Mamasa-

pano municipal hall, shattering its windows

and cracking its walls. Families displaced

by the fi ghting remain in evacuation centers

right beside the municipal hall.

Many young people have dropped out of

school because of the uncertainty of the

situation. There is no telling how many have

taken up arms, either lured by the romance

of the warrior or pushed to the wall. Still,

many others have chosen to stay home, but

they are uncertain about their future.

The local government unit (LGU) of Mama-

sapano has not turned a blind eye to the

situation. Among the many issues that the

LGU is addressing, education takes priority.

In 2008, Mamasapano was one of the

participating LGUs in the LGSPA project,

“Implementing Education Governance Re-

forms in Selected LGUs in ARMM”.

“We decided to join the project because of

the increasing number of out-of-school

youth and adults without livelihood,” said

Monsor Akmad, Municipal Planning and

Development Coordinator. “These are the

people who can be easily swayed into tak-

ing drugs or joining gangs. Some of them,

especially those with a strong sense of

idealism, can be easily recruited to join the

rebel forces.”

In time, the LGU included in its Executive

and Legislative Agenda (ELA) a plan to set

up a college that will upgrade the skills of

the youth and adults, and to prepare them

for productive employment. With LGSPA

backstopping its initial effort, Mamasapano

explored the possibility of providing techni-

cal vocational education and training for its

young people.

LGSPA was instrumental in linking Ma-

masapano to the Technical Education and

Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Ma-

guindanao. Actively involved in the initiative

was the Municipal School Board, which

performs advisory and oversight func-

tions pertaining to education programs in

the municipality. The key players – LGSPA,

Mamasapano and TESDA-Maguindanao –

entered into a tripartite agreement. They

agreed that Mamasapano will fi rst establish

a Technical Vocational and Training Center

(TVET Center).

“Our immediate task was to provide a

venue, so we refurbished our social hall and

converted it into a two-room training cen-

ter,” said Totoy Kesid, Municipal Administra-

tor who doubles as Center Director.

He said that the Offi ce of the Mayor “gave

its all out support where budget was con-

cerned. Our mayor (Datu Mohammad Bahn-

arin A. Ampatuan) saw to it that we would

have training materials, tools and supplies

for courses in Building Wiring Installation

and Photographic Screen Printing.”

TESDA assigned its accredited trainers to

the Center, and paid their monthly salaries.

Being the expert institution, it focused on

designing the courses to suit the needs of

prospective students. Mamasapano provid-

ed the trainers’ meals, lodging and trans-

portation. LGSPA continued to coach the

LGU in educational governance, and pro-

vided fi nancial assistance for the reproduc-

tion of hand-outs, printing of certifi cates

and the funding of the consumer electron-

ics course which required equipment and

supplies.

A Community Concern

“The project became a community con-

cern,” said Mario Ealdama, the LGU-

assigned focal person for the TVET Center.

“With the help of barangay offi cials, we

informed the people about the courses,

and we encouraged them to send the young

people to enroll with us. We also explained

to them that they would have to take care

of their own meals and transportation, and

the parents agreed to provide these for

their children.”

“We interviewed the applicants,” said

Asraf Latip, one of the TESDA-accredited

trainers. “We needed to know their basic

knowledge, how far they have gone in

school and their interests as far as the

courses were concerned. We did not turn

down any applicant but divided them into

classes, depending on their capabilities.

Those whom we felt would be able to learn

faster were grouped together, while those

who dropped out from school earlier and

did not have advanced knowledge of math

and physics went to another group.”

Classes fi nally opened on June 8, 2008 in

the fi rst LGU-managed technical vocational

training in the Autonomous Region in

Muslim Mindanao.

Tatonot Gani, one of the fi rst graduates of

the Building Wiring Installation course,

said, “I am now able to use the skills that

I acquired from the training. It all started

with a neighbor asking me to install their

electrical warning. Then, a relative of theirs

heard about my capability, so they employed

my services too. I am just starting but

68 HILAL HILAL 69

governments aimed at providing appropri-

ate training and education for Filipinos

interested in acquiring certain livelihood

skills.

Looking Ahead

The future truly looks bright for these

young people who now dream of opening

their own shops or enrolling in advanced

courses in Davao or Cotabato so they can

get employment. “Who knows, we might

even be able to go abroad and use our skills

to make a living?” asked Jerimi Acosta, who

takes pride in being able to whip up a few

international dishes and bake pastries.

Even as the LGU has reaped praises, it has

to contend with the peace and order situa-

tion. When fi ghting broke out between the

Philippine military and the Moro Islamic

Liberation Front (MILF) in August 2008, the

soldiers took over the center and used it

as camp headquarters. For a time, the LGU

had to suspend classes as the skirmishes

continued. When the fi ghting stopped

classes resumed but this time in another

concrete building deemed safer.

LGSPA further supported the educational

initiatives of Mamasapano by conducting

a TVET strategic direction-setting with the

various stakeholders – the LGU, TESDA the

local Education Board, parents, graduates

and prospective enrollees – sharing their

views, committing their support and strat-

egizing towards enhancing the capabilities

of the TVET Center.

Hon. Dangkua Daud, Chair of Barangay

Pidsandawan and ABC President, summed

up the over-all feeling that has pervaded

the community since the TVET Center was

opened: “Parents feel happy that their

children are being prepared for their future

roles in society. They are happy, too, that

with less idle young people, there are less

cases of juvenile wrongdoings. But the hap-

piest of all are the young women and men

who thought that poverty and the peace and

order situation have prevented them from

pursuing their dreams for a better life. They

are optimistic and they see a bright future

ahead of them.”

somehow, I am making some money unlike

before when I didn’t even have enough for a

meal unless I asked from my parents.”

Gani is one of the TVET Center graduates

who took advanced courses in the Korea-

Philippines Training Center in Davao City.

“We were sent to acquire advanced skills,

so we can share this knowledge with our

fellow graduates as well as the incoming

enrollees,” he said. Gani later took the TES-

DA qualifying exam and is now accredited

as a trainer.

The Mamasapano Technical Vocational Ed-

ucation Training Center is the fi rst munici-

pal LGU-managed technical and vocational

skills training center in ARMM. Accord-

ing to LGU reports, a total of 144 men 36

women have been trained by the center.

The LGU is looking into the expansion of

curricular courses. “That’s why we sent

some of the young people of Mamasapano

to Davao to take special courses at the

Korea-Philippines Training Center. They

enrolled in culinary arts, food services and

catering and they will also serve as lectur-

ers in the Center,” Mansor Akmad said. He

explained that the training center, popularly

referred to by the locals as Korphil, is a

joint project of the Korean and Philippine

70 HILAL HILAL 71

The Community KittySiasi’s Barangay ‘Paluwagan’ System

Supported by the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA), the local government of Siasi in Sulu embarked on a journey of self-discovery, enabling it, together with local townsfolk, to develop a simple system of addressing basic development issues through the “barangay paluwagan”. By Jeff rey M. Tupas

Siasi, Sulu

72 HILAL HILAL 73

A group of people huddle underneath the overhang of a small sari-sari store at the foot of Mt. Gorro somewhere

in Siasi in the province of Sulu. They ward off the chill of the cold wind caressing the mountain by sipping mugs of steaming, freshly-brewed native coffee.

A young woman appears, bearing a platter of Tausug delicacies daral (coconut toffee in fl our wrapper), punjang (cone-shaped sweets) and junay (rice cooked with spices and wrapped in banana leaf). She joins the cheerful conversation that, upon closer look, appears to be a celebration of sorts.

The people gathered around the store have spent many days and many nights mak-ing sure that the road to their barangay is completed to their satisfaction.

They have every reason to celebrate. The construction of the road to the village of Singko was made possible without the help of any foreign donor agency. It was done through a scheme called paluwagan imple-mented by the LGU of Siasi. An informal system of pooling funds, usually practiced among small groups within a community, the paluwagan encourages people to save and instills in them the virtue of patience.

“It was heartwarming to witness how each of us were willing to give whatever we could just to keep the project going. We were so excited and happy that something good was happening and all of us could not really wait to see it done,” said Johaira Hadjirul, village chair of Barangay Singco.

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

“Traveling on the road is very diffi cult and dangerous for the people. Our fruit prod-ucts rot because no vehicle can get inside the village. We bring our copra down the

coastal villages and transport them to Siasi aboard bancas which is very costly for us,” Hadjirul said.

“The (completion of the) road is re-ally a big relief,” she added.

Siasi’s use of the paluwagan system as an approach to enable villages implement their projects could be considered a breakthrough in local governance in the ARMM.

In the Barangay Paluwagan scheme, the 50 villages of Siasi were asked to spare P5,000 a month to be put in a common fund. The pooled amount will then be used to fi nance projects that they have identifi ed as priorities in their respective Barangay Devel-opment Plans (BDP).

Within a month, the villages were able to pool P250,000 cash. The Siasi LGU then contributed P50,000 to round off the fund to P300,000 that was then divided among three barangays selected by lottery. The involvement of the Liga ng mga Ba-rangay and the Municipal Technical Working Group in the preparation of the program of works and in monitor-ing ensured that the projects were techni-cally and fi nancially viable. It also further demonstrated inter-barangay and munici-pal LGU support to community initiatives.

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

Mayor Arthur Muksan said that it would be very diffi cult for a third class municipal-ity to respond to all the needs of the 50 barangays comprising it. Siasi is accessible

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

Helping Villagers Help Themselves

Muksan said the idea came to him after realizing that the fate of the villages must not be reliant on local government units or donor agencies. He said the villages must help themselves become self reliant gov-ernment units able to deliver basic services to the people.

“Development must emanate from the grassroots. All the infrastructure develop-ment at the municipal level will be useless if down in the villages even the most basic of services are not being delivered. The measure of good governance is refl ected

74 HILAL HILAL 75

Multiplier Effect

“The projects that we implement do not only di-rectly benefi t us but also the other villages,” she said.

The road -- built through the paluwagan system -- connecting Siasi to barangay Singko also serves the barangay of Jam-bangan, a village that identifi ed the con-struction of a wharf as the people’s priority need.

In Barangay Pislong, the P100,000 paluwa-gan fund was used to develop a communal water system and community center where pilgrims can take shelter especially during Islamic religious events, addressing both basic and spiritual needs of the villagers.

Every year, people from as far as Zambo-anga, Bongao, Jolo or even Malaysia, gather in Barangay Pislong during Rajab, the sev-enth month of the Islamic calendar or two months before the Muslims’ observation of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

“Thousands of people,” village chair Ban-daw Irijani said, “gather at the tampat (sa-cred place) where the Batu Piangkat (rock piles) can be found. Believers, offer prayers

by how good the state of the village is,” Muksan said.

Usually, village leaders cite inadequate funding as an excuse for their failure to implement barangay projects, said Muksan.

“The only way for us to help them is help them help themselves,” Muksan said.

He added that “the objective is for them to access a sum (of money) that is good enough to construct a road or a water system. It is also hoped that because of this, they will learn to appreciate the value of their own money, giving them that sense of ownership over their project…that the project was implemented because of their own efforts and not because of the help of others.”

Rising Above Poverty

Pindal Hadjirul, a woman leader who chairs Barangay Sablay, said that if it were not for the pooled resources under the paluwagan program, it would have been next to impossible to build a road to make their lives easier. Sablay is one of the poor-est villages of Siasi.

“Our road used to look like a waterway with potholes. When the scheme was in-

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

Hadjirul added that when it is her baran-gay’s turn again to avail of development funds under the paluwagan program, they will build a madrasah.

“I know that the fund is minimal so the vil-lage offi cials must identify their priorities,” said the mayor.

”Convincing some of the village leaders to appreciate and understand the paluwagan system was sometimes madugo (colloqui-alism for ‘diffi cult’),” said Jameel Matarul, Siasi Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator.

“There were those who doubted the mo-tive and questioned it. But we cannot give up just like that. Instead, we took pains to make them understand that what the local government unit is doing is for the benefi t of the barangay and the people hungry for development,” said Matarul.

Several consultations on how barangays can become part of the program were conducted. One of the prerequisites was

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

Building Local Capacities

LGSPA, through capacity building trainings for the Siasi local government, helped the LGU craft their Comprehensive Devel-opment Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA). Through the CDP-ELA, barangay priorities refl ected in the Barangay Development Plans (BDP) were identifi ed which later helped in the formu-lation of the paluwagan system.

LGSPA also provided capacity develop-ment support to the LGU in the area of education, water supply, sanitation, hy-giene, solid waste and coastal resource management.

To put the plans in the CDP-ELA into ac-tion, the municipal government signed a Memorandum of Agreement with barangay

offi cials on developing Barangay Develop-ment Plans (BDP) and Annual Investment Plans (AIP). Barangays who fail to present their BDPs will receive less support from the municipal LGU.

A municipal technical working group (MTWG) was also created to monitor the progress of the project together with the Liga ng mga Barangay.

Meriannly Muksan, head of the Liga ng mga Barangay, said that so far project implementation has been smooth with villages patiently awaiting their turn to receive their share of funding support. She said that her own barangay, Sipand-ing, has yet to get its funding share for the construction of a community-based water system, a priority it identifi ed in the BDP. The water system will benefi t not only Sipanding but other nearby villages as well.

“We have to be patient and wait until it is our turn. While waiting we prepare people on the changes that will happen and explore the possibilities of making them actively involved in the process,” said Merrianly, who happens to be the sister of Mayor Muksan.

and intentions to the spirits whom they be-lieve are keeping the Batu Piangkat safe.”

“The community center,” he said, “can shel-ter pilgrims who used to spend the night under makeshift tents. This is a community where residents pray to Allah inside a lang-gal, a traditional mosque without walls.”

While the paluwagan system is helping village projects get off the ground, some-thing beautiful is also happening among local folk.

When the 300-meter road in Campo Islam was being constructed, village youth, some as young as nine, became curiously inter-ested. They soon found themselves volun-teering to do part of the construction work.

Jeffrey Mar Unok, one of the volunteers, said that upon learning about the project, he went to the construction site to fi nd out what he can do. He added: “I did not wait to be invited in. Even my friends were quick to respond to the need for people to work. We didn’t think twice because we knew that the project was for us.”

76 HILAL HILAL 77

SLAM!for a GrandWorking asone

Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities Paglat, MaguindanaoDatu Paglas, MaguindanaoSultan sa Barongis, MaguindanaoGen. S.K. Pendatun, Maguindanao

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

By Charina Sanz

Nineteen-year-old Zahir Kal will soon live

his dream. It is written. Here inside a

classroom in a vocational school in down-

town Tacurong city, Kal, who used to be a

farmer from Gen. S.K. Pendatun, is diligently learning

the basics of automotive repair. He hopes to become

a skilled automotive mechanic and work abroad to

support his family.

It is a story shared by Mohammad Kamid, 23, and

Jahir Sumapol, 21, both from Datu Paglas who just

fi nished a short course on welding. Before taking up

the course, they knew no other skill except farming.

In the rural health clinic of Gen. S.K. Pendatun

(GSKP), Abubakar Abdullah, 36, recalls the night of

August 12 when he had to undergo emergency sur-

gery in a hospital in Tacurong City. The surgical pro-

cedure was successful but Abdullah almost fainted

when he was presented with a fi ve thousand peso bill.

Luckily for him, he has been enrolled by the LGU as a

Philhealth benefi ciary and had to pay less than half of

the bill. “I could not afford the cost,” he said.

Dr. Renalyn Masukat, GSK Pendatun’s rural health

physician, says that the LGU provides honorarium

to 25 barangay health workers to ensure that health

services are accessible to the poorest barangays. “It

is voluntary on the part of the LGU and we are grate-

ful,” said Masukat. In her 18 years as a doctor of the

Department of Health, she said that it is only now that

the LGU is actively involved in addressing health con-

cerns such as the high infant mortality rate in GSKP.

All for OneWith the improved delivery of education, health and

other services following the formation of the South-

western Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities or

SLAM, stories of hope and self-determination began

to be told in the towns of Paglat, Datu Paglas, Sultan

sa Barongis and Gen. S.K. Pendatun comprising the

alliance in the province of Maguindanao. The towns

are located around the Ligawasan Marsh, an exten-

sive swamp region in Central Mindanao.

Although the marsh is noted for its rich biodiversity,

massive fl oods and continuing armed confl ict have

seriously eroded the people’s quality of life. Poverty

and lack of access to basic services such as health

and education also make life in the marsh area ex-

tremely diffi cult.

The mayors of the four LGUs formed the Southwest-

ern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities or SLAM on

June 25, 2008 “to fi nd common solutions to common

problems”.

78 HILAL HILAL 79

The idea of working together as an

alliance gelled in December 2007 at

the LGSPA Executive and Legislative

Leadership Development Course.

During the training, several of the

mayors listened to former Libun-

gan town Mayor and current Board

Member of the Cotabato Provincial

Council, Ronaldo Pader, describe the

experience of the LGSP II-supported

Pigcawayan-Alamada-Libungan-

Midsayap-Aleosan Alliance, popu-

larly known as PALMA.

Pader is the fi rst Chair of PALMA. He

told the four mayors how they have

jointly and effectively worked on

addressing common priorities of the

fi ve LGUs since 2002. PALMA won a

Galing Pook award in 2007 for their

Kabalikat PALMA Infrastructure

Program which pooled municipal

equipment, machinery, personnel

and expertise from fi ve contigu-

ous towns for farm-to-market road

construction.

Maintaining MomentumGreatly motivated by the success of

PALMA, Mayor Abdulkarim Lang-

kuno and the other three mayors

of SLAM immediately pursued the

formalization of SLAM. A Memo-

randum of Agreement (MOA) was

signed between the four municipali-

ties committing to their participa-

tion in SLAM and defi ning roles

and responsibilities. The Provin-

cial Government of Maguindanao,

DILG-ARMM and LGSPA served as

witnesses to the MOA. Each mayor

agreed to initially provide a monthly

contribution of P15,000 to a common

SLAM fund. This was later raised to

P25,000 when the alliance activities

began gaining momentum.

The fund will be used to support

the development projects of the

alliance as well as the Project

Management Offi ce operations.

Monthly meetings are held with

each LGU taking turns hosting the

meeting (i.e. cost of venue and

food). Mayor Langkuno was elected

Chairperson of the SLAM Board with

four Sangguniang Bayan members,

four CSO representatives (i.e. one

from each town) and the DILG-ARMM

Maguindanao Provincial Director

comprising the rest of the members.

Datu Paglas Vice-Mayor Ahmed

Paglas was initially designated

Interim Project Manager.

SLAM’s Project Management Offi ce

in Datu Paglas was recently launched

with Padido Usman, the Municipal

Planning and Development Coordina-

tor (MPDC) of Datu Paglas designated

as the interim Project Manager until

a full-time manager is hired. On an

interim basis, each LGU assigned one

of their staff (to be rotated) to report

to the PMO and a full-time technical

offi cer was hired to work with Usman.

The four municipal planning coor-

dinators, municipal engineers and

municipal agriculture offi cers from

the four towns serve as the Technical

Working Group of the SLAM Board.

With the mentoring support of PALMA,

the alliance developed a Strategic

Plan and a manual of operations. This

will guide the SLAM in their opera-

tions, systems and procedures includ-

ing the pooling of human, fi nancial,

equipment/material resources, pri-

oritizing activities, external resource

generation, and others.

The alliance also agreed to put a pre-

mium on peace and order cooperation,

particularly on security, sharing of in-

formation, settlement of feuds, bound-

ary disputes and crime prevention.

Celebrating Initial VictoriesTo showcase their fi rst initiative, the

four LGUs pooled their resources to

conduct a medical mission in Sultan

sa Barongis where 12 barangays

had been heavily fl ooded for several

months. The medical outreach, said

those in the affected communi-

ties, was a fi rst in Maguindanao and

opened the way for SLAM to become

better known among the people.

With LGSPA assistance in access-

ing resources and networking, SLAM

has forged a Community Health Partner-

ship Program with Zuellig Foundation to

strengthen health services in the area, har-

nessing the commitment of the LGUs’ lead-

ership in prioritizing health service delivery

as articulated in their respective Executive

and Legislative Agendas (ELA). The part-

nership with Zuellig will develop models

that will be able to deliver more effective

and effi cient health services to the people

of these four towns. Zuellig Foundation saw

the opportunity to support an inter-local

health zone in ARMM through SLAM. The

alliance was an added value to their accep-

tance in the community health partnership

program. Each of the SLAM LGU passed the

screening of Zuellig Foundation.

The four SLAM mayors, health offi cers, CSO

leaders and MPDCs participated in a fi ve-

day Bridging Leadership on Health train-

ing in February 2009. The fi rst module on

grounding and visioning on health concerns

enabled the participants to begin “owning”

the health concerns and formulating their

Vision, Mission, Objectives, Key Result Ar-

eas and Performance Indicators [VMOKRA-

PI]. The four LGUs are in the process of

sharing the VMOKRAPI through barangay

assemblies and municipal consultations as

part of “co-owning” the issues and perfor-

mance targets on health.

With the support of the Philippine Charity

Sweepstakes Offi ce (PCSO) and the Depart-

ment of Health (DOH)-ARMM, the SLAM

LGUs opened four community pharmacies

(Botika ng Barangay) in each municipality in

February 2009 to increase access to afford-

able medicines. Each of the SLAM LGU pro-

vided the site and building for the commu-

nity pharmacy. They also paid for the salary

of the pharmacy aide who will operate it.

“Health is our focus because the health

situation around the Ligawasan Marsh is

very poor. Because many areas are inac-

cessible with no access to medical services,

there were many incidents of deaths,” said

Mayor Langkuno.

Mayor Allan Datu Angas of Sultan sa Bar-

onguis cited the case of three children who

died from diarrhea because there were no

Inspired by Mayor Pader’s description of how simple yet successful the al-

liance was in achieving concrete results by systematically organizing the

sharing of resources, Paglat Mayor Abdulkarim Langkuno was convinced it

could be done in Maguindanao.

He discussed a similar idea of working together with fellow mayors and, with

LGSPA assistance, hosted an orientation session on the Kabalikat PALMA In-

frastructure Project. They invited Pader once again to share more details about

PALMA – how it was established, the diffi culties it faced, the steps it took and

the results it has been able to achieve. The four Maguindanao mayors wasted

no time in committing to pursue the creation of a similar alliance. The objec-

tive: to facilitate development in their respective towns through the pooling and

sharing of resources. The LGUs agreed on the basic principle that with com-

bined resources, much can be accomplished in a shorter period of time.

LGSPA then organized a study tour for the four mayors and their key staff to

PALMA. Aleosan town Mayor Loreto Cabaya, current chair of PALMA, updated

the ARMM mayors on the 281.45 km farm-to-market roads that have been con-

structed at a cost of P8.47 million through their pooled efforts.

The Mayors of SLAM learned that this strategy was also being used to pursue

other related development initiatives in environmental protection and health

and had a chance to interact with fellow mayors, LGU staff, barangay offi cials

and residents of PALMA. Through the study visit, the members of SLAM heard

from their peers about the importance of barangay development planning,

revenue generation strategies and the computerization of the real property tax

system: processes that LGSP II had supported in PALMA and which LGSPA was

currently strengthening in SLAM and other ARMM municipalities. The PALMA

leadership pledged to assist SLAM in getting established, even offering to share

their manual of operations and other information.

Replicating the Kabalikat PALMA Infrastructure Project

80 HILAL HILAL 81

GSK Pendatun Mayor Bonnie Kali said that they provided

Philhealth coverage for 2,000 indigents. They also paid for

the honorarium of 10 barangay health workers and two

midwives.

In the case of Datu Paglas, 5,000 indigents were given

Philhealth cards. The LGU also hired a nurse and gave

allowances for 25 barangay health workers, according to

Mayor Mohammad Paglas.

Aside from health, education is also another top prior-

ity. “We lack teachers, which is why we ourselves pay for

volunteer teachers. SLAM provides volunteer teachers

from elementary to high school, including Madaris,” said

Mayor Paglas.

Right now, two of their LGUs (Datu Paglas and Paglat)

have already forged a partnership with Synergia, the

Notre Dame Marbel University and University of South-

eastern Mindanao. SLAM is looking for partners for Sali-

pada K. Pendatun and Sultan sa Barongis. Forming SLAM

was strategic and had a big impact in terms of accessing

resources and “it is also good for donors to know that

SLAM LGUs move with one direction,” he said.

Last March 19, a MOA signing was held at Datu Paglas

to formalize the sister LGU relationship with Makati City.

Aside from this, SLAM also obtained 100 scholarship

vouchers from the TESDA National Offi ce for a three- to

six-month vocational course on any TESDA-accredited

school. They are currently recruiting potential students in

the four SLAM LGUs.

The alliance has also supported the construction of 11 units

of shelter for displaced families from Barangay Elbebe, Datu

Paglas.

Last August 19, a kilometer long farm-to-market road in

Barangay Makaines in General S.K. Pendatun was started.

Encouraging OthersIn just a short span of time, SLAM has shown to other

ARMM LGUs, particularly in Maguindanao and Shariff

Kabunsuan, the benefi ts of working together. There are

neighboring towns that have expressed interest to join the

alliance. The SLAM LGUs believe that they are still in the

process of developing and strengthening the alliance and

need to prove that their collective effort will work. For the

meantime, they have decided to work with the four original

members.

What also went well for SLAM was the close kinship among

the four mayors. It was easy to arrive at a consensus be-

cause of their blood relations. They all belong to the Penda-

tun clan. “We can talk things out without reservation. What

one of us faces, we can discuss it directly,” Langkuno said.

As traditional leaders of the people around the Ligawasan

Marsh, it is customary for the people to seek help from

them every time there is a disaster or a problem.

The four SLAM mayors recognize that much needs to be

done, but with strong camaraderie and motivation, the alli-

ance is on its way to success. They have planted the seeds

of good governance and with some patient nurturing, reap-

ing a rich harvest may not be too far off.

health personnel around. Sultan sa Barongis is a far-fl ung area that

easily becomes isolated and inaccessible when fl oodwaters inundate

the town. The LGU encouraged barangay health workers to become

readily available by giving them incentives. The four LGUs share only

two doctors who spend most of their time doing hospital duty at the

Buluan municipal district hospital. They also have very few barangay

health workers. To ensure that they report for work, the LGUs provide

honorarium.

82 HILAL HILAL 83

MOBILE G VERNANCEO Sultan Mastura’s BISITA sa Barangay

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

One-day visits by a local government unit to villages in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao make a life-changing diff erence for local folk by bringing basic services closer to where these matter most. Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao

84 HILAL HILAL 85

Registration, licensing and other business transactions, otherwise neglected by citizens throughout the year, are fi nally attended to because the municipal hall is right at their doorsteps. “We have our hands full, because they fi nd out before hand that moth-ers can register for free the births of their children six years old and below. We gave out as many as 600 birth certifi cates during our fi rst BISITA,” said Guianema Olampayan, the Municipal Civil Registrar.

Adults get their cedulas (residence certiciates) while operators of barangay-based businesses secure business permits. Usually, these are owners of sari-sari stores, repair shops and carinderias (eateries). Land-owners verify or pay their real property taxes, while senior citizens and persons with disabilities can apply for their corresponding ID cards entitling them to certain privileges.

One day each month, Mayor Armando Mastura of Sultan Mastura town in Maguindanao holds offi ce under a tree.

Sometimes he does so in a kiosk in the playground of a public elementary school. At other times he can be found in the porch of a two- classroom build-ing where people can easily approach him. “This informal setting makes the people more talkative. They tell me their con-cerns and I listen. It is time for me to know their stories,” said Mastura, who brings with him seventy percent of the municipal government staff, including workers and heads of line agencies, to the informal meetings so “we can be with the people and do what we can for them in a span of one day.” Also with him are representatives of civil society and donor organizations. The one-day barangay visit is “an op-portunity for the people to avail of the services of the government right in their own communities, a few steps away from their homes,” he said.

The LGU refers these monthly visits, conducted at an average of one baran-gay a month, as BISITA sa Barangay. BISITA stands for Bringing Integrated Services and Innovation through Team Approach. This approach resulted from the information generated from the LGU development planning process, assisted by the Local Governance Support Pro-gram in ARMM (LGSPA). The support fo-cused on the crafting and implementa-tion of the Comprehensive Development Plan-Executive and Legislative Agenda (CDP-ELA), including Barangay Develop-ment Plans (BDP). The ELA helped the LGU recognize the need to improve the

municipal and barangay databases and formulate barangay plans.

From the initial pilot assistance of LGSPA on the BDP process, the LGU expanded the initiative to include all barangays. In every consultation with community stakeholders, issues and concerns raised on health, education, and agriculture were noted by the Mayor. The consultation strengthened the programs in the CDP-ELA and sharpened the barangay plan implementation by providing critical information inputs. The BISITA was born in response to these needs. It provides a unique op-portunity for the LGU and the people to learn from each other up close and personal.

“I had to reach out to them because fa-thers are too busy in the fi elds to come to the municipal hall. Mothers are tak-ing care of their babies while the chil-dren are in school,” said Mayor Mastura. “Of course, we are not only honored by the Mayor’s presence, we are also grati-fi ed by the services that he brings to the people,” said Racma Simang, Chairper-son of Barangay Tapayan, the fi rst to be visited by the BISITA sa Barangay.

During these visits, Mayor Mastura engages local school stakeholders in a dialogue to identify their priority needs. He also treats Day Care Center pupils, pre-school children and elementary school students to steaming bowls of arroz caldo (porridge). The festive atmosphere is certainly infectious.

Rolando Guanzon, Municipal Planning and Development Offi cer, said “the staff

looks at the BISITA as a break from the routine of offi ce work. So they go about their tasks with joy and eagerness. Besides, their sense of service is height-ened as they come face to face with the people in the barangay, many of whom seldom visit the municipal hall.”

Dr. Raul Delosa, the Municipal Dentist, added: “We give children toothbrushes with toothpaste. We teach them how to brush. Then, we also clean their teeth. And, fi nally, we extract teeth. More than half of the schoolchildren have tooth decay due to bad health habits.” A nurse and three midwives assist mothers who bring their children, in-cluding babies, for medical consultation and immunization. They get medicines including vitamins. Pregnant women avail of prenatal medication and check-up. “We also instruct the women on health and hygiene, and water sanita-tion,” said the Municipal Nurse.

86 HILAL HILAL 87

Livestock raisers, on the other hand, bring their carabaos, goats and cows to designat-ed places for vaccination and de-worming by representatives of the Department of Agriculture. Agricultural technicians dis-tribute seedlings and share their know-how with farmers.

“It is heartwarming that they have come to us,” said one farmer. “Now, we know them personally and consider them friends. So, when we need something, we can approach them easily.”

Two-Way Benefi ts

Obviously, the BISITA benefi ts not only barangay residents but the LGU too. The Bureau of Internal Revenue staff distributes statements of real property tax to ensure that these are paid on time. These are information that the Mayor would not readily have to guide his decision making had he chosen to simply stay put in the comfort of his offi ce. “It is important that they become aware of their responsibilities as citizens,” said Mas-tura. “They do not fulfi ll them, like paying taxes, because they lack awareness. With us going to them, we also take the opportunity to remind them of their obligations.”

Education is also the mayor’s priority. He pointed out that the lack of teachers and classrooms continue to hound public schools.

Also high on his list of priorities are health and sanitation. He said that in Sultan Mastura “70 percent of children are mal-nourished, 75 percent of school children have tooth decay, majority of children and pregnant mothers are not immunized, and 46 percent of households have no sanitary toilets, so we are trying to address these problems through the BISITA sa Barangay.”

“The BISITA sa Barangay has not only ad-dressed the immediate needs of citizens,” said Guanzon, the Municipal Development Offi cer. ‘It has improved relations between the people and the local government unit.

To many people, governance is some-thing that takes place only in the municipal hall. Now, they realize that the local government unit would go out of its way to accomplish its goals.” Sarah Abid, the local desk person for CSOs, pointed out that that the monthly outreach activity is supported by local civil society organizations. Said she: “Of-fi cers and members of barangay-based associations take care of informing the citizenry of the forthcoming BISITA. At the same time, they assist in identifying people who require immediate medi-cal attention. They register in advance farmers and livestock raisers who are interested to meet the municipal agri-cultural offi cer and technician and des-ignate a venue by sitio clusters because barangays can be very large.”

Both community participation and inter-agency coordination are by-

products of the BISITA. On an informal level, the local government offi cials and staff have become closer. “It used to be that we seldom talked with each other because we were only limited to our respective offi ces. We were too shy to approach the top offi cials other than our bosses,” said Amina Dalandag, Mu-nicipal Local Government Operations Offi cer (MLGOO). “Now, we relate to one another better and our common experi-ence in the BISITA has made us closer. We all look forward to the next BISITA.”

Mastura intends to strengthen the BISITA “so we can address the other problems of the barangays. We have in-

creased the budget, which we get from our Development Fund.”

He also hopes that assistance will come in, and cites the example of Mayor Mus Sema and his wife, Bai Sandra of Cota-bato City who, having seen the BISITA reported on local television, sent boxes of medicine for the next one.

But, more than simply putting in place a unique program, the town of Sultan Mastura has demonstrated that through the BISITA sa Barangay, the LGU walks its talk in bringing the benefi ts of good governance to all.

88 HILAL HILAL 89

waterworlds

Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao Kabuntalan, Maguindanao

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

90 HILAL HILAL 91

Donnie Limba, Kagawad (Coun-

cilor) of Barangay Ganta, has

many reasons to be happy

even though fl oods recently

inundated his village in Ka-

buntalan, Maguindanao located along the

Rio Grande de Mindanao and Tamontaka

rivers. The elevated well that the com-

munity built had withstood the rampaging

fl oods and continuously provided safe water

to around 500 families including those from

other barangays.

“This well was able to provide water to

everyone, including soldiers in the nearby

detachment, as there is no other source,”

said Limba, his face beaming with pride as

he pumps water from the well.

It used to be that when the fl oods come to

Kabuntalan during the monsoon season,

outbreaks of diarrhea usually occur affect-

Kabuntalan’s Way

with WASHBy Charina Sanz

ing mostly children due to the lack of po-

table water. “Before the well was built, our

water tested positive for e-coli,” he said.

“Come, taste the water,” he added. “It is

now completely safe.”

The well which costs only around P7,000

was built by the community in February

2009 using two culverts and a PVC pipe

to keep the water free from arsenic con-

tamination. They used a technology from

the organization called “A Single Drop of

Safe Water” (ASDSW), Inc. in a training

supported by the Local Governance Sup-

port Program in ARMM (LGSPA). Pendatun

Latip, head of the Water and Sanitation

Association of Barangay Ganta, said that

community residents helped dig the well.

“Some carried sand and gravel, others

helped in the construction. There was divi-

sion of labor.”

The well was like an “answered prayer” to a

long-suffering community. “Kabuntalan is a

fl ood-prone area and lack of potable water

is a perennial problem,” he said. In fact,

the need for a well was identifi ed in their

Barangay Development Plan which was

formulated using a participatory approach.

But what is more signifi cant in Barangay

Ganta’s project is how it got the community

involved in identifying its needs through

enhancing the people’s capacities to design

and implement WASH projects, said Ahmad

Kamid, Kabuntalan’s municipal planning

and development coordinator. WASH stands

for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene.

The Kabuntalan WASH project took off with

the creation of the Municipal Water Task

Force (MWTF) and Water and Sanitation

Associations that were organized following

the local government unit’s formulation of

its Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA).

Barangays Ganta and Pedtad were chosen

as pilot areas for the WASH implementa-

tion that were later expanded to two other

barangays. The Kadtabanga Foundation

for Peace and Development Advocates,

Inc. (KFPDAI), the civil society organiza-

tion helping manage the WASH project in

Kabuntalan, closely works with the MWTF

in overseeing its implementation. KFPDAI

is a member of the MWTF.

Kadtabanga’s Amino “Shay” Kusain said

that they started the project by conduct-

ing a WASH inventory and survey among

household and water sources in the two

barangays. The results became the basis

for the formulation of the municipal WASH

plan that was presented to the community

and MWTF for fi nalization. “In the WASH

inventory, it was found out that there is a

need for potable water because children

were suffering from diarrhea,” said Kusain.

Based on the WASH plan, an organizational

project management training was given to

the two pilot barangays on the how-to’s in

implementing community-based projects

such as digging and constructing wells.

While the process that went into the plan’s

formulation was long and tedious (it in-

cluded consultations and data-gathering

for the WASH inventory and analysis), these

efforts paid off in the end. The community

“owned” the plan.

“Pintakasi” At the heart of the success of the communi-

ty-based well project in Barangay Ganta is

what Kabuntalan Mayor Salaban Diocolano

calls the spirit of pintakasi, a Maguindan-

aoan term for sama-sama bayanihan, or

“pooling of resources”.

Diocolano said that his administration used

pintakasi in addressing community con-

cerns. It involves everyone, from the LGU

and barangay offi cials to civil society orga-

nizations (CSO) in the area. This approach

was born out of the realization that the LGU

needs to work with various stakeholders to

get things done. This was applied not only

to WASH but also to other projects.

The LGU also formed the Kabuntalan

Integrated Team Approach to Governance

and Basic Services (KITAB) when the

need to harmonize the work of all depart-

ments, from the executive to the legislative,

became apparent. KITAB, created in 2007

through an Executive Order, is headed by

the mayor and composed of LGU offi cials

such as the Municipal and Planning De-

velopment Coordinator, Municipal Health

Offi cer, Sangguniang Bayan Sanitation

Committee Chair; Municipal Administrator;

the MWTF and WSA (Water and Sanitation

Association), other multi-sectoral agencies,

CSOs and People’s Organizations (PO).

“With the use of technology and a gover-

nance-centered approach, communities

benefi t from a successful WASH program in

the long run,” said Anwar Salic, Kabuntalan

Municipal Administrator.

By harnessing competencies from across

the entire range of the LGU from the ba-

rangay to the municipality and province,

regional government, CSOs and communi-

ties, this collaboration shows that WASH

systems can become sustainable. Admit-

tedly, there are remaining challenges.

These include guaranteeing the continuity

of the projects over time, fi nding funding

opportunities for infrastructure develop-

ment, increasing the demand for water and

sanitation services, and CSOs and commu-

nities using their capacities appropriately.

But gauging from the experience of Kabun-

talan, the results are encouraging. “Thanks

to pintakasi and the WASH trainings, we

now know that there are many ways to

ensure safe, drinking water. Hopefully, no

child will ever get sick from diarrhea again

because of unsafe water,” said Limba.

WASH projects supported by LGSPA usually get off the ground with an

orientation on the governance approach as a strategy to mobilize the LGU

and community to take action. Eventually the training will cascade down to

local communities to fi nd solutions to WASH issues. “People are very enthusi-

astic. They see the need, and once they go back to their areas, they put to good

use the skills we have passed on,” said Kiwi Lee, Executive Director of ASDSW

(A Single Drop of Water).

“The governance approach is to create demand, not just multi-sectoral par-

ticipation but active participation by all sectors,” he added. “Some people don’t

know they are sick unless they are aware that they are sick. You need to edu-

cate them on what is causing the illness and raise their capacities. LGUs have

to be engaged as well as partner with the people.”

Recently, ASDSW has been using a portable microbiology water tester to ex-

amine water samples from the community. The portable tester is very effective

in raising awareness as the participants immediately see the results. “Often

they are shocked at the level of water contamination. As a result of the water

sample tests, the community members are often galvanized into action and

supporting the WASH program,” said ASDSW staff Noraida Chio.

Aside from Kabuntalan, there are other WASH models that are also showing

much promise such as those in Guindulungan and Talayan in Maguindanao

which demonstrate strong collaboration between the LGU and the Municipal

WASH Task Force. There is also the construction of bio-sand fi lters in Mulo-

ndo, Lanao del Sur.

The WASH Strategy

92 HILAL HILAL 93

The people’s need for clean water was

among the top concerns of former

Mayor Tocao Mastura of Sultan

Kudarat municipality in the province of

Maguindanao.

“I know the feeling of a thirsty person,” said

Mastura, who now serves as the Municipal

Administrator for his daughter, Mayor Bai

Shajida Mastura.

“For years, I was in the mountains as an

MNLF Commander. As we moved from one

place to another we made do without wa-

ter,” he recalled. “We were not just thirsty

we also had problems with hygiene. That’s

why I can say with certainty that water is

very important to keep one’s good health.

Sultan Kudarat: Water as

Builder of Hope

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

Many of my fellow combatants contracted

diseases due to dehydration”.

Years later, as Mayor of Sultan Kudarat, he

vowed he would ensure that “my constitu-

ents will have access to clean and potable

water.” It was a promise that he did not just

articulate. When he defi ned his priorities

and strategies in the Executive and Legisla-

tive Agenda, he made sure to include his

vision for clean and safe water.

Mastura knew his desire for his constituents

was about to come true when the Local

Governance Support Program in ARMM (LG-

SPA) supported Sultan Kudarat in its quest

to provide citizens access to potable water

supply, sanitation and hygiene services.

By the time Mastura’s daughter, Bai Sha-

jida, became mayor, the Water Supply,

Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project had

been put in place. Bai Shajida adopted the

project to widen its coverage and sustain

the initial WASH accomplishments of her

father.

“Among its initial efforts, the previous ad-

ministration organized the Municipal WASH

Task Force, formulated the local WASH

action plan, conducted the inventory of lo-

cal water resources and identifi ed priority

barangays,” Bai Shajida said. “It also orga-

nized the Water and Sanitation Associations

in the various barangays and conducted

planning workshops in targeted barangays

so the people will know their responsibili-

ties in establishing and maintaining the

WASH project in their area.”

She narrated that her predecessor “sup-

ported the installation of 22 ferro-cement

iron fi lter systems in the Rio Grande River,

which benefi tted some 600 households

in the Rio Grande cluster of 11 baran-

gays.” These fi lters were introduced

earlier through another organization that

was brought in by LGSPA — the Philippine

Center for Water and Sanitation (PCWS).

Bio-sand fi lters and ferro-cement iron fi l-

ters are different technologies but operate

on the same principles of fi ltration. The iron

fi lters are a system appropriate to making

water along the Rio Grande, that have pro-

nounced undesirable physical and biologi-

cal properties, more safe.

“The local government allocated a budget

to give all-out support to the Sultan Kuda-

rat Municipal Water Task Force in purchas-

ing the systems, and the civil society orga-

nizations in the area contributed manpower,

so it was a joint effort of the LGU and the

people,” explained Mastura.

According to Daturaiz Mamadra, Sultan

Kudarat Municipal Planning and Devel-

opment Offi cer, “LGSPA linked our LGU

with the A Single Drop of Safe Water, Inc.

(ASDSW), which promotes the use of the

bio-sand fi lter technology, which was

developed by the Canadian foundation,

Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation

Technology.”

Five out-of-school youth then participated

in a training workshop on the installation of

bio-sand fi lters. “Our technical know-how

has brought us income,” said Wilhelmina

Karim, one of those who participated in the

workshop. “People are receptive because

they know the value of clean and safe water.

That’s why there is a strong demand for

bio-sand fi lters.”

Wilhelmina is grateful that she is no longer

idle. “But aside from having something

useful to do and earning from it, I have also

gained friends as my clients still get in

touch with me. More importantly, I realized

that when people are given the opportunity

to better their lives, they grab it. They are

not only excited and fulfi lled that they now

have clean and safe water. Moreover, they

have a sense of pride in themselves and

their families because their lives have im-

proved. In a way, I also feel proud because I

can say that I have done something for their

welfare,” she said.

A bio-sand fi lter costs P1,500. The amount

covers installation of the product and

a manual on how to maintain it. Seven

women now promote the product.

Sixty bio-sand fi lters were installed in 60

households in six barangays. Interestingly,

households with the equipment sell water

to those who have yet to buy their own fi l-

ters. They sell fi ltered water at one peso per

liter, and iced water at one peso per pack.

Due to the increase in demand, local

women entrepreneurs decided to invest in

the project by providing the capital outlay

for the purchase of bio-sand fi lters. “We

give the people good prices,” said Nawara

K. Karim. “What is important is we are able

to help ensure that people have clean water

right in their homes.”

“People have been giving us positive feed-

back,” said Noda Chio, ASDSWF worker in

the area. “They now have clear and odor-

less water at home. They say that the taste

has improved too.”

Elizabeth Ebus Sumail, Municipal Sanitary

Inspector, pointed out that “there has been

a decrease in the incidence of water-born

diseases from 20 to 5 percent. Tests also

94 HILAL HILAL 95

The Chair of Barangay Porbsaudi agrees.

She said “the WASH project did not just

give us access to water, it also imbued in

us a sense of cooperation, and the strong

desire to work together since we had to

decide for ourselves how we would imple-

ment the project in our barangay. Since

this involved the needs of everyone, both

husbands and wives were enthusiastic,

with adults and children sharing their

opinions and even manpower. Our young

women too became involved as they helped

in setting up the fi lter systems at home.”

She attributes this renewed enthusiasm

to the LGSPA mentors “who coached us

in preparing our community plans and

strategies, with the local government unit

supporting us all the way, but giving us the

freedom to make decisions, as we orga-

nized our own barangay water and sanita-

tion association.”

Also part of the WASH project is the instal-

lation of toilet bowls in homes that, for the

longest time, did not have toilets.

Daturaiz Mamadra, the Municipal Planning

and Development Coordinator, said that

“several men received training on how to

manufacture the toilet bowls using avail-

able materials. It is now their livelihood

and they are making good, because people

have been educated on the use of toilet

bowls, which was not feasible in the past

when they did not have access to clean and

safe water.”

The current LGU administration continues

to support the project by allocating funds

for organizing and strengthening Barangay

Water and Sanitation Associations. In her

own ELA, Bai Shajida prioritizes WASH and

its expansion to other barangays, while pro-

viding the fi nancial and technical support

essential to the maintenance of the existing

fi lter systems. She directed the provision of

counterpart funds for systems installation,

repair and maintenance.

“As a mother, I know that water is very

important. When you have a baby to take

care of, you cannot tell them to wait for the

water. You also need water to bathe them.

And we’re not just talking of babies but the

whole family. Water is really important.

Cleanliness is a must in Islam and the only

way this can be realized is with the avail-

ability of water,” Bai Shajida said.

By continuing the WASH project that her

predecessor began, Bai Shajida made it

possible for the rest of her constituency to

enjoy the services that they awaited with

hope and optimism.

“Aside from having clean and safe water,

our people have attained gains in other

aspects of our Islamic way of life. One is

their realization that by cooperating with

their local government unit, common good

can be achieved. And secondly, that in set-

ting goals for themselves they should agree

on what they want, and they should work

together in achieving them,” she said.

show there are no e-coli (bacteria) in the water taken by the

people.”

“I am glad that we now have water,” said one of the women. “Be-

cause there was a time when we had to fetch water from distant

barangays, and we were not even sure of its cleanliness. When

women gathered, we would talk of our diffi culties, and the num-

ber one problem that cropped up was water. In Islam, water is

very important because we need to practice cleanliness. Without

water, how can we be clean? Our families are happy because the

children don’t get sick.”

The woman is grateful that the local government unit under Bai

Shajida continues to support the WASH project. “It has also made

the people in the barangays work together.”

Access to water distributed through communal faucets (level II) and household taps (level III) is lowest in ARMM compared to the other

regions; thus, most households resort to remedial means such as rain collection and purchasing from private vendors. Generally, responses tend to focus on infrastructure support, which exclude sanita-tion and hygiene education and do not necessarily build up stakeholders’ abilities to expand and ad-dress needs of adjoining communities. LGU involve-ment is also kept to a minimum, mainly through the provision of local counterpart. The sad reality is that many LGUs have been conditioned into thinking that WASH programs initiated by external partners entail direct delivery to target end users such that LGUs do not necessarily regard themselves as responsible for driving the process.

LGSPA’s approach to improving the delivery of water supply, sanitation and hygiene services or WASH is linked to governance processes in the locality and through the same processes, seeks to enable stake-holders so that WASH needs of the rest of the constitu-ents are systematically addressed. This is particularly valuable for areas that are resource-constrained, and where governance relationships remain tenuous.

The governance approach to WASH is an empowering process of engagement that would increase the sup-ply and quality of WASH services by increasing the demand for it, enhancing the abilities of suppliers to provide it, and providing opportunities for both duty-holders (government) and claim-makers (citizens and communities) to systematically work together, thereby creating and strengthening governance rela-tionships.

LGSPA support for engagements among LGUs, CSOs, and community members is contributing to im-

proved access to WASH services in ARMM. Municipal capacities for WASH were strengthened in at least 31 LGUs. With LGSPA assistance, stakeholders in 115 barangays constructed and installed fi ltration and sanitation systems, water harvesting and storage tanks, and the repair of dug wells, pipes and pumps. LGSPA supports water testing in all systems as well as a WASH information and education campaign for community members. As a result, more communities have ac-cess to safe water, to means of appropriately disposing wastes, and are better aware of options for maintaining cleanliness and preventing health problems or illness.

The highlights of the approach include:1. Creating municipal and barangay-level structures

such as the Municipal WASH Task Force and Water and Sanitation Associations to initiate, anchor and coordinate efforts and ensure participation

2. Developing local capacities to systematically pur-sue WASH through resource inventory; preparation of WASH plans and linking these to the local devel-opment plans; undertaking information and educa-tion campaigns; and effectively managing organiza-tions and projects/community initiatives

3. Applying capacities by undertaking community-based WASH projects such as improving access to WASH through rehabilitation and installation of new systems; and developing information and education materials with the participation of com-munity leaders and ARMM agencies

4. Working with ARMM CSOs to effectively communi-cate demand for WASH and strengthen capacities of local suppliers and providers

5. Working with other organizations and programs undertaking WASH for a coordinated response

6. Developing customized knowledge products (such as the WASH Field Guide) to supplement other WASH materials and support replication and ex-pansion

All about WASH

96 HILAL HILAL 97

Special Citations

98 HILAL HILAL 99

Assembly of the Dar’ul Iftah

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

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

100 HILAL HILAL 101

Muslim religious lead-ers have always been a source of inspiration and guidance for their people. The Friday wor-

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

their options and make decisions in their daily life – how to choose one’s leaders through the electoral process, how to transact business, how to deal with women, how to settle a confl ict, among myriad human concerns. Mus-lim religious leaders (MRLs), without a doubt, exert great infl uence over their fl ock. The improved and comprehensible way of preaching of many of these religious leaders may be attributed to the re-lease of an important publication, The Selected Khutba – A Guide to Social Development for the Muslim Commu-nities in the Philippines, developed and produced with the assistance of the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA). “The Selected Khutba is a helpful refer-ence in inspiring our fellow Muslims in living the kind of life that we all should practice in the midst of current chal-lenges,” said Ustadz Esmael Ebrahim, spokesman of the Assembly of the Dar’ul Ifta of the Philippines, which put together the 48 selected sermons. Dar’ul Ifta is an Arabic word, meaning House of Islamic or legal opinion. In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mind-anao, the Assembly of the Dar’ul Ifta of the Philippines is composed of the provincial muftis from the provinces of Tawi – Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. These senior ulama and recognized Muslim scholars in the community of Muslims regularly meet to deliberate, discuss, refl ect and inter-pret issues and concerns on matters re-lated to Islam; “we envision steering the community towards a God-fearing and developed Ummah despite social ills such as poverty and corruption,” says Ustadz Ebrahim. The group was formal-ized in 2003 and has been involved in several breakthroughs such as drafting of the Halal Guidelines of the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certifi cation Board, Inc. (MMHCBI).

Ustadz Ebrahim, who fi nished Islamic Studies in Pakistan’s International

Islamic University, considers it the obligation of religious leaders “to offer direction to the affairs of the faithful because we realize that guidance is im-portant. As the world keeps changing, and all kinds of problems crop up, it is necessary that we enlighten our fellow-men. The Qur’an is clear on all matters affecting human life and man’s rela-tionship with God, nature and his fellow human beings, and all we have to do is convey the message to them in such a way that they will fi nd the teachings practical and easy to fulfi ll.”

This concern for the people’s way of life is equally illustrated by the MRLs’ role in supporting the halal industry by defi ning and identifying products that are deemed halal or allowed by the Holy Qur’an.

“By naming what are permissible and not permissible as prescribed by the teachings of Islam, we set the param-eters for implementation by the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certifi cation Board (MMHCBI),” said Ustadz Ebrahim, who was also appointed MMHCBI spokes-man.

The MMHCBI was created jointly by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-ARMM, the ARMM Business Coun-cil and the Assembly of the Da’rul Ifta. “Halal products are those that are pro-cessed in accordance with Islamic laws and traditions,” he added.

Halal-Certifi ed The formulation of the fi rst ever halal guidelines in Muslim Mindanao has benefi ted business establishments and consumers alike. Halal certifi cation standards were also motivated by a DTI-ARMM program to gain inroads in the multi-billion halal export market.

An example is Tam’s Bakery in Cotabato City, which was the fi rst establishment to be certifi ed by the MMHCBI.

When owner Tony Chua learned about the presence of a certifying body in Co-tabato, he immediately went to its offi ce and inquired about how his bakery can be halal certifi ed. After he was briefed, he complied with the requirements to use ingredients that are certifi ed halal. Expectedly, the number of his Muslim customers has since increased.

Said Bai Raga Mustapha, a 63-year-old resident of Sultan Kudarat, “I have not eaten pan de sal for many years be-cause I was not sure if the local bread sold in the market did not use pork fat. But with Tam’s halal certifi cation, I have fi nally tasted pan de sal again.” She has also encouraged her friends and rela-tives to patronize Tam’s Bakery, which has increased its production volume due to heightened demand.

What started out in Cotabato -- giv-ing Muslims halal choices -- became a reality for Muslims nationwide when the Department of Trade and Indus-try adapted the halal guidelines of the MMHCBI as the template for the nation-al version after seeking permission from the Muslim Religious Leaders of ARMM. The ARMM MRLs also participated in the national consultations involving 11 regions. Two hundred of the 364 partici-pants were MRLs. The Philippine National Standards on Halal Food was approved and recom-mended by the DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards in February 2008. In June of that year, the National Halal Conven-tion took place attended by 100 MRLs from all over the country.

Consequently, the national government organized the National Halal Accredi-tation Board (NHAB). Of its 19 ulama members, fi ve muftis (high Muslim clerics considered experts in interpret-ing the Qur’an) and one senior Islamic scholar are from the ARMM. In 2009, the NHAB formed the Council of Muftis, which renders opinions regarding halal matters. Of the seven members, fi ve belong to the MMHCBI.

With LGSPA support, civil society organizations (CSOs) in the ARMM have

become a distinct and signifi cant force in the advocacy for transforming gov-

ernance in the region.

Senior CSO leaders have since been able to take common positions on criti-

cal issues and weigh into the peace and governance debate in ARMM. Despite

having been on the margins of the offi cial peace process due to the policy

of the offi cial peace panels to limit substantive participation of other stake-

holders, CSOs have achieved institutional capacity to initiate parallel efforts

to address peace issues. Serious initiatives have been taken to enhance the

peace discourse not only related to the political arena but also in relation to

economic and cultural dimensions. Following the collapse of the peace talks

and the peace panels being disbanded, this same CSO institutional capacity

was demonstrated in their ability to mobilize a collective effort to respond to

the changing conditions.

At the local level, with LGSPA support, more CSOs are making the diffi cult

effort to engage with local governments. Over the duration of the program,

CSOs have invested major time and resources to be part of local planning

and, more importantly, to be part of implementing the plans and monitoring

the progress.

As CSOs improved in their capacity to engage government, LGSPA supported

efforts to sharpen the CSOs’ techniques and tools in working with commu-

nities. Service delivery is seen as a main medium of engagement between

CSOs and communities. LGSPA-funded technical assistance has helped key

ARMM CSOs to adopt new methods of delivering services that ensure proj-

ects become an educational and empowering experience for citizens. The ap-

proach is built on the principles of participatory and democratic governance

and not simply a contractor-client relationship between the LGU/CSO and the

community.

Moreover, Muslim religious leaders, through LGSPA-supported activities,

have taken a more active role in governance advocacy and hence have further

strengthened ARMM civil society and raised public awareness and demand

for good governance in ARMM. LGSPA supported activities brought together

the muftis, the most senior Islamic religious leaders of the region. The muftis

have since evolved into the Assembly of the Dar’ul Ifta of the Philippines.

As a group, they have emerged as a strong voice in governance advocacy,

taking public positions on corruption, electoral reform and violence. As a

collective effort, they have developed guidelines for Friday sermons (khutba)

for ulamas that provide messages, based on the Qur’an, related to important

governance issues. The local chief executives of LGUs have responded

positively to the use of the khutbas and their message is improving the

environment for civil society engagement in local governance.

CSOs in ARMM

102 HILAL HILAL 103

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

Joseph Palanca, LGSPA Program Offi -cer, pointed out that “with the growing mistrust of a number of Muslims for government offi cials whom they per-ceive to have failed them, many people look to religious leaders for guidance in political and economic matters, and not just in the social, spiritual and cultural spheres of their existence.”

To underscore the role of the MRLs, Palanca shared his readings: “In the Islamic world, every Muslim state has its Dharul-Ifta, a term in the Arabic language which means the House of Islamic/legal opinion. This is the assem-bly of the most senior ulama and the most recognized Muslim scholars in the community who deliberate, discuss, re-fl ect and interpret issues and concerns on matters related to Islam. ”

He said that “the Dharul Ifta in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Min-danao can help steer the community towards a God-fearing and developed Ummah (Muslim community or world) and lead in the combat against poverty, corruption and immorality, which are the real enemies of the people. Muslims in the region consider the muftis and the ulama to be at the vanguard in the journey towards peace, development and social justice.”

Palanca pointed to the “mimbar (pulpit) as an important tool of the muftis in reaching the community every Friday. Muslims consider listening to a khutba during Friday prayers in the mosque an obligation”.

Jojo Deles, LGSPA Regional Development Manager, said that “LGSPA has always recognized the critical role of Muslim religious leaders in educating the com-munity on various issues affecting their daily lives.”

He said that the LGSPA initiative began during the 2005 ARMM election. “The LGSPA supported voters’ education by partnering with the late Ustadz Ahmad Ali A. Bud, then Dean of the Southern Philippines Center for Islamic Teaching and Training at the Mindanao State Uni-versity in Tawi-Tawi.”

“Seven khutbas were developed by Ustadz Ali Bud covering the seven Fridays of the 45-day election cam-paign period. Being the chairperson of the Maslisul ‘ala (Supreme Council for Islamic Teaching and Advocacy), he met with the masjid preachers to discuss

the guidelines and to promote the use of the guidelines for the Friday worship homily,” added Deles.

The electoral initiative proved a suc-cess, as evidenced by positive feedback from the local people, which embold-ened the LGSPA to partner with four muftis, Aleem Abdulwahid Inju (Tawi-Tawi), Aleem Mahmod Polangi (Lanao Sur), Aleem Abdulla Hamja Utoh (Basi-lan), and Aleem Shariff Jul Asiri Abirin (Sulu) in the production of khutbas for year-round use. Organizing themselves into the Assembly of the Da’rul Iftah, they developed khutbas in the areas of good governance, social justice, con-fl ict resolution, poverty and economic development and Islam as a Way of Life. With the help of their shariah aides, they wrote and developed the one-year set of guidelines in eight months.

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

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

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

LGSPA supported the crafting and publi-cation of the Selected Khutba as part of its Citizens’ Education Project for Peace and Good Governance.

While the it now serves as reference for sermons in mosques during Friday worships all over the country, the halal industry has also taken off.

Ustadz Ebrahim said that the MMHCBI “continuously meets with food produc-ers and manufacturers to brief them on the religious and technical aspects of producing halal foods.” Among those who have attended were representa-tives of the Mindanao Poultry Growers’ Association which counts among its members large companies like Magno-lia and Swift.

He emphasized that “companies have sought to enrich their technologies’ research and development for market expansion to be able to comply with the strict Philippine Halal Products Standard.”

“Getting a halal certifi cation from the MMHCB for both food and non-food products like cosmetics, pharmaceu-ticals, among others, will benefi t both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, as this means that those products comply with international standards,” Ustadz Ebrahim said.

These international standards, ac-cording to Ustadz Ebrahim, are HACCP (hazard analysis critical control for products); GMP (good manufacturing

practices); and ISO (International Stan-dardization Organization).

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

104 HILAL HILAL 105

JUSTICEETHNIC The ‘Bleye Kitab’

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

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

106 HILAL HILAL 107

A “win-win situation” is a contem-

porary term that the people of

South Upi, Maguindanao may

not be familiar with. Yet, it is al-

most always the outcome when

disputes are settled by the Mayor’s Council

also known as the Bleye Kitab.

Bleye Kitab, according to one of its active

members, Timuay Jovito Bello Martin, a

former municipal mayor, “is a T’duray term

which means ‘House of Justice.’ “

Originally composed of nine members, it

is a group of respected personalities ap-

pointed by the municipal mayor to settle

confl icts that could not be resolved at the

barangay level.

The active members are Timuay Jovito

Martin, Timuay Jose Mamo, Datu Angkay

Diokolano, Fintoylan Jocelyn U. Gomera

and Bgy. Kagawad Edse Alimuddin.

“To start with,” said Timuay Martin, “Bleye

Kitab came into existence because Mayor

Abdullah A. Campong realized that the

indigenous people preferred to go to him

instead of the courts to settle their dis-

putes. Muslims also go to him because he

is a Balik Islam, a Teduray who embraced

Islam.

“As a result, he issued Executive Order 01

in 2005 creating the Mayor’s Council, com-

posed of fi ve members from the T’duray,

four members representing the Muslims,

and two representatives of other ethnic

groups like the Lumad,” said Timuay Mar-

tin. He explained that the mayor serves as

Chairperson, while the members, according

to the Executive Order, are chosen based

on their integrity, honesty, independence,

sound mind, experience, and exposure in

settling disputes within their tribes and

their barangays.

The people’s deference to the mayor is in

keeping with the ethnic tradition of the

Muslims and the Tedurays which puts high

premium on the leader who, when s/he so

chooses, plays the role of chief executive,

legislator, and judge. On the other hand, by

creating the Mayor’s Council, Mayor Cam-

pong applied an equally respected custom

of seeking guidance from the elders or the

wise men of the group. Democracy is at

work in Bleye Kitab as the mayor shares an

important responsibility with the members

of the community.

In the course of promoting good governance

practices in ARMM, LGSPA took notice of

Bleye Kitab as an innovative local confl ict

resolution mechanism and consequently

included it in its capacity building program.

For example, through its local resource

partner, Community Organizers Multi-ver-

sity (COM), it helped document Bleye Kitab

processes to ensure its institutionalization,

and, hopefully, encourage replication by

other local government units in ARMM.

“Decisions made by the Bleye Kitab do not

only come from gut feel and common sense

or, for that matter, tradition,” said Timuay

Martin. He pointed out the role of the LGSPA

in strengthening communities’ capacities

and encouraging confl ict management

to become more transformative, culture-

sensitive and peace-promoting. South Upi

has been one of those communities, and

Bleye Kitab is one of the 16 local confl ict

resolution mechanisms that underwent

training and seminars on culture of peace,

confl ict management, confl ict mediation,

peace keeping, and peace and confl ict

impact assessment.

Community Organizers Multiversity

enumerates its three main functions,

“to counsel, mediate and to arbitrate

disputes forwarded to them by the

Barangay Chairperson; to restore justice

and preserve interpersonal relationships

between parties in dispute; and heal

victims’ wounds, restore offenders to

law-abiding lives, and repair harm done

to interpersonal relationship and the

community.”

According to Timuay Mama, “the cases

brought to Bleye Kitab vary from petty

offenses like simple theft and oral defa-

mation. We also settle disputes involving

family relations, properties like land, and

contracts.”

What seems like an unorthodox approach

to the delivery of justice is, to the people of

South Upi, “a legitimate process that has

always been part of our culture and tradi-

tion, especially because of the absence of

regular or special courts like the shariah,”

said Datu Angkai Diokolano representing the

Muslims. “This is in keeping with the tradi-

tion of settling disputes among fellow tribes-

men, friends and relatives, people you still

108 HILAL HILAL 109

munities as key stakeholders in the amica-

ble settlement process. It functions with the

understanding of everyone concerned that

the victim is not the only person affected,

but it includes those indirectly affected

by the offense like family members of the

parties and members of the affected com-

munity. With everyone involved, the safety,

support and needs of the victims are met.”

To the members of the Bleye Kitab, the

healing process between disputants is

important “because if their differences are

healed, everyone can sleep in peace. But

if they still do not see eye to eye, there are

possibilities that disagreements between

two people, whether neighbors, friends

pact, apportioned the area between them.

Mamalu kept the highlands and part of the

seashore; and Tabunaway, the lowlands and

another part of the seashore. Whenever

food was scarce, they shared their respec-

tive harvests.”

Timuay Martin said that “given their com-

mon origin, the people consider themselves

part of the confl ict as much as the solution.

They all feel that in the end, the goodwill

between disputants can be sustained if

everyone helps them.”

According to COM’s Madett Gardiola ”the

central premise of Bleye Kitab is its regard

for victims, offenders and the affected com-

consider your neighbor even when you live

several hundred meters apart from one an-

other, and people you have grown up with.”

Timuay Jose considers his appointment “an

honor, because the people’s recommenda-

tion is a proof of their faith in me. To us,

the appointment means that we enjoy the

people’s respect.”

Datu Diokolano realizes “it is not an easy

task because on many occasions, our

friends and relatives are involved. That is

why it is important that we have an im-

partial view. Our knowledge of the justice

system, both traditional and the shariah

court, in the case of Muslims, makes it pos-

sible for us to make decisions with fairness.

It is not just a matter of deciding which one

is the guilty party, or if both parties are to

be blamed. It is also looking beyond the of-

fense itself.“

Fintahlan Gomera explained that “we al-

ways consider the community. It is because

I think of myself as a member of the com-

munity, not above the law. I always tell my

family that if there is anyone who should

behave they should be the fi rst and should

set the example. It would be a shame to

mediate in a situation when one’s own

family member is involved. Of course, I will

inhibit myself, if that happens, but still,

what would people say?”

Local Folklore as Arbitration AidsIn cases involving both Muslims and Tedur-

ays, the Bleye Kitab invokes local folklore.

According to Timuay Martin “in situations

when feelings are at a boiling point, espe-

cially where land disputes are concerned,

and reconciliation is diffi cult, Bleye Kitab

members remind the disputants that they

are descended from the same ancestors

– Mamalu and Tabunaway – brothers who

lived during the time of Shariff Kabunsuan,

the Muslim missionary from Johor.”

“While Mamalu refused to embrace Islam

and moved to the mountains, Tabunaway

stayed and converted into Islam. The broth-

ers remained friends and in their peace

Bleye Kitab members may have the people’s blessing, but their cred-ibility is continuously being evalu-ated. A member of the community

Zenaida M. Lim said, “The members of the Bleye Kitab have shown through the years that they themselves are law-abiding people. In the past, long before Bleye Kitab was created, they had been helping settle disputes in the barangay level in their personal capacities. It is because they have always had our respect. There is no point in seeking help from the Bleye Kitab if the members change their attitudes or if they look at their roles as a source of personal power. We will always go to the mayor and tell him if we are not happy with the way any member is acting in the community.”

“Our role is mandated by Executive Order No. 1 of the mayor,” Fintahlan Gomera said, “so we must do our job because this is not just an informal appointment.”

“The members of the Bleye Kitab come from far places,” she said. “Sometimes we have to walk all the way to the poblacion to fulfi ll our responsibilities. This is not a job with a rewarding pay. We get P3,000.00 a month as honorarium. But we are in this not because of what we get. Besides, when

one tills the farm, one gets more. But this is really our form of public service. We have been recommended and we accepted the appointment, so we perform our duties. When you desire peace, you will do any-thing to make it happen.”

Timuay Mama described the process of mediation, “which starts when the baran-gay chair elevates the case to us. Among ourselves, the members, we choose the presiding offi cer. If it is a case involving Muslims, a Muslim member of the group presides and we refer to shariah law. If it is between Tedurays, we use the T’duray tribal justice system, based on knowledge and tradition handed down through genera-tions of Timuays, or wise and respected T’durays. And if it is a dispute between Tedurays and Muslims, we choose some-one who, we believe, is acceptable to both parties, someone perceived by both as fair and not, in any way, personally interested in the outcome of the case.”

“At the outset, we tell them that they were the ones who came to ask for help, and that we did not ask them to come to us so we can settle their dispute,” said Datu Diokolano. “In the end, it is they who will settle their differences. Our purpose is pri-

The Council’s Credibility

or husbands and wives, can lead to family

feuds, or people taking sides,” said Datu

Diokolano.

Binding RespectA leader of one of the factions in a rido

(clan feud) said that “our respect for the

Bleye Kitab and our belief in God both keep

us committed to our promise not to engage

in rido again. What is nice about Bleye Kitab

is we do not lose face. The Bleye Kitab

focuses on making both parties appreci-

ate the value of ending the feud and living

in peace. Restitution is also practiced, with

a token sum of money changing hands to

compensate the other party.” A man, who

refused to be identifi ed, is now an infl uen-

marily to ensure that both parties are able to talk and convey their desires and come out with an agreement.”

“It is important that both parties treat each other well, so we advise them to relax and to be honest, and not to get angry because we are here to help them,” Kagawad Alim-uddin explained.

“It is all very cordial,” he continued. “We sit down and ask what the problem is. They talk, and we discuss how the problem can be solved. If it is theft and it becomes clear that one took possession of the material property of the other, we advise them that this be returned immediately. A fi ne is also agreed upon, depending on the capability of the offender.”

Timuay Martin drove home this point: “We consider the relationship of the two par-ties because we try to show that they are meant to be friends and not enemies, or that they are related to each other by blood or affi nity. There is no point in destroy-ing one another. We look back to tradition and history and we tell them that peaceful relationships have been handed down from generations, why should their simple dis-pute now get in the way of co-existence?”

110 HILAL HILAL 111

tial leader in his barangay. Having shown

his humility and having proved true to his

commitment to keep the peace, he has

gained the people’s respect. The mayor,

moreover, depends on him to mobilize the

people when volunteers are needed for

development projects.

Whether it is fear or the desire for peace

that inspires compliance with the agree-

ment, the ritual has proved effective in

ending many feuds between families and

political factions. Timuay Martin recalled

the many times “we have had to fi nd a solu-

tion to these ridos, which meant that both

parties had to agree. This happens when

one side takes the lead in shedding off pride

or maratabat. The other always follows.

But this requires a process and a lot of talk

which makes both sides realize that by end-

ing the rido, they are not only doing them-

selves good, but most importantly, they are

doing something for the community.”

He said that “the police force has expressed

its thanks to us. Fighting related to ridos

has been reduced since the Bleye Kitab was

created through an executive order. Having

acquired a legal mandate, it serves a pur-

pose that is respected and recognized by the

That the Bleye Kitab has proved to be an effective body for resolving confl icts in South Upi is best illus-trated by its role in facilitating the

peaceful process of reintegration of a group of Moro evacuees in Sitio Pomogonon, Barangay Pandan.

More than 30 years earlier, these Moros had fl ed the area to escape the outbreak of anti-Moro violence. They returned in 2008 and were reclaiming their lands, now being cultivated by Tedurays, a number of them Christians.

The Bleye Kitab decided to intervene by fi nding out which of these Moros were the same ones who fl ed decades ago, and thus may establish their right to their old pos-sessions.

To confi rm the identities of the returnees, the Bleye Kitab gathered the members of the community and asked each of the returnees to move forward. A panelist then asked from the people if there was anyone among them who recognized the person.

“Do you know this person?,“ asked the panelist. And someone from the crowd moved forward and answered, “Yes.” When the newly-arrived Muslim recognized his Teduray playmate, they embraced each

other, and the rest of the crowd, remem-bering as well, swarmed on the long-lost friend or neighbor or playmate.

One by one, the legitimate returnees were identifi ed and the pretenders weeded out.

The Sangguiang Bayan enacted an ordi-nance allowing the returnees to settle and requiring them to show proofs of owner-ship of the properties they abandoned in haste. Those who were known to have committed crimes in the past were required to get a certifi cate from the mayor stating that they had come back to seek peace and start a new, clean life.

An important issue that had to be settled was the ownership of lands that had been taken over by the residents. The Bleye Kitab showed its wisdom by asking the parties to agree to amicable solutions. As a result, some lands were returned, and others shared for a time, with the present cultiva-tor allowed to keep a part of the harvest for a number of seasons, after which the original owner got his possession back.All the parties concerned were grateful to the Bleye Kitab. For one, they were spared the high cost of litigation which includes docket fees and professional fees of law-yers. Moreover, Bleye Kitab came up with a solution fast enough to allow the people

concerned and the community to resume their lives. In a normal court situation, resolution of the case might have taken years. With the Bleye Kitab playing a signifi cant role in settling disputes over ownership of lands, and identifying which of the returnees were genuine, the reintegration process received the support of the other offi cial bodies and agencies in the com-munity, like the Municipal Peace and Order Council, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine National Police, Department of Health and the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Truly, the local government of South Upi has shown that peace building is possible with the Offi ce of the Mayor, the Sanggu-niang Bayan, the different line agencies, the barangay offi cials and the people them-selves working together to achieve unity. The Bleye Kitab, as a part of the process, takes a large slice of the credit and praise because it is involved in initiating appropri-ate action and ensuring that all stakehold-ers receive what is due them.

What is remarkable is that the Bleye Kitab has done all these without much fanfare but with a lot of heart.

Mediating Land Confl ict

police. So, they allow us to mediate between

factions. In short, we have prevented fi ghts,

and the peace and order situation has im-

proved. Besides, the policemen themselves

are aware that people do not immediately

go to them when there’s a problem. The

barangay justice system is at work here,

and when it has exhausted all efforts, that’s

when the disputants come to us.”

“All along, the police force watch with

patience, but ready to enforce the law if

necessary, but that seldom happens be-

cause the people are contented to be heard

by the barangay chair and the Lupon ng

Tagapamayapa and, eventually, the Bleye

Kitab. In South Upi, the authorities exercise

maximum tolerance,” said Timuay Martin.

“Our responsibility does not end with mere-

ly helping decide the means for restitution

of the victims,” stressed Timuay Jose. “It is

important as well that we ensure that our

decision is implemented, whether it means

the payment of fi nes or the agreement to

bury the hatchet between enemies. When a

husband and a wife have agreed to the con-

ditions, we would expect them to go home

together and live happily. That is why when

any of the disputants does not fulfi ll his

commitment we consider it a disrespect to

the Bleye Kitab, the leadership in the per-

son of the municipal mayor and the people

themselves who recommended us.”

Settling Family IssuesAptly, the Bleye Kitab is sensitive in han-

dling family issues and do so in closed

hearings. Before complaints by women are

heard by the panel, she and her husband

are fi rst given the chance to settle their

differences, sometimes with a Bleye Kitab

member introducing situations that will

lead to the couple’s reconciliation.

This happened in the case of a Muslim

couple who ended up fi ghting with each

other because the husband was allegedly

not fulfi lling his material obligations to

their children. The woman, who wanted

a divorce, alleged that he always came

home late since he always went out with

his friends. A member of the Bleye Kitab

found out, though, that she had her lapses

too, when it came to fulfi lling her duties as

a wife and mother. The Bleye Kitab member

asked his fellow panelists to give him a few

days to settle the problem.

The panelist then asked the couple to stay

in his house for one week before the Bleye

Kitab would fi nally act on her petition. On

the fi rst night of their stay, the wife of the

Bleye Kitab member prepared two separate

beddings in a room that the couple shared.

The next day, upon waking up, the panel-

ist saw that the man looked happy. After

breakfast, he asked them if they had a good

night’s sleep, to which they answered yes.

An hour later, the wife asked permission to

leave because she was missing her chil-

dren. Both husband and wife left, explain-

ing to the panel member that they had

settled their differences the night before,

when they were left to themselves. Timuay

Martin sums it all up for his fellow council

members: “In the end, we are upholding

the dignity of an institution that we have in-

herited from our forefathers and shared by

all of us here, in South Upi. We may have a

new name for it, but since time immemorial

we have practiced this form of settling dis-

putes, whether these are between neigh-

bors, families, individuals or members of

varied ethnic and religious groups.

“That our local chief executive has given it

a legal basis for existence merely confi rms

the democratic space that we have in our

municipality, where every person has the

right to seek redress, to defend himself and

to be heard. To us, whether we are Tedur-

ays, Muslims or Christians, everyone is

innocent unless proven guilty, and he who

is guilty, if he makes amends, is taken back

by society because after all is said and done

we are all human beings. If God can forgive,

why can’t we?”

As of July 2009, the Bleye Kitab has re-

solved 52 cases, with 6 currently being

heard.

112 HILAL HILAL 113

The Pursuit of The Pursuit of Development and Development and Good Governance Good Governance

in the Midst of in the Midst of Strife and Con-Strife and Con-

fl ictfl ictKadtuntaya’s Near-Epic Journey

Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc. (KFI)

By Rorie Fajardo

114 HILAL HILAL 115

At fi rst glance, no one would think that people in this remote province in Central Mindanao still have the luxury of time

to know and understand problems of their communities, identify solutions to these, and engage their local govern-ment leaders to work for meaningful change. In the fi rst place, they already have more than enough on their hands everyday: constant displacement from the continuing confl ict between govern-ment and Moro insurgents and threats from multi-million peso logging com-panies encroaching on lands that their families have tilled for generations.

“I cannot believe that in just less than a year, my community and I are already close to becoming legally recognized as stewards of our own land,” said 51-year-old Rolando, a member of the Teduray indigenous peoples in Barangay (village) Temikur in Ampatuan town.

Rolando’s claim to their ancestral land is now being processed under the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) program.

Rolando’s organization - Teduray Fagamfungon Temikur (TFT or the Association of Tedurays in Temikur) - together with other claimants fi led their claim-application before the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) way back in 1997. The claimants come from 27 barangays from the 5 towns of Upi, Paglat, Ampatuan, Talitay and Talayan federated under the Te-duray, Lambangian, Dulangan Manobo

Ancestral Domain Claim (TLDMADC). The claim was based on then newly enacted Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) protecting the indigenous people’s rights to self-determination. More than a decade later however, NCIP, the main implementer of IPRA, has not acted on the claims, citing constraints such as lack of personnel and funds to conduct delineation surveys, the fi rst step to process claims.

For the past 10 years, they have been getting assistance from different organi-zations to address effort to secure their ancestral domain. But it was only in the last 2 years that they saw a way out of the dead-end at the NCIP.

The breakthrough came when Kad-tuntaya Foundation, Inc. (KFI), an NGO

that had been supporting the farmers in Temikur improve their lives, took another strategy in the pursuit of their advocacy. KFI, realizing that the farmers it had been assisting for more than 10 years are even more vulnerable to los-ing their rights, decided to reassess its methods of working with its community partners.

KFI, in its vision statement, is commit-ted to “facilitate the empowerment of the people, especially the grassroots, so that collectively they can improve their socio-cultural, economic and political well-being”. But according to Guiamel Alim, Executive Director of KFI, “ After more than a decade of working among the communities in Maguindanao, we observed that our communities were not any closer to our vision. During a

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

“People are always looking for projects” added Cliff Alvaro, KFI Field Director. “After a project, they ask what project will KFI bring next.”

KFI sought the assistance of the Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) to strengthen its methods of work among the communities it was serving. LGSPA in turn linked KFI with Task Force Mapalad, a group working among farmers in Negros, Bukidnon and Davao Oriental. This resulted in the retooling of KFI staff to adopt methods that are truly empowering.

According to Jaime Dumarpa, Program Offi cer of LGSPA, “LGSPA technical as-sistance helped KFI reorient its proj-ects from just delivering certain type of goods or services to opportunities to build a collective awareness on the issues of the community. The methods emphasized projects as tools to analyze problems and broad community action based on the analysis.”

“LGSPA is fortunate to have worked with KFI who, as an institution, is not afraid to recognize and institutional weak-nesses and willing to make bold moves to address the weaknesses,” added Dumarpa.

Understanding problems, pro-tecting their rights

Through the LGSPA-supported “tactics sessions”, TLDMADC and KFI community organizers realized that as they waited for NCIP to move forward, other interests had already began to encroach on their claim area. They realized the need to protect the area in the interim from fur-ther encroachment while their ancestral domain claim was being processed.

Subsequent tactics sessions helped the leaders and KFI community organizers explore other legal instruments, in this case the CBFM, as a means to secure their claim.

First implemented in 1995, the CBFM under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) be-came the national strategy to conserve and develop damaged forests. It was perceived to be the Philippine govern-ment’s response to the then growing

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

116 HILAL HILAL 117

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

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

In March 2009, or 12 months after en-hancing their knowledge of their situa-tion and studying options, Teduray lead-ers began to engage local and regional government agencies to pursue their claims. From passive benefi ciaries of KFI interventions, they were now taking con-crete steps to solve their own problems.

These steps involved working with ba-rangay offi cials to help certify the quali-fi cation of the claimants; the municipal council, which is predominantly com-posed of Maguindanao, another ethnic group, to secure a resolution in support of their claim; and the provincial and regional offi cials of the DENR.

While dealing with barangay offi cials who were also among the claimants was easy, securing the municipal reso-lution needed more preparation, such as setting up a team to dialogue with the municipal council, identifying an ally within the council, and appearing before the council committee to explain their request for a resolution.

The concerted efforts bore fruit: during a committee hearing the council unani-mously approved the draft resolution even without Teduray representation. The mayor approved and signed the resolution a few days later.

With support from KFI, the TFT mem-bers invited DENR-ARMM to a CBFM forum to update local offi cials on the current status of their application pro-cess for CBFM. The leaders were able

to present some of the diffi culties they faced like complying with requirements, particularly the “technical description of the claimants”. The DENR represen-tatives clarifi ed in the forum that there were no such requirement. This com-pelled the community environment of-fi ce to waive the supposed requirement and fi nally endorse the TFT application to the provincial offi ce three weeks after the forum.

Facing hurdles

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

“We used to plan for our farms without direction. This is what agriculture ex-tension workers told us,” Maulana said.

With LGSPA assistance, KFI introduced a different approach to agricultural extension. Maulana joined 19 other farmer leaders who received a 10-day intensive training on the Farmers Field

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

Using the FFS approach, farmer groups, with fi ve to seven members each, defi ne

their fi eld problems before experiment-ing in their assigned farm plots. Each group monitors, analyzes and shares the experiment results. These small groups then discuss their fi eld observa-tions and share fi ndings to come up with a community output.

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

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

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

Barriers

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

Some FFS trainees from Talayan and Talitay towns, for instance, were pre-vented from applying what they learned in their own farms because of the

outbreak of hostilities between government troops and the MILF in August 2008 follow-ing the non-signing of the Memorandum of Agreement of Ancestral Domain.

“In Talitay, we saw the rest-lessness of some of our trainees,” said Cliff Avarico, KFI representative. “The men were readying themselves for possible displacement in their areas.”

The farmers, including wom-en, saw the need to shift FFS

application to vegetable production because it would still serve them well even if they stay in evacuation centers.

Armed confl ict has continued to lead to other problems such as internal dis-placement, poor peace and order situa-tion, health risks, disruption of educa-tion of children, and land insecurity. “Farmers lose capital whenever they evacuate,” Avarico said.

Farmers themselves see the need to at-tain genuine peace so they could active-ly participate in governance undertak-ings. “Even if we exhaust ourselves to become experts in farming, our people get to eventually ask about how and

when peace will be fi nally attained,” Maulana said. His own organization has in fact set up a committee on peace to help build peace in their own way.

But as peace remains an elusive and long-term work, Maulana and other farmers share whatever they can to work for genuine participation and bet-ter governance in their communities, equally important steps in the achieve-ment of peace.

Farmers now use FFS problem-solving approaches to address community issues including landlord-tenant rela-tions, boundary confl icts, and land acquisition.

In November 2008, another 129 farmers in Talitay and Datu Anggal were trained in FFS approaches, focusing on vegeta-ble production and crop diversifi cation.

“Instead of focusing on just one crop, we realized that we could earn more from vegetables,” Maulana said. Now, his group plants corn, tomatoes, egg-plants, squash, ampalaya and other vegetables. “Not only do vegetables re-quire low farm input, but they also help address food security at the household level,” he said.

Maulana and farmers see the value of FFS and other approaches in increas-ing their participation: “Through these tools, we gain more strength, lakas ng loob, to fi nd solutions not only to issues on production but also on peace.”

For Teduray leader Rolando, the days and months of trying to understand the intricacies of ancestral domain is-sues and fi nally taking steps to secure their land is worth the wait. “Once we become CBFM claimants, I would be assured that for 25 years, I will use my share of the land only on my free, prior and informed consent,” he said.

“That kind of awareness is the heart of empowerment. This brings us a step closer to our vision,” said Alim.

a sense of ownership on the knowledge they gained.” Apart from helping farmers become experts in their own fi eld and motivat-ing them to make their own decisions, FFS organizing also encourages partici-patory, experiential and discovery-based methods and sharing of new knowledge among farmers.

“The FFS approach has helped them to actively access available services on agricultural support from LGUs,” Mau-lana said. It has also enabled farmer organizations to collaborate on major agricultural development projects and collectively address issues linked to land tenure and productivity.

118 HILAL HILAL 119

Sindaw Ko Kalilintad

PEACE BUILDER,

HOPE WEAVER

By Rodolfo A.G. Silvestre, Jr.

An alliance of concerned individuals and organizations in Central Mindanao shows that cooperation, convergence, collaboration and setting aside diff erences can bring peace to a land long blighted by war, animosity and neglect.

120 HILAL HILAL 121

As the year 2003 drew to a

close, Hadji Quirino Oranto

and other peace advocates

representing their respec-

tive barangays in seven

municipalities in three

provinces of Central Mindanao, formed an alli-

ance called "Sindaw Ko Kalilintad", vernacular

for "Light of Peace." Their vision: transforma-

tion towards peace and unity.

Oranto, elected as the fi rst president of the al-

liance and today its chair, said that all 70 peace

advocates who formed the alliance came from

the municipalities of Balabagan and Kapata-

gan in Lanao del Sur; Matanog, Buldon, Barira

and Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao; and

Bagumbayan in Sultan Kudarat. All of them are

actively involved in peace initiatives in seven

municipalities that the people have declared as

zones of peace.

According to Oranto, currently Municipal

Administrator of Barira, Maguindanao, "the

kind of peace that the people want right in

their own barangays is best articulated in the

‘peace covenant’".

He is referring to the document signed by the

datus (clan leaders), barangay offi cials, elders,

and spiritual leaders, and representatives of

various sectors including women, youth, and,

where they have a presence, the Moro Islamic

Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Libera-

tion Front (MNLF) and the military.

"The peace covenant," continued Oranto, "lists

acts that all parties agreed to prohibit in the

zones of peace, among them the carrying or

displaying of fi rearms by a civilian, gambling, and the use of illegal drugs.”

He said that "actualizing peace as the people defi ne it really varies from barangay

to barangay. That is why no two peace zones are alike in the sense that the people

of each zone decide for themselves how far they are willing to go in their walk

towards total peace."

"Undoubtedly, declaring the whole barangay as a zone of peace has given the

people a more effective voice," Oranto said. He cited the example of Bayanga Norte

and Daguan where the people were able to

convince the military to transfer to other

barangays. "They believed that a peace

zone should be free from fi ghting. And this

was only possible if there was no military

(presence) in the place. The military under-

stood their point and agreed to leave."

From Confl icted Areas to Zones of Peace

These zones of peace used to be areas of

confl ict. Some of them are located near

the MILF’s Camp Abubakar. Others have

served as homes to feuding families for

generations. In some instances, fi ghting

has erupted between illegal loggers and

residents concerned about forest denuda-

tion. In other barangays, illegal gambling

and drugs caused confl ict.

It was this kind of environment that the

Community Organizers’ Multiversity (COM)

found in 1999. Funded by a multi-donor pro-

gram initiated by the United Nations Devel-

opment Programme, the COM aimed to help

the communities in post-confl ict situations.

Madett Gardiola, COM coordinator in

Mindanao, said that "our fi rst effort was to

train ex-combatants and zone command-

ers in community organizing. We wanted to

empower the people so they would partici-

pate in decision-making and in other affairs

of the community. For all their lives, they

have been used to taking orders either from

the commanders or the traditional leaders

whose word was the law."

In 2001, when the Local Government Sup-

port Program Phase II (LGSP II) implement-

ed its peace project, it purposely identifi ed

four areas in the periphery of Camp Abuba-

kar. With the help of COM, LGSP organized

the local government units and civil society

organizations (CSOs) in the locality to work

together in creating a culture of peace in

their communities.

From among the combatants, zone com-

manders and CSO members emerged

peace and development advocates who

in turn shared their knowledge in their

respective barangays. In time, LGSP II and

the seven local government units identifi ed

focus barangays where the peace advocates

concentrated their efforts in “creating a

culture of peace” through dialogues and

other activities.

"As a result of constant dialogues and

sharing, the people saw for themselves the

need for declaring their barangays as zones

of peace," said Gardiola.

The Roots of Confl ict that Led to Peace

In early 2003, when confl ict between the

MILF and the government was fl aring anew,

the seven municipalities got together in an

Inter-Area Peace Advocates’ Forum. They

crafted a statement calling for a ceasefi re

and the resumption of peace talks.

By the middle of the same year, the peace

advocates held a Walk for Peace. For a brief

moment they "reclaimed" the Langkung-

Sarmiento stretch of road along the Narciso

Ramos Highway that had seen numerous

fi refi ghts between rebels and government

soldiers.

In between all these, LGSP II conducted a

training conference, "Looking at Confl ict in

the Eye: Community-based Mapping and

Impact Assessment " in Davao City. The

peace advocates did not only learn media-

tion and other forms of confl ict-resolution.

They also honed their skills in community

empowerment aimed at breaking the cul-

ture of silence.

Gardiola said that "in a lot of places, the

people refuse to speak out their feelings

and aspirations. They have gotten so used

to taking orders from traditional leaders

and the zone commanders. Either way, this

has led to violent outbursts or indifference

and complacency."

LGSPA Manager Merlinda Hussein added

that "if others perceive peace as the mere

absence of war, the alliance even goes be-

yond this traditional concept, as it realizes

that with peace comes development."

She explained that LGSP II, and later

LGSPA, focused on the seven barangays in

seven municipalities because "our engage-

Building Capacities, Forming the Alliance

The formation of Sindaw Ko Kalil-

intad was a major breakthrough

in peace building efforts that the

Community Organizers’ Multiver-

sity (COM) conducted in strategic

places in Mindanao as a local

resource partner of the two fl ag-

ship governance programs of the

Canadian International Develop-

ment Agency (CIDA): the Philip-

pines-Canada Local Government

Support Program Phase II (2000

– 2006) and the Local Governance

Support Program in ARMM or

LGSPA (2005 -2009).

LGSP II was engaged in building

the capacities of local govern-

ment units on good governance

in Visayas and Mindanao. The pro-

gram later focused and expanded

to cover the entire of ARMM

through LGSPA as CIDA saw the

need to give extensive support to

the autonomous region in building

the capacities of its local govern-

ment units.

Merlinda Hussein, then LGSP II

Area Manager and now the LGU

Capacity Development Manager

of LGSPA, explained that “the

path of peace that the people of

these various municipalities have

taken, as a result of the peace

building workshops organized by

the LGSP II which LGSPA built on

in their localities, has led them

to strengthen the initial gains

they have achieved and sustain

them as well. As a consequence,

they declared their barangays as

zones of peace.”

122 HILAL HILAL 123

Its members continue to pursue individual peace-building activi-

ties right in their homes and communities but taking into consid-

eration larger concerns. For example, Guialel, a civil engineer who

used to be active in literacy education, became involved in safe-

guarding electoral reforms in the last ARMM elections. “I got into

mobilizing people to do their part in securing the ballot because

peace requires us to be vigilant. Democratic processes like the

election can only succeed and refl ect the people’s true choices if

the people themselves protect their votes. To me, having the right

leaders is an important step in peace building,” he said.

Sindaw peace advocates also shine in the fi eld of confl ict resolu-

tion. In June 2009, it was appointed by the participants in an inter-

area forum on local confl ict resolution mechanisms as the secre-

tariat for an Inter-Local Confl ict Resolution Mechanism (LCRM)

Alliance in Central Mindanao. This is another LGSPA peace project

which aims to strengthen local confl ict resolution mechanisms.

At the barangay level, Sindaw has been at the forefront of efforts

in building capacities in promoting a culture of peace, peace and

confl ict assessment, confl ict resolution and mediation. The peace

advocates are normally asked to speak before workshops and

symposia attended by members of the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa

of different barangays in the ARMM.

The zones of peace are accredited as civil society organizations

and participate in municipal undertakings, from the usual cel-

ebration of Independence Day, to tree planting to people’s organi-

zations’ education on peace. The peace advocates are also invited

to sit in the Municipal Peace and Order Councils.

Sindaw partnered with the LGUs in the conduct of peace dia-

logues participated in by the Coordinating Committee on the Ces-

sation of Hostilities (CCCH), peace zone leaders, municipal local

chief executives and the media. In a related development, the

alliance helped raise the awareness of people’s organizations on

humanitarian protection through an Orientation Forum in part-

nership with the CCCH and Bantay Ceasefi re.

Overall, Sindaw has become an independent and sustainable

alliance. “We were able to survive despite minimum funds com-

ing from donor agencies,” said Urantu. “The various livelihood

projects run by the seven people’s organizations in the zones of

peace remain viable with our own members running them and

patronizing them, too.”

Maintaining its independence while keeping true to its faith has

strengthened the credibility of Sindaw. Local government units,

social development agencies, and people’s organizations look up

to it as a legitimate partner that is truly committed to the cause

of peace.

The best argument for the continuing existence of Sindaw is

best articulated by COM’s Gardiola: “Sindaw Ko Kalilintad is not

just the structure of an alliance. It is a lived experience that the

ment is more intensive. We help the people

organize themselves based on certain

issues that they have chosen to tackle,

specifi cally their needs for water, electricity,

livelihood, and other basic services."

One good example of how people’s em-

powerment in a zone of peace can be

articulated is through the electrifi cation

project in Bayanga Norte, Matanog. Romy

Guialel, a member of the Board of Directors

of Sindaw, said that "the Iranun Farm-

ers Association of our barangay was given

P20,000 by LGSP II so we could engage in

an income-generating project.

"When the members of the community

gathered, we discussed what we needed,

and realized it was electricity. With forty

thousand pesos, we were able to buy (elec-

tric) wire, a generator and other materials.

The people themselves looked for lumber

that could serve as posts and they them-

selves put these up," he said.

As a result, houses in Bayanga Norte are

now lighted. To generate income for the

community, families using one bulb pay a

reasonable amount a month, while those

with two shell out a larger amount. The total

amount collected is then divided for the

maintenance of the equipment and the sala-

ries of two operators. A portion is set aside

for savings so that a generator with greater

capacity could be purchased to allow other

families to avail of the power service.

Other than the electricity project of the Ira-

nun Farmers Association of Bayanga Norte,

the other barangay people’s organizations

were also supported by LGSP II. Cagawaran

Taayon Farmer’s Organization put up its

own consumer store. Iliana Daguan Benito

Malinday Association used the monetary

assistance to augment its budget for con-

structing a multi-purpose building. The

members of the Barorao Unity Association

chose to build a water system reservoir.

The Balasaenged Movement for Peace and

Development also put up a building where

it holds its meetings while the Maralitang

Mamamayan ng Makir installed a water

pump, considered important by its mem-

bers and the residents of the barangay.

“These projects earn income for the orga-

nization and the members” said Hada Pa-

grangan of Balabagan and Sindaw member.

“But what is more important is the people

learn how to manage enterprises.”

While the seven barangays have achieved

various levels of success, the peace advo-

cates see themselves also as winners, hav-

ing witnessed their villages’ transformation

from war-torn communities to areas of

relative peace.

Replicable Models

Sindaw continues to be a partner of LGSPA and its member zones of

peace have become models that other local government units, such

as those from from Sulu and Marawi, are including in their Lakbay

Aral itinerary for possible replication.

The peace zones continue to inspire similar efforts in other towns.

In the municipality of Kapatagan, Mayor Raida B. Maglangit decided

to expand the zone of peace in barangay Daguan to the rest of the

municipality. “What was once a no-man’s land is now a thriving and

peaceful community where anxiety has been replaced by smiles and

contentment,” said Ami Pualas, current Sindaw President.

With a woman mayor declaring her whole LGU as a zone of peace,

the Sindaw could only agree that “women are effective catalysts of

peace and development,” said Pualas, adding “so we helped orga-

nized a women’s alliance called ‘Bangsa Bae’ which is now linking

with gender–oriented organizations to be able to address issues of

women in peace building.”

Despite its successes, Sindaw Ko Kalilintad has its feet planted

fi rmly on the ground.

124 HILAL HILAL 125

Hadji Quirino Oranto was a former MNLF

commander. “When I was 21 in the

early 1970s, I saw army men ambush a

truckload of farmers, both men and women, on

their way to the next town to sell their harvest

of corn. Two years after, I joined the rebels. I

laid down my arms in the early 1990s when a

daughter of mine called me by radio and asked

me to be present in her elementary gradua-

tion exercises because she will receive honors.

I felt very sorry for my family. Not long after, I

decided there was no point in fi ghting.” He had

no inkling that years later, he would be a pio-

neer peace advocate in his barangay and that

he would become the fi rst chair of the peace

alliance.

Oranto has also become famous for his mediat-

ing skills. In one instance he was instrumental

in helping end a 10-year feud between two

political families. “I travelled back and forth be-

tween their territories. It was not easy because

the feud was political in nature, which means a

lot of pride or maratabat was at stake. It was a

feud that now and then escalated into war, and

people who have been involved in it will

continue to value and nurture through the

years. It is the experience of coming togeth-

er amidst an atmosphere of mistrust and

pain to fi nd a common ground where they

can start to rebuild their shattered lives.

this was a big disturbance because they

sometimes exchanged gunfi re right in the

highway. I told them that they are actually

related, since they belong to the same clan.

When fi nally they met, with the governor

in attendance, the whole process went

smoothly because initial talks had been

made. For the sake of peace, these two

warring factions decided to forego pride. ”

For 10 years, Hada Pagrangan of Bala-

bagan had been a rebel, too, starting out as

a combatant under the famous Commander

Gordon, eventually becoming a commander

himself. “It was Martial Law and I did not

believe in the government, so I joined the

MNLF,” he said.

After 10 years of fi ghting he returned to

his family, and started a copra business.

He later became vice mayor of his town for

one term. This was followed by a one-term

stint as mayor before Pagraangan returned

to his copra business. “I believe one of the

reasons people take up arms is their lack

of livelihood. That’s why the zones of peace

have livelihood programs,” he said.

Ami Pualas, current Sindaw Kalilintad

President, started out in community work

by joining the other women in Buldon. “We

had an informal and loose organization,”

she said, “and I joined it because I felt that I

should be doing something for the commu-

nity. Most of the women did not have hus-

bands because they had joined the combat-

ants, so they did not only take care of their

home and their children. They also earned

livelihood for their families. And yet, they

had time for community work. Since we

were in a battle zone, we cooked rice and

viand for the combatants. We administered

fi rst aid to the wounded, but what truly

impressed me was these women brought

those needing attention to the hospitals.

When COM and LGSP II helped us organize

our people’s organization, I joined because

I knew I was in the company of people who think

of others fi rst before themselves.”

Kash Urantu, a public administration degree

graduate, serves as Program Coordinator of

Sindaw Ko Kalilintad. A son of a combatant, he

recalled “that my father was in the mountains

when there was combat. But he would visit us

when there was a ceasefi re, but just to be sure,

he would come in very quietly and we hid him

because there were soldiers around. Finally,

he too left the cause. My involvement in peace

advocacy started when I was a teenager. I was

probably the youngest of those who attended

peace building workshops.”

Today, he serves as a human repository of

Sindaw’s history, as he can easily recall impor-

tant events that have taken place since its found-

ing. What excites him is “Sindaw’s campaign for

peace has reached the level of children and teen-

agers. We developed a training module on culture

of peace for children and youth. We started out

with a workshop attended by two from each of

the peace zones. These 14 young people became

facilitators in peace building workshops that we

organized. We have reached out to at least 312

young people, and our documentation proves that

children and teenagers have a unique view of

peace. Their perceptions are truly different from

those of adults. I believe that if they hold on to

these, we can attain peace faster.”

Urantu helped organize the Tinig ng Nagkakai-

sang Lakas ng Kabataan sa Mindanao, or TINAL-

AK, with membership coming from 18 barangays

in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao,

Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City.

Pualas is particularly proud of the “Araling

Pangkapayapaan” a publication featuring

learning modules for peace advocates. “We

may not be able to go everywhere so we can

promote peace, but with this pamphlet, we are

able to share the processes that have made us

successful in establishing our peace zones and

sustaining our gains,” she said.

It is a fabric of hopes and aspirations that

have been woven into a tapestry of coopera-

tion, agreement and collaboration among

peace advocates, local government units,

civil society organizations and the citizenry.

The story of Sindaw is an unending

series of small but steady steps towards

empowerment, thus strengthening and

affi rming the belief of its members in

their own capacity for self-determination

in an atmosphere of peace, goodwill and

understanding.”

Profi les of Profi les of

Courage and Courage and

DeterminationDetermination

126 HILAL

The Local Governance Support Program in ARMM (LGSPA) is a joint undertaking of the Governments of the Philippines and Canada with the goal of supporting efforts of the former, particularly through the Autonomous Regional Government, to achieve poverty reduction and sustainable peace and

development through excellence in local governance.

Building on the achievements of the fi rst two phases of the Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program (LGSP) and began in 2005, LGSPA covers the whole of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This includes 119 municipalities, Marawi City, and the provinces of Maguindano, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

LGSPA’s capacity development efforts have revolved mainly around two major outcome areas of building excellence in local governance and an enabling environment for good governance, peace and development.

In the area of excellence in local governance, LGSPA has focused support on strengthening performance in fi ve key areas: local government leadership and management, service delivery, resource generation and management, participatory governance, and peacebuilding.

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

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

www.lgspa.org.phPeace and development through excellence in local governance

LGSPA Team

Alix YuleProject Director 2005, 2008-2009

Alison RedfordProject Director – 2005-2006

Marion Maceda-VillanuevaProject Director – 2006-2008

Canadian Field Program Manager

2005-2006; 2008-2009

Myn GarciaPeace and Communications Manger 2008-2009

Canadian Field Program Manager 2009

Cindy FairGovernance Advisor – 2005-2006

Canadian Field Program Manager – 2006-2008

Alain DondainazFinance Manager – 2006-2007

Glen HusackFinance Manager – 2005-2006

Art MooneyFinance Manager - 2005

Jose Deles, Jr.Regional Development Manager

Merlinda HusseinLocal Government Capacity Development

Manager

Ma. Victoria MaglanaService Delivery and Crosscutting Themes

Manager

Gemma BorrerosEnabling Environment Manager

Rizalino BarandinoProgram Manager/Advisor, Agriculture/Economic

Development and Performance Measurement

Edgardo CatalanAssistant Manager, LAD and Performance

Measurement

Cecilia IsubalAssistant Manager, Service Delivery and Program

Sustainability

Joseph PalancaProgram Offi cer, Regional Development

Jaime DumarpaProgram Offi cer, Lanao del Sur

Wilhelmina MorallasProgram Offi cer, Lanao del Sur

Abduljim HassanProgram Offi cer, Tawi-tawi

Fatima Darwizzah YusahProgram Offi cer, Sulu

Veronica QuindayProgram Offi cer, Basilan

Rachel JungcoProgram Offi cer, Maguindanao

Wesley Villanueva Program Offi cer, Cotabato

Jodl IsahacProgram Offi cer, CSO

David AliProgram Offi cer, Enabling Environment -

2008-2009

Victor Alfaro Program Offi cer, Maguindanao – 2005-2009

Sukarno PendalidayProgram Offi cer, Maguindanao – 2006-2008

Ben-Rino PepinoProgram Offi cer, Sulu – 2006-2008

ICT Offi cer – 2005-2006

Tonina MabangProgram Offi cer, Lanao del Sur – 2006-2008

Crisologo TagupaProgram Offi cer, Lanao del Sur – 2005-2007

Ricardo LimbagaProgram Offi cer, Basilan – 2005-2006

Sonny Abing IIIProgram Offi cer, Sulu – 2005-2006

Charina Sanz Program Offi cer, Communications – 2006-2007

Arlene AvanceñaAdministrative/Finance Offi cer – 2005-2007

Shena CornejoSenior Finance/Administrative Offi cer

Grizeline Olaybar Finance Offi cer

Robert RaguroICT Offi cer

Gajer BensaliICT Offi cer

Jesse BacalICT Offi cer – 2005

Maya Flaminda VandenbroeckProgram Assistant

Annabelle JamaluddinTechnical and Administrative Assistant

Ma. Margarita MataExecutive Assistant

Dante Winston LuceroExecutive Assistant – 2006-2007

Pamela PitulanAdministrative Assistant

Rena OngAdministrative Assistant

Juvylyn SobrivegaAdministrative Assistant

Romelia MoitaAdministrative Assistant

Gilbern ManampanAdministrative Assistant

Ma. Nellie LunaAdministrative Assistant

Alan AbbangAdministrative Assistant

Gracia CuisonAdministrative Assistant

Janette AncogAdministrative Assistant - 2005-2006

Abduraphy AyubAdministrative Assistant – 2005-2008

Nur-aine SangkiAdministrative Assistant – 2006-2008

Angela UmaliAdministrative Assistant - 2005-2006

Jonah DolendoInventory, Library & Utility Clerk

Natalio Cuizon Jr.

Reynante Bacaron

Ramil Garcia

Eleno Albilda

Fraolyn Aggabao

Buenaventura Miro

Samuel Torreda

Romancito Cabantac

Allan Dumarpa

Yusof AlfadDrivers

128 HILAL