Mindanao 2020's Recommendations from the Grassroots

Mindanao 2020 is a blue print in pursuing development imperatives for Mindanao and a guide towards peace and development in the next 20 years. Peace and Development Advocate Leagues were once invited by the MinDA as resource persons in the last quarter of 2010. PDALs now wanted to be updated on the Mindanao 2020.

Many said that Mindanao 2020 has been ironed out several times through round table discussions held in Pagadian, Agusan, Bukidnon and Davao. May also are wondering why there are NO ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS made for Lanao, Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi or Basilan Round Table discussions. Why?

The plan includes peace, security, governance, institutions, politics, economy, environment, human development, social cohesion, and enabling environment.

Dr. Cielito Habito, plan Team Leader said that Mindanawans have been involved in formulating the plan in various platforms including survey of around 400 respondents, group discussions, interview, reports and results from various consultative groups such as Konsult Mindanaw. The survey of 400 respondents is not enough to justify the accuracy or effectiveness of the project.

The Mindanao 2020 Plan was commissioned by Mindanao Development Authority. The team is composed of Fr. Eliseo Mercado, Prof. Rudy Rodil, Edtami Mansayagan, Samira Gutoc, Fr. Alberto Alejo, and Mindanawon Initiatives for cultural dialogue.

Mindanao Journey Author has collected recommendations from various informal discussions with some Mindanao Leader as reflected herewith:

 

·         Balanced Mindanao Leaders Participation: Moro Communities in Mindanao are crowded by think tankers, consultants, experts, etc. however, very few Moro Leaders are involved. There needs to have equitable participation from the direct stakeholders. A mandate to the PLGU and MLGU to discuss in their regular session and submit it to MinDA will help also.

 

·         Conduct of Mindanao 2020 Round Table Discussions in Central Mindanao and Western Mindanao: Parallel participation on Mindanao 2020 is critical in the simultaneous achievement of vertical support. Many Mindanawan local leaders (Moro, Christians, and Lumad) said that they must have to be involved in the discussions because their local constituents are at stake whatever programs and projects will be designed by the government;

 

·         Creation of Interactive Website for Mindanao 2020: Professionals, businessmen, sectoral groups, and students are using the internet technology for fun, news, opportunities, etc. Many local leaders said that with creation of interactive site where both positive and negative comments shall be received, a balanced strategic direction for the Mindanao 2020 shall be considered across all sectors.

Lessons Learned from a Peace Champion-Polding

  I want to share the e-mail of an MNLF Commander whom I appreciated much in many ways that are very unique to him only. KUYA POLDING. below is exactly his original text send to me, which I find myself posting it here, to share with his very great message...a concrete manifestation of a word from a PEACE CHAMPION

 =============================================================================================

 LESSONS LEARNED

 

From: polding lalang <poldingofpdal@yahoo.com>

To: misuariabdullah@ymail.com

Date: Tuesday January 18, 2011, 7:30am

=========================================================================

Re Jake:

Greetings of Peace and Development!

We would like first to take the opportunity to thank you once again for your never ending support you have given us through the ACT for Peace Programme. We treasured every effort you shared in gaining our organization and our individual members have grown and transformed to what we are now largely. It is the reason that we would now like to widen our participation in the peace-building effort in Mindanaw using the skills that we have learned.

 I would like to insights some lesson learned that we have: Dealing with this type of sector in the society, a lot of challenges met while implementing this peace and development programme. However, dedicated and committed extension workers welcome this opportunity as an instrument towards his/her fulfilling meaningful life.

For almost five (5) years joining the programme. It gave me an avenue and develops my feels to work with different head of various local and national government units/agencies. It included the head of the programme components. It taught me to be more flexible and cultural sensitivity, patience and understanding in handling the situation. It helped me to enhance my ability and capacity to effectively and efficiently deliver the basic services and economic development program for the beneficiaries, strengthening also my feels to promote cooperative movement in this area of intervention. It provides me an opportunity to study the life and attitudes of my old comrades MNLF former combatants in different state. Having also a change to see their camps and visited their PDC.

Living in the MNLF community is again part of my insights to share with the incoming gallant people who shall have planned to join the programme. While staying and mingling with the former combatants in their community, cultures of values of their traditional practices were the first thing that you can have to consider. And this is a very interesting subject matter where we can learn and possibly work with it. Like moving from area to another area sometimes via sea transportation is a great learning experience in life because it trained you to more confident and courage to face the unexpected eventualities in your life, enjoyed also working with them due to their hospitality and God-fearing people. They are also people like any other sectors in the society aiming for lasting peace, progress and development.

As Peace and Development Advocate-Community Development Facilitator (PDA-CDF) for that matter, it has a great feeling and life is interesting when you have made a difference. Looking back of my work, I felt me just only conducting an experiment when I was pushing Peace and Development in Bangsamoro people in Southern Mindanaw in particular. A night meeting with MNLF brothers and sisters is really impressed me in joining for hope and pray that the programme will continue its intervention and finished it with a victory.    

Again thanks for the support and the opportunities that you have provided me during the last several years. I have enjoyed and learned many things from all of you and I will treasure that. I will never forget that I was once part of the peace-building efforts of the UNs in Mindanaw.

Wassalamu Alaykum Warakmatullahi Wabarakatuho and Wabillahi Tawfik Wal Hidayah!

 

Ka’ polds

The Transformer

Polding Say Thanks: An e-mail to JAKE

I want to share the e-mail of an MNLF Commander whom I appreciated much in many ways that are very unique to him only. KUYA POLDING. below is exactly his original text send to me, which I find myself posting it here, to share with his very great message...a concrete manifestation of a word from a PEACE CHAMPION.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LESSONS LEARNED

 

From: polding lalang <poldingofpdal@yahoo.com>

To: misuariabdullah@ymail.com

Date: Tuesday January 18, 2011, 7:30am

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Re Jake:

Greetings of Peace and Development!

 

We would like first to take the opportunity to thank you once again for your never ending support you have given us through the ACT for Peace Programme. We treasured every effort you shared in gaining our organization and our individual members have grown and transformed to what we are now largely. It is the reason that we would now like to widen our participation in the peace-building effort in Mindanaw using the skills that we have learned.

 

 I would like to insights some lesson learned that we have: Dealing with this type of sector in the society, a lot of challenges met while implementing this peace and development programme. However, dedicated and committed extension workers welcome this opportunity as an instrument towards his/her fulfilling meaningful life.

 

For almost five (5) years joining the programme. It gave me an avenue and develops my feels to work with different head of various local and national government units/agencies. It included the head of the programme components. It taught me to be more flexible and cultural sensitivity, patience and understanding in handling the situation. It helped me to enhance my ability and capacity to effectively and efficiently deliver the basic services and economic development program for the beneficiaries, strengthening also my feels to promote cooperative movement in this area of intervention. It provides me an opportunity to study the life and attitudes of my old comrades MNLF former combatants in different state. Having also a change to see their camps and visited their PDC.

 

Living in the MNLF community is again part of my insights to share with the incoming gallant people who shall have planned to join the programme. While staying and mingling with the former combatants in their community, cultures of values of their traditional practices were the first thing that you can have to consider. And this is a very interesting subject matter where we can learn and possibly work with it. Like moving from area to another area sometimes via sea transportation is a great learning experience in life because it trained you to more confident and courage to face the unexpected eventualities in your life, enjoyed also working with them due to their hospitality and God-fearing people. They are also people like any other sectors in the society aiming for lasting peace, progress and development.

 

As Peace and Development Advocate-Community Development Facilitator (PDA-CDF) for that matter, it has a great feeling and life is interesting when you have made a difference. Looking back of my work, I felt me just only conducting an experiment when I was pushing Peace and Development in Bangsamoro people in Southern Mindanaw in particular. A night meeting with MNLF brothers and sisters is really impressed me in joining for hope and pray that the programme will continue its intervention and finished it with a victory.    

 

Again thanks for the support and the opportunities that you have provided me during the last several years. I have enjoyed and learned many things from all of you and I will treasure that. I will never forget that I was once part of the peace-building efforts of the UNs in Mindanaw.

 

Wassalamu Alaykum Warakmatullahi Wabarakatuho and Wabillahi Tawfik Wal Hidayah!

 

Ka’ polds

The Transformer

Platform of Peace and Development Governance-The Kalinaw Sarangani Unit Experience

Rationale:

 In 2004, the first Provincial Peace Summit was held at Sarangani Provincial Capitol Compound,  participated in by local officials, religious and traditional leaders, farmers, fisher folks, academe, law enforcers, women and youths and discussed issues and concern on peace and order of the province. This paved way to the crafting of Comprehensive Peace and Development Plan of the province.

Guided by the Section 17 of the Local Government Code of 1991, the province initiated its own Peace and Development Program called Kalinaw Sarangani Unit (KSU) which aims to promote and preserve a peaceful and livable Sarangani where people enjoy basic services and are actively involved in planning development and exercising governance.

KSU is implementing 3 Component Projects:

1.    PEACE-Peace Education through Alliance-building

       and Community Empowerment. It aims to empower members of the community by transforming them to become peace advocates. Activities under this project include:

·      peace forum/dialogue in the barangay and municipal levels;

·      peace consultations with key leaders;

·      conduct of Culture of Peace (COP) trainings in schools and communities;

·      training on mediation for the Lupong Tagapamayapa;

·      tapping the council of elders among the Muslims and the Indigenous People to help in conflict resolution under their jurisdictions,;

·      facilitating the formation of Barangay Peace Advocates; and

·      Provision of Tindahan para sa Kalinaw project selected peoples organizations.

Peace and development highlights of the province are communicated through:

·                    Tingog sa Kalinaw aired over dxCP.

·                    Kalinawan, the official newsletter of Kalinaw Sarangani distributed quarterly; and

·                    Sarangani Province Official Website

. 2.    MaP-Madaris for Peace: This component conducts the following:  

·      Assists the operation of 44 Madaris Centers (Arabic schools) for Muslim youth education in Arabic language and Islamic values where classes are held every Saturday and Sunday;

·      Capacity enhancement trainings as well as Madrasah management seminars to 100 Asatidz (Madrasa facilitators/teachers). Classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays;

·      Facilitation of Madaris intramurals, quiz bowls, and Qur’an reading competitions.

3.    Partnership with GOP-UN ACT for Peace Programme

·      Beginning June 2006, KSU complements A4P initiatives to the 18 Peace and Development Communities. Interventions are small infra projects such as water system, barangay health stations, day care center, drainage canal, and public toilets, livelihood assistance such as provision of farm animals, payao, baling, bamboo craft production, and small botika with sari-sari store.

4.    Partnership with GEM (Growth with Equity in  Mindanao)

With its aim to help in the poverty alleviation in Mindanao, GEM provides mostly infrastructure projects in the province such as construction of irrigation earth canal, box culverts, community center, public waiting sheds, solar dryer, road rehab, footbridge, overflow reinforced concrete pipe, concrete drainage canal, and trading center.

5.    Partnership with Roxas Foundation and the Conrado Alcantara and Ladislawa Foundation

The project aims to expedite the resolutions of cases in the barangay for a speedy serving of justice to aggrieved parties and that community peace is achieved.

• Implementation of Barangay Justice for Peace Project in all the barangays of the province.
• The project trains volunteers (Barangay Justice Advocates-BJAs) from the community on counseling and mediation;
• BJAs provide free counseling and mediation to members of the community who are in conflict.

Sweet Peace: The Journey of Coco Sugar Project

How coco sugar project started?

What? We can make sugar out of coconut toddy? This was my initial reaction when Mr. Louie Pacana said that we can provide economic opportunities to the PDCs if we will make it as a flagship project of GoP-UN ACT for Peace programme (A4P). I researched a lot about it until I found myself allocating Php5,000,000.00 fund during our Annual Work and Financial Planning workshop at Eden Garden, Davao City.

I developed project proposal based from the feasibility study conducted by Mr. Pacana. It took me almost a year to convince the programme to approve the coco sugar project. A4P approved Php4,912,000.00 total coco sugar project cost to be implemented by SCMPPDALCI with 12 PDCs (Sapu Masla, Cablalan, Tuyan, Lun Padido, Baliton, Katubao, Lumatil, Daliao, Datu Dani, , Palian, Bunao, and Kalkam) as beneficiaries.

Social Marketing of the Coco Sugar to Various aAgencies

A Photo during check turn over from A4P to SCMPPDALCI. 

In order to promote the project, Engr. Cynthia C. Guerra, Area Manager of A4P allowed me to explore partnership with various agencies. 

We first discussed the coco sugar project with Mr. Ernesto Casiple, DTI South Cotabato RuMEPP Coordinator who eventually suggested me to present it with Mrs. Flora Gabunales, DTI South Cotabato Provincial Director which I did on November 17, 2011 at Punta Isla, Lake Sebu South Cotabato. This resulted to the conduct of Inter-Agency Consultation on Coco-Sugar Project on December 16, 2010 participated in by DTI Region 12, DTI South Cotabato, DTI Sarangani, PCA South Cotabato, Food and Drug Authority, South Cotabato Chamber of Commerce, TESDA, DOLE, SCMPPDALCI (10), Kapayapaan Kapatid Council, and we from the A4P AMO SCM. The meeting also led for a Mind Mapping Workshop at MDFI, Koronadal City on January 6-7, 2010 resulting to the creation of Project Advisory Group (PAG) chaired by the DTI South Cotabato.

The Capacity Building Processes

Series of capacity building for the key staffs of proponents and beneficiaries were carried out by the DTI-South Cotabato being the chair of the PAG. Among the training done during the on-set of the project implementation are:

Date	Activity/Location
Feb. 4, 2010	Coconut Farmers meeting at Tupi, South Cotabato
Feb 5-7, 2010	Hiring of plant supervisor, raw material supervisor, and administrative officer.
Feb. 8-9, 2010	Coco sugar exposure study at PCA Aruman, Carmen, Cotabato
Feb.16-20, 2010	Conduct of Corporate Management Workshop at Koronadal City
Febr. 25-28, 2010	Exposure to Phil Food Expo, FDC, DTI Central office and actual business meeting at Manila
March 2010	Farm assessment and evaluation (March 2010)
Mar.15-19, 2010	In house coco sugar production training in NSCPC—PCA Aroman, Carmen, Cotabato
March 24, 2010	Tappers, cook, and farmers orientation on
April 6-7, 2010	Coco Agri- Training (Pest Control, Nutrition and Valuing the Coconut)
April 13-14, 2010	Corporate Good Manufacturing Practices
March-June 2010	Securities and Exchange processing of Mindanawan Coco-sugar Corporation Registration
June ’10-Today	Continuing Capacity Building

Coco Sugar Production

The coco sugar processing plant was launched on July 21, 2010, however, the operation of the processing plant started in June 2010 where the micro entrepreneurs do the whole process of coco sugar making and then sell it to the processing plant. Before the coco sugar processing plant, I suggested to make a policy that only coco syrup shall be purchased from the micro-entrepreneurs and the coco sugar final processing will be in the coco sugar processing plant to have a uniform color and to ensure Good Manufacturing Practices.

Engr. Jake Abdullah, PAE (holding paper) discussing the coco sugar plant design with FDA Lilian Mationg.

Mrs. Lilian Mationg, FDA South Cotabato Coordinator said that the FDA certification processing needs to be fast tracked by the MCC to strengthen marketability of the coco sugar.

DTI-South Cotabato under the RuMEPP implemented the Enhanced-Coco-Sugar Industry Development (e-Coco SID) Project of Php890,000.00 with additional Php450,000.00 as business development support to the coco-sugar project.

PCA 12 launched their KAANIB project on October 9, 2010 in Tupi, South Cotabato with Assistant Secretary for Field Operations  Edilberto de Luna as the representative of DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala. Regional coconut central nursery was established in the coco sugar processing plant and coco sugar bulk marketing is currently assisted by Mrs. Elvie Silva, PCA 12-OIC for shipping to Manila buyers.

The Coco Sugar Challenges and Recommendations

1.    Raw material supply sourcing: Frequent problem of MCC is when the raw material suppliers are trained with the technology and started selling of coco syrup to the MCC plant, eventually, other institutions offers for a higher price then they shift. I order to avoid this reality the following are my recommendations: Make a legal business arrangement: There must have to be business arrangement made between the MCC and the raw material supplier that needs to be notarized and to be witnessed by the concerned BLGU. i.e. the partners must sell his/her coco syrup to MCC for at least 2 years, etc.

2.    MCC Organizational Challenges: It is natural for any growing organization to face disagreements as it is among the signs that everybody is concern. Recommendation are: Quarter BOT Meeting: BOTs must have to propose operational policies that could promote for the strengthening of the business. Not just complains without suggestions; Operation Staff Regular Updating: With the help of the high technology today, operation staff must inform the BOTs on good and challenging new pertaining MCC operation through text or e-mail for immediate feed backing; Transparency of MCC Operation: Inventory and Books of accounts must be done on time i.e. Journal Book, Cash Disbursement Book, Cash Receipt Book, Stock Cards, etc.

3.    Coco sugar marketing this is the very problem today of the business. The following are my suggestions: Massive IEC i.e. distribution of brochures, local radio and tv programme advertisement, etc. for coco sugar to increase patronizing of local buyers. The packaging and labeling must have to be enhanced. Attend Trade Fairs Trade fairs are great opportunity to market products. Since DTI is supporting the industry, ask them for a support during such activities to improve marketing; Search coco sugar buyers from internet i.e. California-based company run by a Filipino American is planning to triple or even quadruple it imports of coco sugar product from the Philippines by 2011. Filipino American Sarahjean Camarenesi, co-founder of Coconut World, said it on Thursday during Philippine Coconut Industry Summit held by the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City on Dec. 8-9, 2010. For more details, please visit http://www.gmanews.tv/story/208048/us-based-fil-am-company-to-import-more-coco-sugar There must have to be a marketing plan The owners must not rely only from agencies that support them for marketing coco sugar. There must have to be a marketing plan that must be religiously followed by the staff manning the coco sugar processing plant.