Developing Partnership for Sustainable Watershed Management Case of

Developing Partnership for Sustainable Watershed Management: Case of MT. ISAROG Watershed Cely S. Binoya, Ph. D. – CSSAC Vic Aniceto Rubio - MNWD

Topics u Introduction u Brief description of Mt. Isarog as Watershed u Partnership development for SWM u Accomplishments u Benefits of partnership u Sustainability mechanism u Learning points

Introduction u Why • • • sustainable watershed management for Mt. Isarog? there were 81 park occupants undertaking intensive agricultural cultivation in the area 47 are actually living in the park Threatens biodiversity and water safety

Program Vision Sustainable Watershed Management through Partnership and People Empowerment.

Program Goals u Protect Mt. Isarog Natural Park u Generate safe and sufficient water for the constituents u Holistic program implementation following the Integrated Area Management Approach u Develop strong complementation, supplementation and coordination among partner institutions

Objective of Watershed Management (Florece, 2002) u Ø Ø Promote use of natural resources within the watershed for economically productive purposes thru: Improved rainwater management Improved standard of living Improved maintenance, enhancement and protection of the areas Improved care and management of natural resources within the watershed

Guiding Principles in Watershed Management (Florece, 2002) u Holistic, integrated and multiple – use management u Multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary planning u Adoption of sustainability criteria u Participatory and equitable participation u Efficiency in resource allocation

Brief Description of Mt. Isarog as Watershed u Proclaimed National Park in 1938 u It has an area of 10, 112. 35 has, height - 1, 966 m above sea level, has many rivers, waterfalls, and endemic flora and fauna u Main source of potable water for Naga City and 11 other municipalities surrounding Mt. Isarog.

Partnership Development u Why Ø Ø partnership development? The realization that no single institution can ably respond to the challenge of managing a watershed in a sustainable manner. The need for a multi-disciplinary but holistic approach to watershed management. Sharing and supplementation of resources Complementation of activities

Processes for Partnership Development u Stewardship agreement between DENR and MNWD for 317 has in the Anayan and Rumangrap Springs watershed area (1993), with a combined output of 225 lps. u Tripartite agreement among MNWD, Rotary Club of Naga City and Plan Int’l. Bicol (1993) for SWM Program.

Partnership Development Process u Involving CSSAC, through its Development Foundation Inc. (CSSAC-DFI) in benchmarking study and institutional development. The college served as the coordinating office of the program (1994 -1997) u The partners came up with an Integrated Area Development Plan (IADP)

7 Components of the IADP Institution building and community organizing u Relocation of park settlers u Community development and strengthening thru cooperativism u Alternative livelihood development u Forest and watershed protection and management, including nursery establishment u Research and development u Community service u

Accomplishments u On Institution Building and Community Development (task of CSSAC, NGO, MNWD) Ø Ø Ø Conducted series of meetings, consultations, and conscientization among park settlers to make them realize the problem Action planning Community organizing and institution building: formation of the Rotary Village Corps

Trainings on Institution Building u Values formation u Working with others u Team building u Leadership u Community management u Project management u Farm project planning, monitoring and evaluation

Relocation of Park Settlers Objectives: to uproot them and to stop agricultural activities in the park u Partners bought 1. 2 has as relocation area and prepared land use plan u Provided housing units (34) u Other facilities: chapel, day care center (and teacher), multi-purpose building, staff house, sports area & communal garden u Provided water and electrical facilities u

Community Development and Strengthening thru Cooperativism u Organized into cooperative in 1997 u Registered with the CDA as Rotary Village Corps Forest Development Cooperative u Initial CBU was Php 13, 000. 00 used for economic activities u Provided training and other services by CDA and MCDC

Alternative Livelihood Development u The coop was provided with food processing equipment by PIB and RCN for their agricultural crops u There is continuing agricultural production and processing activities u Livelihood projects: bio-intensive gardens, swine and poultry, buy and sell of agri-products u Livelihood trainings provided by CSSAC and DA

Continuing Education MOA for continuing education program entered into by CSSAC Ext. Division, MNWD, RCN and RVCFDC u The project is under the Cooperative Assistance Program of CSSAC u Free trainings on various sustainable agricultural technologies provided on site u Scholarship to the CSSAC DSVT program u Continuing values development for effective watershed management u

Partners in Continuing Education Activities u. CSSAC u. DA-LGU, DA- Region u. CARE Philippines u. Plan Int’l. Bicol u. MNWD u. DENR

Forest and Watershed Protection and Management u Nursery establishment as source of planting materials u Reforestation / tree planting u Established and developed the catchment area u Converted the site to an Ecological Park u Training for Bantay Bundok / Forest Guards by the DENR

Research and Development u CSSAC conducted research in the area on “Community Response to Development Interventions: Case of RVCFDC” as a learning activity in Rural Sociology u Training Needs Assessment u Community Profiling of the RVC as a prelude to student internship u Techno-demo cum research

Community Service u The RVCFDC is a favorite venue of service – oriented institutions in Naga City and Camarines Sur on the ff. activities: u Gift giving (Ateneo and USI) u Installation of Solar Home Lighting System (RC of Isarog - CSSAC) u Sports and Medical Mission (RCN, PIB, and MNWD)

Benefits of Partnership For the Partners: Complementation of activities, resource sharing u For CSSAC: RVCFDC served as internship site and social laboratory of Rural Sociology, Community Organizing and Cooperative Management courses u For the Community: Continuing education activities, more economic activities and better farm productivity u

Sustainability Mechanism u Ø Ø Ø Formation of the Multi-Agency Watershed Management Committee composed of the ff. institutions: DENR MNWD Plan Int’l. Bicol CSSAC LGU CARE Philippines and others, as needed

Learning Points On Partnership Development: §For the academe, establish track record on RDE §With Academic Program offering as anchorage of RDE projects in Watershed Areas §With an organized Development Foundation for budget infusion from external sources

Learning Points On Partnership Development: ØAcademe must have institutionalized Extension Program for community / cooperative assistance ØEstablish strong coordination among partner institutions ØNo competition among the partner institutions.

Learning Points u Ø Ø Ø On Program Implementation: Constant dialogue between and among coop members and partners Continuing assessment of needs for relevance and responsiveness An IADP was very useful in pursuing development interventions in an area

Learning Points u RDE should be conducted regularly by partner academe to assess quality of development, identify emerging needs and problems for relevance and responsiveness u Watershed management and forest protection should be made integral part of PAM program.