By TANGGUYUB PEOPLE’S CENTER
www.nordis.net

SAGADA, Mt. Province – In a meeting was initiated by the local DILG and chief executives office here, Civil Society Organizations (peoples organization and non-government institutions) from Sagada’s 19 barangays gathered for a meeting December 21 at the Sagada Homestay for the “Bottoms Up Planning” identification of poverty reduction activities and projects for the municipality.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) started implementing a program early 2012 wherein CSO were involved in identifying poverty reduction projects for their localities. There are 4 pilot areas for Mt. Province – Bontoc, Sagada, Sadanga and Paracelis. A budget of Php8 million was allocated for Sagada for its 2013 implementation.

For 2014, an additional 2 municipalities (Bauko and Sabangan) of Mt. Province shall be added to the 4 pilot sites. There are 1,233 municipalities identified nationwide for the 2014 allocations.

Potable water supply, farm to market roads, irrigation and various livelihood projects were those identified for 2013. This went through a process of CSO consultations alongside the projects identified by municipal development offices and line agencies.

This time, the Bottoms Up Planning Approach (BUPA) provided clearer guidelines on the role of the CSOs as partners with the MLGU and GA in drafting a poverty reduction plan. It also provided guidelines as to which projects fall under the program and those that are excluded being part of the general appropriations act.

In the meeting, DILG officer Rey Fiar-od and Executive Secretary Robert Pangod said that CSO representatives shall be selected. This will comprise 50% of the Municipal Poverty Reduction Team (MPRT) and the other 50% shall come from the LGU represented by the local chief executive and national government line agency heads of the DAR, DA, Dep Ed, DENR, DOE, DOH, DILG, DOLE, DSWD, DTI, DOT and TESDA.

For Sagada, a total of 24 members shall be identified of who not less than 40% shall be women. The local chief executive, Mayor Eduardo Latawan Jr. shall chair the team.

From among the 12 CSO representatives a co-chairman shall be elected and two other representatives as signatories for the MOA between LGU/GA and CSO.

The CSO representatives decided that the selection shall be distributed within the 5 zones of Sagada to ensure that the concerns of all barangays/zones are taken up.

They also unanimously decided that the categories identified by NAPC guidelines be filled-up first and available slots be given to the Eastern Zone, that failed to send a representative to this meeting, and to an organization or NGO with multi-sectoral programs and at least of municipal scope.

Chosen at large by the CSO participants are the following:

Andrea Bacagan from Central Zone for the 4Ps beneficiaries; Roda Besay from Northern Zone representing DOH organized groups (BHW); Annie Sumedca from Southern Zone; representing Parents-Teachers; Josephine Lay-of from Northern Zone; Rose Copa-os Northern Zone; John Taguindodo for Southern Zone (Farmers Organizations);

Jane Macagne for MRDC; one Lannie of Taccong; Southern Zone; One from eastern zone representing the business sector; Gwendolyn Gaongen from Tangguyub People Center – Central Zone; Domingo Manalog from South-Central representing semi-workers (SEGA-guides); Manuel Olaget from South-Central and PEGAS.

The co-chairperson from the CSO is Gwendolyn L. Gaongen of the Tangguyub Peoples Center.

For 2014, a budget allocation of Php15M shall be for the municipality of Sagada. The projects shall be identified initially by the CSO through a workshop that was conducted on the same day.

These shall be deliberated on and finalized by the MPRT such that the identified projects fall within the guidelines of NAPC and synchronized with the Comprehensive Development Plan of the municipality. The SB shall then endorse said action plan (MPRAP).

CSO raised concerns that the projects identified by them may be compromised and that LGU/GA projects may prevail.
Rey Fiar-od of the DILG said that the mechanism provides for greater peoples participation and that is the essence of Bottoms-UP Planning Approach or BUPA. He however stressed that the project shall go through the implementation process defined by government.

Generally, the projects identified by the zonal workshops by the CSOs present during the meeting are as follows: various farm to market roads and pathways; support to agriculture such as community irrigation system rehabilitation, promotion of sustainable agriculture,

Promotion of muscovado and coffee production, agroforestry and reforestration projects, pest management, post and pre-harvest facilities; health related trainings and equipment; various livelihood trainings and projects such as waste recycling facilities,

Eco-tourism seminars and safe tourism trainings and equipment; handicrafts and food processing trainings and facilities; safe water for all projects such as reservoirs and level 2 water systems.

All in all the initially identified projects intend to provide sustainable livelihoods for the more marginalized sectors of Sagada society and address the issue of food insecurity within the municipality as well as address environment concerns.
The finalization of the MPRAP shall be done before February 15, 2013.#www.nordis.net