Asia 18-020

INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION (IEE)

REQUEST FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION (RCE)

Project I Activity Data:

Country/Region: Objective:

Activity Name:

Start Date: LOP Amount: IEE Prepared by: IEE Amendment: Date of original I EE: Tracking No: Link to original IEE: Date of amended IE E: Tracking No: Link to amended IEE:

Amendment - 2

Philippines/ Asia

Basic Education (lmpro\1ed Peace and Stability in Conflict­affected areas in Mindanao) Mindanao Youth for Development

July 8, 2013 End Date: July 2019 US$ 15,939,418 Anna Denise Roque y

Approved July 10, 2012

Date: January 12, 2018

ASIA-IEE-12-142 (original) http://gemini.info.usaid.gov/repositon /pdf/38572.pdf Approved January 8, 2015 ASIA 15-017 (amendment 1) ht tp://gem in i.in fo. usaid.gov /repository/pd f /42431 .pdf

Environmental Action Recommended

Categorical Exclusio n: [X]

Positive Determination:

With Conditions :

Purpose and Scope of IEE

Deferral:

Negative Determination

Exemption:

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

(Amendment No. 2) T he purpose of this amendment is to extend the funding end date from July 8. 20 18 to July 2019. In add ition. it will increase the funding amount by US$ 4,950,000; and update the end o f the funding period from July 7, 2018 to July 2019. The scope and nature of acti vities as approved in the original (ASIA 12- 142) and amended Initial Environmental l·:xaminat ions (ASI A 15-017) remain the same.

Description of Activities

lJSJ\ lfYs Mindanao Youth for Development (MYDev) is a five-year program that addresses key constraints to peace and stability in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. MYDev contributes to (ioal I. Objective 3 o f the Mission's Integrated Country Strategy, Improve Peace and Stability in Conflict-a ffected Areas. Primarily in Mindanao. The program also contributes to USAID

Education Goal 3, Increased Equitable Access to Education in Crisis and Conflict Environments for 15 million learners by 20 I 5. MY Dev is implemented by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC).

MYDcv provides access to safe learning opportunities to out-of-school youth (OSY) in select conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. Through strengthening oflocal stakeholders' capacity to deliver improved education and training, MYOev promotes and enabling environment that protects the OSY against unproductive and violent social activities in their communities. The program actively engages at least I 9,000 OSY in community and workforce development activities by developing their basic education competencies, livelihood capabilities, and life and leadership skills for civic engagement.

MYDev primarily supports equitable access to basic education through the Department of Education ' s Alternative Learning System (DepEd - ALS), and access to relevant livelihood skills training provided by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and other local service providers.

To date. MYDev has trained more than 19,000 out-of-school youth on life skills curriculum focused on community engagement and work readiness. MYDev also strengthened local governance through the establishment of out-of-school youth development alliances in eight priori ty areas in Mindanao affected by conflict. MYDev also trained educators including instructional managers and life skills facilitators on teaching quality lite skills, and implementing the Philippine DepED-ALS. This provided the OSY with improved literacy, numeracy, and basic skills that prepare learners for the basic education equivalency exam.

During performance monitoring visits in MYDev sites, the AOR also monitors environmental compliance and ensures that the activities are within the approved determination of the original Initial Environmental Examination. MYDev has implemented activities that are still the same as those mentioned in the original IEE, and are fully within the class of Categorical Exclusions.

Justification for Amendment

The extension of MYOev aims to decrease the risk of youth becoming involved with violent extremist groups. and contribute to strengthening the social contract that underpins peace and stability in Mindanao.

lJSAID/J>hi lippines. through MY Dev. will continue to improve youth employability and foster yo uth and community co llaboration to build resilience to violent extremism by providing equ itable access to relevant education and skills training. This is accomplished through a set of three (3) interrelated components. which:

J\. Strengthen the capacity of local government units. communities, and stakeholders to deli ver education and training service delivery for out-of-school youth;

B. Increase youth access to education through the Department of Education 's Alternative Learning System (/\LS): and

C. Increasing out of school youth employability by providing equitable access to relevant education and skills training

This additional funding of US$ 4,950,000 ($2 million in Complex Crisis Funds and $1.5 million in Countering Violent Extremism funds for Marawi, and $ 1.45 million from FY 2017 Office of Education Operating Year Budget for other MYDev sites) wi ll build on existing activities of MYDev and allow them to reach approximately 3,000 youth from Marawi, and strengthen development alliances for youth development in Mindanao.

The two main components of this extension are:

Component I: Marawi City Response

The youth of Marawi wi II be provided with psycho-social support to ease the trauma of the conflict and begin the normalization process. Life skills training to develop competencies necessary to secure employment or successfully engage in livelihood activities, will then follow. The youth will then be provided with technical-vocational skills training that will make them active participants of the rebuilding process. USAID will also provide equipment to the youth who successfully gamn national certification in the skills training so they can be part of the work force required to rebuild the city. MYDev will also connect the youth to appropriate employment opportunities using proven approaches.

Component 2: Strengthening Development Alliances for Youth Development in Mindanao

The extension wi ll also implement a set of interventions that will strengthen the abi lity of the partner organizations in Mindanao to deliver services for the vulnerable youth. This will result in increased educat ion, livelihood and employment opportunities for the youth generated by the local partners themselves. An additional 3,500 youth are expected to benefit from this approach.

Climate Risk Management

To comply with the new Agency guidance for implementing the Executive Order on Climate Resilient International Development, as defined in the ADS 201 Mandatory Reference, the climate risk-screening tool was used to identify the activities and interventions most at risk from climate change and to propose measures for mitigating those risks as appropriate. The design team also used existing climate change vulnerability assessments and risk analyses, previously conducted by USAID. other donors. the Philippine government and local institutions. Overall, climate change impacts in the Philippines are expected to cause warmer temperatures in the summer months. reduce rainfall in the dry season and produce heavier rainfall in the wet season. The Phi lippines is also expected to be subjected to more flooding, droughts, and intense typhoons, as well as sea level rise in coastal areas.

Many of the climate risk impacts and their consequences are discussed further in Table 1 below. The cli1natc risk rating for activities and interventions proposed as pa11 of this Project are generally ··tow."' but some activities. particularly those related to service delivery, are classified

as ·'moderate'· risk. From ADS 201 , " low risk indicates that climate change is unlikely to materially impact achievement or sustainability of project or activity outcomes." Also from ADS 20 l, "moderate risk indicates that climate change is likely to materially impact achievement of development outcomes.'' Because of this determination, some activities under thi s project will address the potential climate risk as part of activity design and implementation so that climate impacts are mitigated and USAI D investments are sustainable.

Table I Output Matnx: Climate Risk, Opportumttes and Actions 1.1: Defined or Anticipated Sub Purpose 2: Basic education and life skills provided to the vulnerable Project Elements youth, particularly MYDev Activity in Mindanao 1.2: Time-frame 5-10 years

1.3: Geography Urban and Rural in Mindanao including Marawi City

2: Climate Risks Required financial or Need for schools to Increased risk of climate-

3: Adaptive capacity

other support to help develop new curricula related disasters will tend to youth from displaced and instructional exacerbate existing families attend trainings materials to train inequalities experienced by due to damaged homes youth for jobs in other marginalized populations. and temporary sectors due to displacement caused by reduced employment flooding. opportunities in

climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, caused by prolonged drought.

• Local governments units {LG Us) are expected to be at the frontline of emergency measures in the aftermath of disast ers. Each LG Us are tasked to create a Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan covering t hese 4 aspects: disaster preparedness, response, prevention and mitigation, and rehabi litation and recovery. There is also a local disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) council to coordinate efforts. LG Us are also required by law to set aside at least 5% of their estimated revenue from regular sources as LDRRM Fund to support pre-disaster preparedness programs and post-disaster activities.

• At the ARMM regional level they have adopted the preparedness through its ARMM-HEART - Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (HEART), which is the counterpart of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC). AR MM-HEART is an upgraded version of the NDRRMC since with the former involving the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as some crises entail human rights issues. ARMM as the fi rst region to establish 40 hydro meteorological hazard apparatus in almost its areas as part of its preparedness .

.... 4: Climate Risk Ratlng• __ ....j_ ___ __:l~o..:..:w _ ____ L_l ___ _ l~o..:..:w:..__ ____ J...._l __ __:m.:..:o.:..:d.:..:e,..ra;....;t_e ___ --i

5: Opportunities •

•

Community-based Alternative Learning Systems in partnership with the Barangays and with the cooperation of the local division of the Department of Education is seen as the channel to strengthen the capacities of vulnerable groups in disaster risk reduction, particularly preparedness, and recovery through education.

A focused comprehensive livelihood program for the vulnerable youth,

particularly in their resettlement areas sites, that will include learning new livelihood skills and provision of capital/ seed money for community-based enterprises and other facilities.

6.1: Climate Risk No additional action to No additional action to • institutional support Management Options address the climate risks address the climate risks from government

is required. is required. and non-government organizations in terms of sustainable livelihood framework program and social enterprise development and the implementation of a focused comprehensive livelihood program

• strengthen the capacities of vulnerable youth in disaster risk reduction, particularly preparedness, and recovery t hrough education

6.2: How Climate Risks Are • Conduct psychosocial Addressed in the Project sessions for displaced

youth, and non-school-based disaster risk reduction and management

7: Next Steps for Activity • Conduct an assessment with DepEd, TESDA, and other key stakeholders to Design/Implementation understand opportunities to build on the project components

• Include specific language on climate risk assessment and management in the work plan or monitoring and evaluation plan of MYDev.

8: Accepted Climate Risks none none none

In compliance with the new Climate Risk Management for USAID Projects and Activities: A Mandatory Reference for ADS Chapter 201, this IEE amendment includes climate risk management. EMMP for activities deemed moderate or high risk will include appropriate measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change on specific interventions. Implementing partner or M YDev shall refer to Table I of this IEE amendment for actions relevant to their acti vity to consider in their strategy and/or work plan.

l~cvisions

If during implementation. new activities are considered outside of those described in this or the original or amendment IEE. an amended IEE shall be submitted. Pursuant to 22 CFR216.3 (a) (9). if new information becomes available which indicates that activities to be funded by the Project might be ··major·· and the project's effect "significant", this determination will be reviewed and revised by the Contract/Agreement Officer's Representative of the project, and submitted to the Mission Environmental Officer and Asia Bureau Environmental Officer for approval and. i r appropriate. an environmental assessment will be prepared.

1/24/2018