Lakbay-Aral on Agroforestry held in Claveria & Lantapan

Fourteen participants from Lake Mainit FOCAS Management Committee (FMC), partner NGOs and POs, and FMC Secretariats from Lake Mainit and Hinatuan Passage areas conducted the Lakbay-Aral on agroforestry areas at Claveria, Misamis Oriental and Lantapan Bukidnon last February 26 – March 1, 2007.

The four-day activity seeks to:

a. Visit the sites adopting Agroforestry as a multiple land use technology;
b. Identify and define the technologies adopted in the areas and the processes involved in the development of agroforestry.
c. Articulate views/ observations/ appreciation of the Claveria and Lantapan land development practices;
d. Relate participants’ practice/exposure/familiarity on agroforestry to the Misamis and Bukidnon experience. (By: Johny S. Natad)

Surigao and Agusan FOCAS representatives participate to PMST

The Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP) through its Provincial Project Officers (PPO) sponsored and facilitated the four-day Project Management Skills Training (PMST) last January 30 to February 2, 2007 at Balanghai Hotel & Convention Center, Butuan City. It was earnestly participated by Focal Community Assistance Scheme (FOCAS) Management Committee (FMC) Secretariats; FMC Representatives and Provincial Stakeholder Committee (PSC) representatives coming from Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Sur FOCAS clusters.

The said training aims to:
1. Clarified theories, challenges and trends in community development;
2. Defined the phases of project management and the processes involved;
3. Related and articulated their own experience in program/project management and shared among themselves insights and lessons learned;
4. Clarified planning, leading, organizing and controlling (PLOC)functions;
5. Identified strategies/techniques in marketing PACAP;
6. Acquired techniques on effective project proposal writing and packaging.

The training was facilitated by Ms. Imelda Caluen and Ms. Teresa Serrano from Development Academy of the Philippines with Ms. Monina Hernandez, PPO of Surigao del Norte and Mr. Jojo Fajardo, PPO of Agusan del Sur as the training management team and co-facilitators. g Johny S. Natad

LMDA & LGU of Mainit host the 1st PSC Meeting

The 1st Provincial Stakeholder Committee (PSC) meeting in 2007 was successfully held last January 29, 2007 at Mainit, Surigao del Norte. The LMDA with the LGU of Mainit served as the host team for the meeting.

The main agenda of the meeting were the deliberation and approval of the four Focal Community Assistance Scheme (FOCAS) proposals of which two are from Lake Mainit area. Below is the list of approved proposals:

1. Coastal Resource Management Project for Melgar Bay in Municipality of Dinagat

2.Community-Based Coastal Resource Management with Health & Livelihood Development Project in Municipality of San Franciso, Surigao del Norte

3.People’s Livelihood Efforts in Agro-forestry and Sustainable Environment (PLEASE) in Municipality of Alegria, Surigao del Norte

4. Agricultural Productivity Enhancement & Rural Enterprise Development in Municipalities of Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte and Alegria, Surigao del Norte.

Major preparations for the February 21-23 PACAP National Forum especially for the booth and product presentation were also discussed on the meeting. g Johny S. Natad

PPO conducts Project Site Appraisal in Alegria and Kitcharao

The People’s Livelihood Efforts in Agro-forestry and Sustainable Environment (PLEASE) project’s target areas was site appraised last January 16, 2007. The appraisal team headed by Ms. Monina Hernandez, the PACAP Provincial Project Officer conducted the site appraisal to Barangay Camp Edward and Budlingin in Alegria, Surigao del Norte. Along with Ms. Hernandez is Mr. Felix Maglaque, the FMC-People’s Organization(PO) Representative for Surigao del Norte; Mr. Omar Barillo and Mr. Johny Natad, the FOCAS Management Committee (FMC) Secretariat; Mr. Jonathan Natonio, LMDA Administrative Staff, Mr. Joelito Senturias, Municipal Agriculturist and Mr. Arnold Tapere, Executive Director of Propegemus Foundation, Inc.- partner proponent NGO for PLEASE project.

On January 23, 2007, the site appraisal conducted at Barangay Crossing, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte and Barangay Gamuton, Alegria, Surigao del Norte. These barangays are the proposed areas for the Agricultural Productivity Enhancement & Rural Enterprise Development Project of PASCRES-Caraga. The site appraisal was enthusiastically attended by the PPO Ms. Hernandez; the FMC Secretariats; the FMC-PO Representative for Agusan del Norte Hon. Albert Garrido; the Alegria Municipal Agriculture Office representatives Mr. Senturias and Ms. Bencula Dandan; and PASCRES-Caraga Representatives headed by the Board of Trustees, Mr. Romeo Dahuyag.

During the site appraisal, the team conducted courtesy meetings with the Barangay Officials and facilitated consultations and focus group discussions with the members and officers of Camp Edward Integrated Farmers Association, Budlingin Rural Workers Association, Jay Anibongan Irrigators Association, Kitcharao Communal Irrigators Inc., and Gamuton Farmers Association. g Johny S. Natad

Multi Stakeholder Meeting & PACAP Project Assessment

Forty-three representatives from partner NGOs, POs and LGUs were actively participating to the Multi Stakeholder Meeting & PACAP Project Assessment. It aims to provide proper venue to talk and discuss for the new Focal Community Assistance Scheme (FOCAS) Strategy and issues and concerns arising in the Lake Mainit area with the presence of different stakeholders, partners and beneficiaries. The activity was held at Mainit, Surigao del Norte last February 7, 2007 and it was facilitated by the Lake Mainit FOCAS Management Committee (FMC) and Secretariat.

Engr. Kaiser B. Recabo, Jr., LMDA Project Director presented the Lake Mainit FOCAS Strategy which consists of the Lake Mainit situation and the 2007 New FOCAS project component & targets. The FOCAS updates, 2006 accomplishments and the 2007 FMC Milestone targets were explained by Mr. Johny Natad, Assistant FOCAS Coordinator

The updates and status of the ongoing FOCAS projects like the Mainit Community Based Resource Management Initiatives (Mainit-CBRMI), the Sison Upland Resource Enhancement Project (SUREP) and the Enhancing Upland and Lowland Farming Systems and Strengthening of Local Organizations (EFASS) were also presented by the partner proponent NGOs represented by Mr. Arnel Basnillo of AID Foundation, Ms. Jay Grace Bonotan of Caraga Consortium for Environmental Protection & Sustainable Development, and Ms. Lilagri Mae Sonajo of Alterdev Services Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Omar Barillo, FOCAS Coordinator facilitated the workshop on project assessment. A simple assessment tool was used & presented to identify the facilitating factors, hindering factors and strategy to solve the hindering factors on the concerned areas from project proposal preparation, pre-implementation, project implementation and monitoring & evaluation. The workshop made by the three groups: NGOs, POs and LGUs who presented & discussed the output with the plenary. g Johny S. Natad