The Five Model communities: some background

 ·         The framework (found below) that guided the implementation of the  local program and used the Model Building Approach which has been defined as:

o   More focused strategy to achieve the goal of rural democratization and development.

o   Stress on more successful projects/communities, so that in three years these can clearly stand as viable and replicable models for rural community building with clear indications of impact in the areas where they operate.

·         LED definition as adopted by PhilNet-RDI:

“Communities that are livable, have strong, vibrant economies that encourage local enterprise, serve the needs of residents and promote stable employment. Livable communities also make sure that their economic development helps to increase social equity and that it nurtures the natural environment”.

·         The criteria used to select the five model communities that was set at the minimum are as follows:

o   The presence of 500 households as direct beneficiaries;

o   The communities position of 500 hectares of land;

o   The presence of existing projects/programs/cooperation;

o   The presence of a higher level of community organization in the area; and

o   The strategic importance of the area to local economy development or industry development.

·         Established 5 models of local economic development clusters with the following results:

o   Minimum of 500 ha. of agricultural lands have increased productivity; 

o   Transformed policy environment conducive for local economy development and business undertakings;

o   Strong and income generating community enterprises directly linked to agriculture; and

o   Employment created for community members

·         Communities selected for modeling include 3 in the Visayas and 2 in Mindanao: 1. Bayawan, Negros Oriental 2.  Sagay, Negros  Occidental 3.  Ormoc, Leyte   4.  Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte and 5.  Isulan, Sultan Kudarat. 

Where are these communities so far?

The LED areas that were visited by the external evaluation team are located in and are from re-distributed lands where CARP has been implemented, which are mainly agriculture-based, where marginalized rural communities and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) can be found and social infrastructures and services are minimal.

More specifically in Mindanao, there are three main groups that can be identified namely; Christian settlers, Muslims and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and thus, conflicts are very  much centered around the issues of land ownership and access to natural resources. It is affected by conflicts and violence where development programs hardly take place and a large number of people live in poverty with limited access to basic services.  (At that time of the visit and period of evaluation, reported cases of kidnappings were rampant and a peace accord was and still is being negotiated between the Government and Muslim Groups).

 The sites remain to have a substantial supply of raw materials and resources (human and technological knowledge) which was noted. These are potential for production and processing into value-added products that can further be developed for local consumption and inter-island trading and export (even regional and international export) given the right incentives and support from various sectors.

The decade-long (1995-2005) intervention focused on land tenure improvement through re-distribution and utilization of land via rural democratization and development (RDD) and development work have gained ground and has allowed for more economic activities to take place. This means that a given population in a specific land area has now the handle to determine and implement their livelihood activities and even make them profitable as so far demonstrated in the LED areas (under study). 

Observations and findings

·      There are clear and well defined directions, objectives, targets, and indicators that were put in place at the onset of the implementation of the model building using the LED framework (as stated in the  Strategic Plan of 2006-2008).

·      These implementing guidelines were institutionalized from the national, regional and local levels of the Network (see budget, reporting and monitoring system).

·      The Regional Development Institutes (RDIs) are involved at different stages and operation of the economic activities which catalized the building up of these economic activities but there is no exit plan that is in place.

·      With clear defined areas and their existing resources (human and organizational strength), the objective to start building economic models have so far gained ground but not as full functioning models yet.  Each of the sites/areas are at different stages of production work, levels of buying and selling, and development of their “economic” activities  in order to be more profitable and business-like (if defined in a strict sense as enterprises):

-          Bayawan : cluster development (sugar, rice and corn business development);

-          Sagay:          managing and running an organic fertilizer plant

-          Ormoc:        social infrastructure  among farmers irrigators, start of rice trading

-          Sto Tomas: organic rice trading, organic fertilizer and foliar production and local trading, shop/outlet operation

-          Isulan:         cooperative and plantation operation

·      Each of the sites have, to a certain extent, successfully mobilized its local potentials; tapped into existing raw materials (sector/industry such as sugar cane, rice, vegetables, palm oil), local technology for production (feed mill, rice mill, fertilizer plant) and local public funds and infrastructure support from local Government Units (LGUs).

·      LGU and government line agencies support to local economy development initiatives is very evident.