PCEEM Davao celebrates Ocean Month with AGOS Exhibit
The month of May marks the celebration of the Ocean Month with this year’s theme, “Kalinangin Ang Ating Karagatan Para Sa Ating Ikabubuhay” (Manage our Oceans for Mankind’s Survival). May has been declared as the "Month of the Ocean" through a Proclamation issued by the then President Joseph Estrada on 09 January 1999. Proclamation no. 57 recognizes that "coastal and marine resources provide both economic and ecological benefits such as food, livelihood, recreation and other services, as well as biodiversity, aesthetic value, and shoreline protection". This Proclamation actually was inspired by the declaration made by the United Nations General Assembly designating the year 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean.
The People Collaborating for Environmental and Economic Management in Davao (PCEEM Davao) Foundation Inc., a non-government organization who’s main thrust is to unite all Stakeholders in managing our ecosystems for Life Sustaining Watersheds celebrated Ocean Month with a Mangrove Planting at Barangay 76 – A, Malambuon. There were 100 Mangrove seedlings planted last May 15, 2008 together with the fisherfolks of Sitio Malumbuon. The Mangrove planting activity not only proved to be a success but also a promise to long partnerships with the people and our coastal ecosystem.
In addition, PCEEM Davao has partnered with NCCC Cares for an environmental exhibit entitled “AGOS” at the Activity Center of NCCC Mall of Davao last May 19 – 23, 2008. AGOS exhibitors were agencies like Department of Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 11 (BFAR XI), Davao Gulf Management Council/Save the Davao Gulf Foundation, NCCC Cares, Baganihan Agri-Eco Ventures Coop (BAVC), KATAKUS, Davao City Water District (DCWD), Solo Kayak Expedition by Mr. Arnel Gabutero and Maskara: the Rizal Memorial Colleges High School Dramatics Club. These exhibitors have showcased initiatives, activities, projects and programs relating to marine and coastal resource protection, and environmental campaigns. The exhibit opened with Councilor Leo Avila III being the Guest of Honor last May 19, 2008.
With its culmination, the AGOS Exhibit ended with an awarding ceremony for AGOS Exhibitors, this was highlighted then with the presence of NCCC Cares President Mr. Lafayette Lim. The objective of AGOS is to bring awareness and information to the public about one of our most important resources, our oceans. PCEEM Davao would like to thank everyone who took time to participate in the Ocean Month celebration. May we always recognize the importance of our marine and coastal resources as we continue our efforts to conserve and protect fragile marine resources and our watersheds.
PCEEM Davao celebrates Earth Day 2008
In line with the Earth Day celebration having the theme “Tubig ay Buhay; Ating Pagyamanin at Linisin,” the People Collaborating for Environmental and Economic Management in Davao (PCEEM Davao) Foundation, Inc., with its efforts towards rehabilitating, protecting, and managing environmentally critical areas in Davao city’s watersheds, participated in the Tree Planting activity last April 22, 2008 at Davao United Workers Association (DUWA) Village, Barangay 10-A, San Rafael, Davao City. PCEEM Davao having been able to establish its Tree Stewardship Program, an outcome of their Timely Intervention and Natural Approaches to Watershed (TIN-AW) Management Project is in partnership with Protect the Davao River Movement (PDRM), the Academe Sector through the Davao Association of Colleges and Schools (DACS) along with other government and non-government agencies in the city in reinstating the Davao River. The program aims to monitor, rehabilitate and prevent riverbanks from soil erosion. It also seeks to advance and keep the rivers’ tributaries as a sustainable resource for livelihood within Davao River communities.
In an interview with Mr. Marciano Ibañez, President of PDRM, he states that, “We want to encourage other people to support and protect the environment specifically the Davao River so that it won’t be like the Pasig River.” He further stated that he wants to widen the collaboration of various sectors in their aims of protecting OUR Davao River. Furthermore, in the said tree planting activity, other participants were the Department of Justice Parole and Probation Administration, PDRM Women’s Group, Malibago Growers Association of PDRM, Husay Mindanao, Bantay Kalikasan Youth Movement, United Farmers of San Rafael, and Barangay 10-A.
PCEEM Davao win Panibagong Paraan 2008
The People Collaborating for Environmental and Economic Management in Davao (PCEEM Davao) Foundation, Inc, emerged as one of the 33 winners of the Panibagong Paraan 2008 Awarding Ceremony on April 10 following the April 9-10 exhibit at Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City .
The PCEEM Davao won for its project proposal dubbed “Community-Based Disaster Management in Priority Environmentally Critical Areas in Davao River Watershed. “ The objective of the proposed project is to reduce the vulnerability of the people living in environmentally critical areas of Barangay Marilog by providing mechanisms to improve local governance by strengthening capacities and empowering the community especially the most vulnerable groups on disaster preparedness and management. A total of 200 individuals will benefit directly and approximately 2,000 community members will benefit indirectly in terms of enhanced knowledge, skills and attitudes on disaster prevention and mitigation, while at the same time improving their livelihoods.
Innovation is introduced through the adoption of the participatory Community Land-Use Based Disaster Management (CLUBDM) approach which is a major shift from conventional approaches in disaster management and response. The project’s major components are: Information, Education and Advocacy; Capacity Building and Preventive and Mitigating Measures. The project will institutionalize an inter-agency/multi-sectoral support group for disaster prevention, mitigation and emergency response network. One of the major expected outputs of the project is a Land-Use Based Disaster Management Plan (LUBDMP) which will define future major interventions that seek to address the major disaster and developmental issues in the barangay. To ensure sustainability of the project, the LUBDMP will be adopted by the Barangay Council. The Plan will also be endorsed to appropriate agencies for technical and financial support.
In getting the nod of jurors, PCEEM Davao's project earned a P1-million grant from the Australian Agency for International Development/Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program (AusAid/PACAP), one of seven donor agencies that participated in this year’s Panibagong Paraan. The project was one of the only three entries in the “Environmental Protection” category awarded funding grants by AusAid/PACAP. Panibagong Paraan 2008, with the theme "Building Partnerships for Effective Local Governance", invited ideas for projects that help improve citizens' quality of life through effective local governance. Panibagong Paraan welcomed projects that seek to promote, strengthen or institutionalize indigenous mechanisms for participatory governance. Winning projects aim to build and utilize multi-stakeholder partnerships to:
* improve transparency and accountability in governance,
* broaden and improve quality of citizen participation in governance,
* strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, and
* improve responsiveness and efficiency of public services.
To ensure the sustainability of initiatives, project proposals were encouraged to focus on, or integrate an advocacy component for the development of ordinances/laws or policies at the local or national level that will improve local governance.