3 4 5 6 8 About Galing Pook / Mission / Vision 10 Del Carmen, Surigao Del Norte: Siargao It Up! The Del Carmen Mangrove Management Program 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 30 31 32 34 Iloilo City: Iloilo-Batiano River Development Project Message from GPF Chairperson Rafael L. Coscolluela Message from LGA Officer-in-Charge Thelma T. Vecina Bindoy, Negros Oriental: Ridge to Reef Program Cagayan De Oro City: “No Vote, Ibot” No More: Emancipation of the Piso-Piso Beneficiaries Program Loboc, Bohol: Nurturing Cultural Heritage through Music Program Naga City, Camarines Sur: Barangay eSkwela and Barangay Literacy Worker Navotas City: ACcessible, Holistic, and InclusiVe Education (ACHIEVE) Program San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte: Preserving Local Cultural Heritage Tagum City, Davao Del Norte: Tagumpay Works Program Valenzuela City: Comprehensive Safety and Security Plan Galing Pook Awards 2018 Finalists The Galing Pook Theme Song Galing Pook Awards 2018 National Selection Committee GP@25: Milestones Board of Trustees and Secretariat Cover design and magazine layout by Amy Tejada | Articles by Bashia Grafilo and Pamela Grafilo | Editorial Content by Adrian Adove | Photos and references courtesy of LGUs and from Galing Pook Files
The Galing Pook Awards is a pioneering program that recognizes innovation and excellence in local governance. It started on October 21, 1993 under the joint initiative of the Local Government Academy-Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Ford Foundation, and other individual advocates of good governance from the academe, civil society and the government. The Asian Institute of Management carried on the awards program until 2001. Earlier in 1998, the Galing Pook Foundation was formed as a juridical institution to sustain the program. MISSION We promote excellence in local governance through recognition, sharing of information and support of efforts to replicate best practices at the local level. We encourage partnerships among civil society organizations, private sector, and government agencies at local, national and global levels to improve quality of life. VISION We are a leading resource institution that promotes innovation, sustainability, citizen empowerment, and excellence in local governance. www.galingpook.org Galing Pook Awards 2018 3
Congratulations to the 2018 Winners! As we celebrate 25 years of Galing Pook, we also celebrate another auspicious chapter in the life and times of local governments and their communities that have won this year’s Galing Pook Awards. Indeed, this year’s awardees give us hope in these trying times—when too many of our constituents have lost confidence in government as a whole; when too many citizens are content to condemn government for its inability to meet expectations, and not enough are willing to do their share; when too many people demand respect for their rights and forget their responsibilities as citizens; when not enough public servants are elected into office for lack of popularity or resources; and when too many Filipinos choose to merely witness events as they unfold, instead of helping to shape them for the good of the nation, we find ourselves looking for inspiration in places where real work is getting done, where impacts and outcomes are measured to test genuine worth, and where government connects with the governed in truly meaningful ways. It is indeed gratifying when we find these sources of inspiration at the level of local governments, in the ten outstanding local government programs as well as nine finalists, and all the outstanding local chief executives behind them that we honor this year. The awardees have met Galing Pook’s criteria for responsive, effective, empowering, innovative and sustainable governance as well as local government leadership. We are truly proud of them. But we know there are many more out there. It is our task and pleasure to continue the search and to let our people know that they can find hope all around the country, in local governments and public servants that perform their mandates well. Once more, we in Galing Pook ask all of you— local governments, civil society, volunteer groups and local communities—to light those candles of hope by doing what our awardees are doing for— and with—their communities and constituents. We congratulate and thank the Governors, Mayors and Barangay officials—and their partners in national government, the private sector and local communities—who make us proud of the work they do and the results they have achieved. We thank the members of the selection committees, who agonized over their choices and came up with a grand harvest of outstanding local governance. And we thank the sponsors, the Galing Pook officers and staff, and the volunteers who helped make all of this possible. Talagang may pag-asa, kung ganito lagi tayo! Mabuhay ang lokal na pamahalaan! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Pilipino! In like manner, our Jesse Robredo Leadership Awardee is a shining example of local government leadership at its best. If all local government units simply did their jobs the way this year’s awardees perform theirs, we would have so much less to worry about, and our people would be so much better off. 4 Galing Pook Awards 2018 RAFAEL L. COSCOLLUELA Chairperson Galing Pook Foundation www.galingpook.org
In 1993, the Local Government Academy, Ford Foundation, and other good governance advocates came together to hold the first Galing Pook Awards to celebrate local governments. Now, 25 years later, the awards continue to symbolize the power of innovation and dynamism to drive progress in our communities. For the past two decades, the LGA and the Galing Pook Foundation have been working together towards the shared goal of developing safe, prosperous, and inclusive local governments. It is this quest that drives the two organizations and their partners to constantly look for ways to improve the capacities of local governments to deliver effective services. In line with this mission, the LGA and the Galing Pook Foundation promote best practices through forums and information materials, one example of which is this publication. It is our belief that, by sharing best practices, we cultivate a culture of ingenuity and vibrancy among our local officials and their constituents. We congratulate the Galing Pook Foundation and its partners for their history of success and steadfast commitment to their goal. As we look to the road ahead, we are confident that, together, the LGA and the Galing Pook Foundation can continue to build communities that are truly in the service of the people. THELMA T. VECINA Officer-in-Charge Local Government Academy The Local Chief Executives behind the Galing Pook Awards 2018 Top Ten Outstanding Local Governance Programs (left to right): Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte Mayor Alfredo Coro II, Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, Navotas City Mayor John Reynald Tiangco, Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco, Vice President Leni Robredo, Bindoy, Negros Oriental Mayor Valente Yap, Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III, Loboc, Bohol Mayor Helen Alaba, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte Mayor Alfredo Valdez, Jr., Tagum City, Davao del Norte Mayor Allan Rellon, Naga City Mayor John Bongat, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno, and Galing Pook Foundation Chairperson Rafael Coscolluela at the Awarding Ceremony held on 11 October 2018 www.galingpook.org Galing Pook Awards 2018 5
BINDOY, NEGROS ORIENTAL: Ridge to Reef Program Out of 10,975 hectares of forest land in Bindoy, only 1,420.92 hectares of natural forest remained in 2010 caused by illegal tree cutting and the use of kaingin method. In 1998, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) declared that the Mantalip Reef was devastated due to dynamite fishing, muro-ami, and compressor fishing with the use of cyanide. These alarming trends prompted the municipality to launch the Ridge to Reef Program to implement social and technical approaches to address the degradation of upland and coastal ecosystems by adopting alternative strategies for farmers and fishermen to earn their living while preserving the environment. resource management and development. For the upland, farmers and other stakeholders were consulted on what crops to plant, and farmers were given cash incentives ranging from PhP1,000-5,000 per hectare to plant timber, bamboo and coffee. In partnership with the DENR and the National Greening Program (NGP), the municipality achieved increased forest cover from 1,420.92 hectares in 2010 to 5,420.92 hectares in 2018. Given that 70% of its population are farmers and fisherfolk, the municipality launched a campaign to educate its constituents on the need to preserve the environment which served as their main source of livelihood. The program applied two approaches, upland resource management and development, and coastal 6 Galing Pook Awards 2018 www.galingpook.org
Moreover, 2,828 hectares of timber plantations, 200 hectares of agroforestry, 620 hectares of coffee plantations,125 hectares of native trees, and 85 hectares of bamboo plantations were revitalized. Its 75 hectares dedicated for cacao and rubber had an 86% survival rate. There was also an increased appearance of bird species which initially disappeared prior to the implementation of the program. The coastal resource management and development efforts led to the creation of a 65-hectare marine sanctuary covering five (5) coastal barangays. To revive the Mantalip Reef, the municipality collaborated with the World Bank and mobilized PhP 1.5 million funding support for the construction of the Mantalip guard house and patrol boat. This was part of the municipality’s efforts in providing 24/7 protection of the 46-hectare Mantalip Reef. The guard house was also expanded to accommodate a visitors’ area and was later developed as an eco-tourism destination in 2008. The presence of the Black-spotted Snapper, commonly known as aluman (Tagalog) or labongan (Visayan), which had not appeared for more than eight years, was a positive indication of the municipality’s success in its conservation efforts. Bindoy also deputized 42 sea rangers in all six coastal barangays to monitor any illegal fishing activities. Local fisherfolk were able to coordinate with and report any illegal activities to the sea rangers and the Bantay Dagat using a telephone hotline. With the strict enforcement of the law, the municipality observed an increase in fish catch from 1-2 kgs in 2010 to 4-5 kgs in 2016. There was also an improved hard coral cover from 43.6% in 2012 to 59.5% in 2017. In 2012, the municipality of Bindoy partnered with an NGO, Rare Philippines, to implement a social marketing campaign on marine conservation. Called the Pride campaign, www.galingpook.org various activities were undertaken to help fisherfolk change their traditional ways of fishing which were harmful to the environment. These included games, information materials, and community events which were designed to promote deeper understanding on the value of preserving coastal resources as well as modify harmful fishing practices. Social marketing was incorporated in local festivities such as the Fisherfolks’ day and Libod Sayaw festival to generate broad participation. The Pride campaign culminated with the creation of their own mascot called “Lovie”, representing the resurgence of the Black-spotted Snapper following Bindoy’s conservation efforts. The environmental conservation efforts of Bindoy municipality received several citations such as the 2018 Gawad Tugas Award for Region VII Biodiversity Conservation and Management, 2017 Ocean Hero Award for Best Managed Marine Protected Area in the Philippines, among others. Galing Pook Awards 2018 7
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: “No Vote, Ibot” No More: Emancipation of the Piso-Piso Beneficiaries Program properties to serve another set of informal settlers. As of the first quarter of 2018, fifteen of the 32 resettlement areas were transferred to the city government, and 840 households have been given their own titles. As of October 2018, three additional properties were transferred to the city, for division and distribution of titles to beneficiaries. When elections drew near in Cagayan de Oro City, landless Kagay-anons feared losing their homes since their tenure was dependent on the incumbent city mayor. The culture of “no vote, ibot (evict)” forced informal settlers into patronage politics for fear of losing their homes since they were only given certificates of occupancy instead of legal land titles. acquisition cost of the property either in full or on installment basis. The amount from the repayment of acquisition cost given by the beneficiaries will be used to buy other Acknowledging that the housing needs of the city needed the collective effort and active participation of the constituents, the city government called on all stakeholders for the Cagayan de Oro Housing Summit to address the housing problem and synergize efforts of all sectors in the city. The summit In 2015, the city government launched the Emancipation of the Piso-Piso Beneficiaries Program to address this issue, with the aim of issuing legal land titles to 5,036 households in 32 resettlement areas. The beneficiaries will pay the 8 Galing Pook Awards 2018 www.galingpook.org
produced a Manifesto of Support signed by different groups that identified seven major areas of concern: (1) Security of Tenure; (2) Land Acquisition, Development, and Housing Construction; (3) Livelihood and Employment; (4) Health, Education, and Environment; (5) Public Safety and Peace and Order; (6) Infrastructure and Basic Services; and (7) Creation of the City Housing Department and Strengthening the Homeowners Associations (HOAs). The results of the Housing Summit allowed the city government to align the objectives of the program to effectively meet the needs of the beneficiaries. Orientation workshops on the process of land titling were conducted to build support and understanding around the program. The program provided clear www.galingpook.org procedures on the land titling process that guided program implementation. To achieve the program’s objectives, the Task Force for the Emancipation of Piso-Piso Beneficiaries (TFEPB) served as the platform for various government agencies such as the HUDCC, NHA, Registry of Deeds as well as representatives from local offices and other line agencies, to coordinate and work together in the processing of land titles. The TFEPB also mobilized experts such as geodetic engineers, assessors, real estate experts, community development specialists, land-use planners, and researchers to provide necessary technical inputs in the land titling process. To sustain the program, the functions of the TFEPB will eventually be turned over to the City Housing and Urban Development Department. Mentoring of homeowners association officers on the land titling process was also conducted to deter them from availing services of fixers. The involvement of the homeowners associations helped build ownership around the program and has resulted in the active participation of the informal communities in the program. With original land titles in the hands of informal settlers, the program has made informal settlers truly Kagayanons who lead meaningful and dignified lives, and let them become productive partners of the city government. Galing Pook Awards 2018 9
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