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by
Dante T. Gauran
Abstract
This paper discusses the community organizing work of the NGO, The Network Foundation, Inc. in the implementation of the Fishery Sector Program (FSP) towards effective and sustainable Community-Based Resource Management (CB-CRM) in Panguil Bay, northwestern Mindanao covering a total of fifty seven (57) coastal barangays during Phase I (April 1991-May 1992) and Phase II (November 1992-October 1993).
Community Organizers (CO) who was contracted locally covered two (2) coastal barangays each where they established temporary residence after the six (6) days orientation of the program activities.
Acceptance from the community where they are assigned are manifested through a separate Letter of Acceptance and/or Resolution from the Barangay and Municipal Councils. After getting familiar with the site situation the CO activities are to facilitate group discussions, among the fishers and the community, identifying the problems and issues of the coastal resource and that of the fisheries sector; and how to deal with these identified problems and issues through their participation and commitment. The strengths and weaknesses of the 57 coastal communities including their respective local officials and how to address the problems of the declining fishery harvests in Panguil Bay are likewise raised and corresponding solutions are identified.
Efforts of the community organizing process focused more on sustenance fishers/stakeholders about planning, strategizing and organizational and value formation; mobilization and operationalization; strengthening of the organization towards cooperativism and institutionalization. Such was done through series of trainings, education-information campaigns, cross-site visitations, seminars and workshops with fishers and local officials as participants. Financial management trainings to cooperatives are also included.
Results of community organizing work for the last two years show that fifty seven (57) fishers organization in 57 coastal barangays formed during Phase I were transformed into cooperatives (registered with the CDA) in Phase II and have their respective small-scale economic activities like micro-lending and cooperative stores. Land-based economic activities in some ways have reduced the fishing pressures in the bay resources.
This clear demonstration of relationship between NGOs participation in community organizing and the government’s program on coastal habitat management stimulates community interest in rehabilitating Panguil Bay’s coastal resources. Continuous awareness, education and technical support to the coastal people about FSP’s community-based coastal resource management can ensure the viability and sustainability of the Program. In the same manner, continuous organizational strengthening of these cooperatives including expansion of membership would certainly ensure the viability and sustainability of the community organizations.
It is therefore apparent that for a matter of two years well-organized coastal communities can start to initiate development of a community-based marine resource management system. And, it is a real observation that these fishers who have been blamed for much of the coastal resource degradation can be transformed to become effective managers of that resource. The collective efforts of fishers cooperatives to manage the coastal resources and the full support from the LGUs and service agencies like DA and DENR to these organized groups is a big factor to the success of the CRM of FSP.
Introduction
Panguil Bay in northwestern Mindanao is a shared resources by three (3) provinces, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental under three administrative regions covering two (2) chartered cities, ten (10) municipalities and seventy six (76) coastal barangays. The bay is approximately 18,405 ha. with a tooth like shape and a coastline extending 116 kms. from end to end. The narrowest point in the bay is 1.7 km in the channel between Silanga, Tangub City and the municipality of Tubod in Lanao del Norte. The bay is gradually sloping longitudinally from 5 meters at the mouth of Lintugop river to a depth of 20m just before the Clarin-Maigo boundary. Panguil Bay falls under climatic condition type 4 which is characterized by an even distribution of rainfall throughout the year.
The bay has been a natural spawning ground and nursery of penaid shrimps and other crustaceans, mollusks, other invertebrates species and marine fishfins - the richest shallow water fishing ground in Mindanao. Its hydrological characteristics and confined waters make it ideal for aquaculture.
In 1950, mangrove cover was 12,590 hectares. Rapid development of fishpond within the mangrove area has left 3,623 ha of mangrove cover which is not solidly compact. It includes secondary growth of nipa. A total of ninety three (93) ha of coral reef area are located at Hulaw-hulaw between the stretch of Clarin and Ozamiz City area. Its estuarine waters are heavily silted and expansion of fishpond development has penetrated within this area. This is particularly happening in the municipalities of Aurora and Tambulig in Zamboanga del Sur province.
The proliferation of fishing methods like "sanggab" (filter mesh nets), mechanized "sud-sud" (push nets), blast fishing, cyanide fishing and illegal construction of fish corrals mushrooming in the bay are the major issues and problems on resource utilization. These practices are being made by some fishers population of 6,276 (1990) around the bay. This is further aggravated by the fact that the degree of fishing effort has been increasing uncontrollable over the past years. Siltation due to soil erosion from the uplands is also very apparent near the mouth of the 32 major rivers and 22 minor tributaries and creeks of Panguil Bay - thus, partly contribute to the destruction of marine habitat in the coastal areas.
Panguil Bay was identified as one of the twelve (12) priority bays under the Philippine Fishery Sector Program (FSP) to implement community-based coastal resource management (CB-CRM). One of the six (6) components of the Program is coastal fisheries through CB-CRM of which community organizing is one of the important implementing strategies to achieve its objectives. Implementation of CO component was coursed through the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with expertise and track record in community organizing to form community associations, strengthen them to become effective local institutions in implementing CB-CRM in their respective coastal area.
The implementation of FSP was originally planned for 5 years beginning in 1990. In the case of Panguil Bay, CO works on CB-CRM started in 1991. The continuing process of CO works was partly hampered due to the delay for a total of seven (7) months of the NGO’s yearly contract. However, despite the gap between year one and year two, community organizing work of the NGOs were able to facilitate the formation of community associations (Year 1) and eventually made these associations into fifty seven (57) cooperatives at the end of Year 2.
Program
The program is the Government’s Fisheries Sector Program (FSP) originally planned for five (5) years implementation beginning 1990. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) of Japan provided fund assistance to the Program. Of the six (6) components of FSP (resource and ecological assessment, coastal resource management, law enforcement credit, research and extension and infrastructure), this paper focus on the coastal resource management in Panguil Bay particularly on community organizing activities of the NGO.
It is envisaged that through the Department of Agriculture as the lead agency and with the participation of well-organized coastal communities, the program would attain an ecologically balanced utilization of the marine resources and achieve a long-term sustainable development in Panguil Bay.
The emphasis of CO work in CRM is the interest of the resource users/stakeholders applying the community-based resource management approach which has been considered an effective method in the rational utilization of the resources in the coastal zone.
Objectives
The main objectives of the Program are to (i) undertake fisheries policy reforms which limit the development of the fisheries sector and affect the environmental status of coastal resources, (ii) strengthen the capabilities of the concerned fisheries agencies, (iii) rehabilitate the country’s coastal resources, (iv) alleviate the extensive poverty prevalent among fishing communities, and (v) increase aquaculture production but within ecological limits.
The CRM which is the centerpiece of the program has the following objectives: (i) to rehabilitate, regenerate, and manage on a sustainable basis, the fisheries resources of the coastal zone (which include fish stocks as well as their habitat), (ii) to reduce and eliminate destructive and polluting factors which degenerate coastal resources, and (iii) to lessen fishing pressure by assisting municipal fishers in moving away from fishing into diversified income-generating activities.
In order to attain these objectives, the role of the NGO in FSPs CB-CRM implementation is to assist the identified fishing communities (57 barangays) and local government units to develop the capability to plan and implement CB-CRM that will: (i) rehabilitate the coastal fisheries, (ii) ensure equitable access to resources, (iii) control illegal and destructive fishing, (iv) reduce fishing effort to sustainable harvest level and, (v) alleviate poverty through income diversification.
Under a yearly contract with the Department of Agriculture for two years, The Network Foundation, Inc. facilitated the community organizing process of CRM in Panguil Bay, and has the following objectives:
§ Involve the fishing communities and local government to identify and analyze resource management problems and to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate strategies and actions to deal with the problems;
§ Conduct public education to all sectors of the community to raise awareness, concern, knowledge, support and participation in the implementation of the strategies and actions;
§ Assist in organizing, training and facilitate in institutionalizing barangay and municipal CRM committees from among the fisherfolks, other resource users, community members and local government to plan, implement, coordinate, monitor and evaluate CRM strategies (like marine reserves, mangrove rehabilitation, etc.) and, to resolve conflicts arising from the implementation of these strategies.
§ Organize and train fisherfolk organizations/cooperatives to:
o improve fishing operations through the use of appropriate and ecologically sound harvest technologies, monitor and regulate their fishing practices; carry out resource enhancement projects; reduce post-harvest loss; introduce/improve product quality; operate and manage post-harvest facilities and improve/strengthen marketing;
o develop, operate and manage income diversification projects in order to reduce fishing pressure and supplement income;
o make decisions regarding fisheries management, collectively consult their sector, exercise democratically preferential use rights, settle disputes, present their interest, and influence policies; and
o advocate resource management regulations and complimentary policies to LGUs and other mandated agencies.
o To achieve these objectives, the community organizer of the NGO should act as a catalyst in the learning and organizing process and must be a unifying agent and facilitate the consolidation of the community as a manager of their coastal resources. It must be a process that makes them realize that the community (particularly the fishers) have the capability to be resource managers if they think and act as a single community.
Philosophy
The philosophy of CB-CRM under this program is founded on the predilection that a well-organization sustenance fisherfolks/stakeholders are in the best position to mange the coastal marine resources. To this end, the FSP-CB-CRM underscores the importance of fisherfolk participation in the decision-making process and their attitudinal transformation from mere users to resource managers. Thus, however, must emanate from a clear understanding of the economic sustainability of the resources and a universally accepted management plan that is able to translate the right blend of activities in such a common property fishery must be adopted.
Principle
A basic principle of CRM is the interconnected aspects of the environment, of ecosystems and of human resource uses. Besides fisheries and resource uses, it includes various aspects such as human settlements, recreation, water quality, local politics and more. The coastal zone and its resources is a dynamic system with many interactions and the considerations required for management are not only those of fisheries and resource use. Moreover, interest groups often play an important role in decision-making about how to manage coastal resources.
Goals
The goals of the program are being met through improving the administration and management of marine resources by LGUs and concerned agencies, more effective coordination of research activities and proper enforcement of existing laws. Decreasing fishing efforts in heavily exploited areas and rehabilitating the coastal environment will be necessary while establishing alternative livelihood activities for fishermen.
The general approach to field management is to involve the coastal communities in the decision-making and implementation process. Regulatory functions are encouraged at the municipal level to complement national laws affecting coastal resources. Decisions and participation lie with the communities, municipal/city governments, Department of Agriculture, DENR regional offices and non-government agencies working in the areas.
Implementing Mechanism
The overall coordination and monitoring is through a Program Management Office (PMO) based in Manila, established by the executing agency, the Department of Agriculture (DA). Effective technical assistance is being provided to facilitate initial implementation. These advisors are ensuring that the DA and other concerned agencies are adequately assisted in their conduct of the various activities.
The program has also designated Special Assistants for Fisheries Development (SAFDs) to provide managerial/technical guidance and administrative/logistics support to Provincial Fishery Management Units (PFMUs). The three SAFDs for Panguil Bay are mostly Assistant Regional Directors and Division Chiefs of the regional DA, duly designated in concurrent capacities.
The Program has established PFMUs in all provinces covering the 12 priority bays (Table 1) and the six regions for aquaculture to implement identified projects in the field. The PFMUs are under the administrative jurisdiction of the Provincial Agricultural Officers of DA (now devolved to LGUs).
The program which commenced in 1990 will operate for five (5) years with full anticipation that the program's functions are fully integrated into the participating agencies.
The agencies and/or institutions involved in the implementation of one or more aspects of the program are:
§ Department of Agriculture (DA)
§ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
§ Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA)
§ Agriculture Credit Policy Council (ACPC)
§ Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) Environment Management
Bureau (EMB)
§ Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC)
§ Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)
§ Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium Enterprise
§ Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)
§ Local Government Units (LGUs)
Finally, the Fishery Sector Program has recognized the role of community-based initiatives in the formulation and in the implementation of any marine resource management and adopted community organizing as a basic implementation strategy. For this purpose, non-government organizations (NGOs) are being tapped to participate in the implementation of the coastal resource management program.
Components
Other than CRM, the program has identified five other components which when effectively carried out in the project implementation can contribute to the achievement of the program's goals. These are:
a. Fishery Resources and Ecological Assessments - this component will provide a scientific foundation for national management, this study will form part of the National Fisheries Information System which will continually monitor fish stocks, habitats, ecological parameters and socio-economic indicators. Aquaculture areas are also surveyed so that the Fishpond Lease Agreements of unproductive ponds maybe cancelled and those that are not suitable for further development maybe reconverted into mangrove.
b. Research and Extension - this component includes the following:
- The preparation of a comprehensive National
Fisheries Research Program
- The networking and upgrading of existing
research facilities.
- The provision of scholarships and trainings
to meet long-term research and extension
staffing needs
- The expansion of fisheries extension
services; and
The conduct of specific priority studies such
as:
> sea ranching and fish farming
> impact evaluation of artificial reefs
> red tide investigation and monitoring; and
> tuna and cephalopod exploratory fishing
c. Law Enforcement - successful law enforcement and effective protection on marine resources in the Philippines requires decentralized efforts, organized and based on individual fishing communities. Thus, assistance in terms of training and logistic support is given to community-based task forces composed not only of local police and government personnel, but also most importantly by the fishers themselves.
d. Credit - this is to support the income diversification projects for small-scale fishers and the intensification of aquaculture production. A seed fund has been provided to supplement the government's Integrated Rural Financing Program. Alternative financing schemes have been studied to incorporate NGOs and fishers cooperatives as financial intermediaries. Moreover, private banks are already identified and accredited to extend more credit to the sector through a guarantee fund scheme.
e. Infrastructure - through this component, post harvest facilities such as fish landing, cold storage and processing centers will be made available for the sector. Research will be undertaken to develop and promote technologies which will reduce spoilage and upgrade the quality of fishery products.
Focus, scope/limits
A major theme of CRM for FSP is the involvement of communities and municipal and provincial governments. It intends to design CRM plans which are site specific and which are generated from the participation of people residing and working in the sites. The implementation will thus be through regional governments, non-government organizations and the participation of the community groups.
Thus, the underlying theme of CRM will always be the inter-connections of the various resource systems and the activities of people in relation to the environment. First, these interconnections must be considered in designing the technical aspect of the plan. Second, there must be an integration of the various actors in the management of sites. The actors are both the resource users and their respective interest groups, and the managing agencies such as municipal governments, regional offices, law enforcement officers, NGOs, and the community groups. A good plan will consider the relationships of both environmental areas and the human organizations involved in managing the coastal areas. This will be the guide for the people to sustain the benefits of the environment they depend on.
Focus
To ensure the viability and sustainability of the community organizations, continuous organizational strengthening, institutional support, networking and fostering of a baywide fisherfolk movement was undertaken towards the federation of these cooperatives at the provincial level.
One of the realizations of the community organizations to manage their own resources was to acquire juridical personality. This led to the transformation of the organized fishermen associations into full-pledged primary cooperatives. Adequate trainings on cooperativism, conflict resolution, law enforcement and regulation and CB-CRM were conducted in each barangay. Towards the end of the Year 2 Phase II project implementation, the formulation of a Coastal Resource Management (CRM) plan (Annex “A”) by the fishermen cooperatives and its community members had evolved. The Network Foundation, Inc. (TNFI) for its part has formulated the coordination and linkages framework (Attachment “1”) for the necessary mechanism to implement establish institutional linkages that will be forged with the local government units (LGUs), National Government Agencies (NGAs), NGOs and other participating sectors. The Network Foundation, Inc. being the contracted NGO is tasked to initiate community entry, facilitate the organizing and training process and provide support by encouraging both the community and the LGUs and concerned agencies to continuously coordinate and establish linkages. This is to emphasize that the community organizers of the NGO will eventually get out from the area after 3 to 4 years and make sure that the organized communities and the LGUs and concerned agencies can relate effectively with each other even during post project. The attached Organizational Structure (Attachment “2”) and Functional Chart (Attachment “3”) support this development process.
This initial effort has generated commitment for technical and financial support by virtue of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) (sample of MOA is seen in Annex B) executed by the concerned sectors. Further revisions and validations of the plan at the municipal levels were likewise conducted to consider results of studies conducted by research institutions on CRM and livelihood diversification programs.
The NGO therefore assisted the targeted group in the actualization of CB-CRM plans through community organizing process and did not impose its perspective in achieving the expected outputs. Initially, during this process, the NGO staff acted as a go-between or part of a chaperon to community leaders, and continuously bridged communication lines between the community and government agencies.
Scope
In April 1991, the contract for NGO services was entered into by and between The Network Foundation, Inc. and the Department of Agriculture to undertake the Year 1 Phase I (April 1991-May 1992) of community organizing activities. A total of twenty eight (28) coastal barangays along Panguil Bay (covering 3 provinces and 3 administrative regions) were pre-identified by the respective provincial offices of the Department of Agriculture in the three provinces. From this total, eleven (11) coastal barangays are in Lanao del Norte, twelve (12) in Misamis Occidental and three (3) in Zamboanga del Sur.
In November 1992, after seven (7) months of project implementation gap, the contract for NGO services to undertake the Year 2 Phase II (November 1992-October 1993) took effect. Continuous community organizing to the total of twenty eight (28) existing barangays covered during Year 1 Phase 1 and an additional of twenty nine (29) coastal communities classified as expansion barangays were covered. From the total, twenty four (24) are in the province of Misamis Occidental and five (5) in Zamboanga del Sur. The expansion to barangays in Lanao del Norte province was implemented by another NGO. After two years of project implementation, a total of fifty seven (57) coastal barangays in Panguil Bay were covered by TNFI underwent the community organizing process of which in the middle part of Year 2 these organizations were transformed into cooperatives and registered with the Cooperativef Development Authority (CDA).
Limits
In the implementation of coastal community organizing
activities towards CB-CRM, the NGO followed the agreed Work Programs translated
from the Terms of Reference. The Program limits to address the coastal
communities around Panguil Bay and its resources. Innovations made
by TNFI field staff with regards to the conduct of CO approaches and strategies
were allowed by the DA. However, since the activities of the yearly
work programs have schedules, and the quarterly outputs should be delivered
as programmed, there was a tendency that some important points of the process
were cut short. Much of the desire for the NGO to go through the
dynamics of community organizing, the deadlines for submission of the outputs
need periodic compliance. One example was the insistence of some
DA officials and LGUs to federate the newly formed cooperatives.
While an attempt to do so was really made, guidelines from the CDA prevent
primary cooperatives into federation unless compliance is met according
to criteria.
Also, the prepared CRM plans and livelihood
activities of the cooperatives can not be implemented accordingly due to
lack of capital funds where accredited banks with FSP funds have very high
interest rate beyond the capacity of the newly formed cooperatives.
The non-implementation of CRM plans in some areas was due partly to inadequate
provision of technical assistance from the concerned agencies.
Case discussion
Strategies
Aside from the existing staff, NGO has to recruit and hire locally qualified people to perform community work. From the total personnel that were finally hired 67% were community development organizers and the rest are technical and administrative support.. Prior to the deployment of field personnel, weeklong orientation training on the Terms of Reference related to FSP-CRM community organizing work was conducted to knowledge and skills of the project staff about the program. The preparatory staff training was conducted by the identified training staff from the Project Management Office (PMO), Manila and a composite training team from TNFI Head Office with the assistance of representatives from the Regional Offices of DA during Year 1 and Year 2 respectively. Annual Provincial Work Programs were jointly formulated and finalized by the NGO project staff and personnel from DA who are involved in the FSP implementation as guide for further validation to members of the Local Government Units (LGUs) from the barangay to the municipal levels. Presentation and validation process of work programs with LGUs at barangay at municipal levels did not only made these officials aware of the FSP-CRM community process but also strengthened their support for the program during implementation. A data-gathering instrument for the establishment of barangay profile for each covered barangay was finalized and used. Also, an organizational assessment instrument was agreed and used to determine the strength and weaknesses of the existing fishermen associations in the covered barangays already identified by the Department of Agriculture. These two important activities were analyzed and documented; and, served as one of the basis for validating and planning with the communities. Community Entry both during Year 1 and Year 2 started with the presentation, validation and in some instances the revision of the Annual Work Program of every target barangay. Pledge of commitment to support the activities of the programs was indicated by the signature of the barangay chairman and municipal mayors within the project coverage area in the annual work program.
Results of Organizational Assessment conducted of the existing fishermen associations in the barangay served as guide of TNFI field personnel whether to strengthen existing organization or to form a new one.
Formal orientations on the FSP-CRM were conducted to officials and members of the LGUs from barangay to the municipal levels. Support and acceptance for the project were indicated through Barangay Council Resolutions and issuance of letter of acceptance from the office of the Mayor.
At the barangay level, general assemblies conducted by barangay officials were facilitated by the respective barangay councils with the assistance of TNFI staff. Fisherfolks and other interest groups were encouraged to attend and participate. Formal training on FSP-CRM, Organizational and Development Training were conducted of key leaders/core groups and all leaders which eventually became serious of forming into a fishermen's association.
Fifty six (56) out of the fifty seven (57) fishermen cooperatives were newly formed as this has been consistently facilitated by TNFI. Existing pre-cooperative which was previously facilitated under the Samahang Nayon in Barangay Matampang, Bucana, Lala, Lanao del Norte went through the process of organizational strengthening and was able to reach the same level with other well-organized cooperatives.
Components
The varied activities under community organizing experience of FSP on CBCRM has prompted TNFI staff to identify major components/elements which is believed would add to sustain on-going activities of the fishermen cooperatives are as follows:
§ Institutional Capability Building. Members of the Training and Education Committee and selected members of the Cooperatives that compose of five were further trained to enhance their skills and knowledge on CRM and the preparation of training proposals and modules. This would prepare them to function as the training management unit of the cooperative.
§ Orientation training and awareness on Coastal Resource Management to school children were also conducted in all elementary level schools within the project site. Its effect has produced a national winner from Balas, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur during the recently concluded short story and painting contest sponsored by the DA during the annual celebration of the Fish Conservation Week.
§ The conduct of monthly regular (Board of Director) BOD and Fishermen's Cooperative (FC) meetings were encouraged. Minutes of the meetings are well recorded and prepared by the Secretary. Issues and conflicts arising from project implementation are tackled during FC monthly meetings which lead to immediate resolution.
§ Cooperative Development. Best by poverty of the majority members of the fishermen associations and policy mandates of the Department of Agriculture, TNFI staff has proposed an option to the fishermen associations to save the budget for meals and snacks on every training conducted by TNFI for the program which they agreed. This seed money has helped a lot to expedite expenses in the registration of their associations into cooperatives. Audited financial statements revealed that the funds generated from their trainings were placed under general funds. Cooperative members had also continued paying their paid up capital over the time. TNFI staff had conducted PMES for the expansion membership of the cooperatives for free. This happened after the contract was terminated in October 1993.
§ Identification of Livelihood Projects. Consistent to the program's objectives, preparation of models about project proposal was facilitated by TNFI staff to various identified alternative livelihood projects of the cooperatives. Most of them have already availed financial assistance through short-term loans from the DSWD. The credit component of FSP was only activated/functional after the termination of the contract for Year 2 Phase II in October 1993. Only very few cooperatives with economic activity and who have really prospered were qualified for financial assistance. Majority of the thriving cooperatives did not qualify even for accreditation because of the stiff requirements of Land Bank of the Philippines, the official depository of the seed money for FSP. Livelihood projects should be labor-intensive to generate employment to the immediate members of the cooperatives.
§ CRM Interventions. The full implementation of the approved technical interventions identified by the fishermen cooperatives was not realized. The Department of Agriculture is expected to provide the technical and material inputs to these interventions. Construction and installation of concrete artificial reefs by members of the Fishermen Cooperatives with the assistance and supervision of DA have just started amongst the list of interventions identified for the entire bay. This is done by the two (2) fishermen cooperatives in Clarin, Misamis Occidental and two (2) fishermen cooperatives in Maigo, Lanao del Norte.
§ Law Enforcement. In the province of Misamis Occidental, deputization of cooperative members as fishery wardens is not limited to members of the CRM/Bantay Dagat only. Interested members of the cooperative regardless of gender were also deputized. It is envisaged that CRM committees would persistently initiate the CB-CRM movements in their respective areas and eventually the whole cooperative would carefully watch and effectively manage the coastal areas.
§ Monitoring and Evaluation. Three (3) monitoring instruments have been introduced and used by the FC cooperatives. M&E Form #14 (Annex “C”) is the FC Monthly Progress Report. Activities in the respective FC-led CRM plans are reflected. The Chairman of the Coops M&E submits a copy of the report to TNFI through its CDO. This helps the worker identify and strategize activities to support the cooperatives. M&E Form #15 (Annex “C-1”) shows the issues and problems encountered by the FC and the recommendations they have identified for the specific problems. Agenda of the succeeding months meetings mention among others the issues and problems raised in M&E Form #15. M&E #16 (Annex “D”) is the Daily Fish Catch Monitoring. This is regularly filled up and accomplished by a full-time fishermen representative per cooperative. Result of this activity will help the NGO to make its own findings as to increase in catch species, fish stocks when there are direct interventions to be implemented by the project participants. The aforementioned activities done by the cooperatives themselves lasted until August of 1994, ten (10) months after the project termination in October 1993.
Phases/Stages the Program Went Through
In accordance with the FSP-CRM planning implementation component, the scope of services for community organizing was divided into two (2) phases. Phase I focused on community formation/ organizations. A total of 28 fishermen associations were organized during the first phase. The conduct of preparatory trainings on Human Resource Development Leadership and CRM which prepared them to become management units.
The second phase of the program is operationalization. The transformation of the 28 fishermen associations into full-pledge primary cooperatives covered during the first phase and the additional twenty nine (29) expansion barangays covered during Year 2 was one of the major activities. Each fishermen cooperative has its own coastal resource management plan.
The operationalization of some components of their plans occurred with close supervision of TNFI staff considering that they were still in the infancy stage. Financial assistance through soft loans by DSWD and some LGUs were directed to the cooperatives. Other members of the cooperatives who wanted individual loans have fallen prey to loan sharks, which have provided financial assistance with very high interest to most artisanal fishermen in the past.
Members of the CRM/Bantay Dagat committees were deputized as fish wardens by D.A. Routine patrols by the Bantay Dagat Task Force of DA within its respective municipal waters in coordination with members of the FC CRM/Bantay Dagat Task Force have apprehended fishermen who are either members or non-members of the fishermen cooperatives doing some illegal or destructive forms of fishing activities. Filing of charges against the violators has deterred other fishermen groups to continue the illegal fishing practices. Others have volunteered to demolish their submarine filter fish nets locally called "sanggab", particularly the organized fishermen cooperatives, upon the insistent demand by the barangay people, the local government units and the DA.
Changes brought about by the program
After acquiring basic skills and knowledge on the program particularly on CRM through the various trainings conducted, one of the vital changes which has been brought about by the program is the attitudinal transformation of the fishing communities from just a mere resource users or exploiters to resource managers. When joint collaborative efforts are exercised by the concerned agencies in the project implementation, the program is assured to sustain. This is indicated by attempts of some cooperative members to discourage the continuous practice of destructive fishing activities within the family which was very difficult to do when they themselves were not yet aware of the responsibilities and benefits they can get from the coastal resources they depend on.
Organizational inspirations of the project have brought the members closer and one feels important to the other.
Members of the cooperatives have benefited to the availability from the basic commodities available in their consumers store, while providential loans are available to cooperatives engaged in micro lending. Interest on capital and patronage refund were declared every after year end for two years so far. Different mechanism on gains were established by each cooperative, however for the first year patronage refunds and interest on capital were only returned to the cooperative to increase its investment capital. After the closing of 1994 transactions, most of the fisher cooperatives declared gains and were distributed to its members according to the laws of cooperativism. Cooperatives have become priorities to government assistance particularly on livelihood and other forms of income generating activities.
The control of the use of mechanized pushed nets locally called "sud-sud" has contributed to the regeneration of some bivalves (mostly brown mussels) along the coastline particularly those near the bottom of the bay area. Although there has been no law to regulate its collection, individual fishers who are either members or non-members of the cooperatives sold it to fishpond operators as supplemental feeds to prawns.
The removal of most units of "sanggab" (submarine filter nets) have also contributed to the increase in volume and sizes of the marine products caught by the fishers. This is according to unofficial and verbal report by most fishers beneficiaries who were accidentally met and talked to.
Lessons learned
The experiences during project implementation have generated several learnings that provided good lessons to improve incoming project activities.
On Community Organizing
The gap of seven (7) months between the termination of Year 1 Phase 1 contract of TNFI and the official start of Year 2 Phase II activities created mistrust and bad perception among some fishermen in barangays that were entered during Year 1 (called existing barangays during Year 2 Phase II implementation). It is therefore advisable that the community organizer should not leave the community for a long period especially when fishermen are just newly organized. Overall repetition of the organizing process like what happened during the Year 2 contract could be avoided.
Another aspect that should be noted as a learning in community organizing is that the FCs is effectively/cohesively responding to programmed activities when community development organizers (CDOs) are permanently staying in their assigned barangays. In doing so, they could learn more and more the real development needs of the community; therefore they become effective in addressing their needs.
On Cooperative Development and Official Registration of Fishermen Cooperatives (FCs)
Not all of those who participated in the series of trainings and community organizing process finally decided to become members of the Cooperatives. For those who initially did not join the cooperatives gave varied reasons such as difficulty in securing the amount for paying the membership fee and individual contributions for capital build-up. It is apparent that organizations and development of cooperative organizations would take some time because their means of livelihood are always given preference on their daily schedule because it is a matter of their family’s daily survival.
The slow generation of the required amount for capital build-up also delayed their registration with the CDA. Preparation of voluminous documents required by the CDA for registration also add to the delay. These documents need detailed review before submission. Once the papers reached the CDA, background investigation is done in the field as basis for their appropriate action. Because of the intensified trainings and capital build-up formation coupled with painful experience in previous government projects, especially those with credit components, some of the fishers declined to become members of the cooperatives (Annex “E”). Only those who are very interested despite the previous bad experience finally decided to become members. Another reason for some who decided not to become members of the cooperatives was their expectation on the availability of speedy loans. This is due largely to informations from other people (mostly field level government officials) using loans as "come-on" to form cooperatives without thoroughly knowing the adverse effects into the community organizing process.
With Regards to Linkage and Coordination
In the early part of the project implementation, coordination with LGUs and NGAs both at barangay, municipal and provincial levels were established. Coordination with the Regional DA through the FSP's Special Assistant for Fisheries Development (SAFD) was likewise established. In target barangays, extensive coordination with local officials, the community and the target fishers participants are always maintained. Coordination efforts resulted to widespread awareness of FSP-CRM's ongoing activities in the area. Required services and assistance from concerned NGAs and LGUs were delivered although the reported degree of effects vary. Coordination and linkages with PBDC, BDC, tri-DA, financing institutions, other NGOs and private sectors are practiced periodically.
On Aspect of Education and Training
Required education and trainings are based on assessments conducted with the prospective fishermen participants during community entry. Each fishermen group (FA/FC) underwent an average of twelve (12) formal trainings with several rounds of informal trainings (Annex “F”). It was observed that the participants who always considered their personal interest first instead of group cooperation did not join the cooperative. This indicates that most of the present cooperative members are the interested ones and have fully understood the cooperative movement. In addition, cross-site visit to successful CRM projects and established cooperatives were considered as one effective training and institutional strengthening strategies. Members of the FCs who availed of these cross-site visits became very aggressive in replicating applicable activities in their respective areas.
Users Right with Resource Access Instrument in the Coastal
Part of the programmed activities in CRM and FSP
is to provide Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURF) to marginal fishermen
so that management of Coastal Resources will be effective and sustainable.
Such would only be realized if the zonation plan of the municipal water
in each municipality as envisioned by the DA are well established.
It is an observation that such plans were not given preferential attention.
It is therefore anticipated that in the event the FC initiated CRM plans
will be fully implemented, some problems maybe encountered as to specific
coastal areas that should be designated according to appropriate usage.
The lesson here is that while the concept and plans of TURFs are good operationally,
it is not progressing. And if this will continue, incentives to fishermen
to be the real community-based resource managers are rather far than forthcoming
because local people have no precise security of tenure on specific territorial
rights to manage the open-access status in the coastal areas (on municipal
water).
REFERENCES
Integrated Management Plan for Panguil Bay. Second Edition, April 1991
Orientation Course for NGO on Fisheries Sector Program and Coastal Resource Management, Project Management Office (PMO), Manila, 1991
Socio-Economic/Investment Opportunities Studies: Panguil Bay Leverage International (Consultants) Inc., October 1991
TNFI Terminal Report, FSP-CRM Component Year 2
Phase II NGO Services Panguil Bay, November 1992-October 1993
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