Sustainable Rural Development Program

TERMINAL REPORT Covering the period

November 2004 to October 2007

Submitted to

Evangelischer Entwinklungsdienst EED

by the

Project Development Institute PDI

building self-reliant communities through people’s initiatives…

44 Gen. Segundo Street, Heroes Hill, Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Quezon City Tel No. 374 39 86; 415 16 73/Telefax No. 413 39 35

TERMINAL REPORT 2004-2007

Sustainable Rural Development Programme Narrative Report # 6

Table of Contents

I. Developmental Context & Situational Analysis

a. Sustaining Agrarian Reform b. Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

c. Challenges

II. The Programme

a. Objectives b. Areas of Operation c. Management d. Efficiency and Effectiveness e. Alliances and Networks in Advocacy

III. The Right to Land: Land Transfer

a. Agrarian Reform b. Ancestral Domain Rights

IV. The Right to Food: Economic Support Services

a. Starting Aid b. Trading Capital c. READ: Small Projects Fund d. Sustainable Agriculture

V. Local Governance and People Empowerment

a. Institutional Building b. Participation in Local Government Bodies c. Women Empowerment d. Empowering the Youth

VI. Research and Policy Advocacy

a. Advocacy Campaigns and Mobilizations b. Linkage Work c. Usaping Bayan d. Research

VII. Developing Human Resources through Education

a. Training b. Non Formal Education c. College Scholarship

VIII. Conclusion

a. Project Objectives b. Facilitating Factors c. Constraining Factors

d. Lessons Learned

Annexes:

1. Summary Report for Starting Aid 2. Own Means Starting Aid 3. Schedule of Repayment 4. Small Project 5. Trading Capital 6. Financial Report

TERMINAL REPORT Covering the period

November 2004 to October 2007 I. Developmental Context and Situational Analysis Our situation Deepening rural poverty, fueled by inequitable access to economic resources and the continuing lack of determination and vigor on the part of government in implementing land distribution laws, mirrors the situation of the rural poor. This underlines the difficulties faced by vulnerable groups such as peasants, rural women and indigenous peoples in overcoming poverty and food insecurity. Sustaining Agrarian Reform The Department of Agrarian Reform funded a study entitled “Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Impact Assessment -Study on the Impact of CARP on Poverty Reduction and Prospects for Long-Term Growth”. The study found that less than two-thirds of the program scope had been accomplished. Furthermore, in the last eight years ending December, 2006, the pace of distribution had slowed down with only 24 percent of the target being achieved. The study found that only 18 % of private lands under compulsory acquisition have actually been covered and distributed as of end December 2006. Moreover, for most of the lands which have been distributed, around 72% are still not individually titled. This means that the incentive effects of ownership will not translate to any economic development since there is no individual ownership as yet. Consequently the farmers will have difficulty getting credit and will be vulnerable to the temptation of selling their rights or abandoning their lands. The study found that CARP has improved the quality of life of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), citing that the per capita expenditure, per capita income, and per capita net farm incomes of farmers owning lands are significantly higher than their counterparts who do not own land. It concludes that land ownership is critical for poverty reduction and economic growth and that ownership and control of the land determines the incomes of farmers. It goes on to say that the odds that a household is non-poor are higher than the odds that it will be poor, if it owns land.

Project Development Institute 44 Gen.Segundo, Heroes Hills, Brgy. Sta.Cruz, Quezon City

Tel No. 374-3986/Fax 413-3935

This conclusion is a truth that all farmers have known since time immemorial. This truth is the rationale for the struggle of peasants to own the land they till because they know that land ownership is their way out of poverty. Protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) Republic Act 8371, the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), was enacted by the 10th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines and was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on October 29, 1997. IPRA is the first and the most comprehensive law that recognizes the rights of Philippine Indigenous Peoples to self-governance, social justice, human rights and cultural integrity. The IPRA recognizes the rights of IPs to own their ancestral domains and ancestral lands. Unfortunately, while indigenous peoples are claiming their ancestral land rights based on the IPRA law, their claims are in conflict with other legislations that grant utilization rights, ownership or stewardship rights over lands and resources. Some examples are the National Integrated Protected Areas (NIPAs) program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Mining Act and the Local Government Code of 1991. Our challenges To reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth, the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to redistribute land to landless peasants is critical. It is unfortunate that there is only one year before the scheduled termination of the Program yet much still needs to be done. For the Indigenous Peoples (IPs), the challenge is to enable them to regain ownership of their ancestral lands and be accorded respect for their culture and way of life, including their political structures and systems. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) must be implemented. Time is of the essence because of the threat of mining companies poised to explore huge tracts of mountainous areas in their search for valuable metals. II. Financial Review Based on the Financial Statement for the period ending October 31, 2007 and the Auditor’s Report, the total grant received by PDI from EED-EZE (from July 2007 to October 2007) amounted to P1, 344,159.83. PDI’s interest income is P742.07 while its gain in foreign exchange gain is P2, 546.17. Its own means reached P957, 562.25. Thus, total revenue is P2, 306,042.32. However, total expenditure reached P4, 596,168.82.

R E G I O N I I I

B A T A A N

Z A M B A L E SP A M P A N G A

B U L A C A N

N U E V A E C I J A

T A R L A C

A U R O R A

III. The SRDP Program

a. Objectives The Sustainable Rural Development Program (SRDP) was implemented by the Project Development Institute from November 1, 2004 to October 31, 2007. It was supported by Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst e.v. (EED) from funds provided by Evangelische Zentralstelle für Entwicklungshilfe e.v. (EZE) out of grants of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Protestant Church (EED/KED). SRDP evolved from the need to sustain and consolidate the gains achieved in Central Luzon and Palawan by the Rural Empowerment through Agrarian / Asset Development (READ) Program. The main objectives of SRDP are:

1. To strengthen land tenure security through land development, livelihood and support services.

2. To ensure the sustainability of local institutions by strengthening the capacity and autonomy of its partner-peasant organizations (PO)

3. To increase the participation of women and youth in community affairs. 4. To enhance participation in local governance and to improve capacity in

formulating strategies for mobilizing public resources for rural development. 5. To utilize the consolidation period to prepare its partners for the eventual

transfer of the development work from PDI to their Peasant Organizations.

b. Areas of Operation

The SRDP Program was implemented in 8 provinces in Central Luzon namely Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueve Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales and the province of Palawan in Southern Tagalog.

SRDP Coverage

c. Management Supported by members of its PDI Board of Trustees, the Project Development Institute is headed by its Executive Director, Aurea G. Miclat-Teves. The Office of the Executive Director leads the Management Committee which is composed of the Field Operations, Monitoring and Information System, Finance and Administrative Departments.

Area Management Teams

PDI established Area Management Teams (AMTs) to facilitate the management of the program. The AMTs promote people’s participation in the operation and implementation of the program.

Zambales Area Management Team (ZAMT)- manages local operations in Zambales and administers the Alternative Development Center in Bulawen, Palauig. It also coordinates field operations in the adjacent province of Bataan.

Nueva Ecija Area Management Team (NE-AMT)- is based in Villa Mena, Laur. It coordinates the development programs of Aurora, Pampanga and Tarlac.

Palawan Area Management Team (PAMT)- implements development programs for Tagbanuas of Calamianes Islands. PAMT has expanded to assist non-IP beneficiaries. It promotes and advances Sustainable Agriculture and Non-Formal Education in the island.

Community Organizers are stationed in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac. Community Organizers live among the peasants and work from PDI-NMGL Coordinating Centers.

PDI ensures sustainability by training the members of Peoples Organizations to assume leadership responsibilities. It acts as a support structure, providing technical help, organizational training and education.

d. Efficiency and Effectiveness

From November 2004 to October 2007, total project cost of SRDP amounted to Php57.05million, of which Php37.87million was used for direct program costs and Php19.18million covered indirect costs of Personnel and Administration. PDI contributed Php14.05million in counterpart funds. This is 24.64 percent of total costs, slightly higher than the required counterpart percentage of 24.13 percent. PDI has adhered to the budget guidelines in its funding contract and maintained total Personnel costs at Php 15.78 million or 27.66 percent of total costs. The program has been efficient with a delivery cost (defined as the ratio of Personnel and Administrative costs to Total Cost) of 33.62 percent. SRDP is highly effective in terms of costs and benefits. With Php57.05million spent for the projects, it has delivered (in current market valuation) Php 368.52 million of agricultural lands to 625 agrarian reform beneficiaries. It has facilitated the re-acquisition of 39,973 hectares of ancestral domains to 3,444 families of indigenous Peoples. Also in the pipeline are 73,883 hectares of ancestral domains in various stages of the re-acquisition process. If we assign a nominal value of Php 1,000.00 per hectare on the re-acquired 39,973 hectares of Ancestral Lands, the total would be Php 39.97 million. This means that PDI was able to assist in the transfer of a total Php408.49 million of real assets for Land Tenure Improvement. Moreover, PDI’s partner organizations were able to generate Php 25.49 million of government resources to benefit their communities with farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities and school improvements. All these translate to every peso spent by SRDP resulting in benefits of about Php433.98million for farmers and Indigenous Peoples, a multiplier effect of 7.6 times.

e. Alliances and Networks in Advocacy

PDI recognizes the importance of networking to achieve development goals and has built significant linkages such as coalition networks, task forces and alliances. As an active member of broad networks of advocacies, PDI brings lessons and ideas from the local level into regional and national fora.

EED Task Force

PDI is part of the EED Philippine Partners Task Force on Indigenous Peoples Rights (EED-TFIP), a network of NGOs in the Philippines advancing the cause of Indigenous Peoples, with support from Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst e.V. (EED) of Germany.

PDI is member of the steering committee of the TFIP which is at the forefront of campaigns and advocacy for IP rights.

Second National Rural Congress

PDI is very active in the Central Luzon Regional Cluster Consultation which is working for the holding of a Second National Rural Congress in 2008. The First Rural Congress was held in 1967. It was led by diocesan and parish social action workers and concluded that the Church must go to the barrios to be of service to the people who need her most.

After forty (40) long years, the rural parts of the country are still the most neglected by both the Church’s pastoral care network and the government's development programs. Thus, a revival of the Congress was envisioned. This time the rural poor will speak for themselves, share their ideas and formulate plans for their upliftment.

The members of PDI’s partner peasant organizations, the Nagkakaisang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (NMGL), the Bukluran ng mga Katutubong Ayta ng Luzon (BUKAL), and PASAMAKA-L (Pagkakaisa ng Samahang Magsasakang Kababaihan-Luzon), will lead the preliminary consultations in Central Luzon.

IV. Support for the right to Land a. Agrarian Reform The aim of SRDP under this component is the redistribution under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) of 2,338 hectares of land which is the balance under the former program, plus an additional 3,000 hectares. Under READ, PDI was able to assist in the re-distribution of 2,953 hectares and this encouraged optimistic estimate of substantial gains from Land Reform. Moreover, the goal of an additional 3,000 hectares was based on the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) figure of lands placed under CARP in PDI’s service areas. Unfortunately, the succeeding years were characterized by heightened farmer-landowner disputes and the inability of the Government to implement land reform in contested private lands. This is especially evident when the landowners are able to flex financial and political muscles. Land disputes have become very contentious with

verbal threats and acts of violence directed against the farmers, the organizations who assist them and even against government personnel who are perceived as “farmer-friendly”. Big landowners are especially resistant to moves to re-distribute their lands. To date, PDI and its partner peasant organization, NMGL (Nagkakaisang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon) have 50 Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) and Acquisition Law Implementation (ALI) cases pending with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). According to the Secretary of the Department, there is a backlog of 1.2 million hectares of land still to be processed for land reform and over 2,000 cases involving land disputes. From 2004 to 2007, PDI in coordination with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and its partner peasant organization NMGL, facilitated the re-distribution of 939.71 hectares of land. (see Table 1). This means land tenure improvement for 625 farmer beneficiaries who now own the land they till. These lands were secured for the farmers after a long struggle with the government bureaucracy and the landowners. PDI is especially proud that of this total, 98 percent consists of private agricultural lands and were obtained in the face of strong landowner resistance to land conversion. For July to October 2007, the Lutgarda Torres Property in Angeles City made up of 164 hectares was awarded to 64 farmer beneficiaries (See Table 1).

Table 1 Land Tenure Improvement under the

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP/RA 6657)

By Province 2004-2007

Year Location No. of

FBs* Land Owner

Area Awarded

(in Hectares)

2004 Laur , Nueva Ecija 20 Lot 22 Tinio Property 21.00 Morong, Bataan 15 Frederick De Dios 29.05

Magalang, Pampanga 14 Feliciano Tino 28.80

Angeles, Pampanga 46 Raul Claveria 34.96 Masinloc, Zambales 25 D. Yap 23.50 11 V. Jalipa 11.00

Candelaria Zambales 14 F. Yap 42.07

Masinloc, Zambales 81 P. Estella 74.66 Gerona, Tarlac 20 Carbonel 58.00

2005 Laur , Nueva Ecija 10 Esteban Abesamis 14.97 Gerona, Tarlac 90 J. Cojuangco 88.00

Magalang, Pampanga 28 Tinio Prop. 42.51

3 Forfom Prop. 1.50 Morong, Bataan 1 F. De Dios 3.00

Kaybanban, Bulacan 21 Veterans Bank 12.00

2006 Borac, Palawan 67 Felipe Ricafort & Rodolfo Pebiaco 93.93

Laur, Nueva Ecija 17 Lot 23 17.00 2007 Bagac, Bataan 64 Felicio Banlig 165.00

Morong, Bataan 14 Abello Property 14.00

Angeles City 64 Lutgarda Torres Property 164.76

625 20 landholdings 939.71 Another obstacle to land tenure improvement efforts is the fact that land values are being pushed upwards by rapid urbanization and a ballooning population. Increasing land values encourage landowners to hold on to their properties and convert them to other uses such as housing developments or industrial zones, which exempts them from land reform. It also tempts some farmer-beneficiaries to “get rich” quickly by selling their newly-acquired lands. The lands re-distributed under CARP have an aggregate value of Php65.648 million as assessed by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). The Land Bank determines compensation of landowners and the corresponding amortization obligations of the beneficiaries. However, the assessed value is only 17.81 percent of the real value of these properties. Current market valuation of the acquired lands is estimated at Php368.52 million (See Table 2). With this huge discrepancy, it is easy to understand the landowner’s motivation to resist land reform by all means.

Table 2 Land Tenure Improvement

Land Valuation 2004-2007

• Land Bank of the Philippines

Land Tenure improvement means secure economic conditions for farmer-beneficiaries who regard land ownership as a source of pride, identity and wealth. Even if the size of the land is very small, possession of a land title changes the peasant’s status from a landless tiller to an owner. With land ownership, farmers can now benefit 100 percent from their harvest, increasing their ability to provide food for their families. Moreover, impact-assessment studies all concur that agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) are in a better situation than non-ARBs. They have higher incomes and produce higher output values per hectare. They are more satisfied with their economic conditions and have a better sense of well-being compared to non-agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Year Location No.

of FBs Land Owner

Area Awarded

(in Hectares)

LBP* Assessed

Value/Hectare (in PhP)

Total LBP Assessed

Value (in PhP)

Current Market

Value/hectare (in PhP)

Total Market Value

(in PhP million)

2004 Laur , Nueva

Ecija 20 Lot 22 Tinio

Property 21.00 40,000.00 840,000.00 100,000.00 2.10

Morong, Bataan 15 Frederick De

Dios 29.05 50,000.00 1,452,620.00 150,000.00 4.30

Magalang, Pampanga 14 Feliciano Tino 28.80 125,000.00 3,600,000.00 1,000,000.00 28.80

Angeles,

Pampanga 46 Raul Claveria 34.96 125,000.00 4,370,550.00 1,000,000.00 34.90

Masinloc, Zambales 25 D. Yap 23.50 40,000.00 940,000.00 700,000.00 16.40

11 V. Jalipa 11.00 40,000.00 440,000.00 700,000.00 7.70

Candelaria Zambales 14 F. Yap 42.07 40,000.00 1,682,668.00 700,000.00 29.40

Masinloc, Zambales 81 P. Estella 74.66 40,000.00 2,986,280.00 700,000.00 52.20

Gerona, Tarlac 20 Carbonel 58.00 110,000.00 6,380,000.00 700,000.00 40.60

2005 Laur , Nueva

Ecija 10 Esteban

Abesamis 14.97 40,000.00 598,848.00 100,000.00 1.50

Tarlac 90 J. Cojuangco 88.00 200,000.00 17,600,000.00 1,000,000.00 88.00

Magalang, Pampanga 28 Tinio Prop. 42.51 40,000.00 1,700,496.00 100,000.00 4.20

3 Forfom Prop. 1.50 125,000.00 187,500.00 1,000,000.00 1.50

Morong, Bataan 1 F. De Dios 3.00 50,000.00 150,000.00 150,000.00 0.40

Kaybanban,

Bulacan 21 Veterans

Bank 12.00 300,000.00 3,600,000.00 500,000.00 6.00

2006 Borac, Palawan 67

Felipe Ricafort & Rodolfo Pebiaco 93.93 60,000.00 5,635,848.00 150,000.00 14.00

Laur, Nueva Ecija 17 Lot 23 17.00 22,070.00 375,190.00 55,180.00 0.94

2007 Bagac, Bataan 64 Felicio Banling 165.00 50,000.00 8,250,000.00 150000 24.75

Morong, Bataan 14 Abello

Property 14.00 120,000.00 1,680,000.00 150000 2.10

Angeles City 64

Lutgarda Torres

Property 164.76 19,292.00 3,178,550.00 53,000.00 8.73

625 939.71 65,648,550.00 368.52

b. Ancestral Domain Rights Another goal of SRDP for 2004-2007 is to re-claim 1,000 hectares in the uplands for the Indigenous Peoples (IPs). The 1,000 hectares comprise part of the IP’s ancestral domains. The struggle to re-claim ancestral lands is based on the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), or Republic Act 8371, a landmark legislation which recognizes and guarantees the rights of Indigenous Peoples (IP) to their ancestral domains, to self-governance and empowerment, to social justice, human rights and cultural integrity. Ancestral domain includes trees, pastures, bodies of water, burial and hunting grounds, places of worship, agricultural and residential lands and the natural resources and minerals that are found within these lands. They are community property belonging to all generations of IPs and cannot be sold, disposed or destroyed. They have been occupied by individuals and families of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) since time immemorial and up to the present. Before the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), traditional land ownership of the IPs were not recognized because they had no titles. IPRA gave them a chance to re-acquire these lands and sustain their culture and way of life. For 2004-2007, the Sustainable Rural Development Program was able to facilitate the release of CADCs (Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claims) covering 39,973 hectares to 3,444 families of Indigenous tribes (see Table 3). This means that these parcels of land have been re-claimed as ancestral domains by these tribes. These claims are now recognized by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), by the local governments of their municipalities and provinces and by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). With the CADCs, IPs have land tenure security and can inhabit, develop and till their tribal lands. They can now re-establish their tribes and way of life in their ancestral domains.

Table 3 Recognized Ancestral Domains

Under the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA/RA 8371) 2004-2007

Location/ Beneficiaries

Photo Documentation Size (In Hectares)

Number of Beneficiary

Families

Floridablanca, Pampanga

Aeta Tribe

8,218

1,424

Hermosa, Bataan

Aeta Tribe

4,355

700

Botolan, Zambales

Aeta Tribe

22,400

1,200

Limay, Bataan

Aeta Tribe

5,000

120

Total 39,973 3,444 Processing of Claims The process of obtaining recognition for these claims has been difficult, time consuming and expensive. Documentation requirements to support claims had to be obtained from the Indigenous Peoples (IPs). This necessitated several months of survey work done by PDI personnel with the help of its partner IP organization, BUKAL (Bukluran ng Katutubo sa Luzon). The government agency tasked to do this job, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), is ill-funded and ill-staffed. To make its work easier, the NCIP entered into Memorandums of Agreement with Non-Government Organization (NGOs) such as PDI to assist Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in fulfilling the documentary requirements. Field work was necessary to delineate the boundaries of ancestral domains as narrated and claimed by tribe members. This involved months of field work deep in

the mountain ranges to ascertain, validate and confirm the tribe’s claims. Afterwards, field surveyors and geologists from NCIP (National Commission on Indigenous Peoples) had to be assisted while they conducted geological/topographical surveys and mapped the ancestral lands. Genealogy surveys going back at least five generations were also conducted to confirm the tribe’s “occupancy since time immemorial and up to the present” of their ancestral domains. These entailed months of field work conducting interviews, researching and validating findings. These Indigenous Peoples (IPs) are nomadic mountain tribes so it was a massive undertaking to seek them out, gather them and listen to their stories in order to sort out their family trees. PDI also had to document the IP’s customs, traditions, pacts, agreements, language and other anthropological data. It had to produce photo documentation of landmarks, make genealogy charts and file verification reports. It also conducted an updated population census. Progress of Claims For IPs (Indigenous Peoples) to have land tenure security in their ancestral domain, their claim must be recognized by the government through the issuance of a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CADC) issued by the Department of Environment Natural Resources (DENR). Afterwards, the IPs must work for the issuance of a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) by the same Department after approval by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). This requires submission of the documentary requirements consolidated in a “Claim Book”. The NCIP deliberates on their request on 1st and 2nd Readings and then approves the release of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) by the DENR. We are pleased to report that the IP lands claimed in Botolan, Zambales and Floridablanca, Pampanga have hurdled the 1st and 2nd readings/deliberations of the NCIP and are now awaiting approval for release of their CADTs. At present, PDI is also assisting several IP tribes of Aetas, Dumagats and Tagbanuas in getting recognition for their claims on 73,883 hectares of ancestral domains in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Palawan. These efforts are in different stages of the claims process. (See Table 4).

Table 4 On-Going Claims for Ancestral Domains

As of October 2007 Location Beneficiary Estimated Area

(In Hectares) Status

Porac, Pampanga

Aetas

40,000

Validation of Documents Reproduction of Claimbook Scheduling of deliberation by the Commission

General Tinio, Nueva Ecija

Dumagats

17, 883

Under negotiation with NCIP

Coron, Palawan

Tagbanuas

16,000

Signing of MOA and Review of Work and Financial Plan

Total

73,883 hectares

Threats and Challenges The re-acquisition of ancestral domains is of particular importance because the government’s mining liberalization program, Executive Order 270 or the National Policy Agenda Revitalizing Mining in the Philippines, opened up 70 percent of the national territory to mining interests. The continued rise of metal prices in the world’s commodity markets have made mining very attractive to foreign and local investors. At present there are about 500 mining applications filed with the Mining Management Division of the Bureau of Mines covering explorable areas in Central Luzon. The ancestral domains of the IPs are usually located in mountainous areas endowed with mining and timber resources. If the mining applications are approved in areas where the ancestral lands have not been re-claimed, the chances are nil that their lands will be given back to the tribes. Another threat is the rapid urbanization of satellite cities in the countryside where access roadlinks pass through ancestral domains. Such is the case of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway project which traversed the Aeta’s ancestral lands in Porac, Pampanga. The law provides for the informed consent of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) on anything that enters their ancestral lands but the highway project did not secure their consent. The challenge for the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) is to unite themselves and equip their people to manage and protect their re-acquired ancestral domains. They must be strong to withstand the external forces that are encroaching on their territories. They must be steadfast but flexible to be able to sustain their culture and way of life in a changing world. PDI with its vision of agrarian reform and rural development is committed to assist the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) face these threats and challenges. It has continuously assisted IPs with technical support to re-claim their ancestral domains, capacity building exercises, social preparation, leadership training and economic support of small entrepreneurial endeavors. V. The Right to Food: Economic Support Services

PDI recognizes that the provision of support services to poor farmers is essential because of low agricultural productivity, lack of capital, limited market linkages and poor infrastructure which limits access to buyers. Promotion of support services ensures the sustainability of Land Tenure Improvement (LTI) efforts and contributes to poverty reduction and to promotion of social justice. PDI adopted an integrated strategy in the delivery of support services and implemented these in areas not covered by similar projects. The Economic Support Services (ESS) component emphasizes institutional development and participation. This has proven to be an effective approach for support service delivery and has contributed to the promotion of self-reliance and the improved capacity of beneficiaries to manage their projects. a. ESS/Starting Aid

The Starting Aid funds projects that assist farmers’ transition to more sustainable and profitable farming practices (livestock production, rice production pineapple

production, salt production), develop alternative products (virgin coconut oil, honey production), or start a new farming operation ( fruit processing, pottery).

Since 2005, Starting Aid has funded loans and grants worth Php4,005,455.00 (See Table 5). It has benefited 4,394 peasants, rural women and Indigenous Peoples (IPs). Starting Aid beneficiaries are peasant organizations with the entire organization signing for the loan through its duly-elected officers. Since the entire community is involved in the loan, the credits are better managed and have higher chances of repayment than personal loans.

Table 5 Economic Support Services

STARTING AID By Cluster of Economic Activity and Volume of Loan 2005 – 2007

Of the 57 ESS projects, six(6) were given as grants for agro-forestry projects and a multi-purpose center. Of total releases, grants amounted to Php310,000.00 or about 7.7 percent of the total (see Table 6) With regards to tenure of the loans, long term loans totaled Php600,000.00 (15 percent of total ESS) and consisted of agro-forestry, nursery and forestry projects of Indigenous Peoples (IPs). These proposals were approved to help the IPs prepare for the development of their re-claimed ancestral domains. Medium term loans amounted to Php1,699,750.00 (42 percent of total ESS) and were released for animal raising and farming of pineapples. Short term loans totaled Php1,395,705.00 (35 percent of total ESS) and funded seaweed farming, palay seed dispersal, purchase of a water sprinkler, pottery making, and production of honey, virgin coconut oil, salt, sweet potatoes and various vegetables (see Table 6).

Economic Activity

Amount of Loan Released Number of Loans/

Grants

Number of Beneficiarie

s 2005 2006 2007

Total

Multi Purpose Bodega 150,000 30,000 180,000 2 401 Nursery 150,000 60,000 210,000 6 1,195

Agro-Forestry 350,000 40,000 390,000 5 1,150 Forest Trees 100,000 100,000 1 25

Seaweeds Farming 598,000 598,000 6 120 Livestock

(goat, carabao, hog) 196,750 425,000 75,000 696,750 15 399

Pineapple Production 444,000 54,000 125,000 623,000 5 155 Honey Production and

Processing 30,000 65,000 95,000 3 264

Virgin Coconut Oil 87,070 87,070 1 25 Water Sprinkler 135,000 135,000 1 13

Palay seed production 200,000 80,000 280,000 3 192 Vegetable production 80,000 80,000 2 41

Salt Production 20,000 40,000 60,000 2 20 Pottery 60,635 60,635 1 40

Fruit Processing 30,000 30,000 1 162 Fertilizer loan 300,000 300,000 2 136

Abaca Production 80,000 80,000 1 56 T l 2 153 750 1 151 705 700 000 4 005 455 57 4 394

Table 6 Economic Support Services/Starting Aid

By Type of Aid and Term of Loan as of October 31, 2007 (In PhP)

Repayment: ESS / Starting Aid The repayment percentage is defined as the Amount of Repayment divided by the Loan Amount. Consequently, the figure will reach 100 percent when the total amount repaid by the loan beneficiary equals the amount of the loan. As of October 2007, total repayments under Starting Aid totaled Php 679,656.50, improving 22 percent over the June figure of Php 555,368.50. Comparing total repayment versus total loan portfolio (excluding grants) of Php 3,695,455.00 gives a repayment percentage of 18.39 percent, up from June 2007’s figure of 15.03 percent (see Table 7). In December 2006, the repayment percentage was only 10.06 percent.

Loan Amounts (in PhP)

I. Grants Multi-purpose Bodega 180,000 Nursery House 60,000 Agro-Forestry 40,000 Fruits Processing 30,000 Total Grants PhP 310,000 II. Loans A. Long Term Agro-Forestry 350,000 Nursery 150,000 Forestry 100,000 Total Long Term Loans PhP 600,000 B. Medium Term Carabao Raising 186,750 Pineapple Production 623,000 Goat Raising 260,000 Hog Raising 150,000 Cow Raising 100,000 Fertilizer Loan 300,000 Abaca Production 80,000 Total Medium Term Loans PhP 1,699,750 C. Short Term Seaweeds Farming 598,000 Palay Seed Dispersal 280,000 Water Sprinkler 135,000 Honey Production 95,000 Virgin Coconut Oil 87,070 Pottery 60,635 Sweet Potatoes 60,000 Salt Production 60,000 Vegetable Production 20,000 Total Short Term Loans PhP1,395,705 TOTAL LOANS PhP3 695 455

For medium term loans, repayments amounted to Php 247,900.50 for a repayment percentage of 14.58 percent. For short term loans, repayments amounted to Php 431,756.00 for a repayment percentage of 30.93 percent. There is no repayment as yet on long term loans (see Table 7). Please see Annex 7 for a detailed schedule of repayments on ESS/Starting Aid loans.

Table 7 Economic Support Services/Starting Aid

Loan Repayment Schedule as of October 31, 2007

(in Php)

Recent assessments on the ESS reveal that the package of support services for beneficiaries in the key areas have resulted in increased production of non-traditional crops and livestock and in the diversification of farm production activities. PDI’s support service programs are designed to improve access to credit, strengthen linkages with suitable markets for their products, make use of appropriate technology, develop entrepreneurial skills, and fund viable income generating activities to encourage agribusiness.

Date

Released

Loan Amounts

(A)

Repayment

(B)

Repayment Percentage

(B/A) A. Long Term Agro-Forestry Feb. ‘05 350,000.00 Nursery Feb. ‘05 150,000.00 Forestry July ‘05 100,000.00 Total Long Term 600,000.00 B. Medium Term Carabao Raising Dec. ’05, April

& June ‘06 186,750.00 60,000.50

Pineapple Production Aug. ’05, Oct & Nov. ‘05

623,000.00 86,500.00

Goat Raising Sept ’05, Nov. ’05 & June ’06 & March ‘07

260,000.00 82,900.00

Hog Raising April & July ‘06 150,000.00 12,500.00 Cow Raising June ‘06 100,000.00 6,000.00 Fertilizer Loan April ‘07 300,000.00 Abaca Production June ‘07 80,000.00 Total Medium Term 1,699,750.00 247,900.50 14.58% C. Short Term Seaweeds Farming July, Aug. &

Sept ‘05 598,000.00 164,425.50

Palay Seed Dispersal April ‘06 280,000.00 23,000.00 Water Sprinkler July ‘06 135,000.00 76,000.00 Honey Production Nov. ’05, Feb.

’06 & June ‘06 95,000.00 57,000.00

Virgin Coconut Oil May ‘06 87,070.00 15,130.50 Pottery Dec. ‘06 60,635.00 5,000.00 Sweet Potatoes May ‘06 60,000.00 64,800.00 Salt Production Sept. ’06 &

May ‘07 60,000.00 22,400.00

Vegetable Production Sept. 06 20,000.00 4,000.00 Total Short Term Loans 1,395,705.00 431,756.00 30.93%

Total Loans 3,695,455.00 679,656.50 18.39% Total Grants Jan 05, Aug,

O t N 06 310,000.00

The beneficiaries of short term loans have been paying regularly except for two projects, vegetable production and pottery. Fortunately, they have resolved their production problems so we now expect them to pay regular amortizations. Some projects have fully paid their loans: honey production, sweet potato farming and salt production. The latter has expanded operations and was given a higher loan in May 2007. The seaweed farming projects for the Indigenous Peoples of Palawan, the Tagbanuas, have been ruined by a severe typhoon which washed away the seaweeds. Capital recovery/collection is still being undertaken albeit at a “pay when able” mode. Medium term loan beneficiaries have remitted payments except for some loans released in 2007 totalling Php380,000.00. Repayments have been slow for animal raising projects but collection efforts were stepped up and yielded amortization payments in September 2007 triple that of June 2007 repayments. Pineapple production has been encountering problems because these are upland farms without irrigation. The farms are adversely affected by continued dry spells which result in smaller pineapples and lesser quantities produced.

b. ESS/Trading Capital

Economic support services also provide grants to peasant organizations so they can develop their capacity for management of trading enterprises. Total grant portfolio under Trading Capital is Php 1,080,000.00 (See Table 8). Six farmers groups with 220 members have accessed this credit window and started their trading businesses, buying local products and selling them to the market directly, eliminating middle traders to maximize profit.

Table 8 Economic Support Services/Trading Capital

Grants as of October 31, 2007 (in Php)

Activity Amount of

Grant Beneficiaries Location

Buying and Selling of Various local products

150,000 PASAMA 43 Laur, Nueva Ecija

Buying and Selling of Various local products

500,000 NAGSIKAP 102 Masinloc, Zambales

Buying and Selling of Cashew Nuts

30,000 SAMMARU 15 Coron,Palawan

Sweet Potato Trading

190,000 NASAKA 20 Limay, Bataan

Buying and Selling of Cashew Nuts

90,000 SKK 20 Coron, Palawan

Rice Trading 120,000 SMSD 20 Coron, Palawan Total 1,080,000 220

c. READ/Small Projects Fund

Table 9 READ: Small Projects Fund

Loan Repayments as of October 31, 2007 (In Php)

Term of Loan Loan Amount Repayment Repayment Rate

Percentage Short Term 1,261,943.13 1,140,984.60 90.41

Various Long Term 219,175.00 39,335.00 17.95 Sub-total 1,481,118.13 1,180,319.60 79.69

Drying/Milling (Long Term)

1,836,500.00

-

-

TOTAL

3,317,618.13

1,180,319.60

35.58

The small Projects Fund component of the previous READ Program (Rural Empowerment through Agrarian/Asset Development 2002-2004) consisted of small loans given to peasant organizations for small business initiatives (Php 1,261,943.13 or 38 percent of total loans), various long term projects involving agricultural production and entrepreneurial initiatives (Php 219,175.00 or 7 percent of total loans) and a drying and milling machine for palay (1,836.500.00 or 55 percent of total loans). Total repayments as of October 31, 2007 amounted to Php 1,180,319.60, up 27 percent from the December 2006 repayment figure of Php 928,992.60. Repayment percentage versus total loans is 35.58 percent. Note however that repayment percentage versus total loans less the milling / drying facility is 79.69 percent, increasing substantially from the December 2006 ratio of 62.72 percent. (See Table 9) Repayment percentage for short term loans is 90.41 percent with repayments of Php1,140.984.60, up from the December 2006 repayment ratio of 72.12 percent. The milling / drying facility is fully operational, servicing the farmers of Doña Josefa, a farming community located in a far-flung barangay of Palayan City in Nueva Ecija. Income from the mill is recycled back into the business for maintenance and overhead expenses so there are no repayments as yet. Please see Annex 9 for a detailed schedule of repayments on READ’s Small Project funds.

d. Sustainable Agriculture (Sus.Ag) PDI’s Sustainable Agriculture Program is a community development project implemented in partnership with agrarian reform beneficiaries, marginal farmers, rural women and Indigenous Peoples (IPs). The goals of sustainable agriculture are increased income and food security PDI implemented its sustainable agriculture program (Sus.Ag) in Coron, Palawan focused on farmer partners from barangays Borac, Turda and Tagumpay. PDI

facilitated the formation of peasant organizations (POs) in all barangays. Among the organization’s goals is to extend sustainable agriculture practices among local farmers by raising awareness and linking up with government and other farmer groups. PDI’s commitment to developing programs such as organic farming and rice production to upgrade the knowledge and skills of farmer cooperators have resulted in improved knowledge about sustainable agricultural practices. PDI’s pro-active agricultural education through the Farmers’ Field School and Techno-Demo Farms have extended practical and appropriate technical expertise to traditional farmers in Coron. (See Table 10) The Sustainable Agriculture Program has improved the access to inputs of the farmer cooperators and diversified their sources of income through introduction of alternative crops and on and off-farm activities.

Table 10 Sustainable Agriculture Program

Key Inputs and Outputs 2004 – 2007

Key Inputs Techniques Used Output

1. Transfer of updated agro-technical methods on soil management and use of organic fertilizer.

1. Organization of farmer groups.

1. Reduction of pesticide use.

2. Comprehensive training on best Sustainable Agriculture practices.

2. Training seminars and workshops.

2. Less dependence on commercial fertilizer with increased use of composting.

3. Teaching of Integrated Pest Management tools and Technologies.

3. Monitoring and Management Committees.

3. Creation of alternative sources of income: Seaweed farming, swine raising, etc.

4. Development of alternative sources of livelihood.

4. Rice Varietal Demo Farms and Vegetable Demo Farms to showcase Sloping Agricultural Land Technology and Bio-Intensive Gardening.

4. Increased profitability.

5. Capability building of farmer-partners.

5. Farmer Field School 5. Environmentally positive agricultural intervention.

6. Model Seaweed Nursery. 6. Better collaboration between farmers and government agencies.

V. Local Governance and People Empowerment

a. Institutional Building

PDI pursues rural development in partnership with Peoples Organizations (POs) of farmers, women, youth and Indigenous Peoples (IPs). It also works in alliance with local government units and government line agencies. PDI intervention has helped increase social capital and stimulated participation in community development projects. Through the trainings provided, program

beneficiaries have improved their ability and confidence to deal with government agents since they are now informed about their rights and the basic laws that concern them. PDI has organized 107 Peoples Organizations (POs) in Central Luzon and Palawan. Membership in these POs total 9,689. Membership constitutes 4,339 men, 5,164 women and 186 youth. It is noteworthy that females comprise 53 percent of the total membership, a testimony to the growing power and awareness of women of their rights and of their role in local governance. (See Tables 11 and 12).

Table 11 PDI’s Peasant Organization (PO) Building

2004-2007

Province Number of

Women POs Per province

Number of Peasant POs Per province

Number of IP POs

Per province

Number of Peoples

Organization Pampanga 5 1 - 6

Tarlac 5 1 - 6 Aurora 3 - 6 9 Bataan 5 - 7 12 Bulacan 3 6 - 9

Nueva Ecija 14 8 1 23 Zambales 11 13 5 29 Palawan 7 5 1 13 Total 53 34 20 107

Table 12

Gender Distribution in Peasant Organizations 2004-2007

Men Women Youth Total 4,339

5,164

186

9,689

PDI formed these People’s Organizations into three federations, NMGL (Nagkakaisang Magsasaka ng Gitnang Luzon) for farmers, BUKAL (Bukluran ng mga Katutubo sa Luzon) for Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and PASAMAKA-L (Pagkakaisa ng Samahan ng Kababaihan – Luzon) for women. The work of PDI with its partner-federations is focused on land tenure improvement (LTI), consolidation of organizations under its leadership, and the formation of alliances. Alliance work includes developing relationships with like-minded organizations, sectoral groups and individuals with whom PDI can build networks and form united fronts. There alliances strengthen and protect ground level initiatives and facilitate negotiations. Government agencies such as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and Municipal and Provincial units have a high regard for the federations and the causes that they espouse as these agencies acknowledge the fact that organized peasantry is a force to be taken seriously. Consequently, the farmer beneficiaries and the federations played a significant role in the resolution of claims under CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) and IPRA (Indigenous Peoples Rights Act) for land tenure improvement.

b. Participation in Local Government Bodies

PDI has established a rural network, comprised of local POs from the three sectoral federations, with a regional level that engages flexibly and effectively with government agencies. These new breed of leaders across Central Luzon and Palawan have strengthened and revitalized local development councils and committees, giving effective representations of their communities. As shown in Table 13, there are 290 leaders of our allied Peasant Organizations (POs) who have become members of various local government units and its line agencies. Their positions are a testament to the strength and effectivity of local organizing work done by PDI and its partners.

Table 13 Local Government Representation, by Province

As of December 2007

In the

field of local governance, we have 175 allied members comprised of 30 IP chieftains, 66 Councilors (a 32% increase from the previous count of 50 councilors), 14

Province

Local Representatives/Officers

Zambales 8 Chieftains, 40 Councilors, 25 Brgy. Health Workers, 47 Committee Officers, 5 Brgy. Captain, 5 Brgy. Secretary,5 Brgy.Treasurer, 9 Social Workers, 6 Daycare Workers, 42 Daycare officers, 3 Sectoral Representatives

Bataan 17 Chieftains, 2 Brgy. Health Workers 4 Councilors

Pampanga 3 Brgy. Captains, 1 Brgy. Secretary, 4 Councilors

Bulacan 4 Councilors Palawan 8 Councilors, 6 Brgy. Health Workers, 3

barangay Capatians, 3 Chieftains, 1 Treasurer, 1 Barangay health Workers 3 Brgy. Captains, 3 Chieftains 1 Treasurer, 1 Brgy. Health Workers

Tarlac 1 Daycare President Nueva Ecija 2 Councilors, 1 Social Workers

3 Brgy. Health Workers, 2 Committee Officers, 1 Brgy. Secretary, 2 Daycare worker

Aurora 2 Chieftains, 4 Councilors, 1 Brgy. Health Workers, 3 Brgy. Captains, 1 Brgy. Secretary

Total

290 Local Reps and Officers practicing Local Governance

Barangay Captains, 8 Barangay Secretaries, 6 Barangay Treasurers, 3 Municipal sectoral representatives and 49 Committee Officers. In Local government agencies, our allies number 114 and include 38 Barangay Health Workers, 10 Social Workers, 51 Daycare workers and 15 Barangay Agrarian Reform Committee (BARC) members. (See Table 13) In 2006, we reported only 91 allied members in local government bodies. The rapid expansion in government representation by members of our Peasant Organizations (POs) is the result of PDI’s continuous investment in capacity building of these POs. Under PDI’s continuous training, these POs are now equipped with the appropriate skills to participate in local politics and community affairs. As a direct result, Community leaders are gradually influencing the allocation of local resources to economic development activities. Leaders at the community level play a supportive and critical role in local bodies. In a span of three years, POs sourced a total of Php25, 497,150.00 pesos from government and private funds to finance their community’s infrastructure requirements. These funds would otherwise have been relegated to less important projects. (See Table 14)

Table 14 Type and Value of Resources generated by POs

2004-2007 Type of Resources

Generated Value

(in PHP)

Agriculture 461,250.00

Infrastructure 23,302,700.00

Small and Medium Business Support

397,000.00

Education 1,054,200.00

Social Services

83,000.00

Capacity Building 199,000.00

Total 25,497,150.00

91 percent of the resources or Php23,302,700.00 went into infrastructure projects such as farm-to-market roads, bridges and irrigation projects. (See Table 14) Investments in the Education sector had the next sizeable portion with Php1,054,200.00 or 4.13 percent.

Table 15 Resources Generated by POs

By province, 2004-2007

Province Value of Resources (In PHP)

Bulacan Zambales Aurora Tarlac Palawan Bataan Nueva Ecija Pampanga

2,048,000.00

9,350,550.00

349,000.00

214,000.00

1,047,000.00

3,129,200.00

8,309,400.00

1,050,000.00

Total 25,497,150.00

Having the biggest membership of organized POs, Zambales and Nueva Ecija generated 69 percent of these resources totaling Php9,350, 550.00 and Php8,309,400.00 respectively, (see Table 15).

c. Women Empowerment

SRDP’s gender development component has made a positive impact on gender equality. In many areas, the leadership and gender training series have resulted in the active participation of women in community affairs and provided opportunities for women to hold leadership positions.

Notable improvements can be observed in the status of women in various areas. Positive changes include:

• An increased ability of women to work from home • Increased potential of entering into more productive and sustainable

livelihoods • Transformation of traditional gender roles • Improved access of rural women to land and funds • Improved ability for sharing of experiences among women's organizations

At present there are 2 provincial level “federated” women organizations, 15 at the municipal level and 20 at the barangay level. These federations are members of a larger regional Women’s federation, the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahang Magsasakang Kababaihan sa Luzon or PASAMAKA-Luzon. (See Table 16)

Table 16 Organization Building-Women

As of 2004-2007

Province Name of PO Level Pampanga 1. Bukluran ng Samahang Kababaihan ng Provincial

Pampanga (BSK-Pampanga) 1.1. Pinagbuklod na mga Samahan ng Kababaihan ng Angeles (PINASAKA) Municipal 1.2. Samahang Magsasakang Kababaihan ng Magalang (SAMAKA-Magalang) Municipal

Aurora 2. Samahang Pangkababaihang Maharlika sa Municipal Dingalan (SPMD)

Bataan 3. Nagkakaisang Samahang Kababaihan ng Municipal Morong, Bataan (NSKMB) 3.1 Nagkakaisang kababaihan ng Morong Bataan Barangay 3.2 Nagkakaisang Kababaihan ng Nosil at Nagbayto Barangay

3.3 Samahan ng mga Kababaihang Ayta sa Kinaragan (SKAK) Barangay

3.4 Samahan ng mga Kababaihan at Katutubo ng Matalangao Barangay

Bulacan 4. KABISIG (Women) Municipal 4.1. KABISIG (Women) Municipal 4.2. Kapatiran ng mga Kababaihan sa Kaybanban (KKK) Municipal 4.3. KABALINGAY Women's Group Municipal

Nueva Ecija 5.1. SPKK - Gabaldon (women) Municipal

5.2. SPKK - Playan (women) Municipal Palawan

6. Nagkakaisang mga Kababaihang Tagbanua ng Municipal

Coron (NAGKATAGCO) Tarlac 7. SINTA - Tarlac Municipal

7.1 Sandigang Ina ng Tahanan (SINTA - Barbara) Barangay 7.2 SINTA - Mangolago Barangay 7.3 SINTA - Bangar Barangay

7.4 Kilusan ng Kababaihan para sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan (K4) Barangay

7.5 SINTA - Calayaan Barangay 7.6 SINTA - Sampot Barangay

Zambales 8. Nagkakaisang Samahang Magsasaka ng Kababaihan Provincial (NASAMAKA) 8.1. Iba Women's Society in Community Dev't. Municipal 8.2. Nagkakaisang Samahang Kananaihan ng Botolan Municipal 8.3. United Women's Association of Masinloc Municipal

d. Empowering the Youth

PDI believes that young people need education and training to prepare them to become the farmers and community leaders of the future. Even more importantly, they must receive support and access to resources to enable them to become active partners in sustainable rural development. With this in mind, PDI's rural youth development work focused on strengthening and expanding young people's capacities, knowledge and skills through education and organizing to enable the youth to become productive citizens of their local communities.

From 2004 to 2007, PDI formed 11 youth organizations with 366 members at the barangay and municipal levels. The membership is comprised of 186 young males and 180 young females. The membership reflects the emerging awareness and acceptance of women’s importance and critical roles in community development. (See Table 17)

Youth leaders were trained to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective leaders. PDI assigned them tasks in community organizing and linkaging so as to empower them and strengthen their organizations. Youth organizations in the provinces of Aurora and Palawan were able to solicit and mobilize resources with their respective Local Government Units under the provisions of the Local Government Code regarding Youth Development. These resources included financial assistance, transportation allowances and purchase of educational materials. Other projects undertaken for the youth organizations included training in technical and entrepreneurial skills in agri-fisheries enterprise and forest rehabilitation initiatives.

Table 17

Youth Organizations and Membership As of October 2007

Province Name of Youth Organization Level Members

M F Total

Bataan Samahan ng mga Kabataan sa Brgy. 11 6 17

Kinarangan tungo sa Kaunlaran

Nueva Samahang Pangkabataan Brgy. 10 8 18

Ecija San Joseph Youth Organization Brgy. 12 17 29

Grantees Association Brgy. 3 5 8

Palawan Samahan ng mga Kabataan ng Sitio Marupo Brgy. 16 11 27

Aurora Sangguniang Kabataan Federation Mun. 47 49 96

Nagkakaisang Samahan ng Kabataan sa Matawe Brgy. 7 20 27

Kabataan sa Matawe, Bangon Kabataan Brgy. 14 8 22

Batch 2007 Reviewer's Organization Brgy. 17 18 35

Zambales Knowledgeable Empowered Youth Brgy. 3 10 13

LAKAS Kabataan Brgy. 46 28 74

Total 186 180 366 VI. Research and Policy Advocacy

a. Advocacy Campaigns and Mobilizations

PDI’s advocacy and campaign work involve legislative lobbying, engaging government agencies in dialogues to resolve land tenure issues and leading people's campaigns on issues related to land reform and rural development. At the national and local levels, PDI assists peasant and indigenous peoples’ in addressing issues of land tenure, ancestral domain rights, mining and environmental threats, coastal resource management, and people's access to basic social services. (see Table 18)

Table 18 Campaigns and Mobilization

2004-2007

Year Number of Participants

Campaigns and Mobilizations

2004

3,519 farmers

rural women indigenous peoples

youth farm workers

• Expose DAR’s scheme to “sell CARP” to raise funds for GMA administration’s 2004 election campaign

• Camp-out in front of DAR to condemn anomalies • Thanksgiving Mass for the ouster of DAR Secretary

Pagdanganan • Forum on Agrarian Reform held at Bahay ng Alumni

in University of the Philippines • Dialogue between NMGL and DAR officials

• protest march-rally to commemorate CARP’s 16th anniversary

• Presentation of “Hall of Shamers” to DAR officials • Distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award

by DAR (Region 3) • Conference with the new secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform Jose Mari Ponce • Signing of a covenant for the successful

implementation of CARP with DAR • kick-off activity to commemorate World’s Food Day • picket-barricade set-up by NMGL at DAR Bulacan.

• march-rally to condemn “Farmland as Collateral” Bill

2005

3,071 farmers

rural women indigenous peoples

youth farm workers

• dialogue at DARAB San Fernando, Pampanga • sympathy visit to 115 detained farmers at Camp

Karingal • Protest rally on the 17th anniversary of the

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program at the DAR central office

• Condemnation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s turning back on agrarian reform.

• mass action of the newly established PASAMAKA - Luzon (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng

Magsasakang Kababaihan - Luzon) • multisectoral mass demonstration calling for the

resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo • protest march-rally to commemorate World Food

Day. • “Silent Majority Prayer Rally” held at Quezon

2006

1,618

farmers rural women

indigenous peoples youth

farm workers

Memorial Circle • mass gathering initiated by the Catholic Bishop

Conference of the Philippines to look for the truth behind the “Hello Garci Tape”

• Expose the fraud committed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the May 2004 elections

• Dialogues between Aeta leaders of Zambales and Bataan and Senator Jamby Madrigal on the problems

of indigenous peoples. • “Oust GMA” multi-sectoral mobilization at EDSA

Shrine to protest Proclamation 1017 declaring a “State of National Emergency”. • press conference denouncing the brutal assassination

of Ka Eric Cabanit. • Protest against human rights violence especially the

killings of farmers. • symbolic wake for Ka Eric Cabanit in front of DAR

central office. • First march-rally to celebrate International Labor Day. • motorcade to Plaza Miranda Liwasang Bonifacio to join

a big workers rally. • attend ka Eric's wake in front of DAR central office

• International Fact Finding Mission (IFFM) investigates the agrarian reform-related human rights violence

especially the killing of farmers. • march-rally in Davao City to commemorate the 18th

anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

• IFFM’s concluding report was presented to the media.

2007

847

farmers rural women

indigenous peoples youth

farm workers

• International Women’s Day and Women’s Rights Celebration

• Indigenous People’s Forum • Public Hearing on Mining

• CARP Anniversary • World Food Day

Total 9,055 PDI’s networking involves organizing and leading national and regional campaigns of coalitions advocating land reform, food security, rural progress and sustainable development. These allied organizations include Food First Information and Action Network Philippines (FIAN-Phils), Partnership for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Services (PARRDS), Consortium on Electoral Reforms (CER), and EED Task Force on Indigenous Peoples Rights (EED-TFIP). PDI is a member of the Fair Trade Alliance, a national coalition of farmer organizations, NGOs, academe and progressive legislators campaigning for trade and policy issues that impact on food security and the livelihood of small-scale farmers, women and artisan producers. At the International level, the Executive Director of PDI is a Board member and Officer of FIAN International, an international coalition of NGOs and social movements actively campaigning for food security and food sovereignty.

a. Linkage work with Government Agencies PDI has achieved strong connections with government agencies. This alliance was achieved through years of coordinating and facilitating land tenure issues. PDI has worked consistently for peasant and Indigenous Peoples (IP) rights within the legal framework of CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) and IPRA (Indigenous People’s Rights Act). It also relies on constructive partnership and dialogue with government agencies to facilitate resolution of issues. PDI has signed Memorandums of Agreement and cooperation with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department of Education (DepEd), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and Local government units in PDI’s service areas.

b. Usaping Bayan USAPING BAYAN (People’s Concern) has evolved into an eight-paged news gazette from a two-paged newsletter. This quarterly monthly publication in Filipino gives peasants a better understanding of the important events that affect their everyday lives. USAPING BAYAN raises the level of political consciousness and awareness of the peasants.

c. Research

There is a pressing need for a socially and culturally responsible approach to research that goes beyond providing information and embraces a more holistic viewpoint by supporting meaningful use and encouraging community participation in its development and design.

PDI believes that people should make the decisions that shape their futures. PDI also believes that “participatory research” can be a valuable tool to assist communities in searching for the knowledge that they need to make choices and devise strategies that will give them the future they envision.

For the past four years, PDI has released several occasional papers that focused on local communities and the rural poor. PDI’s participatory research empowers these communities to express, share, gather, disseminate and analyze information for their self-defined development purposes.

PDI’s critique of the government extends toeditorial cartoons shown here tackling theissue of corruption in the Philippine Military.

Round Table Discussions

Role of Economic Support Services Perspective in Agrarian Reform and Local Governance

Occasional papers released

Opportunities and Risks in Samar: Partnership Arrangements This policy paper tackles the opportunities and risks in the agrarian/agricultural sector. The paper analyzes poverty and income in Samar and other areas pinpointed for enterprise development.

Governing Change and Development: The Cooperative Bias This paper analyzes the institutional and organizational infrastructure that shapes the redistributive reform in commercial farms in the Philippines and argues that these have perpetuated bias towards collective action strategies in the control and management of plantations transferred to beneficiaries in the agrarian reform program.

Resettled Igorots in Borac, Laur This report highlights how great efforts initiated at the local level can create enormous pressure on the government and achieve people-led developmental resettlement.

Tribal Governance among the Aetas in Zambales This paper tries to provide context and gives perspectives on how the Aetas handle conflicts and problems among the local people’s organizations, between them and the government, and among themselves.

Role of Indigenous Women in Aeta Communities This paper highlights the importance of the role of Aeta women in their communities as they prove themselves to be receptive to education, community endeavors, as well as income-generating activities.

Alternative Learning System and Non-Formal Education for Indigenous Peoples

This paper examines the progress made by indigenous peoples who go through NFE. PDI’s non-formal education program incorporates cultural components. From experience, effective NFE modules require understanding and knowledge of the culture of the specific IP group and their needs.

PDI Non-Formal Education Program

The paper is an evaluation of the NFE program, an assessment of its relevance, effectiveness and impact as a learning exercise. The date collected came from document reviews, key informants interviews and focused group discussions in Zambales and Palawan.

Comparative Analysis of Food Security of the Philippines and Thailand

This paper discusses the historical moorings and the milestones reached by women in this millennia and the problems they face today, ranging from effects of globalization to gender issues.

Rural Women’s Access to Productive Resources This paper discusses the historical moorings and the milestones reached by women in these millennia and the problems they face today, ranging from effects of globalization to gender issues.

Analysis of Peasant Women Leadership

This is an analysis of the leadership potentials and strength of women leaders in Central Luzon based on a series of trainings conducted over the past years.

Nagkakaisang Magsasaka ng Gitnang Luzon - NMGL Leader Analysis

This paper centers on the strength and weaknesses, including opportunities and risks confronted by the NMGL as an organization and the potential of the PO leaders in development work.

Aetas’ Right to Education This paper deals with the indigenous “paaralang bayan” in Zambales

as the displaced communities from the 1991 Mount Pintaubo Eruption were trying to secure their livelihood and political participation in the resettlement areas and agrarian reform lands.

Non Formal Education Manuals and Modules

PDI, in its effort to help the indigenous communities, made and published NFE manuals and modules for the indigenous peoples written in Filipino and translate into their own language.

Good Local Governance

This paper discusses what good governance is in general and good local governance in particular. The last part of the paper discusses the Philippine experience in decentralization towards the establishment of good local governance.

Micro-Enterprise for the Poor

This paper defines what are the micro-enterprise, as differentiated from small and medium enterprises, the role of women in micro-enterprise development, the importance of micro-financing, micro-enterprise development in the Philippines.

Electoral Reforms in the Philippines

This paper traces the history of Philippines politics, the election process and how elections are manipulated by the powerful political dynasties in the provinces based on economic power.

Philippine Situationer This paper provides a socio-economic and political condition of the Philippines.

VII. Developing Human Resources through Education PDI has been helping the rural poor people to overcome poverty by strengthening their capacity to influence the institutions that affect their lives. The emphasis of PDI’s strategy on developing human resources is to empower the rural poor to take charge of their lives.

a. Training

PDI has identified critical areas that need urgent attention if farmers are to participate in development programs as equal partners with government agents. PDI focused on strengthening people’s organizations in the aspects of leadership and values formation, advocacy & negotiations, and management of information. PDI provided trainings ranging from project management, financial management, gender sensitization to record keeping. PDI has transferred appropriate technologies and extension services to farmers (See Table 19) to equip them with the skills needed to plan and organize village-level activities.

Table 19 PDI Capacity Building Trainings

2004-2007

Year TITLE OF TRAININGS Date Conducted

No. of Pax

2004 BAGUIO CITY 1. Strategies for Organized & Unified Women

Holistic Educational Assessment of Rural Training

2. NMGL’s Self –Assessment and Spiral Dynamics 3. Team Learning & System Thinking- Women 4. NMGL’s Team Learning & System Thinking 5. Self-Valuing of Central Luzon Youth 6. Facilitators Training Workshop-Women

July 5-9 August 9-13 Sept. 8-10 Sept. 20-23 Oct. 25-26 Nov. 9-12

20 26 25 19 31 15

TARLAC 7. Reproductive Health/Womens Rights 8. Gender Sensitivity Training 9. Basic leadership Training 10. Gender and Development

Jan. 18 March 15 May 8 Nov.12

23 25 30 22

AURORA 11. Self-Valuing Training

Sept. 29

32

NUEVA ECIJA 12. Candle Making Training 13. Paper Making Training 14. LTI Orientation 15. Simple Bookkeeping Training

May April June August

28 25 70 22

ZAMBALES

16. Leadership Training & Basic Community Organizing – LAKAS Youth

17. Leadership Taining & Basic Community Organizing – LAKAS Women

18. Leadership Training & Basic Community Organizing – Samahang Kababaihan ng Masikap

May May June

30 30 25

PALAWAN 19. Literacy Facilitators Training Workshop- batch

1 20. Literacy Facilitators Training Workshop- batch

2

June 1-2 Dec. 11-12

40 8

PAMPANGA 21. Leadership Training-SAMAKAT 22. Leadership Training- SLWA 23. Leadership Training-SPKM 24. Leadership Training- SAMAKA-Ayala

July Sept. Nov. Dec.

12 14 19 15

2005 TAGAYTAY CITY 1. Pangarap at Adhikain ng Magiting na Pinuno

ng Gitnang Luzon 2. Leading thru Core Values 3. Pagtatala tungo sa Kaunlaran 4. Self-Valuing Seminar on IP 5. Patungo sa Tagumpay

March 14-16 May 16-19 Sept. 13-16 Oct. 28-31 Nov. 8-10

31 25 28 25 25

TARLAC 6. Conflict Management 7. Gender Sensitivity Training 8. Financial Management Training 9. Basic Orientation Seminar

Feb. 9 May 16 Oct. 20 March 26

32 35 29 17

BATAAN 10. IP Leadership Training I 11. Basic Orientation Seminar 12. LTI Orientation 13. Para-legal Training 14. Organizational Management Seminar

July 18 June 4 March 17 Nov. 3 June 8

24 23 25 22 16

PALAWAN 15. Basic Literacy Training for Para-teachers 16. Orientation on IPRA 17. IPRA Orientation/Seminar 18. Self-Valuing Seminar 19. Gender Sensitivity/ Women’s Right Seminar 20. Livelihood Orientation Seminar 21. Basic leadership Training 22. Seaweeds Farming & Nursery Management 23. Local Governance Orientation Seminar

April Sept. 20 May 14/May 5 March 9 March 10 March 18 March 12 March 16-18, Feb. 19 & March 13 March 14

15 35 35 15 19 17 7 84 8

NUEVA ECIJA 24. Orientation on Pineapple Production 25. Leadership Training 26. Self-Valuing Training

May October June 25

15 20 17

27. Low External Sustainable Agriculture Seminar

Jan. 16 36

QUEZON CITY 28. Self-Valuing Seminar – 2nd liner leaders

Nov 8-10

25

AURORA 29. IP leadership Training II 30. Handicraft Training 31. Para-Teachers Training 32. Basic Orientation Seminar

Sept. 15 Nov. 11-13 May May 7

20 25 15 16

ZAMBALES 33. Orientation on the IPRA Law 34. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- SKMM 35. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- LAKAS-Youth 36. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- LAKAS- Women 37. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- NSKV- C 38. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- SAMATT- K2 39. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- SKA 40. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- KEY 41. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- NASAMAKA 42. Self-Valuing Echo Seminar- UWAM 43. LTI Orientation 44. IPRA Orientation/Seminar 45. Basic Community Organizing Seminar 46. Basic Leadership Training 47. Agro-Forest Project Seminar

Sept 22-24 March 26 March 27 March 28 March 29 March 30 March 31 Nov. 28-30 April 6 April 6 Feb. 26. Feb. 16 May 7 April 9 April 30

28 23 30 19 18 17 20 24 20 24 21 21 32 17 15

PAMPANGA 48. Womens Right and Gender Sensitivity-

SAMAKA 49. Womens Right and Gender Sensitivity- SLWA 50. Womens Right and Gender Sensitivity- SPKM 51. Womens Right and Gender Sensitivity- Ayala 52. Paralegal on Agrarian – LTI- SAMAKAT 53. Paralegal on Agrarian – LTI- SLWA 54. Paralegal on Agrarian – LTI- SPKM 55. LTI Orientation 56. IPRA Orientation/Seminar 57. Gender Sensitivity/Women’s Right Seminar

February April June August June October December Nov. 27 April 2 Feb. 9

12 14 20 15 12 17 18 17 18 21

BULACAN 58. LTI Orientation 59. Para-legal Training 60. Pineapple Production Seminar

June 10 March 18 January 15

15 18 36

2006 QUEZON CITY 1. Livelihood Skills Training 2. Huwarang Pinuno, Huwarang PO 3. Huwarang Kaisipan, Epektibong Pamumuno

June Sept. 24-27 Nov. 14-16

25 43 32

BATAAN 4. Virgin Coconut Oil 5. Self-Valuing Training- Limay 6. SALT Training 7. Pineapple & Sweet Potato Production Training

Jan. 15-16 June 17 March 11 August 6

20 35 25 30

PAMPANGA

8. Self-Valuing Training- SAMAKA 9. Self-Valuing Training- SLWA 10. Self-Valuing Training- SPKM

July August September

18 22 15

CORON & BUSUANGA PALAWAN 11. Seaweeds Training- Buenavista, Coron 12. Seaweeds Training- Busuanga, Coron 13. Seaweeds Training- Turda, Coron 14. Seaweeds Training- Marupo, Coron 15. Rice Production Training- Buenavista 16. Rice Production Training- Turda 17. Rice Production Training- Marupo 18. Vegetable Gardening - Borac 19. Vegetable Gardening – Marupo 20. Vegetable Gardening –Lajala 21. Swine Production Training – Borac 22. Swine Production Training –Turda 23. Swine Production Training – Marupo 24. Farmer Field School- Brgy. Borac Coron, 25. Entrepreneurship Training 26. PCRA- Participatory Coast Resource 27. Literacy Facilitators Training Workshop- batch

1 28. Literacy Facilitators Training Workshop- batch

2 29. Literacy Facilitators Training Workshop on ALS current trends and innovation

August 26-27 August 24-25 May 31-June 1 June 16-17 May 29-30 Nov. 3-4 May 5-6 June 5-6 June 7-8 July 11-13 July 8 July 6 July 5 May-Oct. May 18-20 Aug. 22-24 March 12-14 June 22-23 Nov. 14-17

25 25 20 30 25 28 18 25 15 15 8 10 10 26 25 30 12 9 43

ZAMBALES 30. Gender Training – LAKAS Youth 31. Gender Training – LAKAS men & Women (

Couples) 32. Gender Training – SKKM/NSKB 33. Violence Against Women & Children-

SKKM/NSKB 34. Violence Against Women & Children-

NASAMAKA and PASAMA- Zambales 35. Violence Against Women & Children- SAMATT-

K2 36. Violence Against Women & Children- SAMATT

& SAMATT K1 37. Advocacy on Local Governance for NASAMAKA

& PASAMA- Zambales 38. Local Governance (Orientation of Local Code

1991) 39. Leadership Training – 2nd liners 40. Leadership & Organizational Management

Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 14 March March March March April October 24 October 20 Sept. 26

30 32 24 32 24 15 36 26 36 23 24

b. Non-Formal Education

PDI implements a Non-Formal Education (NFE) Program for out-of-school youth and illiterate adults of the Aeta, Dumagat and Tagbanua tribes. The program is carried out in coordination with the local government units and the District Office of the Department of Education (DepEd) under its Alternative Learning System (ALS) Program. With NFE, PDI supports the desire of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) for an alternative form of education catering to their needs, designed in their own terms and taught at their own pace. These parameters are crucial for the integration of the IPs into mainstream society without compromising their integrity, culture and social practices. PDI undertakes the challenge of establishing a Non-Formal Education Program for IPs that focus on the following:

1. Adoption of teaching modules to attain basic skills in literacy and numeracy. 2. Development of livelihood skills to prepare students to become productive

adults. 3. Application of equivalence certifications by the Department of Education to

recognize / accredit the accomplishments of NFE students. Partners The NFE Program offers basic learning competencies that are parallel to the formal school curricula. The program is handled by parateachers who are trained by the Department of Education and PDI. At present, the Program employs 16 parateachers. Before the start of each program, PDI executes a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Education (DepEd) to establish the roles and responsibilities of both parties. In general, PDI as lead agency is responsible for the execution of the project. The DepEd provides a Coordinator who is responsible for supervising and monitoring the parateachers and for curriculum development. Meetings are frequent between the two parties to refine and calibrate the program so as to be responsive to the local situation and to the needs of the IP learners. The NFE Program was initiated in 2003 with support from EED of Germany. Other foundations which gave support over the years were the Ecumenical Scholarship Program of Germany and the Sunny Sevilla Scholarship Foundation. At present, SKF Philippines, a private corporation, supports the NFE Program.

Table 20 Non-Formal Education Program

Number of Learners 2004 – 2007 Province Ethnic

Group 2004 2005 2006 2007 Total

Aurora Dumagat 112 124 70 306 Bataan Aeta 124 35 16 15 190 Palawan Tagbanua 184 231 349 230 994 Zambales Aeta 60 35 48 224 367 Total 368 413 537 539 1,857 Over the last four years, 1,857 learners have undergone the PDI Non-Formal Education Program (See Table 20). The biggest number of students came from the Tagbanua tribe in Palawan. The NFE project is very successful in Palawan because of

the active support of the town Mayor and the Barangay Captains. NFE in Aurora started only in 2005 but has been attracting many learners from the Dumagats. Many classes in Aurora are held not inside classrooms but under the trees. The area is mountainous and very poor and was severely damaged by floods in 2006. Of the total 1,318 learners from 2004-2006, 969 or 73 percent graduated from their levels (See Table 21). There is no data as yet for 2007 because graduation will still be in March 2008.Bataan produced the most number of graduates compared to learners who attended NFE with an 89% success rate. Palawan graduated the most number of learners (500) in the last three years and had a success rate of 65 percent (graduate-learner ratio).

Table 21 Non-Formal Education Program

Graduates 2005 – 2006

Province 2004 2005 2006 Total Aurora 91 92 183 Bataan 124 35 11 170 Palawan 137 135 228 500 Zambales 48 31 37 116 Total 309 292 368 969 Lessons / Insights With NFE, Indigenous Peoples are afforded the flexibility to conduct classes at the place and time suited to their seasonal activities and daily duties. The lives of IPs are centered around their livelihood activities. NFE allows them to schedule time for lessons around this priority. Planting and harvesting seasons in an IP village require all able-bodied people to work in the fields and NFE takes this reality into account when preparing school schedules. Poverty is still the most important factor affecting continuity of attendance in NFE. Note that many learners in Palawan do not graduate from their NFE level. Many of these learners are Tagbanua fisher folk. When the fishes move from one area of the sea to another, the fishermen follows the fish and bring with them their wives and children. Although NFE schedules take into account seasonal farming activities, it cannot accommodate the more volatile fishing patterns. IP elders have come to realize that education is necessary for their survival in the modern world. This is a lesson that the Aetas learned from being forced to live with lowlanders in resettlement camps after they were forced down from the mountains by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Although many older IPs are illiterate, they are encouraging their children to get as much education as possible. To be relevant, instruction for NFE must be learner-centered and fully participatory. In 2007, PDI parateachers developed literacy modules for teaching Aetas. The modules are written in Sambal, the ancient language of the Aetas, and is notable for its integration of Aeta culture and values in the teaching of literacy and basic arithmetic. The modules have been commended by the Department of Education for their adherence to and preservation of Aeta culture.

c. College Scholarship Program

The College Scholarship Program started in 1995 to support collegiate and technical education. It is funded by private foundations and individuals with the Angping Development Foundation for Education (ADFE) as its major sponsor.

Scholars are selected in PDI’s areas of operation (See Table 22). The selection criteria emphasizes the student’s mental aptitude and his potential for community leadership.

Table 22 PDI College Scholarship Grantees

2004 - 2007

Program Area 2004 2005 2006 2007

Nueva Ecija 11 17 8 5

Zambales 18 22 13 6

Palawan 7 11 2 1

Bulacan 4 7 7 3

Tarlac 1 1 1 -

Bataan - 3 3 1

Pampanga - 3 3 2

Subtotal 41 64 37 18

In March 2007, PDI graduated 17 Scholars. This brings the total number of graduated scholars to 94 (See Table 23). This also means that 94 families now have a college-educated child who can help with the household finances through earnings from entrepreneurial activities or employment.

Table 23

College Scholarship Graduates 2000-2007

YEAR MALES FEMALES TOTAL 2000 3 2 5 2001 6 5 11 2002 1 3 4 2003 4 8 12 2004 3 12 15 2005 2 12 14 2006 6 10 16 2007 6 11 17 Total 31 63 94

Unfortunately, not all Scholars finish their college education. Failure to meet academic standards, teen-age pregnancies, personal problems and lack of counterpart funds are some of the reasons for dropping out of college.

It is interesting to note that twice the number of females graduated compared to males (See Table 23). This highlights the high regard for girl-children among peasants and Indigenous Peoples as the girls are given the same opportunities for higher education as boys and have even performed better (at least in this sample) at this challenge. As of October 2007, PDI supports 18 scholars, 11 of whom are females while 7 are males. (See Table 24). We expect 8 of these scholars to graduate by April 2008.

Table 24 PDI College Scholars

As of October 31, 2007 Name of Scholar Year Course School

Bataan 1. Kamille Adraneda 4th BS Nursing DLS-STI

Bulacan 2. Joseph Alvin Santos 3rd BS Nursing UP Manila 3. Ma. Cristina Aquino 3rd BSBA (Accountancy) UP Diliman 4. Juan Paolo Carillo 2nd Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant

Management DTI

Nueva Ecija 5. Jean Michelle Paeste 3rd BSBA Management NE-UST 6. Ronie Ambog 3rd BS in Agriculture (Agro-Forestry) NE-UST 7. Kathleen Nabong 4th BSBA Management NE-UST 8. Renan Mediana 4th BS in Agriculture (Agro-Forestry) NE-UST 9. Rizza Mae Mariano 3rd BSBA Management NE-UST

Palawan 10. Guillermo Lizardo 3rd BS Entrepreneurship PSU

Pampanga 11. Lourdes Fatima Sula 3rd BS Biology PAC 12. Raymond M. Gomez 3rd AB English PAC

Zambales 13. Nova Jugatan 4th BS Education (Home Technology) RMTU 14. Carol Doyanan 4th BS Education (Home Technology) RMTU 15. Caren Domulot 4th BS Education (Home Technology) RMTU 16. Micah Devillena 4th BS Elementary Education RMTU 17. Leo Mark Fallorina 3rd BSBA Hotel & Restaurant

Management RMTU

18. Jinky Cristobal 3rd BS Computer Engineering RMTU

Legend: Schools: 1. NE-UST - Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology 2. RMTU - Ramon Magsaysay Technological University 3. PSU - Palawan State University 4. DLS-STI - Delos Santos – STI, School of Nursing 5. UP Diliman - University of the Philippines - Diliman 6. UP Manila - University of the Philippines – Manila 7. DTI - Dumlao Technological

IX. Conclusion Project Objective:

PDI is dedicated in facilitating agrarian reform and rural development implementation through democratic and effective participation in governance and partnership with people’s organizations of peasant, indigenous peoples, women, youth and other non-governmental organizations and reform-oriented government officials. Transcending the objectives of providing land and alternative livelihood to peasants, PDI is also committed to the upliftment of the Filipino people as an active participant in the civil society movement through trainings of sectoral groups at the grassroots level. PDI believes that Land Tenure Improvement is more effective if complemented with community organizing of farmers and their democratic participation in governance. Conscientized and organized peasants and indigenous peoples along socio-economic and political levels prepare them for their role as active participants engage in decision-making and able to express their rights in local governance. Facilitating factors:

1. The exchange of experience through networks of civil society organizations, the marriage of theory and practice by using analytical research and participatory monitoring in action planning promote appropriate tools and strategies in dealing with the government.

2. Key ingredients to the success at the local level include the promotion of social capital through genuine organizing, a committed community leadership and the active participation of community members.

Constraining Factors:

1. A weak government unwilling to address legal and institutional bottlenecks in land tenure improvement.

2. A government that only lips service to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program evidently shown in the continuing backlog of LTI accomplishment.

3. The poor understanding of the IPRA law created tension and confusion among the national and local government agencies, the private sector and the general population.

4. Rapid urbanization erodes the security of agricultural lands that have been subject to land speculations for commercial and housing purposes by big capitalists and their political bosses.

5. Government ineptness led to the emergence of informal markets and illegal land transactions.

Lessons learned:

1. Strong advocacy in land access policies and programs must be ensured to promote agricultural development and to protect the vulnerable groups in Philippine society.

2. The Philippines needs a strong leader who has the political will to implement and sustain the gains of agrarian reform.

3. Push for policy change in government that will reconcile the legal and policy issues on land rights between the Local Government Code (LGC), the IPRA (Indigenous Peoples’ Right Acts) and the CARP.

4. Development agenda and support service initiatives must be done in ancestral land areas of the IP’s.

5. Ensure the Indigenous Peoples’ rights to their ancestral lands and the work towards entitlement.

6. Addressing access to land is a critical step towards addressing the problem of hunger and poverty.

Gains of SRDP: The Sustainable Rural Development Program concretizes PDI’s strategy of creating positive and sustainable impact on land reform and rural development at the barangay, municipal and provincial levels. It is through the SRDP that PDI pursued meaningful land reform implementation along with Peasant Organization (PO) formations at the grassroots level while working with allied networks and coalitions for favorable policy environment at the national level. PDI’s basic approach of active people’s participation and involvement through organizing work and engagement at the national level with the executive and legislative branches has proven to be practical and doable. Direct intervention enriched the knowledge gained by rural communities which are now practicing advocacy and follow-up work based on grassroots realities. In three years, PDI, through SRDP, contributed to the following: increased capacity issues, formation of viable organizations engaged in Agrarian reform and rural development work, reinforcement of networks and coalitions at the local and national levels, increased consciousness on gender and other biases, improved resource utilization through Sustainable Agriculture for land reform beneficiaries, increased transparency and accountability of local officials through a politicized community and increased democratic participation in local governance. Doing rural development work through SRDP has been a challenge for PDI because of the heightening tensions of government and landowners versus farmers and Indigenous Peoples. But throughout the Program, PDI has been guided by its development perspectives anchored on promoting access to land and resources, its commitment to social justice, its grassroots bias and its gender-fair advocacies. One crucial commitment remains unchanged over the years: PDI continues to uphold the struggle for meaningful asset redistribution and greater empowerment of rural communities for their rights.

PHOTO DOCUMENTATION

Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

An Aeta woman from Floridablanca points an old landmark within their ancestral domain.

Carlito Domulot points to NCIP representatives the IP self delineated perimeter markings.

An Aeta community leader from Pampanga points to a huge boulder which is sacred to them

IP leaders from Central Luzon and Palawan consult with NCIP official during a forum.

Danilo Salonga, an Aeta Leader from Bataan voices out his concerns during a dialogue with

government officers.

Aeta community leaders from delineates their ancestral boundaries in their land claim.

Sustaining Agrarian Reform

Ka Amado Higante, president of the NMGL (a regional peasant federation) participates in a discussion regarding land reform

PDI Exec. Dir. Ria Teves hands out land titles together with DAR officials to farmers in Nueva Ecija

NMGL farmer leaders spearhead a press conference to counter the government’s anti-land reform policies.

PDI facilitates awarding of CLOAs together with local DAR officials to farmers in Laur, Nueva Ecija

NMGL farmer leaders together with PDI staff hold LTI clinics regarding contentious landholdings.

Local elected government officials grace CLOA awarding ceremonies in Bulacan.

Engaging the Government

Central Luzon Farmers were able to facilitate land transfers under the DAR Sec. Rene Villa’s term.

IP leaders with PDI Exec. Dir. Ria Teves consult with Senator Jamby Madrigal regarding their IP Rights concerns.

Farmer leaders negotiate with police officers during a protest rally against the government’s anti-farmer policies.

NMGL farmers talks to then controversial DAR Sec. Obet Pagdanganan regarding rampant land conversions in the region.

NMGL farmer leaders talks to then newly appointed DAR Sec. Chelly Ponce regarding Pagdanganan’s many midnight decisions.

NCIP Region 3 Director Long Sunggod answers questions posed by the BUKAL leadership, an IP federation in Luzon.

Sustainable Agriculture

PDI staff in Palawan gives instructions on sound farming and fishing methods to fisherfolks and farmers in Coron.

Women farmer practitioners of Sustainable Agriculture checks on the vegetable garden plots.

PO members participate in the Rapid Compost Making. They used indigenous materials such as rice straws, earth and animal manure.

PDI demonstrates how to make use of rice hulls usually discarded by farmers. The rice hulls are carbonized to be used as soil fertilizer.

Sustainable Agriculture practitioners prepare the plastic mulching for their vegetable plots. Farmers planted various kinds of vegetables.

PDI staff conducts farmer filed schools to farmers in Palawan. New farming techniques are taught and shared to traditional farmers.

Women Empowerment

Reaping the fruits of her struggle, a woman farmer carrying her child receives her land title. A classis example of the recognition of women’s right to own land.

Women leaders are now able to assert their rights and position in society.

Ka Loida Rivera, a women farmer leader from Pampanga, leads a protest rally advocating for peasants rights.

PDI Exec. Dir. Ria Teves, leads other PDI staff in a rally in Makati calling for reforms within the government.

Ka Baby Valdez, a women leader from Tarlac, voices out her objection against the farmland as collateral bill.

Ka Paula Patoc, a women farmer leader from Nueva Ecija, speaks women’s problems, issues and concerns.

Institutional Building, Trainings

A woman learner looks on a practical demonstration during a basic health training.

Indigenous and oriental health practices were taught to women learners in a health training. In rural areas, women carry on the responsibility of keeping the family healthy.

Trainings conducted by PDI always involves workshop to make the activities more participatory and responsive.

Farmers and IPs participate in a Citizen and Voters Education Training.

PDI trainings always include women participants from rural areas. Women participation is encourage in all development initiatives

Lowland farmers and IPs participate in a mango production training conducted jointly by PDI and the Department of Agriculture.

Advocacy Campaigns, Mass Mobilizations, Rallies

PDI and NMGL join other advocacy groups in protest actions pushing for peasant rights such as right to own land, right to food and even the right to life. On the right, young farmers perform a dance portraying rural poverty.

PDI’s Mon Ayco performs a heartful song as peasant families hold photographs of their loved ones allegedly killed by the military and hired mercenaries of landlords. On the right, farmers rest after a long walk from Quezon City to Manila.

20 years after CARP’s Passage and after spending 100 billion pesos, 1.3 million hectares of land are still left to be distributed, leaving thousands of landless peasants. The slow grinding of the agrarian justice wheel, force farmers to go to the streets and voice out their collective plight.

Non Formal Education Program, College Scholarship Program

PDI Exec. Dir. Ria Teves gives words of wisdom and instructions to PDI College Scholarship Grantees. Scholarship grantees have to meet certain requirements in order for them to retain and continue with the education.

PDI’s Education Program provide opportunities for the youth may it be Formal or Non Formal Education. Both programs have been very successful in its thrust to provide quality education and hope to poor rural youth.

PDI’s Non Formal Education is implemented in coordination with the Department of Education and is implemented in Bataan, Zambales, Palawan and Aurora. Indigenous Peoples such as ther Aetas, Dumagats and the Tagbanuas are the primary beneficiaries of the NFE program.