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1Galing Pook Awards 2015

2 Galing Pook Awards 2015

The Galing Pook awards is a pioneering program that recognizes innovation and excellence in local

governance.

It started in 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.

The Galing Pook

VisionWe are a leading resource institution that promotes innovation, sustainability, citizen empowerment, and excellence in local governance.

MissionWe 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.

Contents2 The Galing Pook3 The Galing Pook Awards 20154 Message from DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento5 Message from Galing Pook Chair Rafael Coscolluela6 Stories of Hope, PHLPost Postmaster General and CEO

Ma. Josefina Dela Cruz6 Helping Shape a Better Future, LANDBANK President and

CEO Gilda Pico7 Small Wins, Great Victories, SEAOIL Foundation President

Mark Anthony Yu7 Multi-Sectoral Collaboration, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

Resident Representative Berthold Leimbach8 Pangkabuhayan Centers: A Way Out of Poverty, Siayan,

Zamboanga del Norte11 Local Garments Industry Institutionalization, Taytay, Rizal12 Ambao Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve Area, Brgy.

Ambao, Hinundayan, Southern Leyte14 Team Albay Humanitarian Assistance Program, Albay17 LETS GO: A Model of Barangay Good Governance,

Brgy. Graceville, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan18 Involving the Youth in Community Development, Ilocos

Norte

21 Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program, Narra, Palawan

22 Minahang Bayanihan: Small Scale Mining Program, South Cotabato

25 The Friendly Drugs: A PPP on Health Plus Project, South Cotabato

26 Education 360° Investment Program, Valenzuela City28 Galing Pook Awards 2015 Finalists31 The Galing Pook Citizenship Award32 Empowering Communities in Peacebuilding and

Development, BMFI33 Community-Based Monitoring of Government Programs

and Services, CCAGG34 Contributing to Both Member’s Welfare and Community

Development, Tagum Cooperative35 Galing Pook Citizenship Award Finalists36 2015 GPA National Selection Committee38 Citizenship Award Selection Committee38 Board of Trustees and Secretariat39 Galing Pook Theme Song39 Mamamayan, Mamamayani Theme Song

Cover design, layout, and articles by Allen M. Mariano • References supplied by LGUs • Photos courtesy of LGUs and GPF files


Sponsors

The Galing Pook Awards 2015

Galing Pook received 153 applications for the Galing Pook Awards 2015. Municipalities are the most represented (41%), followed by entries from cities

(30%), provinces (25%), and barangays (4%). Luzon is also the most represented (50%), followed by Mindanao (26%) and the Visayas (24%). All regions are represented, with most coming from Western Visayas (15%) and CALABARZON (12%).

The applications were judged based on the following criteria: positive results and impact (30%), promotion of people’s participation and empowerment (30%), innovation (15%), transferability and sustainability (15%), and efficiency of program service delivery (10%).

The applications were screened by a 17-member National Selection Committee from different fields of expertise and experience, chaired by former Sarangani Governor and Galing Pook’s first Jesse Robredo Leadership Awardee, Miguel Rene Dominguez.

Of the 153 applications, only 38 made it to the site validation stage, and only 16 made it to the finals.

This magazine features the 2015 batch of ten winners.


Congratulations to all the awardees of the 2015 Gawad Galing Pook!

Over the years, the prestigious Gawad Galing Pook has been instrumental in recog-nizing excellent local governance and encouraging local government units to deliver excel-lent public service - that is innovative, effective, inclusive and forward -looking.

Our LGUs have been making waves in coming out with best practices which are contributing to the global goals of ending poverty, protecting the environment, and ensuring social protection.

The DILG is one with you in our common goal to uplift the quality of life of our Bosses—the Filipino people.

This year’s awarding of the first Galing Pook Citizenship Award and the conduct of the first Governance Fair with the theme, “Mamamayan, Mamamayani” highlighted the value of empowering the citizenry to be part in nation-building while sending a strong mes-sage that local governance is everyone’s business.

To the Galing Pook Foundation, we are honored to work with you in our steadfast promotion of excellence in participative local governance.

Mabuhay!

Republic of the PhilippinesDEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Office of the Secretary

M E S S A G E

MEL SENEN S. SARMIENTOSecretary

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Greetings! On behalf of Galing Pook Foundation, let me extend our sincere thanks to our sup-portive sponsors, friends and partners in civil society, government, academe, media, business and development institutions and all those who made this year’s celebration a rousing suc-cess. This year marked a most meaningful milestone for the Galing Pook awards program, one that witnessed a joint celebration of good governance and responsible citizenship under the theme Mamamayan, Mamamayani! Aside from the regular Galing Pook Awards for outstanding local government pro-grams, we conferred the first Galing Pook Citizenship Awards to three inspiring civil society organizations. This new awards category was envisioned two years ago to give due recog-nition to what private citizens, civil society or non-government and people’s organizations are doing, often under trying circumstances, to contribute to the well-being of their specific constituencies and thus, to the development of the nation itself.

How fitting it was, then, to proclaim and celebrate this year’s theme through a three-day Governance Fair, which highlighted not only models of good local governance but also the community-building initiatives of private citizens and organizations, those unsung heroes who do not leave the task of building our country solely to government.

The theme for this year sends out the message that for this country to move forward, we need good governance that involves the citizens, and that we need to have citizens who engage their government to work better. Indeed, we need to work together towards making this country truly the kind that we all deserve.

To all the winners and finalists of the Galing Pook Awards, congratulations! Remem-ber to carry that award with pride as you continue to face the responsibilities that come along with it. Mabuhay ang mamamayan; mamamayani tayong lahat!

RAFAEL L. COSCOLLUELAChairperson

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Good local governance hardly gets me-dia mileage. Stories on how a good

Governor, Mayor or even Barangay Captain conquers trenchant issues in his or her local-ity gets relegated to the inner pages in small blurbs. And yet I fi rmly believe that good local governance is the next frontier in our drive to make a great nation out of our trou-bled and fl awed political and economic past.

Our local government units have the advan-tage to hastily address the concerns in the community, because our local executives are in the vantage point to know what’s happen-ing on the ground and can expedite pro-cesses and harness more innovations. Local governments react faster to good leader-ship. They also, however, can go bad just as quickly, when there is no leadership.

That is why I am highly honored to be able to congratulate the local teams behind this year’s winning programs for your commit-ment to results, for your commitment to trans-parency and accountability, and for your

dedication in creating solutions that enhance the lives of your constituents. I know what it feels like to be faced with 100 million chal-lenges and very little resources. What you do is no joke.

Organizations like the Galing Pook Founda-tion are doing the nation a great service by recognizing local government programs and projects that are prompting real changes in real lives of real people, and we, at PHLPost, are fortunate to be part of this endeavor.

To me, your stories feed hope to a nation that has a tendency of forgetting that it is a great one. Filipinos critic well and celebrate poorly. We love to rant. We love to paint a bleak picture. We love to complain without giving our own version of a solution. It is time for us to look at the bright side—objectively and maturely. This kind of award, which measures real re-sults, deserves to be in the front pages of the best newspapers in the country. You are the

real stories. You are the replicable case stud-ies that will truly turn this country into a new Asian tiger. If we continue to build on what we see and hear, it is more likely that we will see our nation turn into a fi rst-world country by the turn of the century.

So congratulations to all the winners. Thank you for all that you do, and don’t stop here. Keep on blazing a trail for yourselves in the service of our nation.

Stories of Hope

Helping Shape a Better FutureAs the country moves forward with the goal of inclusive growth through the extension of fi nancial opportunities and other develop-ment assistance to remote and underserved areas, crucial to this endeavor is the ability and commitment to ensure that viable chan-nels are within reach and made available to those in need.

It is with this thought that we at LANDBANK take pride in being a partner of the Gal-ing Pook Foundation. Fostering and holding in high regard the practices and programs toward innovation and sustainable merit does more than validate the work of our local gov-ernment units across the nation. Such actions are helping Filipinos fi nd meaning in hard work, developing their capability for self-reliance and other socio-economic activities.

A look at this year’s fi nalists and awardees refl ects our ardent belief that success should go beyond fi nancial gain. From various re-gions, these remarkable programs of our LGUs and exemplary individuals in their re-

spective communities demonstrate the scale and potential that can be further explored and promoted toward positive transforma-tion and nation-building. From public-driven, community development advocacies to envi-ronmental causes, we laud these remarkable efforts that are helping shape a better future for younger generations.

Our heartfelt congratulations to all the win-ners and participants to this year’s Galing Pook Awards. May you continue to serve as models of sustainable success to other com-munities, leading them toward their own paths to progress.

GILDA E. PICOPresident and CEO

MA. JOSEFINA M. DELA CRUZPostmaster General and CEO


Greetings and Congratulations to the Board, 2015 Galing Pook Finalists and

Awardees!

We are proud to be partners of Galing Pook in this worthwhile journey of engaging local government leaders and communities to-wards good governance.

We are committed to investing in these pro-grams over the long term. We look forward to small wins that generate great victories. We look forward to the inspiring stories of constituents, mayors and governors as well as the things we will learn while working with them. We look forward to measuring prog-ress by the ownership developed in leaders and quality of life improved in the munici-palities and cities we engage.

At the end of the day-long presentations, deliberation and awards dinner, we left the Galing Pook celebration inspired with re-newed spirit and drive towards good local governance advocacy. We wish to affi rm

our partnership with Galing Pook in engag-ing Local Government leaders in this worthy endeavor.

As we see the greatness with these local governments, we hope to be an invaluable supporter of Galing Pook in spreading good local governance in the country.

God Bless our partnership and this shared mission.

MARK ANTHONY L. YUPresident

Small Wins, Great Victories

Multi-Sectoral CollaborationOn behalf of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung,

my warmest congratulations to the win-ners of the Galing Pook Citizenship Award and to the Galing Pook Foundation for taking the task of promoting active citizenship and good governance reform in the Philippines.

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is a German politi-cal-educational foundation. It has been ac-tive in the Philippines since 1964, cooper-ating with civil society organizations, labor groups, the academe and the government, in its aim to contribute in strengthening an inclu-sive political system and a people-centered economic development.

As an institution committed to the values of social democracy, we are one in the fi ght of advancing progressive reforms that aim to address inequality and social injustice.

The governance fair convened by the Gal-ing Pook Foundation is indeed both timely and refreshing. With the wider democratic spaces opened under the current administra-tion, there is no better time to encourage and

challenge the citizens to participate in the collective responsibility of nation-building.

This kind of activity makes us appreciate further the value of multi-sectoral collabo-ration–the coming together of engaged civil society organizations, strengthened lo-cal government units, and active citizens, is a manifestation of a modernizing approach to-wards better governance and development. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is more than for-tunate to witness such a process on how de jure and de facto political power act together in trying to change (or preserve) political and economic institutions.

As what Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan puts it: ‘good governance is perhaps the single most important factor in eradicat-ing poverty and promoting development.’

It is in this spirit that we thank Galing Pook Foundation. With them, we hope to help in showcasing more success stories of good gov-ernance from different parts of the country.

Thank you and Mabuhay!

BERTHOLD LEIMBACHResident Representative


Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte

Pangkabuhayan Centers: A Way Out of Poverty In 2003, the Municipality of Siay-

an in Zamboanga del Norte was ranked as the top impoverished mu-nicipality. That is no longer the case.

In July 2011, the Municipal LGU launched its Community Enterprise Development Program through Pang-kabuhayan Centers (CEDP-PCenter). This program provided sustainable livelihood opportunities that led to substantial increases in the incomes of its poor constituents.

The CEDP-PCenter program involves the establishment of small communi-ty-owned and community-managed merchandise stores in the 22 baran-gays of the municipality. The pro-gram calls on the poorest residents to pool their resources together with the capitalization provided by the LGU in setting up and managing

empower the people and transform their beliefs and sense of self-worth.

Today, PCenters are well established in 21 of the 22 barangays; 16 of these have now been registered as cooperatives with a total member-ship of 1,591 or over 75% of the target of 2,000 members. They are now federated as the Siayan Pangk-abuhayan Federation of Coopera-tives, which is already venturing into bulk handling of consumer goods and agribusiness trading. Externally audited financial reports show that the PCenters have generated a com-bined gross sales as high as PhP12 million in 2014 with a net surplus averaging half million pesos an-nually. The members have already received annual refunds averaging PhP85.00 for every PhP100 invest-ed. The members also enjoy a 20 to 30% discount from the goods they buy from the PCenters, which is only charging a 10% profit margin. Be-fore the program was implemented, the villagers had to pay between PhP300 to PhP500 for their fare or spend five to eight hours walking to buy consumer goods at the Pobla-cion or Town Center.

Part of the annual surplus generated by the PCenters are contributed to community activities such as child feeding programs and provision of grooming kits. Four of the PCenters are now also engaged in vegetable production with a twin objective of disseminating farming technology to increase farm productivity in the community and as an added invest-ment to their existing enterprise.

By empowering its people and pro-viding the support they needed, the Siayan LGU has successfully imple-mented its social entrepreneurship program and is now well on its way to eradicating poverty.

the merchandise stores or Pangka-buhayan Centers (PCenters). These stores would sell commodities at a much cheaper price and buy agricul-tural produce at a higher price than private business owners. The store’s profits are reinvested and part are plowed back as dividends to the individual members. The program is designed so that these PCenters would eventually be registered as cooperatives.

Re-greening of the hilly and moun-tainous areas of the municipality to generate income for the landless was part of the program. The LGU also paved farm-to-market roads to re-duce transportation cost and hasten the mobility of agricultural products. It also provided training and orien-tation on enterprise management, accountability and transparency to


Siayan started its livelihood program with the establishment of small merchandise stores. The municipal LGU has since expanded the program that it now has its own corn milling facilities.


By providing ample market space, reforming the business licensing process, and granting incentives that entice informal investors to be integrated into the formal mainstream economy, the Taytay municipal LGU reaped a tenfold increase of small business registrants; from only 400 in 2011 to 4,000 by 2015.


Taytay is considered as the Gar-ments and Woodworks Capital

of the Philippines because of the numerous informal and small family owned businesses that are engaged in garments production and wood-working. Most of these garment producers started their shops on the ground floor or silong of their houses where the family conducts sewing or carpentry work or both.

The LGU noted that only a hand-ful of the small garment businesses are registered with the municipal government. Worse, the few that are registered pay taxes only in the places where the economic ex-change of goods is carried out, such as in Baclaran, Pasig, and Divisoria. This meant lower tax revenues for Taytay’s local government.

To address the issue, the various councils, such as the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Develop-ment Council, the Tourism Council, and the Local Finance Council, were convened to explore the possibil-ity of formalizing the small gar-ments industry and improve the lo-cal economy. The LGU developed two strategies: institutionalization of

Apart from reforms in business licens-ing, the LGU granted incentives that entice informal investors to be inte-grated into the formal mainstream economy. Among the incentives to small businesses are exemptions from the business tax and minimum wage requirements. The small businesses were also bestowed priority status in obtaining business loans from gov-ernment banks. Free training assis-tance and market linkages were also provided through partnerships with various government agencies.

The results were encouraging. The municipality reaped a tenfold in-crease of small business registrants; from only 400 in 2011 to 4,000 by 2015. The collection from special permits also increased from only PhP1,455 in 2011 to PhP409,440 in 2015. Encouraged by the success of its institutionalization program, the municipality hosted a Taytay Business Summit on October 16, 2014 to fur-ther assess investor requirements and opportunities and guide the LGU in enhancing an already business friendly environment.

Taytay, Rizal

Local Garments Industry Institutionalization

the local garments market by mak-ing Taytay business-friendly, and en-couraging the participation of CSOs and NGOs. The LGU also gathered inputs from local business organiza-tions and cooperatives such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Taytay (PCCI-Taytay), Taytay Sash Contractors Coopera-tive, Baclaran Garments Producers, Inc., and the Freedom Bazaar sellers.

In 2010, an amendment to Taytay Local Tax Ordinance No. 10 was ap-proved and the Kalayaan Park was opened to encourage small retailers to register with the municipal gov-ernment to sell their goods; an initial 400 retailers registered. In 2013, a council resolution authorized the Mayor to enter into a lease contract with the Club Manila East Compound for a larger space that could serve as a venue for micro, small, and medium garment manufacturers to sell their products. This venue is now called the Taytay Municipal Tiangge. The ven-dors are merely required to register with the Department of Trade and Industry, acquire a Barangay Clear-ance, and obtain a business permit. A total of 1,516 vendors registered during the Tiangge’s opening.


Dynamite and cyanide fishing has been the top two of the

most efficient but destructive fishing methods (not to mention illegal) that plague the fishing industry. Although these methods result in a huge vol-ume of fish catch, it leaves both fish and fisherman without any future to look forward to.

The destructive fishing methods took a toll on the coastal village of Am-bao in Southern Leyte. The decrease in fish catch resulted in decreased incomes for the fisher folk. This com-pelled their children to drop out of schools in order to work and for the women to seek employment as housemaids in the urban areas. The encroachment of fishermen from neighboring municipalities exacer-bated the problem of dwindling vol-umes of fish catch.

With the help of concerned baran-gay officials and the assistance of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the community pro-ceeded to implement a community-

based Coastal Fisheries Resource Management (CFRM) program in April 2000. This entailed the estab-lishment of a 32.5-hectare Marine Reserve Area (MRA) off the coast of Ambao. Opportunities for alternative livelihood through food processing and planting high value crops were provided to fishing families directly affected by the marine reserve. The men were trained as farmers, while the mothers were trained in dress-making and cosmetology. These live-lihoods helped the fishing community cope and also helped boost the local economy of Ambao.

Fifteen years later, the CFRM pro-gram led to an increase in the coral coverage of the marine reserve from 10% to 95%. This resulted in an in-crease in the size of fish and up to 10 times more catch. These resulted in the reduction of families migrat-ing out of Ambao, an increase in the enrollment rate in the nearby schools, and enabled mothers to stay home with their families. The Ambao Fish Sanctuary now serves as a pilot area

Barangay Ambao, Hinundayan, Southern Leyte

Ambao Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve Area

for the program on Enhancing Man-agement Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas.

What’s notable about the success of this program was the active partici-pation of the coastal communities in the implementation and maintenance of the program. Recently, a Fish Sanctuary Management Commit-tee (FSMC) was created to manage the MPA with the representatives of the community, fisher folk, barangay council and employees, Office of the Municipal Agriculturist Services (OMAS), and Municipal Law Enforce-ment Team (MFLET) members who reside in the barangay. The commit-tee ensures that best practices are continually pursued by the various stakeholders in the community. With an allocated budget coming from the barangay and a strong voluntary participation by the local community that is driven to preserve and to pro-tect their main source of living, the sustainability of the CFRM program is ensured.


After a span of 15 years, the community-based Coastal Fisheries Resource Management (CFRM) program led to an increase in

the coral coverage of the marine reserve from 10% to 95%. This resulted in an increase in the size of fish and up to 10 times more catch.

The Ambao Fish Sanctuary now serves as a pilot area for the program on Enhancing Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas.


Every year, an average of 20 tropical cyclones enters the Philip-

pines. Geographically located in the Pacific coast of the country, Albay is not only susceptible to calamities brought by these storms but also by the adverse effects of having an ac-tive volcano in its midst. As one of the provinces often placed under a state of calamity when natural disasters hit the region, the LGU promoted a culture of readiness to disasters.

In 2007, Team Albay was formed as a community driven, disaster-pre-paredness, volunteer corps that can mobilize within 24 hours and be the first unit to arrive on the scene of a disaster and provide humanitarian relief to critical areas.

Since its formation, Team Albay has been sent to 18 humanitarian mis-

Albay

Team Albay Humanitarian Assistance Program

sions including the aftermath of su-per typhoon Yolanda in Leyte and Samar, and the rescue of stranded climbers and retrieval of the dead when Mayon Volcano erupted in 2013.

Apart from relief operations, Team Albay conducts psychosocial and medical intervention, water sanita-tion, rescue and recovery, feeding program, engineering intervention, and post-disaster planning in and outside of Albay. When not engaged in humanitarian operations, the vol-unteers also act as Tourism Protocol Officers or engage in development work as members of Team Albay’s Community Development and Eco-nomic Caravan (TACDEC).

With the assistance provided by Team Albay, the province has

achieved its goal of zero casualty in major calamities; this was evident when typhoons Ruby and Glenda struck, two storms that directly hit Albay. In the effort to make Albay disaster-resilient, Team Albay has also been tasked to undertake out-reach programs in the communities and promote disaster-preparedness advocacy and awareness.

What is innovative is the pooling of resources for Team Albay. Through its partnership with the LGU, the Team is also permitted to access the local disaster risk reduction and manage-ment fund. Through the TACDEC pro-gram and the pooling of logistical resources, Team Albay can stay on top of disasters before they strike and also help in the economic devel-opment of communities.

Through Team Albay’s Community Development and Economic Caravan

(TACDEC) program and the pooling of logistical resources, Team Albay can stay on top of disasters before they strike and also help in the economic

development of communities.


Barangay Graceville was carved out of a larger barangay as a

result of the passage of the Local Government Code in October 1991. In its early years, the barangay resi-dents had to contend with poverty, crime, garbage disposal and ineffi-ciency in government service deliv-ery.

The community residents and the LGU eventually came together to discuss the myriad problems and come out with solutions. The result was a six point program called LETS GO, which addresses concerns relat-ed to Livelihood, Education, Training, Services, Good governance and Op-portunities.

Community participation in local governance is evident through vol-unteerism, organization of residents, participation in tax campaigns, and the holding of children’s congress.

Budgeting is participatory. Residents participate in planning exercises where they identify problem areas, give recommendations on how the barangay can solve the problems of residents, and define success in-dicators of barangay programs. The inputs serve as basis for the baran-gay budget and the formulation of a five-year Barangay Development Plan. Transparency is practiced in

budgeting, procurement, and deci-sion making.

There is great emphasis on human resource development through the provision of training on planning, development of livelihood skills, environmental management, nutri-tion, family planning, maintenance of healthy lifestyle, legislation, and values formation. The barangay provides facilities where alternative learning classes can be held. It also supports the Department of Educa-tion’s program to train the out of school youths and provides scholar-ships and free instructional materials.

Barangay administration has been professionalized. An employee handbook identifies the responsibil-ity of every worker including volun-teers. There is a system to be fol-lowed in requesting for the use of barangay services and facilities and a chart details the assignment ev-ery day. Government services are delivered with respect, quality, and promptness. Information on how ba-rangay services can be availed of are provided and residents partici-pate in evaluating how governance is practiced.

A dispute resolution system has also been put in place where com-plaints and domestic quarrels can

Barangay GracevilleSan Jose del Monte City, Bulacan

LETS GO: A Model of Barangay Good Governance

be reported by residents, heard and settled. Hearings are systematically scheduled and posted publicly. Con-flict settlement is done in a dedicat-ed room.

The barangay runs a mobile clinic. The doctor and other trained health workers take the clinic through mo-torcycles which are fully stocked with medicine. These are financed through the barangay budget and through solicitation by the office of the chair.The barangay maintains facilities where residents can hold social and recreational activities. Like other barangays, it also ensures the main-tenance of barangay roads, street lights, drainage system, fencing of the national high school, river bank park, training camp, and an herbal garden. The barangay has a Gen-eral Services Group that conducts maintenance and repairs of basic utilities.

With all these systems in place, Ba-rangay Graceville became a para-gon of good governance winning several accolades over the years. Delegations from various local gov-ernment units and students from vari-ous schools have visited Barangay Graceville to learn about its pro-grams. The barangay has also enter-tained visitors from Myanmar, South Korea and Australia.

Government services are delivered with respect, quality, and promptness. Information on barangay services is readily available and residents participate in evaluating how governance is practiced.


In Ilocos Norte, the youth comprise 28% of the popula-tion. Realizing that the Ilocano youth can play an impor-

tant role in local development, the Provincial LGU created the Sirib Express—a program providing assistance to students, out-of-school youth and job-seeking graduates whose ages range between 15 to 29 years old.

Anchored on the Ilocano term “sirib,” meaning knowledge, the program is geared towards bringing government programs closer to the youth sector. It also encourages the youth to involve themselves in governance where they can voice out their concerns and provide novel insights to speed up the development of the province.

Prior to the launching of the Sirib Express, a public consul-tation involving 220 student leaders from the secondary and tertiary schools was held at the Ilocos Norte Centen-nial Arena on November 16, 2013. The positive reception transformed the Sirib Express from a one-stop shop for the youth, into a local department of the Provincial LGU called the Sirib Youth Office (SYO) through Executive Or-der No. 226-14.

The SYO is managed by seven secretariat staff, two youth affairs consultants and a coordinator who serves as head of the office. With an annual budget allocation of PhP 7.5 million, the SYO now oversees the planning, implementa-tion and evaluation of youth and youth-related programs and projects of the capitol.

Various programs, projects and events for youth devel-opment were formulated and implemented by the SYO. These programs, which were based on consultation meet-ings with the youth, include Sirib Young Leaders Schol-arship Program, Sirib Youth Awards, and the Sirib Lead-ership Camp. Over 300 student leaders from different municipalities participated in one Sirib Leadership Camp where they independently established the Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association (SIKA). SIKA is now composed of 4,300 youth volunteers who work with the government in fast-tracking the development programs in the province. Aside from volunteering in the various provincial events of the Capitol, the association also initiates various projects such as the SIKAtubigan (Coastal Clean-up), SIKArunun-gan (Tutorial Class), SIKAlikasan (Tree Planting Activity), and SIKAlinisan (Clean and Green Program) among oth-ers. SIKA is now emerging as an alternative to the Sang-guniang Kabataan.

The SYO and SIKA also conducts public awareness cam-paigns in the schools and barangays. These include the Youth Awareness Campaign, Water Summit Campaign, Youth Volunteerism Campaign, and Youth and the Soci-ety Awareness Campaign. Conducted by way of lectures, seminars, team-building activities and consultation meet-ings, these campaigns aim to increase public awareness of the vital role of the youth in community building, social integration, good governance, and environmental preser-vation and conservation.

Ilocos Norte

Involving the Youth in Community Development

300 student leaders from different municipalities participated in one Sirib Leadership Camp where they independently established the Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association (SIKA). SIKA is now composed of 4,300 youth volunteers who work with the government in fast-tracking the development programs in the province.


The alarming reduction of the Phil-ippine Cockatoo population to

only 23 birds on Rasa Island in the Municipality of Narra in Palawan, prompted the LGU to pursue the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program (PCCP).

Commencing in July 1998, the PCCP was designed as a community-based wildlife conservation program that entailed the transformation of bird poachers into wildlife protection wardens. This core strategy immedi-ately removed the main threat factor to the endangered cockatoos and also provided the program with valu-able indigenous knowledge for its management. The program included the provision of alternative income sources to the former bird poachers and their families. Apparently, the bird poachers were members of the Tagbanua tribal community, who are among the most marginalized in the municipality. They only engaged in poaching to earn income and bring food to their families.

The transparent and participatory processes resulted in the buy-in of key stakeholders, particularly the poachers. Public consultations and

planning workshops continued in different stages of the program. Local Protected Area Committees and Management Boards were es-tablished and became functional from 1998 onwards. These were composed of representatives from the LGUs, the Department of Envi-ronment and Natural Resources, the private sector, tribal representatives, and Katala Foundation, Inc. (KFI) as the host NGO.

By 1999, all the identified poachers were trained as paid wildlife war-dens by the PCCP. This resulted in an increase of individual income from less than PhP50 to PhP200 per work-ing day. The wardens also received additional benefits such as accident insurance, SSS and PhilHealth. Al-ternative livelihood projects such as hog-fattening and the establishment of an agricultural cooperative store were also offered to the warden’s family members. The increased in-comes enabled the wildlife wardens to put up their own small businesses such as welding shops and fishing boat repair shops.

Intensive conservation education con-ducted by the LGU and the KFI, and

the annual celebration of the “Kat-ala Festival” heightened awareness about the unique and critically en-dangered species in their midst. Nest monitoring and protection, including the banding of nestlings, were con-ducted. Predation by monitor lizards was controlled through fencing of nesting trees with iron sheets. A total of 3,000 trees were also planted in Rasa Island and the adjacent main-land. As the population of the Philip-pine Cockatoo gradually increased to more than 300 birds, Narra be-gan to be promoted as the Philippine Cockatoo Capital of the World. By 2008, the Rasa Island Wildlife Sanc-tuary was chosen as one of the top 13 Birdwatching Sites in the Philip-pines.

The program has been replicated in five other PCCP sites, three of which show an increase of the Philippine Cockatoo population. The warden scheme that employed ex-poachers has also been replicated in other wildlife species conservation projects in the Philippines, for example, the Palawan Forest Turtle, the Philippine Crocodile and a number of Philip-pine Hornbill species.

Narra, Palawan

Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program

Commencing in July 1998, the community-based Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program entailed the transformation of bird poachers into wildlife protection wardens. This enabled the population of the cockatoo to increase from only 23 back then to 300 birds today.


South Cotabato is rich in minerals. An estimated 2.5 million tons of

copper and gold reserves are pres-ent in one municipality alone. But mining has led to a host of socio-eco-nomic and environmental problems.

Through its “Minahang Bayanihan” or People’s Small Scale Mining Ar-eas program, the provincial LGU ad-dressed the issues with the help of the affected communities.

All the mining associations and co-operatives were organized into one federation, with a representative in the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board to ensure that issues are ef-ficiently addressed by the mining regulatory and policy making body. The LGU also used new technolo-gies like Global Positioning Systems for geo-hazard assessment and in-stalled CCTV cameras in strategic areas to ensure 24-hour surveillance and monitoring. This resulted in the closure of 10 tunnels situated in high risk areas and about 300 tunnels and 200 ore processing plants with-out permits.

By overhauling the permit issuance system and conducting a series of dialogues with the identified illegal miners, the LGU gained better com-

pliance to mining regulations. New safeguards and policies were also established to ensure that the per-mitting system remained transpar-ent. The release of mining contracts and Small Scale Mining Identification Cards were contingent on mandatory orientations on environmental laws, disaster risk assessments, mine safety and rules and regulations on small scale mining. A Minahang Bayan Center was also put up for easy ac-cess to permits processing and as a center for small scale mining affairs and various trainings. The provincial government also strictly prohibited the registration of minors.

NGOs were tapped to conduct semi-nars on Environmental Management and Alternative Environment Friendly Technology in mining. These enhanced the knowledge of the participants on the management and preservation of the environment in small-scale min-ing areas. Through these efforts, min-ers were able to understand current mining issues, and started to initiate their own corporate social responsi-bility programs and environmental protection activities like tree planting and clean-up drives.

In the ladderized system of resolv-ing conflicts, tribal leaders and other

key figures in the mining community were tapped and involved in resolv-ing issues before it is elevated to the barangay level. This strengthened the capacity of the community to resolve conflicts and issues among themselves.

From only six mining contracts and five processing permits in 2010, there are now 159 legal mining con-tractors and 105 legal mining pro-cessors with a measured compliance rate of 85%. Child labor and min-ing related accidents have also been reduced by 90%. Moreover, at least 15 hectares of forest land were de-veloped and planted with 7,868 as-sorted forest and fruit trees by the small scale miners.

As a result of the program, illegal mining activities have been drasti-cally reduced. By involving the com-munity and partnering with differ-ent key stakeholders, the provincial government has been able to put in place a program that addresses all the various small scale mining issues. The Minahang Bayanihan Program is now being recognized as one of the most innovative and one of the best practices in small scale mining regulation by various NGOs and LGUs all over the Philippines.

South Cotabato

Minahang Bayanihan: Small Scale Mining Program

By involving the community and partnering with different key stakeholders, the provincial government has been able to put in place a program that addresses all the various small scale mining issues.


Improving the health status of in-digent families by enabling bet-

ter access to adequate, safe and affordable medicines is one of the goals of the Provincial Government of South Cotabato. To attain this goal, the LGU needed to set up a public and private partnership (PPP) that would hasten the delivery of medicines. Thus, the LGU entered into a formal agreement with the Mahintana Foundation, Inc. (MFI) to implement the Friendly Drugs: Health Plus Shop in a Shop (HPSiS) Project on November 26, 2008.

The project entailed the establish-ment of a pharmacy in the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital (SCPH). Before the project, the SCPH suf-fered from lack of adequate and af-fordable medicines which compelled patients to buy expensive medicines from drugstores outside the hospital.

With the HPSiS in place, the LGU and MFI ensured a steady supply of safe, quality and affordable health plus medicines for the indigent pa-

tients of the SCPH. The mechanism ensured compliance with PhilHealth’s policy on No Balance Billing in hos-pitals and also addressed concerns related to the delayed procurement of medicines and medical supplies. In addition, the project provides the provincial government a rebate equivalent to 70% of the net income, which is utilized for the improvement of hospital services and facilities.

To ensure full compliance with the Generics Act (RA 6675), an Execu-tive Order was issued by the Gov-ernor directing all government physi-cians to only prescribe generic drugs. In addition, Current Good Manufac-turing Practice (CGMP) compliant certification was required from sup-pliers to ensure the quality of drugs and medicines.

Since the program started in 2009, it has catered to 132,345 indigent pa-tients, of whom 65% are PhilHealth cardholders. It has also augmented the annual budget of the SCPH by an estimated PhP60M. In addition, the

70% rebates enabled the SCPH to procure, construct and renovate hos-pital facilities. Meanwhile, the MFI was able to sustain and expand the program.

Having recognized its positive out-come, the Provincial LGU replicated the partnership with other provincial government operated health facili-ties—Polomolok Municipal Hospital, RHU-Lake Sebu, and Norala District Hospital. The expansion was funded and supported by the Australian Agency for International Develop-ment – Philippines-Australia Com-munity Assistance Program (AusAID-PACAP) and was implemented in partnership with the National Phar-maceutical Foundation and the De-partment of Health.

The Provincial LGU has clearly at-tained its goal. What is needed now is to upscale the HPSiS to attain the national health agenda, and ulti-mately provide greater health ben-efits for the poor.

South Cotabato

The Friendly Drugs: A PPP on Health Plus Project

With the public private partnership program in place, the South Cotabato LGU ensured a steady supply of safe, quality and affordable health plus medicines for the indigent patients.


Recognizing the importance of providing quality basic educa-

tion to children in their formative years, the Valenzuela City govern-ment embarked on a participatory and comprehensive education pro-gram and called it the Education 360° Investment Program. It entailed the provision of adequate educa-tion facilities and elicited the active participation of parents in educating their children. It also included train-ings for teachers and a nutrition or feeding program for 16,667 under-weight elementary pupils.

To ensure that learning and develop-ment starts and continues at home, the teaching skills of parents were built through parenting camps and school workshops. During the work-shops, reflection and peer-learning encouraged the parents to be closely involved in their children’s schooling.

The school curriculum was also rede-signed to meet the learning needs of students. An assessment of students’ competencies provided the basis for the capacity building programs for teachers and students, as well as, for the learning materials that they needed.

Improving the reading abilities and comprehension of the pupils became a priority. The city government insti-tuted week-long training camps on remedial reading instruction for the teachers. In addition, the city govern-ment conducted a summer reading camp for almost 16,000 elementa-ry school children. The program in-volved volunteer education students from the city’s local university, the Pa-mantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela.

Lastly, a performance incentive pro-gram was also put in place to reward schools and Parent Teacher Associa-tions (PTA) that performed well.

The combined program components have resulted in major gains. For instance, the 2,844 students who were tested and identified as non-readers are now able to read. From 18,299, the number of non-readers and frustrated readers in Grades 3 and 6 decreased to 272 students or an impressive reduction of 98.6%. Meanwhile, 88% of the students for SY 2013-2014 under the feeding program are no longer considered severely wasted and 78% have pro-gressed in terms of academic perfor-mance. While the average score of high school students in the National Achievement Test for the school year

2013-2014 is 45%, the students from the Valenzuela Mathematics and Science High School recorded an average of 84.57% with an av-erage of 97.25% in Mathematics.

In addition, 97% of the parents are actively involved in the Nanay-Teacher program. There is 100% participation rate in school activi-ties in 17 of 39 public elementary schools. Meanwhile, the completion rate or the number of children who are able to finish schooling is high at 85% in elementary and cohort sur-vival rate in Grade 6 is also high at 86.64%.

More importantly, the 360° Invest-ment Program has provided plat-forms for participatory governance to flourish. The city’s residents are recognized by the city government as equal partners in policy formula-tion, planning, implementation and evaluation. By incorporating the pro-grams into the Local School Board, and the city government’s budget, the sustainability of the program is more or less assured. A team of par-ent mentors has also been constituted to transfer the technology in organiz-ing the Nanay-Teacher program to the PTAs of Valenzuela’s sister cities in the provinces.

Valenzuela City

Education 360° Investment Program

The Valenzuela City government embarked on a participatory and comprehensive education program which entailed the provision of adequate education facilities and elicited the active participation of parents in educating their children.


The idea of putting up an agricultural trading terminal stemmed from the growing problem of traffic congestion along the national roads of Bambang, Bayombong and Solano in Nueva Vizcaya. The various pro-ducers and traders of vegetables had been trading along the road-sides of these towns which resulted in heavy traffic congestion. The trading areas lacked security and had no safe and secure parking spaces. The lack of proper storage facilities resulted in high post-har-vest losses and the farmers had no reliable price information systems.

In early 2000, a task force was created to undertake a pre-feasibility study to determine the possibility of establishing an agricultural termi-nal for the efficient trade of agricultural goods.

After months of intensive research and focus group discussions among stakeholders, the task force recommended the establishment of the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) under a Public and Private Partnership scheme, where the investment shares are divided equally between the government and its private sector partners. The agree-ment also stipulated that the government would eventually unload its investments in due time and allow the private sector to take over the ownership and management of the facility.

The NVAT was constructed on 6.5 hectares of land and included areas for future research and development, cold storage and livestock trad-ing, and marketing of agricultural and non-agricultural products and

services of Nueva Vizcaya and adjoining provinces. The aim was to help producers get the best price for their products and optimize their productivity and profitability. By locating the NVAT on the right side of the road going to Manila, the transition from the inflow of goods to its outflow to Manila became smoother, and also eased the traffic along the National Highway.

Previous to the NVAT, the farmers were content at allocating a very small portion of their production areas for cash crops. With the estab-lishment and proximity of the NVAT and the assurance of obtaining fair prices for their produce, the farmers began increasing production areas allotted for cash crops which also increased their incomes. The expansion of cash crop production areas have also led to the em-ployment of more farm hands. There are now 25 product lines which are being traded daily inside the facility, with an aggregate total of 365,654 kilos. The average number of farmers who bring their prod-ucts to the NVAT is 560.

While the NVAT’s profitability was volatile during its first five years of operation, the net income as of 2014 has been the highest at PhP1,524,235.31. The number of NVAT facilities have also expanded from the initial six structures to 21, and with that, an increase in the market value of the adjoining lands, which used to be PhP100.00 per square meter in early 2000 and is now PhP1,500 per square meter. Various businesses also sprouted in the vicinity. Today the CSOs are largely in charge of managing the facility.

Who would have thought that the search for solutions to what was ini-tially a traffic problem would also lead to improvement in the incomes of agricultural producers and stimulate the local agricultural economy?

To prevent the youth from engaging in risky behavior, the Provincial Population Office (PPO) of the Provincial Government introduced the Iloilo School-Based Multipurpose Teen Center Project (ISMTCP). The program started in August 19, 2011 with a simple purpose—to pro-vide a resting place for high school students during their vacant peri-ods. The center has since evolved to become a place where teenagers can share and seek counsel from peers and guidance counselors. It is a training center where partners like the police give training on safety. It has become a library, sports center, recreational center, tutorial center, among many others. The counseling services also cater to walk-in ap-pointments so as to accommodate the out-of-school youth.

The project draws partnerships from various sectors such as the alumni, barangay, business sector and parents who stock up the room with books, toys, game sets, sports equipment, music equipment, aircon units, computers, electric fans, tables and chairs. The center is manned by teachers during their vacant periods, and by guidance counselors in schools that have them. They are supported by student leaders who are trained to be peer-counselors.

FinalistsIloilo Province

TEENiran School Based Teen Center

Among the many notable innovations of the ISMTCP is the shared lead-ership within the Municipal Multipurpose Teen Center Team (MMTCT). The creation of this team empowers the policymaking body to super-vise the management and operation of the project from various per-spectives.

The PPO is currently in the process of establishing additional Teen Cen-ters to cover all the 43 local government units in Iloilo. With the inclusion of the project into the Annual Budget of the Provincial Government, the financial, logistical and administrative sustainability of the Teen Center is ensured.

Nueva Vizcaya

Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal


Coron, Palawan

Siete Pecados Marine Park: Sustaining the GainsThree decades ago, Siete Pecados, which covers the land area and waters across Sitio Maquinit in the Municipality of Coron, was an un-pleasant place. It was brimming with garbage from the community. Dynamite fishing was also widespread, resulting in damage to the cor-als and in the decline of fish catch. The local fishers had to go farther offshore to catch fish.

Fed up with the dire situation, a local resident sought the help of NGOs, who worked with the community to turn Siete Pecados into a Marine Park. The Sustainable Environment Management Plan (SEMP) Project set up the user fee system and convinced the tour operators to support it. Meanwhile, the LGU conducted a series of community surveys and orientation sessions.

There was initial resistance from the local fishers, especially those en-gaged in blast fishing, and from the tour operators who balked at the user fees. But the barangay chair, who sponsored the initial investment for the Siete Pecados Marine Park (SPMP) and who took care of the needs of the affected residents, was eventually able to convince them and the whole community to support the project. The LGU provided various livelihood opportunities to the affected residents, including park management and park ranger positions. The municipal govern-ment also institutionalized the community initiative through ordinances.

Through the participatory biophysical assessment trainings, the commu-nity learned what species were thriving in the area and the importance of the coral reefs to their livelihood. Cleanliness was maintained and regular patrols were established and eventually, it was the tour opera-tors that ensured strict compliance and transparency in the collection of fees.

The SPMP has since become the benchmark for creating other marine parks in Coron and other LGUs. Focus group discussions and interviews showed a change in attitude of the local community towards the cre-ation of the SPMP and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) from indiffer-ence to active endorsement. There was also a measured (44.86%) in-crease in coral coverage and (up to 6.48 kilos) size of fish catch per day. The fishers also noticed that they have been catching bigger fish that have obviously migrated out of the sanctuary.

Community ownership, transformational leadership, supportive part-nerships, and financial sustainability from the user fee system all con-tributed to the success of the SPMP.

Cebu City

Grassroots Sports Development ProgramThe San Nicolas Sports Complex (SNSC) in Cebu City is located in the middle of seven depressed barangays, where unemployment, crime, and drug abuse are rampant. The dilapidated complex was even turned into a dwelling by informal settlers and bad elements. Any hope for sports activities in the complex seemed lost as it housed garbage instead of sports equipment.

But in 2011, the city government launched its Cebu City Grassroots Sports Development Program (CCGSDP) to reach out to the out-of-school youths and indigents from both the urban and the rural mountain barangays who have limited access to sports facilities. The program aimed to teach basic skills in sports and provide a venue where indi-gent children and the youth can have fun during the summer vacation.

Under this program, the SNSC underwent a major makeover. The LGU relocated the informal settlers in coordination with the Division of the Welfare of the Urban Poor and then proceeded to transform the sports facility into the Cebu City Sports Institute (CCSI), which is now filled with sports equipment that were mostly donated by concerned citizens and local businesses. Contact sports like boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and arnis were aggressively promoted to the youth in San Nicolas Proper who were more than happy to join the program.

Managing the 80 public schools who wanted to participate in the pro-gram and coordinating all the events happening in 16 locations, on top of transforming the SNSC was a difficult task. But with the assistance coming from various sectors of the community, the program became a huge success. The academic sector provided 700 volunteer coaches that also doubled as inspiration for the youth to invest their time in volunteerism. The barangay officials organized the 43,517 youths who participated, and the business sector sponsored the sports uniforms of the participants and the prizes for the winners.

As a result, several youth living around the area of SNSC who used to be bystanders and drug addicts are now being trained as boxers and Taekwondo players. The Badjao youth who displayed potential in swimming will soon be representing the city in national and interna-tional competitions. The program proved that discovering youth with talents in sports does not have to be confined to educational institutions.

The LGU’s partnerships with the various community sectors have made it possible to host tournaments at the CCSI during the annual Cebu Sports Festival. Currently, three other LGUs are replicating the program and there have been dialogues with the Cebu City Sports Commission to-wards institutionalization of the program.

Finalists


San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte

Cultural Heritage, Makakain Ba ‘Yan? Maituturo!Convincing people to appreciate and value heritage is easier said than done, given more pressing development concerns. But the LGU of San Nicolas in Ilocos Norte was undaunted and proceeded to pursue the San Nicolas Cultural Heritage Program.

With the change of administration in 2004, the LGU actively pursued cultural heritage preservation and enrichment activities such as the revival of the centuries old tradition of Damili or “Earthenware Pro-duction”, creation of the Center for Arts and Culture, incorporation of cultural traditions in fiestas, programs, and events, preservation of old Hispanic buildings and old structures and the introduction of the mu-nicipal anthem, “Ili Nagtaudak” (roughly translated as “Town Where I Grew Up.”)

By partnering with the Department of Education, the LGU was able to include San Nicolas’ History in the teaching curriculum of all the schools in the municipality. This made it possible to instill and teach the value and significance of culture to the children and the youth.

The LGU also established links with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Department of Tourism, Liga ng mga Barangay, UST Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics, as well as with other NGOs and NGAs. Core groups were assigned to facilitate and implement the program. The LGU also implemented a literacy and continuing education pro-gram and allocated sufficient funds for its implementation. The folk song and dance “Agdamdamili” which depicts the way of life of the

earthenware workers and the steps in making a clay pot was made into a book which has been lauded by the NCCA.

In 2009, the Municipal Hall (Casa Tribunal) was declared by the Na-tional Historical Commission of the Philippines as a National Historical Landmark. Other potential heritage facilities that may be declared as cultural properties such as the San Nicolas Catholic Church and the ruins of the old town are now being examined by the National Museum.

In implementing the program, the municipal government was guided by the axiom that genuine development is reliant on the active partici-pation of all the various sectors of the community. Stakeholders were given many opportunities to voice out their opinions and suggestions. The program also encouraged the participation of interest clubs in schools. Moreover, an association of cultural heritage mappers in the municipality has identified and documented the municipality’s cultural heritage resources. The Ilocos Norte Tour Guides League is now also implementing a project called “Eskwela Tour”, which is a special tour of the heritage schools in the municipality.

The heritage conservation program is envisioned to be enjoyed by gen-erations to come because the local government has put in place mea-sures and policies that ensure the sustainability of the program and because of the community’s commitment and dedication to preserve their rich cultural heritage.

San Jose de Buenavista, Antique

Farmville: Developing a New Breed of FarmersFarmVille is a popular farming simulation game on a popular social media networking platform. Players undertake farming activities such as ploughing, planting, growing, and harvesting crops, harvesting trees and raising livestock. The San Jose de Buenavista LGU decided to name their integrated farm as “Farmville” because of the similarities.

San Jose de Buenavista’s Farmville has the following: (1) Hybrid Rice Model Farm, (2) Tilapia, Pangasius and Hito Production, (3) Production of Ornamental Fishes, (4) Small Scale Enterprise for Broiler and Layer Chicken Production, (5) Piglet Dispersal Project, (6) Hog Fattening Proj-ect, (7) Small Scale Duck Raising Project, (8) Livestock Fattening Project, (9) Upgraded Goat Dispersal Project, (10) Greenhouse for High Value and Commercial Crops Production, (11) Sloping Agricultural Land Tech-nology (SALT) Project, (12) Ornamental Plants Propagation, and (13) Nursery Project for Fruit Bearing Trees.

Farmville supports the municipality’s Livelihood Program and is imple-mented and operated by the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist. The farm is located on 4,000 square meters of land owned by the Munici-pal Government in Barangay San Pedro. The farm showcases practical applications of agricultural technologies that can be replicated and is

geared towards entrepreneurial development, productivity and rev-enue generation. The Integrated Farm System is financed through the 20% Annual Development Program of the LGU and from the general fund of the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist.

Already operational for five years, Farmville was opened for edu-cation and technology sharing with the students and farmers in the locality. Farmville aims to establish an environment-friendly integrated model farm that could entice the young generation to take up modern farming.

Farmville also demonstrated that a small piece of land could be pro-ductive when appropriate farming technologies are employed. The farmers who have chosen to adopt Farmville’s technologies, such as the palay check system, have experienced lower production costs and doubled farm output from 120 cavans per hectare in 2013 to 252 cavans per hectare in 2014. Farmville has managed to connect knowl-edge and information from the academe and research institutions with the farming community.

Since Farmville is a demo farm with in-house caretakers, farmers can visit Farmville anytime of the week to learn modern agricultural tech-niques. The farm is very accessible to poor farmers as it charges no entrance fee for visitors unlike private organic farms in the region. Farmville also entertains educational tours for students and organiza-tions willing to learn about agriculture especially integrated farming system and organic farming.

Finalists


The year 2015 marks the launching of the First Galing Pook Citizenship Award. The program

searches for, identifies, recognizes and promotes the initiatives of individuals and civil society organizations who keep making good in the midst of continuing controversies in the government, socio-economic difficulties that beset not only the Philippines, and the development challenges brought about by the adverse effects of climate change. These are the individuals and organizations working with the grassroots who continue to discover opportunities within the existing democratic institutions and venues; who creatively find, utilize and mobilize wealth from available resources; and who keep producing and adding more values for social good, with and for the people and the communities they work with.

Best practices and lessons from outstanding individuals and civil society organizations need to get through to even more communities, development workers, local governments and to every level of public institutions in the country particularly among the duty bearers and policy makers. Harvesting the lessons in the productive engagement of the citizenry

The Galing Pook Citizenship Award

Sponsors

and the government from the civil society sector will be made more effective through the Galing Pook Citizenship Award. This particular award program supports and builds on the core thrust of the Galing Pook Foundation of promoting good governance. At the local level most particularly, the adaption of model practices in community development by the civil society sector will be heightened resulting to more positive qualitative and quantitative impacts.

The Galing Pook Foundation is able to search for and recognize outstanding LGUs and public leaders. It further seeks to complement this thrust with the harvest of knowledge products when it comes to civil society organizations and champions promoting effective people’s participation. It is of strategic importance for these outstanding individuals and civil society organizations who can provide wealth of practical insights, strategies and innovative solutions—addressing common concerns on the local economy, health of the people, environmental degradation, declining agricultural conditions in the face of unsustainable lifestyles, among others—to get noticed, recognized and their work documented and brought into the mainstream information channels.


Mindanao is rich in resources but the bulk of its popu-lation remains poor due in part to recurring armed

conflict brought on by competing claims over resources and by social injustice.

Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) is among the civil society organizations that have been pursuing efforts to put an end to armed conflict through peacebuilding and development programs. BMFI, believing in community-based, barangay focused approach, operates in more than 40 conflict-affected or disaster-affected communi-ties throughout Mindanao and implements integrated and participatory programs at the barangay level. Its strate-gies include participatory governance, sustainable inte-grated area development, resource tenure improvement and access to justice, and transparent accountable gov-ernance.

BMFI established three area-based teams (i.e. BalayAleo-san for the Aleosan and Alamada areas, BalayCalia for Cagwait and Lianga areas, and BalayCdo for its Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental and Sumilao areas) composed of community organizers called SIADOs (pronounced as shadows) or Sustainable Integrated Area Development Organizers. With their firm belief in the capacity of the community to solve their own problems, the SIADOs fa-cilitated local peace consultations and barangay devel-opment planning workshops that involved the whole com-munity. The SIADOs also provided peacebuilding courses, trainings and learning sessions to communities and to BM-FI’s partner CSOs. BMFI also entered into Security Sector Partnerships (SSP) with the military, police, and the LGUs. These community-based approaches are further comple-mented by collaborative peacebuilding interventions such as peace education, policy advocacy, constructive part-

nerships, exposures, exchanges and networking with key stakeholders at the regional, national and international levels. Combined, these programs were aimed at mak-ing all the stakeholders realize that as long as creating spaces for dialogues is continued, a culture of understand-ing, participation, cooperation and co-ownership can be attained.

Today, the people’s priority projects—water systems, electrification, farm-to-market roads, pre- and post-har-vest facilities, better housing, schools, and capacity de-velopment trainings—are now being pursued in each of the barangays. Some communities are now preparing for the “kanduli”, a celebration marking the end of a lengthy “rido” (clan war) between families in the same barangay. Regular community dialogues on the ongoing peace pro-cess helped people assess the current situation and pre-vented potential conflicts from breaking out or escalating.

The SSP has convinced the Philippine Military Academy to integrate theories of peace in their curriculum. A training workshop on SSP held at Balay Mindanaw Peace Center even included participants from BMFI’s Action Asia part-ners from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Manipur, Cambodia, and Od-isha—countries and states who also have volatile peace and security concerns. BMFI’s policy recommendation of including a Civilian Democratic Oversight (now called Bantay Bayanihan) in the localization of the AFP’s Internal Peace and Security Plan has also been adopted.

Because of BMFI’s efforts, communities and their leaders have shifted from thinking of peace as merely a security issue to peace as a development issue in which they have a role to play.

Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Incorporated

Empowering Communities in Peacebuilding and Development


Poverty in the province of Abra is partly caused by institutionalized corruption, which the Concerned Citi-

zens of Abra for Good Government, Inc. (CCAGG) has reportedly been battling since it was organized 29 years ago. CCAGG has been mobilizing communities throughout the province to monitor the implementation of various gov-ernment projects. Over the years, CCAGG has continued to undertake constructive engagement with government to secure information that is essential to monitoring public works projects and pushing the needed reforms.

Among the programs that CCAGG monitored is the Con-ditional Cash Transfer Program (CCTP) or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). The CCTP Watch pio-neered Third Party Monitoring and was conceived with the goal of validating the inclusion of the poorest in the list of beneficiaries. The CCAGG also assessed LGU perfor-mance on the Full Disclosure Policy (FDP) by monitoring the purchase of medicines particularly paracetamols. CCAGG wanted to evaluate, though Participatory Action Research Monitoring, how efficiently local governments have been purchasing paracetamol for use in public health facilities.

Results of the CCTP Watch showed that, while the CCTP was helpful in alleviating the plight of the poor, there were also far more deserving poor who should be included in the program. The CCTP Watch Terminal Report was well received by the DSWD-CAR regional office and became a basis for improving its services. The program was cit-ed by Dr. Vinay Bhargava, the Partnership Transparency Fund Technical Adviser, as the only project undertaken by a CSO in the Philippines in assessing the implementation of the CCTP in his presentation during the Good Prac-tices and Learning Workshop held at the Asian Institute of Management on March 2-3, 2015. In his presentation, Dr. Bhargava emphasized the discovery of the CCTP Watch that an estimated $95,500 were wasted in past cash transfers due to erroneous payments to ineligible benefi-ciaries. Meanwhile, the FDP compliance monitoring showed that many of the local government units need to improve compliance. The reports provided useful feedback to the Department of the Interior and Local Government on how the FDP has enabled and strengthened citizens to engage their LGUs.

The CCAGG has gained the confidence of some gov-ernment agencies, so much so that the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Field Unit contracted CCAGG to take responsibility for the community mobilization and participatory planning aspects of the second Cordil-lera Highland Agricultural Resource Management Project (CHARMP). The CHARMP aims to reduce poverty and im-prove quality of life of rural highland indigenous peoples through increased farm family income, improved land ten-ure security, ensured food security and improved forests and watershed through sustainable practices.

Today, the LGUs of Abra are now more supportive of good governance initiatives and are improving compli-ance with transparency policies. More CSOs and POs are now also more vigilant and have become active members of the Bottom-Up Budgeting process and Local Poverty Reduction Action Teams.

Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government, Inc.

Community-Based Monitoring of Government Programs and Services


Composed of more than 117,000 members, the Tagum Cooperative is a large cooperative with an equally

large yearly net-surplus income that it allocates to its Com-munity Development Programs and Projects.

In particular, the Cooperative’s Education, Community De-velopment Program (ECDP) Section implements various programs and activities that support the community. These include scholarships for 10 bright but financially chal-lenged students, vocational training for 60 beneficiaries, school supplies for more than 2,000 indigent students in 22 schools, cleaning materials to 91 partner schools, an alternate learning system or back-to-school program for out-of-school youth, and a literacy program for adults. The Tagum Cooperative also supports a nutrition program for school children, free cholesterol screening for senior citi-zens and free medical check-ups for indigenous families. It also helped finance the repair and construction of schools and churches.

For its members, the Tagum Cooperative offers womb-to-tomb services: such as savings programs for the young, credit and insurance services for the adults, and mortu-ary benefits for bereaved families. Its Savings and Credit with Education program conducts livelihood trainings for its members. The goods produced by their livelihood train-ees are sold in the cooperative’s “Partner sa Kabuhayan Store” in the Tagum City Public Market.

The Tagum Cooperative also put up in-house facilities to serve its members. It maintains a function hall for trainings and conferences, a clinic for the Himsug Pamilya Program which looks after the health needs of its members, and a nursing station for lactating mothers. For its tricycle driver members, the cooperative put up a special booth where the tricycle drivers can deposit their savings or loan pay-ment under the Pabilising Savings para sa mga Drivers Advocacy (PaSaDa) program.

Future cooperative leaders of Tagum Cooperative are also being groomed through its TC Youth Laboratory Co-operative, which was launched in October 19, 2009. The laboratory teaches junior members, which number about 52,000, on how to manage and operate a regular coop-erative, and how to operationalize the principles of finan-cial management, planning and budgeting.

Impressed with the achievements of Tagum Cooperative, delegations from other cooperatives in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have visited Tagum Cooperative to learn about best practices in cooperative governance and financial literacy. Tagum Cooperative has come very close to the realization of its vision of becoming “the best one stop shop for total member care” and becoming an “icon of economic, social and spiritual transformation for families, communities and society.”

Tagum Cooperative

Contributing to Both Member’s Welfare and Community Development


Mahintana Foundation, Inc.

Health Plus: Procurement and Distribution of Affordable MedicinesData from the Department of Health (DOH) show that the purchase of medicines is the largest (46.4%) out-of-pocket household ex-penditure despite the implementation of the 1988 Generics Act and the 2008 Cheaper Medicines Act.

To ensure that indigent families have access to quality and affordable essential medi-cines, the DOH established Health Plus as a sustainable distribution and retail network of medicines to hospitals and rural health units, especially in far-flung areas. The DOH, with support from German Donors, also part-nered with a private firm, the National Phar-

maceutical Foundation (NPF), as its Health Plus national/main franchiser. In 2007, Mahintana Foundation, Inc. (MFI) became the franchisee of the NPF for the Health Plus program in Region 12. It entered into a partnership with the South Cotabato Provincial Government in 2009 to imple-ment its Health Plus Shop-in-Shop (HPSiS). The program established a pharmacy within the South Cotabato Provincial hospital with a 70:30 net profit sharing arrangement in fa-vor of the government. MFI also established Health Plus Pharmacies (HPP) in strategic lo-cations in the municipalities, and Health Plus Outlets (HPO) in selected barangays. The HPP and the HPO are variants of the Botika ng Bayan and the Botika ng Barangay. In ad-dition, MFI put in place a Health Plus Pooled Procurement (HP3) program to address the bulk purchases of rural health units.

MFI is now supplying essential drugs to 75 Health Plus Franchisees in SOCSARGEN area (i.e. 10 government hospital-based HPSiS, 6 HPPs, and 59 HPOs) serving the health needs of about 180,500 service patients. Its opera-

tion has lowered and stabilized the prices of medicines as much as 200%. The partnership has significantly addressed the stocks out, delayed procurement and limited medicines supply of government hospitals at the same time complying with the “No Balance Billing” policy of the Philippine Health Insurance Cor-poration.

Inspired by the results of the HPSiS partner-ship, the scheme was replicated in nine gov-ernment hospitals in South Cotabato, four in Sarangani and one in General Santos City. In two of the five government hospitals in South Cotabato (Tupi and Lake Sebu), the Rural Health Units are managing the HPPs. The other three government hospitals have HPSiS that are directly operated by MFI.

The equity investment and revenue sharing schemes have encouraged a strong sense of ownership and active participation among the program partners and stakeholders, which in turn, sustain MFI’s social franchise while helping government improve its health service delivery.

Shontoug Foundation, Inc.

Community Health Care for Indigenous People in Sagubo, Kapangan, BenguetRural health facilities and hospitals are often inaccessible to far flung communities, par-ticularly those situated in the uplands. Of-ten, the rural health centers lack medicines and health personnel. To help address this concern, the Shontoug Foundation, Inc. de-veloped a health care program that would involve the community and would be taken over and managed by the main beneficia-ries. Initially piloted as the Maternal and Infant Care for Indigenous People (MICIP), the program has evolved into the Community Health Care for Indigenous People (CHCIP).

Launched in May 19, 2008, the CHCIP is implemented in an indigenous people’s (IP)

community in Sagubo, a far-flung barangay of Kapangan municipality, the second poor-est municipality of the province of Benguet. The villagers were considered program part-ners, not simply recipients waiting for ser-vices to be rendered. Hence the CHCIP was designed in cooperation with the community to empower and enable indigenous women, their families and their communities to plan a family-friendly, culturally-appropriate and community-managed program. Every step undertaken from preparatory activities to data consolidation and analysis involved the villagers to ensure their ‘ownership’ of the program. Traditional rights and knowl-edge systems in health specifically maternal and infant health care were integrated into the program. The trainees undertook a nine-month “On-the-Job Training” under the close supervision of health workers. Under the pro-gram, a mini-clinic was put up called “Abong” where health-related activities like immuni-zation, weighing of children, massage and herbal processing and trainings were con-ducted. A legally registered village-based people’s organization (i.e., DAYUKONG of Sagubo) eventually took over the manage-ment of CHCIP.

Shontoug Foundation’s partnership with the villagers, the LGUs and the health personnel

resulted in the availability and accessibil-ity of 23 trained functional and dedicated health workers serving 404 families in three villages. It also increased awareness of hus-bands on the significance of maternal and infant health care and an appreciation of traditional health modalities. The trained community health workers were able to main-tain home-based and clinic-based maternal health records and were able to identify high-risk pregnant mothers whom they re-ferred to hospitals to prevent complications. There were no reported cases of maternal and infant mortality during the three-year implementation period of the program.

Encouraged by the success of the CHCIP program, adjacent villages replicated the community-managed health model. During the replication process, the institutionalized village organization played a major role in the whole project management process from planning to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Financial sustainability was inte-grated through internal resource generation from herbal medicine processing and the sales of a consumer store (sari-sari store). Shontoug Foundation has demonstrated that community-based approaches to health care are not only feasible, but are also sustain-able.

Citizenship Award Finalists


2015 GPA National Selection Committee

VICTOR GERARDO BULATAO represents agrarian reform benefi ciaries and serves as an Independent Director in the Board of Di-rectors of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the leading lender to local government units, as well as small farmers and fi shers, coop-eratives, rural banks, and micro, small and medium enterprises. He continues to be ac-tive in the Board of Trustees of three NGOs focused on agrarian reform, rural develop-ment, participatory local governance, social enterprise, peace building and disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts. In the 1970s he worked with the Federation of Free Farmers and the Association of Major Religious Supe-riors of Men in the Philippines. In the 1980s and 1990s he served in the Department of Agrarian Reform in various capacities, the last as Undersecretary for Field Operations and Support Services.

EDNA ESTIFANIA CO is full professor of public administration and former dean of the National College of Public Administra-tion and Governance, University of the Phil-ippines. She was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Institute for Development and Policy Management at the University of Man-chester in England and was Visiting Lecturer at the City University of Hong Kong and the Meiji University in Japan on social develop-ment administration and citizen participation in governance. She lectures at the Ateneo School of Government and the Ateneo School of Law. Dr. Co serves as member of the Advisory Council of the Civil Service Commission, Republic of the Philippines and is a board member of the Galing Pook Foun-dation, Inc. In 2011, she was awarded the Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan, the highest award given to outstanding citizens of Que-zon province. She is currently the Executive Director of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (CIDS), the UP system-wide interdisciplinary research center.

RAFAEL COSCOLLUELA served as Negros Occidental Vice Governor for one term (1988-1992) and Governor for three terms (1992-2001), during which time the province garnered two Galing Pook Awards. This was followed by stints as Presidential Adviser on Cooperatives, Presidential Adviser for West-ern Visayas and Administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration. He has remained active in the private sector in various capaci-ties: as National President of the Confedera-tion of Sugar Producers’ Associations (2012-2014), as incumbent Trustee of Synergeia Foundation and President of the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PBCFI). He currently serves as Consultant on Trade Development, Export Promotion And Inter-Agency Coordination for the Province of Negros Occidental and as National En-abling Environment Program Adviser for LG-SP-LED (Local Governance Support Program for Local Economic Development) under the auspices of DILG-BLGD.

EDICIO DELA TORRE works with rural grass-roots communities as chairperson of the Edu-cation for Life Foundation, vice-chair of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, and as board of various NGOs. His focus is on community organising, popular educa-tion and grassroots leadership formation. He leads E-Net Philippines in its advocacy for quality education and lifelong learning for all. He served as TESDA director general. He is currently helping the Department of Ag-riculture as a consultant and the Philippine Coconut Authority as board director. He also works with rural electric cooperatives.

MIGUEL RENE DOMINGUEZ (Chairperson) is former Governor of Sarangani Province, Philippines (2004 – 2013). After graduat-ing from Boston College in Massachusetts in 1999, he came straight home to Sarangani Province to start as a mid-level executive of the family-owned Alsons Aquaculture Cor-

poration in Sarangani. Five years after, he joined public service. At 27 years old, Domin-guez became the youngest elected governor in Mindanao and was elected as the youngest president of a national political party when he assumed the presidency of Lakas in 2009-2010. Under his leadership, Sarangani be-came a Galing Pook Hall of Fame awardee for implementing innovative and outstanding programs that have been replicated by LGUs nationwide. As an active member of Syner-geia Foundation, he continues to personally mentor over 300 Local Government Units on education governance replicating his experi-ences in Sarangani to help promote quality education around the country.

MA. LOURDES FERNANDO runs the BF Cor-poration of property developers from 1992 to present. The former mayor is credited with having turned Marikina into one of the Philip-pines’ most desirable places to live in. With the Mayor’s creative leadership by example, Marikina is the most peaceful, most orderly, cleanest, greenest, corruption free, educated and cultured new city in Asia. It was during her term as mayor that Marikina was named the “greenest and cleanest city” in the Phil-ippines. Marides Fernando has now moved back to private life and operates several food franchises. She has been a franchisee for 15 years and counting. She previously served as Chairperson of the Galing Pook Foundation.

JAIME GALVEZ TAN is Chair of Health Fu-tures Foundation Inc.. He was a Professor of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine from 1998-2013. He was Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of the Philippines Manila and Executive Di-rector of the National Institutes of Health Philippines from 2002-2005. He served as Regional Adviser in Health and Nutrition for East Asia and the Pacifi c Region of UNICEF in Bangkok in 1996. He served the Philip-


pine Department of Health as Secretary in 1995 and as Undersecretary and Chief of Staff from 1992-94. He earned his Masters in Public Health with a Letter of Excellence, at the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium in 1984. He acts as consultant to WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, ILO, World Bank, ADB, AUSAID, JICA, EU, GTZ, USAID, bringing him to 40 countries in 7 continents.

JOSE RENE GAYO is currently the President of the Foundations for People Development. Formerly he was Executive Director of the MFI Farm Business Institute (formerly Meralco Foundation Inc.) (2008-2015). He was also the Executive Director of PAREF Southridge School in Alabang (2005-2008) and found-ing Dean of the School of Management of the University of Asia and the Pacifi c (1996-2004). He serves on the Board of Trustees of MFI Foundation and in a number of social development organizations like the Organic Producers Trade Association (OPTA), Gal-ing Pook Foundation, and the Sapiens Militus Educational Foundation. He is also an active member in a number of foundations like the International Visitors Program Philippines and Hands On Manila.

ELISEA “BEBET” GOZUN is the Climate Re-siliency Team Leader of USAID-supported Be Secure Project, Consultant of the World Bank Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review Project and the Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services Proj-ect. She was also involved in other USAID, World Bank and ADB projects such as Metro Manila Green Print Project, Carbon Finance Capacity Building for Emerging Megacities in the South, Credit Rating of Philippine Cit-ies, Metro Manila Urban Renewal Project & Philippine Urban Consortium, Policy Study on Developing a National Government, Solid Waste Management Component of the Ka-rachi Mega City Project, Policy Study on De-veloping a National Septage and Sewerage, Environmental Cooperation in Asia Project, Asian Environmental Compliance and En-forcement Network, different phases of the City Development Strategy Project (in collab-oration with the League of Cities), etc. Bebet is presently member of the GSIS Board of Trustees.

MILWIDA GUEVARA is President of Syn-ergeia Foundation with a mission to enable every Filipino child to complete elementary education. She served as Undersecretary in the Department of Finance, Republic of the Philippines, responsible for revenue gen-eration and tax reforms. Her career path includes serving as a Tax Advisor of the In-

ternational Monetary Fund, Program Offi cer of the Ford Foundation, and Faculty Member, Ateneo Graduate School of Government. For her integrity, excellence in public fi nance, and her leadership in improving the quality of basic education, she was conferred the 2nd Gawad Haydee Yorac Award in 2008.

VINCENT LAZATIN is the Executive Direc-tor of the Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN), a Philippine-based network of 26 civil society organizations, non-gov-ernmental organizations, and academic and research institutions focusing on transparency and accountability in governance. He is a member of the Construction Sector Transpar-ency Initiative (CoST) Global Program Interim Board, based in London, and the chairman of CoST Philippines. He is also the immedi-ate past chairman of the Civil Society Coali-tion for the UN Convention against Corrup-tion, based in Berlin, Germany. Mr. Lazatin is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Galing Pook Foundation. Prior to his full-time work with TAN, Mr. Lazatin spent 17 and a half years in the fund management industry, both in the United States and the Philippines.

TINA MONZON-PALMA is an Anchor of The World Tonight over the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), and Host of Talkback also aired at ANC. Ms. Palma is also a board member of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.

EMMA PORIO is Professor of Sociology at the Department of Sociology and Anthropol-ogy, School of Social Sciences of the Ateneo de Manila University and Science Research Fellow at the Manila Observatory. She is member of the Board of Directors, Global Development Network (Washington, DC), VP-Publications (RC-46) of the International Sociological Association and editor of the Philippine Sociological Review (Journal on-Line). Dr. Porio has done extensive research and published widely in internationally peer-reviewed journals on development issues re-lated to urban governance, children, women, housing, poverty and climate change. Cur-rently, she is a Fulbright Research Fellow in New York (with Hofstra University, Columbia University and the Huairou Commission).

VICTOR RAMOS currently chairs an NGO, Kaibigan ng Kalikasan at Kaunlaran, which advocates science-based solutions to envi-ronmental problems. He also sits as trustee of various foundations for good governance. He is currently developing an arboretum of native trees in his small farm in Pangasinan. When he was Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippines was recipi-

ent of two awards from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the U.S. En-vironment Protection Agency (USEPA) for the “best country implementation of the Montreal Protocol”, for dramatically reducing the coun-try’s use of ozone-depleting substances that cause global warming from 1995 to 1997. At the end of his term, he was conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor for “outstanding performance in the Philippine Cabinet.”

MARIVEL SACENDONCILLO is the Executive Director of the Local Government Academy (LGA), the training arm of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). She has done consulting services with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Unit-ed Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacifi c (UNESCAP) among others. At present, she is the President of the Local Government Training and Research Institutes-Philippine Network (LoGoTRI-PhilNet). Ms. Sacendoncillo holds a Masters degree in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management. She also received a scholarship to study Confl ict Man-agement and Post Confl ict Recovery at the University of York, United Kingdom through the Chevening Senior Fellowship Programme of the British Council.

ELMER SORIANO is the Country Manager at Civika Institute. Dr. Soriano has over 15 years of experience in public health and develop-ment management. He was actively involved in a governance innovations program in the Philippines and wrote a number of papers on health governance and has published works under the ILO, GTZ, WHO and World Bank. He is currently involved in the Governance Innovation Lab, Resiliency Lab, and Urban Renewal Lab which are innovation-focused partnerships with various partners. He holds an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

VERONICA VILLAVICENCIO has devoted her career and professional work to building knowledge and practice on social develop-ment and change management. She currently lends her facilitating expertise in combined strategic planning and stakeholder consul-tation processes to government and non-government organizations. She is a member of PILIPINA—a homegrown Filipino women’s organization—and INCITEGov, an NGO for politics and governance for democratic outcomes. She has served as Secretary and Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Pover-ty Commission, as Executive Director of the Peace and Equity Foundation, and Grants Director of the Foundation for the Philippine Environment.


Executive DirectorEddie Dorotan, MD, MPA

ProgramsLorenzo Ubalde, MDM

Adrian AdoveMonette Montemayor

Admin and FinanceGenevive Gabion

Christine BeltranMark Edwin Gotis

Secretariat

Rafael Coscolluela, Chairperson. Trustee, Synergeia Foundation. Former Governor, Negros Occidental.

Miguel Rene Dominguez, Vice-Chairperson. Trustee, Synergeia Foundation. Former Governor, Sarangani Province.

Vincent Lazatin, Corporate Secretary. Executive Director, Transparency and Accountability Network.

Edna Estifania Co, Treasurer. Executive Director, UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies.

Edicio Dela Torre, Trustee. Chairperson, Education for Life Foundation.

Jose Rene Gayo, Trustee. President, Foundations for People Development.

Elisea Gozun, Trustee. Trustee, Government Service Insurance System.

Marivel Sacendoncillo, Trustee. Executive Director, Local Government Academy.

Veronica Villavicencio, Trustee. Former Convenor, National Anti-Poverty Commission.

Board of Trustees

Edicio Dela Torre (Chairperson)Edna Estifania CoMaria Lourdes FernandoVincent LazatinVeronica Villavicencio

Citizenship Award Selection Committee


Ako ay nangangarapNa sana’y lumaganapAng kaisipan, ang kalakaranNa mag-aangat sa ating lahat

Paglilingkod sa bayanAy pinaghuhusayanAng pamayanan may kakayananSa sambayanan na kung saan

TWICE:Mamamayan ang mamamayaniMamamayan ang mamamayaniMamamayani, mamamayaniMamamayani ang mamamayan

Mamamayan, MamamayaniMamamayan, MamamayaniMamamayan, MamamayaniMamamayan, Mamamayani

Aking napatunayangBuhay ang bayanihanSa laksang pook, sentro at purokNa tumitibok ang diwa ng

TWICE:Mamamayan ang mamamayaniMamamayan ang mamamayaniMamamayani, mamamayaniMamamayani ang mamamayan

Mamamayan, MamamayaniMamamayan, MamamayaniMamamayan, MamamayaniMamamayan, Mamamayani

Mamamayan, MamamayaniMusic and Lyrics by Gary Granada

Ang aming adhikainAy simple lang naman Sapat sa pangunahingMga pangangailangan

Saan mahahagilapAng mga munting pangarapMakaigpaw sa hirapMaalwang hinaharap

Sa punyagi at kusaMunting pamayananSa husay kinilalaUmani ng karangalan

Kayraming nagsasabingAng galing galing daw naminSaan ba nanggagalingAno ba’ng anting-anting?

Simple lang yanKaya mo yan, Bay!

Sa malikhaing paraan, sa paraang malikhainKasama ang mamamayan,

Galing Pook Theme Songmusic and lyrics by Gary Granada

vocals: Gary Granada, Bayang Barrios, Noel Cabangon, Shane and Dave of Crazy as Pinoy, PETA kids, Luke Granada

mamamaya’y pagsamahinPagbabago na lantad, lantad na pagbabagoTuluy-tuloy na pag-unlad, tuluy-tuloy na pag-asenso

Sa dami ng balakidSa dami ng hadlangAng diwang nalulupigNagtitiis na langNgunit huwag kang papayagHuwag kang pabubuwayTadhanang ating paladNasa ating kamay

Chorus counterpoint:Galing Pook...

Ang sabi ng iba, ang galing ng PilipinoMagaling na mang-isa, mandaraya, manlolokoAng sakit sa tenga, kahit di mo matanggapGanyan daw talaga, yan ang sabi ng lahat

Subalit doon sa aming mumunting komunidadNamayani ang maraming kabutihan ang hangad Pinaghusay ang lokal na gobyernong niluklokPinagpala’t natanghal na isang Galing Pook! Ang sabi ng marami, Pilipino ay tamadWalang respeto sa sarili, dangal at dignidadPalakasang palasak, boto na nilalakoLider na nagbubuhat ng sarili ring bangko

Di man maikakaila ay huwag nating lahatinDi mo rin maitatatwa, di man sukat akalainMagandang mga balita sa mga suluk-sulokKayraming halimbawa ng mga Galing Pook

galing pook awards 2015galingpook.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/...magazine.pdf2 galing pook awards...

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