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!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: Partido Kalikasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance

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By Elias C. Labro, Jr.2014

All rights reserved. !is book, or any part of it, may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans-mitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the author.

Published and printed in the Philippines.


“To advance a political platform in a country with signi!cant social movement as against to the colonial past and the continuing existence of political tradition which controlled the economic and political power is my personal ad-vocacy. To in"uence the socio- cultural aspect of the greater populace, the impoverished Filipino people are relevant for the existence of an emerging party.”

Elias C. Labro, Jr. National Chairman Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH

March 2014

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March 2014

!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: Partido Kalikasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance written and compiled by Mr. Elias C. Labro, Jr. Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH National Chairman is a timely and relevant manuscript not only for the leaders and volunteer-sta" of KABALANGAY/Greens Village, Inc. and for the Laguna Provincial Director-ate but for those individuals who adhere for an alternative political system in the country.

!e manuscript is the summary of our experiences, vision of governance and our strategy in building a Greens Party – at the very door step of the countries electorate, the Baranggay (Village). !is is the summary of our one (1) year of serious operation at the province since we formalize our commitment last June 6, 2013; from a simple study group into a full blown party in Laguna.

!is will serve as our inspiration and will serve as our compentdium of knowledge that will bring us to the path that we are striving with – Green Governance.

Mabuhay ang Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH!

Mabuhay ang Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay (KABALANGAY/Greens Village), Inc.!

EDISON Y. JARAMILLO (MR) MARCELINO E. AQUINO (MR)Chairman ChairmanKABALANGAY/Greens Village PK – Laguna

RAMON S. MAGUNDAYAO (MR)Island Vice Chairman – LuzonPartido Kalikasan/Greens PH

FOREWORD

!ere is a growing concensus that the world is facing uncertainty and complexity. !is is particularly evident in the climate change, its increasing frequency and extreme natural hazards it brings and the adverse e"ects ti human lives and environmental concerns. In the Philippines, Super Typhoon Yolanda (internation-al code name Haiyan) brought abput massive destruction claiming almost 6,000 lives rendering 1,177,194 homelsess. the estimated cost of damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Southern Tagalog, Bicol, the Vi-sayas and Caraga regions has reached P35.5 Billion as of Dec. 9, 2013, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). Mitigating this immense devastation requires communities participation and cooperation in capacity building and inverstment. Building the capacity of people before, during and a#er calamitous events is to make regular activities a plan for action, based on needs, to be implemented and eve-luated, Investments of course, are needed to $nance programs and projects, in developing skills attitudes and competencies of people and protection of the environment.

!e socio-political framework of Partido Kalikasan, as designed by a group of philosophers, headead by Elias C. Labro, establishes a vibrant and dynamic village empowerment where every member of the com-munity has a role in ints growth and development. !e Kabalangay movement is the organizational arm of Partido Kalikasan (PK)/Greens PH) can prove itself as a better political system in the Philippines because it is of, by and for the people. !e future becomes more secured and stable; sustainable on short, medium and long term.

Starting with the communities of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in our archipelagic country, shall e"ec-tively change the scheme of managing and controlling the deleterious climate change. !e lessons to be learned in the Laguna Experience ought to open a door of opportunities to communities living near bodies of water like cities, municipalities nad barangays of Laguna. !e $rst step of the village folks is the key to success, for a better future of the Philippines.

Felisa P.L. Cruz Ph.DDoctorate on Educational Management

International University of Missuri USADirector Center of Research and Publication San Pablo Colleges

March 29, 2014

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Foreword PrefaceAcknowledgement Executive Summary I. Introduction II. Part I : Partido Kalikasan Formative Stagea) From Grassroots to Government: An analysis on PK formative yearsb) Eco-Pol Situation of the region/countryc) Climate Justice and Human Rightsd) Gender Equality and Sensitivity

III. Part II: PK Laguna Basic Concept and Practicesa) Internal Paper (in interview form) for Dr. Stewart Jacksonb) Training-Organizing Program: Party Buildersc) VEGDFd) KABALANGAYe) KSP Evaluationf) 2014 APGF Political Statement

IV. Part III : Related Foreign and Local Literature a) Village Eco-Governance: Dr. Stewart Jackson b) Assessment on the Impact of RA 7160: Baranggay Governance

V. Synopsis

VI. References

VII. About the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH – Laguna Provincial Directorate

CONTENTS


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!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: Partido Ka-likasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance is about dreams and aspi-rations for the undying commitment to a better place to live for. !e present political environment does not address the institutional requirements that may contribute for the resolution of the situations that being felt by the majority of the population. !e capitalist greed which exist since time immemorial and the current holders of power among the rich nations around the globe change the basic premise of the natural calamities a"ecting people in general.

Partido Kalikasan (Pk/Greens PH) de$nes its strategy base on the present political structures of the society which narrates its signi$cance on the e"ective access to the members of the community, controlled population and focus on the delivery of the intended output. Village or Baranggay provides those element that been identify for advancing the party’s green advocacy – on Climate Change mitigation; the state provides the institutional requirements by the virtue of a special law under the Local Government Code of 1991 or RA 7160 to strengthen the local communities participation on local governance, speci$cally the Baranggay (Village) Governance. !e author further believes that to quantify the e"ectiveness of the our social change agenda, particularly on the level of understanding and acceptability of the grassroots people on the e"ect of the Climate Change in the society – every single social actors must gives attention on empowering the community at the Baranggay (Village) level.

!is manuscript is the summary of di"erent literatures and concept paper, developed along the line of “pilot projects”. !e basic premise is to review the necessities of building a Greens Party that will challenge the inept system in the country in general. It is also contextualize in the country’s socio-political settings, the social movement’s practices and experiences and the challenges that Greens ideology in the region – in the context of Climate Justice and Human Rights!

!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: Partido Ka-likasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance will balance the synthesis presented in the study of Serhat Unaldi, titled “From Grassroots to Government” which share the process un-dertaken by the Partido Kalikasan (Greens PH) during its formative years, the review on the strategy that were implied in the “Training-Organizing Program: Party Builders Formation” as the basic steps in understanding the thematic of the party building’s ingenuity as against to the much popularize social movements approach; the manuscript is also the summary of the practices that strengthened the thesis presented by the Laguna Pro-vincial Directorate in building the party at the Grassroots level. !e Village Ecological Governance Develop-ment Framework (VEGDF) which is the application of the Village level organizing that will also serves as the party’s community base socio-political model; the process undertaken by the KABALANGAY Savings Project (KSP) as an entry point for community mobilization.

PREFACE

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!e importance of the manuscript will help the party to reconstruct its strategy that considers the sociological underpinnings, the historical and cultural aspects that in%uence the people’s lives and the social movement in the country – given of its geographical settings.

!e manuscript is also an a&rmation of the signi$cance of the Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF) in the universality of the economic pattern introduces by the rich neighbors and its capitalist cohorts.

!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: Partido Kalikasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance is the contribution of the volunteer-sta" and leaders of the Provincial Directorate of Laguna to enhance the strategy, methods and philosophies in building a Greener world. Signi$cant documents and concepts paper prepared by the author embodies the product of sensible analysis and the congruent ideas that one way or another, contributes for the strengthening of an alternative political party in the country.

a. Internal Paper (Interview format) for Dr. Stewart Jackson, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia: por-tion of the research conducted by Dr. Stewart Jackson last March 13-17, 2014 focusing on the challenges and opportunities in building a Greens Party in the country.

b. Training-Organizing Program: Party Building Strategy: an applied Community Organizing-Ecological Based (CO/E) Training Program for Party Builders and developing the cadre of CO’s for the party.

c. Village Ecological Governance Development Framework (VEGDF): grassroot base community model.

d. KABALANGAY/Greens Village: Local Party Institute: local institutional mechanism for decentraliza-tion of party operation.

e. KABALANGAY Savings Program (KSP) Evaluation Report: Party Organizing Entry Point: entry point in integrating enterprise development in party organizing.

f. Gender Balance and Sensitivity: conscious integration of gender equality as one among the many agen-da of the party; its role and signi$cance to the party building.

g. Dra# APGF Political Statement: insights for the Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF) operation in the region; its signi$cance to the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH.

!e concept papers and practices as indicated in the Part II of this manuscript are compiled with their original texts.

!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: Partido Ka-likasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance is an internal paper of the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH – Laguna Provincial Directorate respecting other views on social change and practices by other groups and parties. We expect reciprocal consideration on PK/Greens PH views of the soci-ety and the strategy being applied with the same passion – on social change.

Elias C. Labro, Jr.

One among the many in%uences that motivate the author to prepare for this manuscript is the results of the recent Village (Baranggay) election in the country last October 2013 – which proves that the party is more than ready to participate in the election, as an exercise and to continue to adhere for electoral participation in general. It includes the synthesis prepared by Dr. Stewart Jackson, College of Governance, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia on the practices we implied during his visit-research in Laguna’s pilot community.

!e manuscript in capsule presents necessity to address the environmental issues that have a direct economic and sociological e"ect on every single person’s economic and well being that will also serves as its primary context in educating the common masses about the Climate Change – the application of the Village Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (V/DRRM) framework. !e recent typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) gives the much needed dosage for the community, the government o&cials and to the other major players on Cli-mate Change mitigation to squarely address the socio-political imbalance of the country.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

!e Sociological Underpinning of Greens Perspective in the Philippine: Partido Kalikasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance is the summary of the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH – Laguna Provincial Directorate initiative. It all started as study group composed of Marcelino E. Aquino aka Ka. Minoy and his wife, Norita S. Aquino; Ramon A. Magundayao and her wife Medelyn Qui-nones-Magundayao; Edison Y. Jaramillo, Noreen S. Punzalan, Corazon C. Amante, Martina S. Caayupan and Nick C. Ortilla.

When the desperation turns into challenges a#er our common reform candidates lost his bid in the last May 13 election for the Provincial Governor, the commitment to continue the education for the grassroots electorate and advocate the electoral system at the Village level did not falter. !eir commitment serves as our turning point to re-assess our commitment for social change.

!e process of $nishing this work is not a work in solitude. !us, my heartfelt gratitude goes to the fol-lowing remarkable persons:

To Sonny, Leo, Aida, Michael Bunyi, Larry De Borja and Marissa Limosenero though their participa-tion is short lived because of the personal problems during the height of PK Organizing;

To Kuya Domeng L. Escasura, Rose L. Maaliw, husband and wife tandem of Zaldy and Bea F. Mendiola, Cathalina B. De Mesa, Rowena R. Emergo, Liza M. Palma, and Crispin T. Rivera and Eugene; Tony and Belen R. Toralba who both shared their passion of bringing hope to the community and support for me a#er almost a decade;

For the people behind the Partido Kalikasan, the former Secretary General, Roy S. Cabonegro and the rest of the people who share the passion with me in enduring the struggle for societal change;

To those who share their literatures and anecdotes, Dr. Stewart Jacksons of University of Sydney; Commission-er Yeb Sano of the Climate Change Commissions who shares with me the opportunity to review the “Laguna Lake Ecosystems Footprint” and major excerpts serves as the “situationer” of the manuscript; to Dr. Serhat Unaldi on his study of “…from Grassroots to Government” who inspires me to review the Organizing Strategy of the party; the study by Mr. Demetrio Imperial on the signi$cance of Sangguniang Baranggay Council and the relevance of the RA 7160 of 1991;

To Tita Felisa PL Cruz, PhD for her Foreword, she inspire the author to share her visions in the com-munity;

To Ms. Keli Yen, Convener of the Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF); Ms. Rathi Ramanathan and the rest of the people behind the Australian Greens who continuously believe that there is still a hope of having a Greens Party in the country;

To my wife, Jenny Lagando Labro who consistently synergizes my interest to pursue what is le# behind – people empowerment;

To my sons, Jesuit and Justine who assisted me in styling and editing and my daughter Jerueh, who consis tently share my passion in writing and for editing, may they all be catalyst of change;

To my grandson, Alphonse Kione who is one of the greatest lessons in happiness;

To (+) Fr. Jose Blanco, SJ and (+) Fr. Ruben Villote,.

Atty. Jose D. Lina, Jr. and Judge Agripino G. Morga who inspired me to choose the path of Active Non-Violence and providing me the much needed motivation and shares with me the value of good governance; and

To the countless people who walked with me in the untiring agony of seeking for justice and equality.

Elias C. Labro, Jr.

March 29, 2014

INTRODUCTION1 In its June 2013 resolution, the National Council adopted the plan to implement di"erent con-ceptual frameworks and party building strategies in the province of Laguna. !e basis of identifying the province as its pilot area is the current organizational status that exist in the Village (Baranggay) level and the composition of its volunteer-sta".

!e June 2013 resolution of the National Council initiated the operation during the conduct of the Village (Baranggay) election in the country. !e development of the Village Ecological Gover-nance Development Framework (VEGDF) as its community base greens template brought the forma-tion of the Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay (KABALANGAY/Greens Village), Inc. Its outmost desire is the implementation of a governance program which may qualify the party’s intervention. !e development of the VEGDF as framework is signi$cant in the “participatory process” among the major stakeholders of the program.

!e Sociological Underpinnings of Greens Perspective in Philippine Political System: Partido Kalikasan (Laguna) Conceptual Framework on Village Ecological Governance and Party Building Strategy:

Part I embodies the signi$cance of the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH during its formative period narrated in the study entitled “From Grassroots to Government” by Serhat Unaldi. !is part summarizes the Ecological and Political Situation of the region, the Climate Justice and Human Rights as its overall framework in synthesizing PK’s platform, the present eco-system along the Laguna Lake region and Gender Equality;

Part II re%ects the internal papers that were developed along the process of the implementa-tion of the programs in the province of Laguna; the Training-Organizing Program; the Village Eco-logical Governance Development Framework (VEGDF); the formation of KABALANGAY/Greens


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Village and the KABALANGAY Savings Project (KSP) evaluation-report as an entry point for party building. It includes how PK - Laguna sees the role of the Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF) and its signi$cance to the current political situation of the region. !e universality of the economic pattern employs by the rich countries and in%uence to the socio-political structures of the region is the challenges among the member Greens party around the world. !rough this part, suggestions for APGF consolidation and cross-party de-velopment were o"ered; and

Part III articulates the results of the study conducted by Dr. Stewart Jackson during his short visits in the province particularly its interest of understanding the VEGDF in developing the party in general. !e paper will also try to rationalize the political structures and situation in the country – the Baranggay (Village) Government to be able to come up a concrete analysis in harmonizing di"erent philosophies on the potential of Greens Ideology to the Village Political Structure.

!e same signi$cance was also articulated on the study of Roel Ravanera on di"erent opportunity of the civil society organization of the country, like the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH on the value of the Village governance.

!e pioneering works towards party development sees the opportunity for the leaders and the volun-teer sta" of the Provincial Directorate of Laguna to contribute for the total development of the Greens Party and its provincial constituents.

2PARTIDO KALIKASANFORMATIVE STAGE


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Part I: PK as an Emerging Greens Party

A. Bridging hope! Bringing life!

Partido Kalikasan/Greens Ph was organized by a group of environmental activist mostly from middle class sectors in the county in the very hope of in%uencing the socio-political paradigm in the country. In 2003, the 1st Party assembly was held that enumerated its platform, direction and operational mechanism. Varying electoral practices were being undertaken by the individual members andrun for a position in di"erent legislative and executive branch of the government.

!e universal language adopted by the Greens Party simpli$es its vision of government and re%ects its philo-sophical views on society:

1. Ecological Integrity2. Social Justice3. National Solidarity and Active Non-Violence4. Participatory Democracy5. Personal Integrity

B) !e Emerging Party: !e Conclusion Of !e Grassroots To Government Study 2

According to Serhat Unaldi, Partido Kalikasan is the $rst country in South Asia, the Philippine pro-duced from the civil society activism. A#er its establishment, it went through a phase of death and resurrec-tion mainly due to pressure from environmental groups in the provinces which gave PK a distinct grassroots-imprint. Signi$cant points attributed to the study is the lack of resources and the history of the Philippine environmental movement contributed to the observed hesitance, including the timing and nature of political involvement has always been particularly controversial issue within the party. In the Philippines, it is more than political environment and the historical trajectory than a lack of post materialist values that sets limits to green party success. Serhat Unaldi observe that Filipino express even more concern for the environment than, for example, Germans.

In addition, the study also reveals the potential for a green electorate. It agrees that there is a huge natu-ral constituency for green thinking. Especially with all these disasters coming in because of deforestation, pol-lution, climate change – the people will think even more environmental. It also narrates the need to consider serious political party building e"ort. Signi$cant political power remains in the hands of the same privileged few, despite the active and vibrant works of di"erent groups and forces in civil society.

PK members seemed uncomfortable with the necessary political compromises that parliamentary poli-tics demand from political parties. !is fear of having to relinquish the ideal vision of community-based poli-tics has surely contributed to the PK reluctance to speed up the process of party building.

In one of the references implied by Serhat Unaldi is the study revealed by the Philippine Greens, a dis-tinct environmental group which quote “the institutional core of the Greens development e"orts will be the community: a web of relations between real human beings and their natural environment. Against the ideology of greed, we advocate “enoughness” or “sapat” (2006:16).

C. Laguna Lake and its Eco-System: !e Narration of dying system and its opportunity 3

!e recent study published by Global Footprint Network, August 2013 described the Laguna lake be-ing the main body of water in the region “that On July 18, 1996, the Laguna Lake Development Authority was created through Republic Act 4850: An Act Creating the Laguna Lake Development Authority, Prescribing its Powers, Function, and Duties Providing Funds !ereof and for Other Purposes”. As stated in the law, its man-date is “to promote and accelerate the development and balance growth of the Laguna Lake area and the sur-rounding provinces, cities and towns with due regard and adequate provisions for environmental management and control, preservation of the quality of human life and ecological disturbances, deterioration and pollution”. It also re%ects the wisdom of the lawmakers in creating a separate agency to manage the lake amidst the mul-tiple political jurisdictions in the watershed.

It also explicitly stated that three (3) years a#er the enactment of R.A. 4850, the LLDA was organized as a semi-

3Global Footprint Network, August 20131Partido Kalikasan Party Orientation2Serhat Unaldi, From Grassroot to Government

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government corporation. Presidential Degree (P.D.) 813 of 1975 further expanded LLDA’s mandate to address environmental concerns and con%icts over jurisdiction and control of the lake. !is was followed by Executive Order (E.O.) 927 of 1983, which further strengthened the Institutional, $nancial and Administrative responsi-bilities of the Authority including its regulatory functions in industrial pollution.

!e LLDA coordinates with over 30 environment and natural resources and water-related agencies/ o&cers and the 66 Local Government units (LGUs) within the watershed, each with their policy and planning, regulation and infrastructure development.

!e Laguna Lake Region is one of the most important and dynamic natural resource in the country. !e region which more or less corresponds to the basin is among the fastest growing economic bases in the Philippines. Because of the unique features, multiplicity of uses and strategic locations, economic activities, population increase, rapid industrialization and urbanization have led to changes in the ecological milieu of the lake and its surrounding region over the fast decades.

Land Use Changes

During the last 30 years, the Laguna Lake watershed has experienced land-use changes characterized by rapid deforestation and urbanization. Large areas of the watershed were converted to industrial, commer-cial and residential uses as a result of peri-urban expansion of Manila. In rural areas, population pressure and lack of alternative livelihood opportunities led to the cleaning and cultivation of uplands and over harvesting of forest products (e.g. subsistence logging, $rewood gathering and charcoal production) causing denudation of the lake’s micro watersheds. !e need is quite evident to reforest the denuded forest lands and the steeply sloping grasslands. !ere is also a need to maintain at least the remaining agricultural lands for food security and food self-su&ciency target considerations. Urban expansion has to be rationalized and regulated in terms of minimizing the random leapfrogging behavior of residential and other urban activities. 4

Implications to Water Quality

Increased sedimentation from denuded upland, contaminants from agricultural activities, domestic wastes, industrial discharges, e'uents from dumpsites and intensi$cation of $sh production take their toll on the water quality of the lake. !ere are no treatment systems for domestic waste and most industries and agricultural operations do not have adequate pollution abatement systems. Until recently most of solid wastes collected by LGUs end up open dumpsites whose e'uents %ow into the lake. !e observed levels of water qual-ity parameters con$rmed the present condition of the lake as polluted and stressed aquatic ecosystem. !is poor water quality has severely diminished Laguna Lake’s potential for transport and recreational uses and as source for domestic water. !e lake water quality is currently classi$ed as class C or $t for $shing, but not for swimming and contract recreation (Class B) with appropriate technologies. !e lake water may be treated for drinking.

In Laguna de Bay there were 23 species of $sh belonging to 16 families and 19 genera. !e most domi-nant and important species were !erapon Plumbeus and Glossogobius glucus (white goby) (Delmendo and Bustillo 1968). Most of the stock were migratory species but scarce in distribution due to the pollution of the

Pasig River., suggesting high mortality of migrating fry. Stocking the lake with milk$sh was reported to be in practice since 1959. !is was one of the reasons for the accidental introduction of other species. !e practice went on since milk$sh command a higher price in the market (Santos-Borja and Nepomuceno, 2004). During the same period, there was a signi$cant decrease in snail population due to rampant dredging to sustain the duck industry notably in the eastern towns of Rizal Province. Connected with this industry is the making of “Balut,” a native delicacy of boiled unhatched duck embryo. Almost twenty years a#er, there was a tremendous decrease in the number of duck farms. Snail dredging was also one causes of the alarming decline in the popu-lation of the sea cat$sh (Arius manilensis) which used to constitute the $shery of Laguna de Bay.

A few years a#er the introduction of aquaculture in the early seventies, the population of cat$sh stared to increase. It has slowly increased its population mostly near the $sh pen areas where they seek shelter. !e decline in population in the previous years could be more due to habitat destruction than the decline in the snail population. 5

Aquaculture remained a very lucrative business in the lake and this encouraged the culture of other species like tilapia and the bighead carp. !e stock assessment of major $shery resources done by Palma and Pol (1997) showed that the open water catch was composed of 13 species. Of the $sh species, the most com-monly caught were Tilapia sp., H. Nobilis an A. manilensis.

At present, there are no recorded endemic species in Laguna de Bay, probably because it is a very young lake, formed some 6,000 years ago (Jaraula, 2001). Likewise, its link to Manila Bay and the introduction of non-native species could have contributed to this phenomenon.

History of Flood Disaster Because of its location and ecological challenges, the Laguna Lake Region is among the most Vulner-able to natural disaster in the country. !ere were historical records of %ood disasters occurring in the lake region for many years. !e most recent and most damaging %ood events were typhoon Milenyo (Septem-ber 2006). Typhoon Ondoy (September 2009), typhoon Pepeng (October 2009), and typhoon Santi (October 2009), Overall, the damages and losses in%icted by these typhoons in 2006 and 2009 in the Laguna Lake Region were 1,233 dead, injured and missing, 318,055 damaged residences, PhP 2.12 billion damage to agriculture (PDNA. 2009). A 2010 synthesis report of the World Bank (WB). Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) estimates that the cost of %ooding ranged from PHP 15 billion ($337 million without climate change. 1-in-10-year %oods) to PhP 111 billion ($2.5 billion with climate change,1-in-100-year %oods), these impacts translate to roughly 3 to 24 percent of greater Metro Manila and Laguna Lake Region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

!e report notes that %ooding in Metro Manila is caused by the limited capacity of most upstream river channels draining into the Laguna Lake to con$ne %oodwaters, the slow-%ow capacity of the outlet channel from the Laguna Lake, and the declining capacity of the Laguna Lake itself to serve as a detention reservoir for %oodwaters.

5Santos-Borja and Nepomuceno, 2004. 4LLDA Spatial Development master plan for the Laguna de Bay Basin, 2011.


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D. Climate Justice and Human Rights: !e Context

In the same study by Serhat Unaldi on the state of the Greens movement in the country, he also state that against “pro$t-driven corporate-led capitalist model as well as the centrally-planned socialist models of development”, the study also noted how the Philippine Greens attribute its $nding on “human values from competition and monopolistic control to cooperation and sharing “rejecting globalization and joining our people’s struggle against intrusion of destructive global forces”.

Climate Justice and Human Rights as a context on the relevance of the Partido Kalikasan simply nar-rates its philosophies against the intrusions of the hegemonic relationship of the foreign-local big capitalist and the government o&cials in the destructive projects in the area of Genetically Modi$ed Organism in the agriculture sectors, Metal and Mineral explorations, Lumber and Timber Industries which for obvious reasons dislocates our basic economic structures which bene$ted the farmers and $sher folks, industrial workers and the proliferation of abuses on child labor and women in-equalities. Aside from the destructions and the e"ects of natural calamities in the lives and properties of the people, the issues on jobs, shelters and food simplify the Climate Justice and Human Rights on the Climate Change settings.

E. Gender Equality

Gender Equality is about women’s right in general. Women’s right for equal opportunity in work place and in home is the basic premise of the party’s platform. It is the party’s role and commitment to adhere on the equal representation on the formal and informal structure of the society in general. !e party activist adheres on the basic principles on creating a favorable social environment that will encourage the sector to participate and be empowered for genuine and social emancipation.

Aside from the thematic issues confronted by the sectors, the Kababaihan sa Sambahayang Pangka-likasan (KAISA KA) or Women in Environment (WE) focus on the Green based Enterprise development and family centered advocacy on waste and material recovery project in the community.


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3PK LagunaBasic Concept and Practices

!e above photo with Commissioner Naderev Yeb Sano of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) - O&ce of the Presient was taken during the Round Table Discussion between the leaders of PK from Laguna and some representatives of the National O&ce held in his O&ce in Malacanang Palace last March 24, 2014. !e meeting was in view of the advocacy on Climate Change mitigation and of the Green Le# unity in the country.


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1. How did you "rst become involved in politics? What about being involved with Partido Kalikasan? What attracted you to them?

I was involved with an anti-dictatorship movement during my earlier days of childhood. !irty (30) years ago, I involved myself as a youth activist and campaigning for anti-demolition and anti-dictatorship campaign. My interest was bolstered upon the murder of Ninoy Aquino last 1983. I eventually engaged with activities on hu-man rights issue and became bolder and subsequently arrested and detained during the former Corazon Aquino regime of 1988. My three (3) decade of activism and the fundamentals of social change had been the subject of se-rious contemplation and philosophical review by the ideological debate on the signi"cance of the form of struggle, social analysis and the organizational discipline in the famous "le# upheaval" in the country.

Consistent with my previous decision to debunk the "old model" of the Philippine revolution as presented in di$erent literature by Amado Guererro, my personal views on "dogmatism" as practiced in the organization and individual relationship in%uenced my continuing interest to continue my advocacy on all sided social change. I had never been involved in other political groups that been identi"ed to be part of "splintered group" from the hard line Rea&rms Block. I consistently worked as an independent activist and independently working with the poor peasant and rural poor, guided by the same philosophy of a true democratic organization, people cantered governance and respectful to individual's tradition, views and experiences. I am particularly interested on work-ing with Partido Kalikasan is based on the timeliness and the popularity of the current issues on environmental problems confronted by the majority of the population. It includes the death among the victims of catastrophic storm in the country and the corrupt practices by the government o&cials that makes the untoward proliferation of unfriendly businesses like mining, lumber and waste disposal within the water basin. !e once a simple issue of environmental concern became a full blown issue of Climate Justice and Human Rights that haunts the inept government of the country.

I was asked to be the Party Convenor in my province on 2010 and was subsequently appointed as the Vice Chairman in Luzon. My decision to accept the same challenges pose by PK is within the common view on Active Non Violence as the philosophy and the anti-dogmatic practices within its organizational structure.

2. Why do you think it has taken so long for a Green Party to emerge in the Philippines?

!e country is geographically archipelagic and divided into three (3) major islands and 7,100 small islets that practice their own culture, tradition and experiences. It practices di$erent organizational system that evolves

as a domesticated characteristic which is uniquely di$erent with the other island, groups and indigenous traditions and culture. !ere is no common formula that de"nes common processes in building the party in the country. !e Organizing Strategy must address the issue on di$erent traditions, culture and practices. !e relevant review on the process of organizing a single National organization/party and refocus its approach on building and strength-ening a provincial party and later federate them into one single federation - is a must! A federation of provincial parties which represents di$erent practices is the key element that may answers the gap of the long process of the party to emerge as a potential force to reckon with.

!e fundamentals of "hierarchal political" system that was introduced by the Traditional Politicians which controls the economy in%uenced the views of an ordinary citizens to the political system in every village of the country. On the other hand, the post Martial Law movement in the country, from centre le# and extreme le# be-came the major social actor that dictates the analysis on the social bene"ts that the government in power introduce to the population. !e splits from one (1) major political movement into so many ideological and anti-statest-marxist-maoist tendencies somehow in%uenced the timeliness of a well grown Green party. !e well entrenched logistical and organizational mechanism that both "sections" enjoys is the most prominent challenges that the party is looking at.

!e absence of a clear community based and tradition based organizing strategy on per province and is-land analysis hampers the consolidation of the party members in general.

In addition, the party, the lack of focus on the vulnerable sectors like the women, youth, elderly and indig-enous people is one among the major factors that in%uence its consolidation as a potent force.

3. What sort of barriers has stopped the party developing? Are they just electoral? Is there something special about Filipino politics?

On its "rst decade of existence, Partido Kalikasan evolved itself from a social movement that focussed on the thematic issues to popularize its signi"cance in the political arena. It is a correct phase base in the country's sociological behaviour. !e long history of Traditional politics in the country is controlled by the elitist few and managed to in%uence the system of "guns, gold and greed", in the same premise that whoever controls the economy controls politics.

Upon my assumption as the new chair of the party last June 2013, my observations on the factors of the party developing were the following:

1. !e absence of an Organizing Strategy that de"nes phases of development2. !e absence of a clear analysis of the society3. !e absence of a Clear operating structure4. No community model on a micro basis5. Lack of Institutional and logistical supports and6. Unclear International supports on cross-party and APGF's intervention

Compilations of Basic Document: Laguna Framework

Research Materials for Dr. Stewart Jacson, Lecturer, College of Governance, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, March 13, 2014 A


14 15

Central to this issue is the lack of fund to operate as a National party and assist the local party leaders in attaining the desired output.

On the other hand, the electoral practices that in%uenced the outcome of the society deemed the constant reality that a$ects the society in general. !e Filipino culture is dictated by the decade existence of "hierarchal and patronage" politics. Every single Filipino, especially in the countryside, was "indebted" to the "corrupt system".

4. How will having a Green Party help the environment in the Philippines? What are the conditions like for environmental campaigning? What are the prominent environmental issues for the Philippines, in your view?

!e importance of the Partido Kalikasan in providing strategic in%uence to the political and economic policies in the country may balance the social equilibrium. Other independent environmental groups advance its agenda by promoting single and thematic issues like the anti-lead content in the toys campaign. PK is the only en-vironmental group in the country that has a clear direction of engaging political claims by challenging the present holders of power from Village to National seat. It is costly to participate in the elections in the country. To presume that the members themselves must "nance the party candidate is an ideal presumption. !e party members didn’t reach yet on the level of maturity to do the same commitment.

!e implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act for me is the real issues that a$ect people in general. !e country is prominently divided by water and mountains which the majority of the population resides. !e recent typhoon Hayina which kills thousands of people and destroys millions of properties is not the only storm that a$ects the economy and socio-cultural aspect of the Filipinos. !ere were also Pablo and Undoy.

5. !e Philippines has a long history of labour, peasant and separatist movemements. Will the Greens be working with these movements? How? What are the connections between the movements, if any? What about other strategic alliances?

Partido Kalikasan can and will work with other likeminded groups in the country except to those who were known with arm struggle. Alliances in the National arena signi"cantly important in advancing anti-political dynasty campaign. Strategic alliances are more than a premise in the local elections and campaigning particularly in the provincial level.

My views on the timeliness on the targeting of strategic alliances with other prominent movement are un-timely and irrelevant since PK is in still in the process of consolidating its rank and establishing its own political, ideological and philosophical grounds. !ere is a long history of the so called "union raiding" or "pirating" by the movements in the country. Some of the known political groups in the country who is known in the party list move-ment basically threaten our hold to our mass base. However, PK is keen in aligning itself on tactical reason and per project basis of alliance work with other likeminded groups.

6. We read a lot about "personality politics" in relation to the Philippines. Has this been the problem developing the party? Do you think Filipino people are ready to accept or vote for a clearly ideological (or issues-based) party like the Greens? Why/why not?

!e Filipino people are more than ready to vote for an issues-based like Greens. It was shown in how the party list group were voted and secure seats at the National arena. !e long history of struggle and community organizing in the country somehow put the political system in balance. One among the major consideration in de"ning the "personality politics" is because of its well entrenched machinery, with full logistical backings and in-%uence at the di$erent level of government. !e popularity of the issues on environment puts PK on the advantage situation. !e recent typhoons like Hayina and the international supports and exposure of the issue are the most prominent element that in%uences the public to seriously engage themselves on environmental campaign. It is then the role of PK activist/leaders to put forward its sharp analysis on the relationship of the system and the situation.

Given on the circumstances, the most logical time for PK to arise and face the challenges is on the upcom-ing election of 2016. It is on my conclusion that the recent typhoon Hayina which brings the consciousness of the population to the next higher level is the best opportunity that the society is o$ering. If PK lost this opportunity, the Green, as an alternative political structure, in this case Partido Kalikasan will be put back in the same old politi-cal scenario - a simple and contented advocate. !e same social movement in the context of "expose and oppose" setting. !is is not how PK intends to work - PK must o$er himself to the voting population.

7. In developing Philippine Greens/Partido Kalikasan as a party, what do you think are the most aspects to develop "rst? What has the party done so far? Are there particular things/actions the party might/should have done di#erently?

!e most important thing that the party should focus is the "cadre formation" or the "party builders" formation. Since we wanted to challenge the seats of power in the country, it is prominently signi"cant to build a people of skills and capability to organize chapters at the village level. PK develops a Training-Organizing Program (TOP) and organizing strategy with the fervent hope of funding assistance from the Australian Greens. !e fund-ing assistance from Australian Green was being temporarily shelved because of some governance issue of the new leaders of Australia. For this reason, the suppose implementation of the "strategy" in ten (10) selected provinces of PK chapters were unfortunately shelved and the hope of engaging the party in the 2016 National/local election is becoming too close to impossible.

Signi"cant modules are the di$erentiation of PK as a movement and the party in building its mass base to win in the election. !e peculiarity of party building is much di$erent in a long decade of practice in the social movement. PK had to develop itself as a party by building its own community organisers and trainers in the con-text of Community Organizing-Environmental Concerns.

On the Organizing Strategy, the province of Laguna was determined by the National Council in its regular meeting as the pilot area that will develop the Training-Groaning Program and the Village Ecological Governance Development Framework. !e Inter-relations of Enterprise Development, Disaster Management and Party build-ing are the elements that were initially developing as its component in developing a "community model" of the party. It is strategically contextualised in the party's plan to participate in the upcoming 2016 National/Local elec-


16 17

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

!e existence of the social movement in the country is a narration of the continuing interest to the path of social change from its socio-political situation. Historically from the countries colonial past and the tradi-tion shared passions of consistency in the existence of a social movement in the country is one among the many traditions that de$nes the Filipino way of living.

!e biggest challenge today from the enormous set back of regaining the social movement in the coun-try is the popular collapse of the once dominant hardline Marxist-Maoist party in the country, aside from the continuing process of regrouping from the “ moderate le# “. !e existence of di"erent political party of the “le# movement “shared common views and beliefs that the current political system in the country does not repre-sent the majority’s aspiration of hope. To compel the understanding in the electoral process as a major obstacle in the life of the poor population is a long road to achieve. !e only hope is that the electoral process for change is becoming a natural recourse for the populace to reckon with. Technically, the political party in the country is controlled by the intellectual or the middle class section of the society. !e emerging parties like the Kapatiran, Centrist Democratic Party and among others who challenge the national election of the country represent the ideology managed by the few elitist.

Being an emerging Party, the Partido Kalikasan (Philippine Greens Party) enthusiastically strives to cope with present sociological condition of the country. While number of its leaders and members share the same passion of advancing its political agenda, it is signi$cant for a party that is initiated by the grassroots to represent the grassroots aspirations and re%ect the genuine socio-political and socio- economic conditions.

Get back to basic!

!e purpose of the Partido Kalikasan – Training and Organizing Program is to $ll in the “gap” between a grassroots base political party and the role of the middle class in representing the majority. Building an alter-native political party that is founded in the basic tenets of anti-status quo order and living in the aspirations of a universally accepted norm of ecological based governance could not be done in a “short cut” process. !ere are many things yet to be done tom realize justice and equality and helping hands will de$nitely make the way to success, if not easy, better.

ELIAS C. LABRO, JR. National President Partido Kalikasan/Green. Ph

August 18, 2013

tion.

!e lack of funding supports hampers the operations of the province (being the Pilot area) and the required na-tional operations.

8. What do you think Philippine Greens PH/ Partido Kalikasan could achieve as a regis-tered political party that it couldn't as a movement-party? Are there things it now will not be able to do?

First, a registered political party is a symbol of strength and in%uence in the countries sociological settings. Movement is a tactical arena that in%uences the public and the present holders of power in stating the current situation of the country. It has a life of his own. !e current political re-alignment of forces in the country and the debunking of the arm struggle as primary form of seizing of power are the elements that in%uence the need for elec-toral process as a means to challenge the inept system of the country. !e electoral system of the country requires the need for a registered political party to assure electoral bene"ts for the minority one, like the election returns and watchers.

PK local leaders particularly at the countryside was inclined to run for a positions signi"cantly and envi-sion the party registered to have its own identity and challenge the di$erentiation as against to the existing, well entrenched, well "nance and well connected Traditional party.

B Partido Kalikasan (PK) Training and Organizing Program: Party Building Strategy and Methods

18 19

PROJECT BRIEFER

!e Partido Kalikasan Training and Organizing Program (PK-TOP): Partido Kalikasan Laguna Provincial Chapter Strengthening and Institutionalization intends to train party organizers at the provincial level and the core of leaders at the Village (Baranggay) level. It is likewise designed to apply the process of organizing, greens philosophy and organiz-ing strategy in building its respective constituents at the village level. Signi$cantly, while it is a Training Program for the future Party Builders of the province, its e&ciency and success is to be measured on “how” the theoretical underpinnings will be applied into vibrant political forces. !e basic tenets of the basic community organizing process and the principles of the ten (10) Steps of Organizing (See Annex 1) is still an e"ective tool for potential trainee among the leaders and vol-unteer organizers of Laguna. !e integration of the universal language of the ecological based politics, its philosophies, principles and relevant laws and existing programs (eco governance programs) will e"ectuate the training design.

A training design that will address the respective Training Needs Assessment (TNA), particularly in the areas of Attitude, Skills and Knowledge (ASK) level of the participants will determine two levels of participants, i.e. Party Core Organizers (30) and 668 Village level leaders. Likewise modules will be developed according to the level of the partici-pants.

Practicum-!eory-practicum will be the basic framework of the process. Weekly Tactics Session will be held. Monthly theorizing on a modular type session and annual Eco- CO Training Conference will sum up di"erent experiences. !e developing curriculum process will be the outmost consideration of the design.

On the other hand, the experiences derived from this project will contribute in the development of Partido Ka-likasan building strategy at the National level.

From January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016, the two – year period project intends to consolidate the Provin-cial Chapter with quanti$ed strength of one hundred percent of the total municipalities and $#y percent of each of the respective barangay chapters. !e project likewise envisions to achieve a degree of in%uence to the populace being an alternative Political Party for May 2016 Presidential/Local Election as against to the existing norms in the province.

Speci$cally, the project seeks to ful$l the following objectives by the end of 2016:

1. Seven (7) Cities and Twenty three (23) municipalities will be organized into City/Town level chapters with corresponding functional Council of leaders, Executive Committees and respective Secretariat; 2. A total of !ree Hundred Seven (337) baranggays will be organized with corresponding chapters as against to 674 baranggays of the province; 3. !irty (30) core party organizers will be trained and deployed in four (4) District of the Province; and 1668 Village Level Party Organizers; 2(1)m per Village (from 337 Village; 4. A parallel women’s group will be organized in each of the respective chapters; and 5. A parallel Youth group will be organized in each of the respective chapters.

!e “ gap” and the “missing link” to have a Party that were founded in the grassroots aspirations and the mobi-lization of the middle class in the country will be addressed by supporting and implementing the intended design of the Partido Kalikasan - Training and Organizing Program (PK –TOP).

Partido Kalikasan – Training and Organizing Program or may simply call PK-TOP is the narration of our vision of making the Philippines Greens Party as one among the “top” alternative Political party in the country which is con-trolled and dominated by Traditional one.


20 21

!e Province of Laguna is identi$ed As the Pilot Area for Village level party consolidation and organizing of Partido0 Kalikasan. By virtue of the National council resolution # ______, dated ___________________, logistical and technical supports are of priority in order to achieve the intended design of the Baranggay level party consolidation. It is also envisioned that the result will be duplicated in other parts of the country. Laguna is rapidly changing from its agricultural-forest scenery into a large scale industry base economic pattern. Since the post EDSA I uprising, the control and manipulation of ten (10) known political clans in Laguna was as preva-lent as it was. While the province is also known for its rich history of militancy and anti-government tradition, the direct electoral challenge at the local level was never been signi$cantly exercised, hence, this challenge for all those who aspires political change in the province through principled electoral engagements of the Greens.

Signi"cance of the Project

!e Partido Kalikasan Training and Organizing Program (PK-TOP): Partido Kalikasan Laguna Provincial Chap-ter Strengthening and Institutionalization intends to train party organizers at the Provincial level and the core of leaders at the Village (Baranggay) level. It is likewise designed to apply the process of organizing, greens philosophy and organiz-ing strategy in building its respective constituents at the Village level. Signi$cantly, while it is a Training Program for the future Party Builders of the province, its e&ciency and success is to be measured on “how” the theoretical underpinnings will be applied into a vibrant political mass base at the grassroots level.

!e province is considered to be the second vote rich compared to the province of Cebu being considered as top vote rich provinces. It is traditionally prioritized by the Traditional Political Party (TRAPO) with su&cient logistics and resources to reckon with. May 2016 is the next Presidential and Local election in the country. It is then the opportunity that the provincial Chapter is looking at.

Local leaders of the Provincial Council/Municipal/Town level will challenge the local executives and legislators to the respective positions at the local level. !e active participation of Partido Kalikasan on the respective position at the local level. !e active participation of Partido Kalikasan on the upcoming 2016 election in the country will be resulted from the outcome of the Partido Kalikasan Training and Organizing Program (PK-TOP): Partido Kalikasan Provincial Chapter Strengthening and Institutionalization. In May 2016 National and Local election, Partido Kalikasan – Laguna Province aspires into running a campaign plan for 30 Local Counsellors, one in each of respective city/town; 4 Board members, one in each of the 4 District of the Province. And probably coalesce with 1 Governor, 1 Vice- Governor and 4 District Congressman.

On the other hand, the experiences derived from this project will contributed in the development of Partido Kalikasan Party building strategy at the National level.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

From January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 (Two Years), the project intends to consolidate the Provincial Chap-ter with quanti$ed strength of one hundred percent of the total munici9palities and $#y percent of each of the respective barangay chapters. !e project likewise envision to achieve a degree of in%uence to the populace being an alternative

Political Party for May 2016 Presidential/Local Election as against to the existing norms in the province.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

!e project seeks to ful$l the following objectives by the end of 2016:

1. Seven (7) Cities and Twenty !ree (23) municipalities will be organized into City/Town level chapters with corresponding functional Council of leaders, Executive Committees and respective Secretariat; 2. A total of !ree Hundred !irty Seven (337) baranggays will be organized with corresponding chap ters as against to 674 baranggays of the province; 3. !irty (30) party organizers will be trained and deployed in Four (4) District of the Province; and 1,165 Village Level Party Organizers = 5 per Village (from 337 Village ); 4. A parallel women’s group will be organized in each of the respective Town/Municipalities targeting a total percentage of 35% are within the leadership of the party; 5. A parallel Youth group will be organized in each of the respective Town/Municipalities targeting a total percentage of 35% are within the Leadership of the party; 6. One (1) Training Centre will be provide for achieving the same; and 7. Administrative support will be providing such as service vehicle, training centre/o&ce requirements, communication among others.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Partido Kalikasan Training and Organizing Program (PK-TOP) is ecology based Community Organizing pro-gram and designed with two but inter-related approaches: (1) Train a Core party Organizers of the Province and (2) Train a Village level Party Organizers vis-a-vis Consolidate chapters at the City/Town/Baranggay level.

!e basic tenets of the basic community organizing process and the principles of the ten (10) Steps of Organizing (See Annex 1) is still an e"ective tool for potential trainee among the leaders and volunteer organizers of Laguna. !e integration of the universal language of the ecological based politics, its philosophies, principles and relevant laws and existing programs (eco governance programs) will e"ectuate the training design.A training design that will address the respective Training Needs Assessment (TNA), particularly in the areas of Attitude, Skills and Knowledge (ASK) level of the participants will determine two level of participants, i.e. Party Core Organiz-ers (30) and 1,665 Village level leaders. Likewise modules will be developed according to the level of the participants. Practicum-!eory-Practicum will be the basic framework of the process. Weekly Tactics Session will be held. Monthly theorizing on a modular type session and annual Eco-CO Training Conference will sum up di"erent experiences. !e developing curriculum process will be the outmost consideration of the design almost 0.5 square kilometres. !e La-guna de Bay has an approximate area of 3800 km broken down into 2900 km of land 900 km of lake proper with 220 km shoreline.

Laguna has an estimated 300 million US gallons (1,100,000m) of underground water. At least seven principal

RATIONALE


22 23

water basins in the province with a total run o" annually. Laguna has 60,624 hectares of alienable and disposable agricul-tural land. About 41,253 ha or 23.44% of Laguna’s total land area is forest land.

Laguna de Bay, with a surface area of 9000 km, is the main $shing ground producing 410,000 MT of $sh in the province. Carp and tilapia $ngerlings are also being grown in inland ponds and freshwater $sh pens. !e research institu-tion located in Los Banos is International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCH), among others.

Laguna is subdivided into 24 municipalities and 6 cities. !e following table summarizes the relevant information below:

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24 25

Laguna lies on the southern shore of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. On the southern border of the province are Mt. Makiling and Mt. Banahaw, both are long dormant volcanoes, but still source of geothermal energy. Mt. Makiling is popular for the numerous hot spring resorts that are found on its slopes. Pagsanjan Falls is a popular waterfall that tumbles down a deep gurgle in the hills.

!e eastern portion of Laguna straddles the southernmost portion of the Sierra Madre mountain range. !e province is relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year for a small portion near the south-ernmost portion do not have distinct season, with rainfall more evenly distributed throughout the year.

Blessed with natural resources and a rich culture, Laguna is a picture of abundance. It is surrounded by moun-tains and embraces the Philippines’ largest lake, the Laguna de Bay, which is a source of living for the town and cities around it. Many tourist spots dot the province, including the house of Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, and other historical landmarks. Millions of tourist also %ocks to various resorts all over the province, which is o#en dubbed the “resort capital” of the country.

Today, the province is home to modern industries. Automobile companies and electronics $rms have set up shop in several cities, propelling the province’s economic progress.

POLITICAL AND ECONOMICS SYPNOSIS

Based on annual incomes, much of the economic prosperity is enjoyed only by the 1st and 2nd district of the province, where most of its highly urbanized cities are located. In 2011, seven cities and municipalities in the 1st and 2nd districts had a total income way income way higher than that of the 23 towns in the less developed 3rd and 4th districts, according to the COA report.

Moreover, the richest town in the 1st and 2nd districts – Calamba, Binan and Sta. Rosa – each had incomes higher than that of all town combined in either the 3rd and 4th district.

Known political clan like the Almoro, Alonte, Arcillas, Chipeco, Lazaro, Lajara, Amante, Ejercito and San Luis were the dominant clan who religiously controlled most of the political party in the province. !eir political a&liation will depend on who were the one controlling the door of power in Malacanang. !ose families were historically a&liated in the previous administration depending on the political party that is in power.

PROJECT PROPONENT

Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang pambaranggay (KABALANGAY) (Unity for Village Governance) is a partnership proj-ect by likeminded groups and individual such as the kalipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan nang Timog – Katagalu-gan (KASAKA-TK), Sentro-Relokasyon and Partido Kalikasan individual members and advocates.

!e advocacy is a product of the group’ experience on the last mid-tern election of 2013. !e massive vote buy-ing at the village level prompted the failure to achieve a clean and honest election thus the failure for grassroots base governance is inevitable. !is only emphasized the need of upholding the integrity for transparent, pro-environment governance and a government system that valued most the culture of gra# free standard in relation to having a Baranggay Government with highest integrity and moral ascendency to govern.

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26 27

KABALANGAY is the provincial party institute or the Provincial Chapter of the province. In the village level election on October 2013, Partido Kalikasan (PK) and actual participation through $elding candidates at Sangguniang Barangay (Village Legislative Assembly) and Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Legislative Council). !e Campaign focused on Twenty Seven (27) Barangays out of 674 barangays (4%) of the province with a total # ______ for Village Legislative Assembly while a total of __________ from Youth Legislative Council. From the total of Twenty Seven (27) Village level Chapters of Partido Kalikasan – Laguna, an average of 100 local members were able to organize with respective council of leaders, executive committee and respective committee and with a total strength of 2,700 individual members more or less.

At the outset, the process which was undertaken by Partido Kalikasan/KABALANGAY in its initial stage of vil-lage level organizing proved a lot of hope. Apparently, ordinary people of Laguna comprised the majority of the voting populace of the province is “open” for an alternative party that will carry its aspiration of sustainable growth. Neverthe-less, it still remains as part of the challenge to sustain this degree of aspiration into a potent political force comes May 2016 (Presidential/local Election).

INTERNAL CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Baranggay Volunteer Worker

Partido Kalikasan – Laguna Provincial Chapter Has !irty –$ve (35) Baranggay Volunteer Workers (BVW). !e BVW is primarily the party organizers of the Partido Kalikasan (PK) at the grassroot level. Presently, BVW is responsible for recruitment, ideological formation, gender orientation and the direct link to the grassroots members.

Joint Secretariat

!e day to day operation of the party is managed by the Joint Secretariat whose volunteer members are com-posed of full time workers from the Partido Kalikasan and KABALANGAY Regular weekly meeting (every Monday) are conducted to facilitate the smooth implementation of the Parties Program. Agendas include program status reporting, problem arising action points and preparatory work for the intended schedule of activities like the (a) Weekly Itinerary, (b) Weekly Monitoring Sheet and (c) Resource Mobilization Plan. Nine (9) full time administrative sta" (Secretary, Head Admin. /Finance, Finance O&cer District Coordinator (four sta"), Administrative Sta" and One Consultant) are responsible for the implementation of the Weekly plans arrived at the Joint Secretariat plans.

Joint Finance Committee

!e Financial Management system has independently monitored and implemented by the Joint Finance Com-mittee whose members were from the KABALANGAY and the Executive Committee of the Partido Kalikasan. Techni-cally, the logistical requirement of the intended activity are done through a “cost sharing scheme” between the local party members and the Joint Finance Committee. Technically, 70% - 30% scheme to be applied on this process. Majority of the

requirements were shouldered by the local party group.

KABALANGAY and Partido Kalikasan have no $nancial source regular operation but are operating based at the “indi-vidual commitment” from the members.

!e committee is using the simple accounting system to monitor and control the fund disbursement such as the (1) requisition (2) liquidation forms that were both pre approved by the designated o&cers. !e committee is guide by the “approved” $nance policy.

Project Time frame

!e project is a two (2) year project will start on January 4, 2014 and is sought to be completed by December 31, 2016.

Project Location

!e Province of Laguna, formerly called La Laguna, was called a#er Laguna de Bay, the body of water on it’s northern boundary. Laguna de Bay is Spanish which means “Lake of Bay”.

Laguna is located in the foothills of three mountain namely Mount Makiling, Mount Banahaw, and the Sierra Madre range.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

Activity by Time frame (by annually/by Quarter)

a) 1st Year (2014 -2015)

a.1) $rst Quarter: Setting up Training Centres and its requirement Setting of the Trainers pool; Training Design Preparation/Module Preparation Provincial level/ Village Level; general orientation for the Leaders and Volunteer Workers; Processing of the Administrative/Finance Sta".

a.2) 2nd to 4th Quarter: 1st batch Implementation (9 Modules)

169 Village level party organizers 30 Provincial Level Party Organizers 9 Sessions = 1 Module per Month 169 Village Chapter Building/ Assemblies


28 29

36 Tactics Sessions = 1 Session per week per District 1 Annual Eco-CO Conference

b) 2nd Year (2015-2016) b.1) 1st to 3rd Quarter: 2nd batch Implementation (9 Modules)

169 Village level party organizers 30 Provincial Level Party Organizers 9 Sessions = 1 Module per Month 169 Village level Chapter Building/Assemblies 36 Tactics Session = 1 Session per week per District 1 Annual Eco-CO Conference

b.2) 4th Quarter

1 Provincial Party Assembly/Primary Election for 2016 National Election 30 Town/City Assembly/Primary Election for 2016 National Election Preparation of Terminal Report

System and Mechanism

Partido Kalikasan Training and Organizing Program (PK-TOP): Partido kalikasan Provincial Chapter Strengthening and Institutionalization will be implemented on the following manner:

1. A Trainers Pool from seasoned Community Organizers, Academic Community and Expert in the $eld of Environmental Discipline will be organized; both were responsible in formulating the Training Design, Modules and Policies pertaining to the implementation of the project;2. One (1 ) Year Training Contract with the prospective trainees will be institutionalized; and3. Nine (9) Modules will be formulated base on Attitude, Skill and Knowledge level of the participants.4. Administrative/Finance Head, 4 Administrative Sta" and One Project Coordinator will be hired for the same purposes.

!e Administrative/Finance Unit will do the task of support team.

Monitoring and Evaluation

A Management Committee (MANCOMM) composed of the Executive Director, Chairman and Trea-surer of KABALANGAY; and the President, Secretary General and Treasurer of Partido Kalikasan – Laguna

Chapter. MANCOMM is in charge of policy determination with an oversight function of the project.

A designated Project Coordinator will responsible to Head the project.

Once a month assessment-theorizing for the trainee will be institutionalized. Once week tactics Ses-sion: One on One individual consultation will also be institutionalized.

Year End Annual Eco-CO Conference will be constituted to summarize both the respective experiences of the trainees, opportunities for the International and Domestic updates and challenges, framework for the succeeding operational year. A year ender report will be submitted and prepared by the Project Coordinator. !e Management Committee will do the preparation and therea#er submit a Terminal Report.


30 31

C KABALANGAY (Greens Village), Inc: Localization of Party Institute

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK, STRATEGY AND DIRECTIONEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code has come a long way from being just the mother law of local autonomy. It has devolved to the local government unit’s (LGU) deliver of basic, actual and direct service as well as regulatory powers.

Baranggay is the smallest political unit of the local government unit of the country. It came from the word “Bal-angay” which historically represent the idea of oneness; a traditional boat used for voyage of di"erent people of traditions and culture for common dream – seeking for an environment that will lead them to progress. !e continuing struggle at the very door step of the political power at the grassroots level is crucial at the Baranggay Government.

“Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay” (KABALANGAY/Greens Village) is a partnership project that envi-sioned to empower the community to become a productive member of the society by instituting program that will pro-vide capability, access to information, enterprise development and Ecologically sounds community.

KABALANGAY believes that to create a just and meaningful society, every single political advocates and social scientist should focus on establishing a Baranggay government that is founded to its determined standards. !e society that is rotten at the grassroots level is a society of a rotten system in general. !e culture of corruption is basically inherent to the existing system of Baranggay Government. !is is the challenges begins. !e project aims to in%uence the com-munity by instituting reforms at the Baranggay level and to produce next generation of Baranggay leaders for e"ective governance.

KABALANGAY is a deviation of strategy from over focusing the advocacy from societal change at the National level to the micro level with signi$cant importance – the Baranggay governance.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS June 4, 2013

!e Local Government Code signi$cantly increased the $nancial resource available to local government by increasing their share in the internal revenue allotment; gave LGUs equitable shares of taxes in the utilization and de-velopment of the national wealth; broadened the taxing and revenue raising power of the LGUs; authorized LGU’s to design and implement its own organizational structure and sta&ng pattern, taking into consideration its governance and services requirements as well as its $nancial capability; provided for the participation of the private sector in local governance; and granted LGUs the authority to secure loans, credits and other forms of indebtedness to $nance their development programs, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the National Government. In the analysis prepared by the Centre for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG), the a"ectivity of the existing Local Government Code was given a wilder perspective. In summary, the following were the problems raised by CenPEG: 1. !e national government’s farcical transfer of real power to the local Government units (LGUs); 2. No signi$cant impact assessment on the local government code has been done to this day whether by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) which su pervises the LGUs, Congress which enacted the law, or by governance schools; 3. Despites local autonomy, economic strategies are imposed by the national Government; 4. A major requirement of local autonomy has been largely ignored !e empowerment of communities and their e"ective participation in local governance; 5. !e local government code does not address – if it does not altogether abet – !e in stitutional gridlock to real empowerment in the communities; and 6. By being the central authority and in control of the DILG, the President remains or ganially more powerful than all the LGU’s combined.

RATIONALE


32 33

Proponent

“Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay” (KABALANGAY) (Greens Village) as a partnership among the Kali-punan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan nang Timog-Katagalugan (KASAKA-TK), Sentro para sa Kagalingan ng Pook- Relokasyon (SENTRO-RELOKASYON) and Partido Kalikasan (PK/Greens.Ph) has its advocacy rooted in group’s ex-periences on the last mid-term election of 2013. !e massive vote buying at the Baranggay level prompted the failure for a clean and honest election thus the failure for grassroots base governance is inevitable. It recognized the fact that upholding the integrity for transparent, pro-environment and a government system that valued most the culture of gra# free standard is simply having a Baranggay Government with highest integrity and moral ascendency to govern.

Undeniably, the e"ort of the KABALANGAY in the last mid-term election of 2013 produces number of individ-uals who shares the common aspiration for social change; leaders from di"erent Baranggay of Laguna shown its interest in pursuing the elusive society that is gra# free and inherent ecological strategy in every letters of Baranggay Administra-tion. Since Baranggay is the smallest unit of the society and its signi$cant value for social change has never been given the outmost importance, it is the challenges that the people behind KABALANGAY is considering worth pursuing for.

Vision

KABALANGAY believes on a Baranggay government that is founded to its determined socially accept-able norms and standards guide by the philosophy and ideology of ecological based governance.

Community Model: Village Eco-Governance Development Framework (VEGDF)

In the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and !reat) analysis conducted by the leaders of KABALAN-GAY, three (3) signi$cant points were made apparent during the implementation the program: (1) the group must de-velop a community base enterprise development project that will deviate from loan driven motivation; (2) ensure the greater number of constituents participation; and (3) ecological base platform in exercising the role of respective elected leaders in the Village Council.

KABALANGAY further believes that, one among the many approaches that been identi$ed is to develop a pro-gram that will distinguish the elements which will transpire during the implementation of program that will contribute in developing a theoretical and philosophical component of the Village model of governance. !e design is the big bold step to begin on what Greens is all about.


KABALANGAY will provide Secretariat Work for Partido Kalikasan/ Greens PH Provincial Directorate and its a&liate organization being its local party institute.

Guided by the Board of Directors as policy making body, the O&ce of the Executive Director will be in-charge on the day-to-day operation of KABALANGAY. He/she will be assisted by seven (7) Sta" and respective Baranggay Vol-unteer Worker (BVW).

Speci"c Objective/key Result Area

!e key Result Area (KRA) of KABALANGAY and being spell out in its speci$c objective can be summarized as “KASAMA KITA” a colloquial word which means “being together”. To be able to rationalize the vision behind KA-BALANGAY, its program must be understood in the same vision that the organization is outlining. Participatory Ap-proach is the core values to ensure to the success of the program.

1. (KAlahok): to actively participate in the electoral process; 2. (SAndiwa): to assist the Baranggay o&cials in formulating Development Program (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management/Health and Sanitation/Sectoral Development); 3. (saMa-aralan): to provide capacity and capability training program for community base leaders focusing on Baranggay Administration and Governance; 4. (Kilos-Kaakbay): to formulate/implement community based programs that will guarantee an equal opportunity to the marginalize members of the community; and 5. (Tambuli): to assist the government policies and monitoring of programs with regards to Ba ranggay Administration and Governance.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION


34 35

D Village Ecological Governance Development Framework (VEGDF):Template on Village Ecological base Governance

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaraggay/(KABALANGAY/Greens Village) and Partido Kalikasan (PK) believes that Social Change is not as easy electing new leaders alone. It requires the need to develop and later implement an al-ternative system which summarize people’s aspiration and experiences. Partido Kalikasan (PK) being the primary party of interest will learn from the lesson of the past and other experiences from other parts of the region with common geo-graphical and political setting and develop its own version of Green Governance Model. It will take time and e"ort to realize this. On the other hand, KABALANGAY and PK believe that the most challenging situation a#er winning a Village Council seat is to concretize the Greens philosophy and ideology. PK and KABALANGAY further believes that one among the many approaches that has been identi$ed is to develop a program in the thirteen (13) villages that Partido Kalikasan (PK) leaders have won and secured seats at the Village Council. !e element that will transpire in the imple-mentation of program will contribute in developing theoretical and philosophical component of the Village model of governance. !e design is the big bold step to begin on what Greens is all about.

In the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and !reat) analysis conducted by the leaders of PK Provin-cial Directorate of Laguna, three (3) signi$cant points were made apparent during the implementation the program: (1) the party must develop a community base enterprise development project that will deviate from loan driven motivation; (2) ensure the greater number of constituents participation; and (3) ecological base platform in exercising the role of PK elected leaders in the Village Council.

Village Eco-Governance Development Framework (VEGDF) is primarily intended to develop a governance plat-

form that will serve as the party’s template for Socio-economic/Political model. For PK leadership, our organizational interest to the project is for us to understand on a micro level, how our vision of governance is re%ected at the village level. Sooner or later since we aspire to be in power, PK leaders and members must understand and learn how to manage the government in its own volition and guided by its own summary of learning and experiences- not borrowed or codi$ed from the other part of the region. Imperative to the success of the program is the role of the Asia Paci$c Greens Federation(APGF) in developing networks of likeminded groups and individuals who can shares knowledge, information and other technical expertise that is deemed required to achieve the intended results of the program. APGF represent various of experiences from the member organization and other likeminded network in the region which represents the same level of organizational sta-tus with PK. APGF maintains catalogue of theory and best practices in the government in power or the emerging party that can be a big help for developing PK to achieve the same level that some other party are enjoying.

Let’s walk the talk!

KIKO C. LABRO National Chairman Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH


36 37

VILLAGE ECO-GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (VEGDF)Elias C. LabroProject Concept, November 20, 2013

RATIONALE

!e National Council of Partido Kalikasan in its resolution determined the province of Laguna as its pilot area to implement the Village level Eco-Governance development intervention. !e lessons derived from the implementa-tion of the strategy will contribute in developing a Governance strategy that will be its basis in challenging an inept political system that put’s the country in its impoverished strategy is to participate in the electoral exercise and hoping secured a seat to twenty eight (28) local leaders of Partido Kalikasan (PK) for thirteen (13 ) villages.

While PK believes that the most challenging situation a#er winning a Village Council seat is to concretize the Greens philosophy, among the many approaches which were identi$ed is to develop a program in the thirteen (13) vil-lages that Partido Kalikasan (PK) leaders have won and secured seat at the Village Council.

!e “two (2) Legged Strategy” is the basic strategy of the project concept which de$nes the existence of the two inter-related element that will in%uence to the success of the project, i.e. (1) strong political party and (2) elected leaders at di"erent level of governance. !e pre-determined element is the basis in identifying the thirteen (13) village of Laguna as its pilot area in the implementation of the Village Eco-Governance Development Framework. For pur-poses of developing the framework in the pilot communities of Laguna, Partido Kalikasan and Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay (KABALANGAY/Village Unity for Governance and Development), Inc. consider two existing laws with signi$cant value for the implementation of the program, the Local Government Code which exercises authority of the village councils and Sectoral/Community participation; and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act which summarize our advocacy for ecological adaption framework at the community level. !is is made more apparent in the result of the SWOT analysis discussed in the earlier discussion of this paper.

THEORETICAL BASIS

Partido Kalikasan explicitly articulated in its documents the philosophy and strategy about the needs of Green governance in the country and its explicit relation to the region. While PK was inspired by the development of Green Party’s in other part of the region, the absence of a template or governance model base on the countries characteristics remains a challenge to develop with. !e long road to achieve Green governance in the country will start in developing an existing inept political system in the country.

PK should deviate itself in too much engagement with thematic issues and propaganda. It is in a man’s char-

acter that de$nes his role in the society in general. On the assumption that PK is working towards building a political party that will challenge every single position in the political arena, PK should introduce an eco-governance model that is based on the uniqueness of the country.

Social Change is not as easy as electing new leaders alone, but introducing an alternative system that is a prod-uct of people’s aspiration and experiences. It must be studied at the grassroots level and a common output that derived from the people’s initiative to achieve change.

In summary, developing an alternative political system does not necessarily means to follow on the dictum that society dictates. Green Politics does not necessarily follow that Pk must adhere in every letters of how the West-ern people introduce Green politics in the region or debunk on how the Capitalist word manipulate democracy or the Chinese model of society. PK will try to reverse that dictum and will develop its own Green Governance Model that inspires from the Village level experiences base on its socio-cultural experiences.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

Village Eco-Governance Development framework (VEGDF) is primarily intended to develop a governance platform that will serve as the party’s template for Socio-Political/Economic model at the Village Level.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

Acknowledging the latitude of the general objective sought to be achieved through VEGDF, narrower objec-tives are as follow:

1. To develop the Saving mobilization program at the community (Kabalangay Saving Program) Level; 2. To develop the Community base Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program as an entry Point in developing party’s in%uence at the village level; 3. To develop a capability and capacity building program for the elected o&cials at the Village level; and 4. It is a must that there be adequate preparation and consolidation of the respect summary of experiences in to a manuscript i.e. Entrepreneurial Development Program vis-a-vis KABALANGAY Savings Program; Community Base Disaster Risk Reduction and Develop ment Strategy and E"ective Delivery of Service and Managing Village Council’s A"air.


38 39

STRATEGY

KABALANGAY, local party Institute of Partido Kalikasan Provincial Directorate of Laguna is primarily respon-sible to implement the VILLAGE ECO-GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (VEGDF). !e Partido Ka-likasan Village Chapter is the lead organization and will act as the project holder and bene$ciaries of the program, likewise the local elected o&cials of the party will be its lead person. !e program will be implemented in Baraggay (1) Majada Out (2) Sirang Lupa and (3) Palo Alto of Calmba City; (4) San Isidro (5) Masaya (6) Tagumpay and (7) San An-tonio for Bay; (8) Baranggay Masiit and (9) Hanggan for Calauan ; (10) Baranggay Pagalangan, Victoria; (11) Baranggay Del Remedio and (12) San Lorenzo for San Pablo City and (13) Baranggay Pinagbayanan, Pila. !e communities vary from Fishers Community, Agricultural Commuinities and Urban Village.

For the purposes of implementing the program, a Project Coordinator will be designated to supervise the pro-gram and !ree Development Specialist will be designated to handle the Enterprise Development, Disaster Risk Reduc-tion and Management and Local Government will also be designated.

TIMEFRAME

!e elected members of the Village Council will assume its authority and mandated to exercise its power for only !ree (3) Years. !is is the primary consideration in setting the VILLAGE ECO-GOVERNANACE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (VEGDF) in a three (3) years development phase, i.e. Social Preparation, Resource Mobilization and So# Implementation and Implementation Phase. Technically, the assumption of the authority of the newly elected members of the Village Council will start on December 1, 2013 and commence on November 30, 2016.

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40 41

PHASING

1ST Phase: Social Preparation and Mobilization which refers to lorienjtation, planning- workshop, group discussion and sectoral assembly.

2nd Phase: Resource Mobilization which refers to project development, networking of donor agency (local and Interna-tional) and pre-implementation phase in the second half of the phase.

3rd Phase: Implementation which refers to full implementation of the project.

KEY RESULT AREA (KRA)

I. KABALANGAY Saving Program (KSP): a community base enterprise development Approaches that will primarily intend to motivate and educate the community against “loan mindset” and develop a Trading sys tem for the basic requirements of the members of the party and the community in general. II. Community Base Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program (Advocacy, Traning and Techni cal./ Logistic Supporta): primary to its purpose is to develop a community base Disaster Risk Reduction and Management plan that is led by ,the community; provision for technical and logical requirements is one among the many identi$ed intervention of the project.

III. Baranggay A"airs and Governance Training Program: Capability and Capacity building which focuses on the Skills and Knowledge requirements as support system to the listed project.

E Village/Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (V/DRRM) Framework: !e Village level Climate Change Mitigation Process/Plan

PROJECT SUMMARYMarch 11, 2014

!e recent Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) concluded the debate’s on the real de$nition of climate change. !e skep-tics among the intellectuals of climate change cannot be arguing on the e"ects on lives and economy of the victims of the recent typhoon. !ousands of lives and millions of properties were destroyed. !e fact still haunts the government and the so called intellectuals on the mitigation process that can address the same. For the sake of argument, whether it is in the context of climate change debate or not, the country is frequently visited by more than 30 typhoons annually. Statistically, the victims were from the poor communities of the country and almost facing tragedies of %oods, landslide and economic dislocations. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act de$ne a clear de$nition on disaster mitigation brought about by typhoons and other natural calamities. It is a clear all multi-stakeholders initiative that guarantees intervention down to the vil-lage level of the country. !e law itself mandates a comprehensive plan that guarantees Local Government Unit (LGU) initiatives and supervisions over the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management as embodied in the Internal Rules and Regulation to e"ectuate the same. It is strongly stated that community participation towards to the implementation of the law is suggested.

!e Village Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (VDRRM) Process: Community Mobilization towards Climate Change Mitigation will be piloted in the sixteen (16) Baranggays in Laguna. From April to June 2014, this is intended to facilitate the formulation of a community based and responsive VDRRM. !e identi$ed Baranggay are industrial/urban centers and lakeside and upland communities. It will be a collaboration with the Department of Envi-ronment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) both represented by its respective provincial o&ce in Laguna, the members of the Sangguniang Baranggay, leaders and community facilitators of KABALANGAY and Partido Kalikasan (PK). !e output will be duplicated in the entire 674 Baranggay of the Province.

RATIONALE

!e failure of many laws of lack of people’ participation was addressed in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Man-agement Act and the Climate Change Mitigation Act. !ese two exemplary laws served as the basis of the Conceptual Framework of the Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (V/DRRM) Process.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act provides for a clear de$nition of disaster mitigation. It is a clear all multi-stakeholders initiative that guarantees intervention down to the village level of the country. !e law itself mandates a comprehensive plan that guarantees Local Government Unit (LGU) initiatives and supervisions over the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management as embodied in the Internal Rules and Regulation to e"ectuate the same.

In view of the foregoing, last February 21, 2014, a Round Table Discussion (RTD) was held. It was attended by the representatives from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Partido Kalikasan (PK) which was initiated by KABALANGAY. !e RTD encompassed


42 43

the commitment towards the realization of the Village Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (VDRRM) and the integration of di"erent framework, strategy and methodology to e"ectively implement the same. On March 8, 2014, in compliance to the agreement set forth by the primary stakeholders of the process, the DENR, DILG both represented by the respective Provincial O&ce of Laguna, the leaders of the Partido Kalikasan (PK) and the respective Kagawad of the 16 Pilot Baranggay’s conducted a planning-workshop address the common template to be used in the process of conducting the Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (V/DRRM) planning exercise.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE:

To formulate a Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (V/DRRM) Plan in selected pilot Barang-gay of the province through participatory process which involve all major stakeholders at the Village level with the fol-lowing speci$c targets:

1. To conduct participatory process of formulating a Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (VDRRM) Plan in selected Baranggay that will be used as tem plate in other Baranggays within the province which is under di"erent characteristics within the (a) urban/industrial area, (b) upland community and (c) lakeside; 2. To conduct and facilitate social mobilization phase among the members of the commu nity and organize themselves as an active player; and 3. To facilitate a multi-party partnership project that will enhance a collaborative work with the national agencies, Local Government unit (LGU), Partido Kalikasan, KA BALANGAY and other Civil Society Organizations for Climate Change mitigation plan.

TIMEFRAME: April to June 2014

METHODOLOGY

a. Preparatory Phase, February 2014 to April 5, 2014: Uni$cation and Integration of Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (VDRRM) Framework, Strategy and Mechanism. Identi$ed activities were as fol-lows:

1. February 21, 2014: Round Table Discussion with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Partido Kalikasan and KABALANGAY as the Secretariat. 2. March 8-9, 2014: Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (VDRRM) Process Integration vis-à-vis Orientation. 3. April 22, 2014: International Earth Day Celebration (Bay, Laguna) 4. April 29-30, 2014: Integration of Plans and Framework through the conduct of a Pro vincial Workshop: Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (VDRRM) Framework to be attended by respective leaders of KABALANGAY, PK and DEMO LAY, including representatives from Sangguniang Baranggay, Sangguniang Bayan/Pan glunsod and MENRO.


44 45Table 1: Process-Planning Exercise

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b. Pre-Implementation Phase: From April 2014 to May 2014. !e identi$ed activities will be as follows

Table 2: Implementation Phase/VDRRM Template


46 47

Process

a) Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and !reat (SWOT) Exercise : 1 Hourb) Risk Assessment/Community Pro$le : 1 hourc) Workshop: 1 Hour 1) Preparatory Phase 2) Actual Phase 3) Post Disaster Phased) Consolidation: 1 Hour

Last March 8, 2014, a planning workshop was held to harmonize di"erent framework that being practiced by the di"erent stakeholders. Primarily, respective Kagawad from 16 identi$ed pilot Baranggay, Partido Kalikasan lead-ers together with the representative from the Provincial O&ce of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) agreed for the following framework:


Secretariat:

Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay (KABALANGAY), Inc., the Party Institute of the Laguna Provincial Directorate of Partido Kalikasan (PK) is designated to act as the project Secretariat primarily responsible to facilitate a coordinative mechanism among and between the primary stakeholder of the project. KABALANGAY’s duties shall include but shall not be limited to coordination, documentation, resource mobilization and other related task provided by the parties concern.

Technical Working Group (TWG):

It represents designated personnel from the DILG, DENR both from the respective Provincial O&ce, KA-BALANGAY, Partido Kalikasan both from the Provincial Directorate and National O&ce. It is primarily tasked to assist the respective pilot Baranggay in the preparation of the Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction

Management (V/DRRM) plan and provide logistic and technical supports in facilitating the community planning. It is also the responsibilities of the respective o&ce’s to provide Institutional supports that will guarantee for the smooth implementation of the project.

REQUIREMENTS

One of the required outputs of the March 8 Inter-Agency Planning Workshop is the submission on March 20, 2014 of the Intended logistics, equipment, training and other pre-required requisites for the imple-mentation of Village level Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (VDRRM). A pre-community planning exercise will be conducted from March 10 to 15, 2014 in the respective identi$ed pilot Baranggay. !ese will be consolidated and to be discussed with the respective Provincial Directors of the DILG and DENR in prepara-tion to the meeting with the Climate Change Commission, O&ce of the Commissioner Yeb Sano on March 24, 2014.

MONITORING AND REPORTORIAL REQUIREMENTS

A month a#er the end of the project term, July 2014, KABALANGAY, Inc. will submit to the donor an audited $nancial report, summary of the narrative report with the attachment of the attendance, photos and certi$cation from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Laguna O&ce.

VDRRM IMPLEMENTATION PHASE: SPECIFIC TASK AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In the upcoming Provincial Summit of April 29-30, 2014, the respective O&ce of the Climate Change Commis-sion (CCC), DENR, DILG, Partido Kalikasan (PK/Greens PH) and KABALANGAY will undertake a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to implement the stipulated plan in the province of Laguna.


48 49

F KABALANGAY SAVINGS PROGRAM (KSP) EVALUATION RESULTSOF THE “TESTING PERIOD”: Entry Point for Party Building

!e conduct of the process-evaluation of the “Testing Period” for twenty-$ve (25) weeks of operation was de-signed to determine the factors that may in%uence the intended outcome of the Green Village Ecological base.

Governance Development Framework (Green Village/Green VEGDF). From January 22 to 31, 2014, the evalu-ation of the Baranggay Mabacan, Calauan, Laguna Baranggay PaloAlto and Sirang Lupa, Calamba City and Baranggay Dita, Sta.Rosa City were attended by the leaders of Partido Ka-likasan/Green PH and their respective elected Village (Baranggay) O&cials. !e evaluation focused on the six (6) local chapters (Centers) in the identi$ed priority Baranggay.

Green Village Ecological based Governance Development Framework (Green Village/VEGDF) is a framework designed from the post –election workshop of October 2013 local election attended both by leaders of Partido Kalikasan- Provincial Directorate of Laguna, the elected members from 23 Baranggay of the Province and the sta" and leaders of its provincial party institute, the Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay (KABALANGAY/Green Village). Consequently, three (3) elements were determined to be the focal activity of the party, i.e. (1) Enterprise Development (KABALANGAY Saving Project/KSP) (2) Baranggay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and (3) Local Green Laws and Policy For-mulation.

From the Twenty !ree (23) Barangays with an elected representative from the members of the Partido Ka-likasan – Laguna, the initial four (4) Barangay were determined to be the pilot area for the Green Village/VEGDF). In both ways, the learning from this experience will be a big help for the National leaders of the party to identify its orga-nizing strategy to advance its cause for environmental base development agenda and the institutional expression at the grassroots level who represent the real arena for the advocacy of Green Governance.

KABALANGAY and the Provincial Directorate of the party believe that the framework will be developed in the process of its implementation and hoping that from 4 identi$ed Baranggay as against to the 674 in Laguna, it will be duplicated at least in the 30% (202) of the Barangays.

Using the Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) and the SWOT Analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and !reat), these tools ensure that the process is facilitated by the leaders and community centered.

THE PROCESS

Focus

!e “Testing Period” of 25 weeks (5 months) is part of the Social Preparation Phase which determined the level of acceptability and understanding of the local party members and the community in general to the objective, direction, strategy and institutional requirements of the program.

During its process, the only intervention provided by the Provincial leaders and the sta" of KABALANGAY is through its Baranggay Volunteer Worker (BVW). It limits it’s mentoring through formal meeting but not on the $eld level. !e operation is basically done by the community alone. No formal activities were conducted with the sta" of KA-BALANGAY/PK Laguna with the pilot areas.

!e process will be the determining parameter for the party’s moral and political readiness in assuming its re-sponsibility to undertake the serious business of leading the community on the party’s agenda.

Flow

!e %ow as agreed upon by the Steering Committee was conducted on a two (2) day process.

For the $rst day, it focused on: (a) Contextualization (Process Evaluation); Organizational Development and Management, Orientation and Impact and (b) the SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and !reat process) as a toll and (c) Annual Action plan 2014.

For the second day, it focuses on the presentation, critiquing and adoption of the evaluation result and planning. Both days were facilitated by the local leaders and members of the party.

Attendees

The process was attended by the local leaders, provincial leaders and the elected village leaders. It is facilitated by the Sta" of KABALANGAY/Partido Kalikasan – Laguna.

It was an open discussion that allowed other members to participate in the whole process. Eighty-$ve (85) % of the attendees were women, while 93% are no formal education at the college level. Ninety seven (97) % were no experi-

RATIONALE

EVALUATION RESULTS OF THE “TESTING PERIOD” FOR GREEN VILLAGE/VEGDF FRAMEWORKJanuary 22 to 31, 2014


50 51

Table1. Compliance result based from the number of weeks of operation, participation of the members (Sav-ing Mobilization/Attendance) and the perceptions of the leaders and members

FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

1.THE KABALANGAY Saving Program (KSP) Organizing Process

Social Preparation Phase: Pre-determine Testing Period (Four Month)

!e process is a $ve (5) month activity that de$nes as the Social Acceptability process that requires the ":

(a) Core Group formation of 5 person from party members that requires to recruit an average 35 individuals; attend regular consultations and training provided by the party; identify and elect Baranggay Volunteer Workers (BVW) that is responsible to assist the community leaders to implement the project and related activity; the initial members of the core group will start the project implementation from among themselves. (b) Pre-identi$cation of potential members. Potential members will come from friends, family members and among others. (c) Community planning will be conducted by the members and from the members of the elected Village Council who are members of the Party; the focus is the Savi9ng Mobilization as its scheme; major consideration to the exercise is the survey of the member’s regular product re quirements that are needs by the members on a weekly basis. (d) !e 1st two months, of the saving project will focus on collection; the initial collected amount will now be its start-up Capital for Small Trading Business. System and Mechanism requires a weekly meeting vis-à-vis collection period; passbook was issued individually for records of the respective “Savings”; standard forms for simple bookkeeping and accounting were provided; monthly assessment were determined and attended by the KABALANGAY Saving Project Co ordinator.

Testing Period Process Evaluation

!e two days process focused on (a) informal sharing of experiences by the leaders; ,consciously look-ing on organizational development and management process, individual commitment and the savings status; (b) formal process using the SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, !reat and Opportunity) as a toll: (c) Annual Action Planning Exercise and for the second day, Community Presentation, Critiquing and Finalization; the SWOT result and the Action plan will be adopted by the members of the elected Village Council members, he is responsible to advocate to the “Council” to support then Action plan.

!e documents were signed by the members of the party and the Sangguniang Baranggay.

!e Incubation Phase (Feb. 2014- Dec. 2015)

!e Annual Plan by the respective “Centers” identi$ed the two (2) years Incubation Phase as its Vision. It re-quires:

1. Enterprise Development

ence to manage enterprise development project while 90% have a signi$cant experience in political and social groups. 3% of the leaders had their own business ate the community and the rest are simple resident of the community.

Cost In their desire to accomplish the organization’s goal, the budget for the 2 day activity has been shouldered by the local party members.

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52 53

a) Systematize the documentations of the respective centers, including but not limited to the ":

(1) Internal Policies on Trading Welfare Bene$ts of the members;

(2) Patronizing Business and the Patronage Refund policy

(3) Individual Commitment of members including the clear policies on Patronage refund.

b) Strengthening of the Internal Finance Control and Management which requires the opening of bank transaction for (1) Saving Mobilization that will not be withdrawn in a year time and (2) Welfare Fund of P5.00 per week to be loaned out to the members a#er 6 months.

c) Implementation of the Committee System for:

(1) Finance Committee, responsible to oversee the collection, monitoring and su pervision over the records and other transaction;

(2) Project Development Committee, responsible to develop new projects; and

(3) Project Management Committee, responsible to supervise the management of the community business.

d) Integration of the Social Entrepreneurial system to the project. e) Skills and theoretical Training and Education development f) Development of Business plan g) Institutionalization of the (1) monthly assessment (2) quarterly evaluation h) Coordination of the respective committee to its counterpart with Sangguniang Barang gay respective committees. i) Formation of the community enterprise group, i.e. Cooperative j) Consolidation of the six (6) centers to start the Micro-Finance project. !is includes the creation of a committee that will prepare the paper works (research materials, poli cy paper, and initial plan).

Signi$cant points in establishing a formal structure like a cooperative was recognized. !e evaluation also recognized the need for a grassroots based project for the management. As a result, the abrupt formation of the cooperative including its stringent system was found to be incompatible with the targeted stakeholders who were also rural folks.

Political support was also a factor to the success of the activity.

2. Village Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan

Party leaders at the Village level will coordinate and forged formal partnership with the respective Village Council (Sangguniang Baranggay ) for Village Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan. It is a tri-party project from the National, local and PK.

3. Local Green Laws and Policy Formulation

To strengthen and provide the Institutional requirements needed to support the Enterprise Develop-ment and Village Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan. It includes Training on local Green Gover-nance.

SUMMARY

On the $nal analysis, the Testing Period proved that the existing element will in%uence to the outcome of the project were a (1) clear strategy and level of understanding on Green Government at the Village level (2) Strong presence of the party members (elected or non-elected) and (3) support system from the provincial party institute.

!e “Testing Period” as Provided by the KABALANGAY people considers the KSP as its entry point in the com-munity to establish (a ) strong hold on members (b) rede$ne the strategy of socio- economic activity base on its existing culture and expectations (c) continuing review to the correctness of the strategy on Green Governance and electoral process.

For the requirements on establishing a successful enterprise developing project, the stated element were resulted from the process of action planning exercise that requires institutional supports to strengthen its organization to surpass the challenge of its next stage, the incubation phase. On the other hand, it is in our intention to organize a distinct opera-tional structure represented by the leaders of the community that will manage the program. Empower the local leaders in organizing a Board of Directors represented and from the recommendation of the majority of the KSP Centers in each of the respective community. It will be registered to acquire legal and juridical personality that will separate from the KABALANGAY/Greens Village operation. !e Micro-Finance and Greens Enterprise Development project will be the green enterprise arm of the party and manage by the local leaders themselves.

!e experiences derived during the process of the “testing Period” add in the long list of steps of organizing for empowerment and reform.

!e Testing Period as a process re%ects the need to focus on the Strategy as well as the corresponding process and support mechanism.


54 55

G 2014 Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF) Political Statement6

FROM GRASSROOT TO GOVERNMENT:Converging of the Green Ideologies and Facing the Challenges of TimeNovember 30, 2013

From Grassroots to Government.

!e theme on the 3rd Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF) Congress is a philosophical statement which is not exclusively owned or pre- de$ned by a particular group or individual. It is Construed as a narra-tion of facts; a summary of long history of struggle for a society that represents an acceptable social norms; an individual anecdote on one’s personal belief. It consists of view and contribution in building a society that is based on Green Five Pillars (Social Justice, Ecological integrity, National Solidarity and Active Non-Violence, Participatory Democracy and Personal Integrity).

!e same aspiration form the ordinary people’s dream and hope for a government justly caters the need

and requirements on becoming a decent member of the society. !e community and its constituent should be prepared to accept the challenges to govern. !e process in developing a Green party as a social movement and the peculiarity of the support system that can be provide by the APGF as its Federation is the centerpiece of this Political Statement.

For the Asia Paci$c Green Federation (APGF), the theme represents its political and philosophical views. It was articulated in the paper presented by Partido Kalikasan narrating the existence of the social movement simply express its continuing interest to the path of social change from its socio-political situation. Historically, colonial past and the traditions shared by local folk extend to the current generation of alternative seekers. , the shared passion of consistency in social movement in the country is among the many traditions that de$ne the Filipino way of living. !e importance of a party that developed and is still developing its own strength and capability to assert its inherent power to govern is re%ective in its interest in the micro condition of its society and understand the relationship of its government in in%uencing the outcome of the grassroots condition.

A clear strategy de$ning the Party’s future role of achieving the same universally accepted norms is the “missing link” that the present leadership of the respective party must look into. APGF sees the need to provide a strategic role in harnessing and developing a core of party builders in the region, especially those countries in Asia which represent various experiences and learning process among and between parties’ in power and the emerging ones is crucial.

It re%ects on how APGF view the importance of its presence in the region. It will be measured on how the individual party undertakes the process of “credibility and integrity building”. !e process will be char-acterized by an independent though coherent party that independently operating within the context of its respective sociological de$nition, political- cultural existence and varying experiences. A political party that represents the ideals of the respective regions should be guided by leaders who by themselves are epitomes of accountability. !e development of APGF from a simple network of advocates into a much organizationally binding federation will be seen as the parameter in o"ering ourselves as an alternative ideology and govern-ment in the region.

APGF must provide a support system that will enhance the capability of the emerging party into devel-oping an alternative governance system not only on a Marco level… but instead in the, Micro one. Furthermore, in the paper presented by Partido Kalikasan in developing a Village Eco-Governance Development Framework, it further stated that developing an alternative political system does not necessarily meant to follow on the dictum that society dictates. Green politics system does not necessarily follow and religiously adhere in every letter of how the Western people introduce Green politics in the region or debunk on how the Capitalist word manipulate democracy or the Chinese model of society.

In summary, to realize the 3rd Congress !eme, APGF vision of Governance will be measured on two but interrelated elements: (1) strengthening of the emerging party; and (2) the converging of green ideology based on the di"erent perspective of the Party in power and the emerging party in particular.

6Unpublished Report for the (suppose) 3rd APGF Congresss


56 57

Emerging Challenges

!e Asia Paci$c Greens Federation Secretariat on 2011 conducted Training Needs Assessment (TNA) to determine its strategy to the required organization development and management program of the member parties. !e respondents were from full members: ECOLO Japan, Pakistan Green Party; Associate members: Sri Lankan Green Alliance, Serikat Hidjau Indonesia; friends of APGN: China (Chinese) Green Party, Non- Member: Green Party Malaysia, Solomon Island Green Party.

Signi$cant points for consideration were raise in the Areas of Party Building and Party Management particular on:

(a) Financial Management(b) Fund raiser Management(c) Managing Electoral campaign(d) Memberships recruitment & development(e) Training Party Candidates & Executives(f) Managing research and development(g) Managing Policy Advocacy(h) Managing International Programme(i) Party volunteer management(j) Party Discipline and Management of Con%icts(k) Project development & resource mobilization, and(l) Marketing & brand management

Findings were as follows:

1. More than 50% of respondents are intending to run in state/lower congress or national con gress/senate. 2. Highest rate in term of capacity willing to share are: how to accredit as a political party (56%) & managing elections (57%). 3. Highest rate in term of training needs are: building party secretariat (62%) and managing fund raiser (75%). 4. Barrier to party building are varied: from low capacity to prohibitive cost, di&culty in party registration to lack of public trust to parties.

Strengthening of the Emerging Party

!e emerging Party, like Partido Kalikasan (Philippine Green Party/GREENS.PH) must consistently review its organizing strategy and its basic document that will cope for the present sociological conditions of each of the respective member-country. While a number a number of its leaders and members shared the same passion of advancing its political agenda and hoping that it will share the same Status quo compare to the dominant political Parties, signi$cantly there is still a “missing link” that will make the hope into a realizable one. A party that is initiated by the grassroots represents the grassroots aspirations re%ects its socio-political and socio-economic conditions.

Aside from its di"erent sociological condition from its archipelagic situation, no amount of single orga-nizing strategy will de$ne respective Party’s operating structure, methodology and framework as we are facing the challenges imposed by the ruling elite which managed to control and in%uence the political diversity of the respective country since time immemorial. !e Traditional norms are already being part of the existing culture and “blood line” of each of its respective citizen. APGF must assist in determining organizational models from identi$ed countries that will de$ne its distinct structure, methodology and framework that is born and a prod-uct of its respective culture and experiences.

Imperative to the success of the program is the role of the Asia Paci$c Green Federation(APGF) in de-veloping network likeminded groups and individuals who can shares knowledge, information and other tech-nical expertise that is deemed required to achieve the intended result of the program. APGF represents varies of experiences from the member organization and other likeminded networks in the region which represents the same level of organization status. APGF maintains a catalogue of theory and best practice in the govern-ment in power or the emerging party that can be a big help for developing a Greens Party to achieve the same level enjoyed by other parties.

APGF must maintain its characteristic in deviating itself in engaging in thematic issue and propaganda. On the assumption that APGF is working toward building a political party that will challenge every single posi-tion in the political arena, APGF should introduce an eco-governance model based on the uniqueness of the country.

Converging of the Green Ideology: !e Post Materialist View Versus the 3rd world agony

!e theme of the 3rd regional congress of the Asia Paci$c Green Network (APGF) this coming March 2014 in the Philippines was taken. With permission, from a research done by German researcher Serhat Unaldi in 2009 entitled “From Grassroots to Government: A Study of Recent Green Party Building in the Philippine”, the original study established that the mere presence of an emerging green party in a relatively poor country like the Philippines puts into question the post-materialist thesis. It seems that the environment is more that a “quality of life” issue, especially in a country where vast sections of the population still struggle to meet their basic needs.

!e above mentioned study concluded the following:

It was shown in the Philippines it is the political environment and the country’s historical trajectory rather than the dominance of materialist values that sets limits to green party success. !at the $rst grassroots-based green party in Southeast-Asia has emerge in the Philippines and not in one of the economically stronger neighboring countries puts (Ronald) Inglehart’s post materialist thesis into question. Surveys have shown that Filipinos express consistently more concern for the environment than, for example, people in Germany. It seem that environmentalism can potentially be rooted as much in a'uence as in deprivation. !e environmental consciousness of local communities has been realizes by the PK and constitutes its main ideological and stra-tegic base. However, the more urgent climate change becomes, the less it makes sense to maintain the division


58 59

between materialist and post-materialist reasons for green party formation anyway.

APGF must establish the basic theoretical and philosophical framework that will harmonize its tool on social analysis of the existence on the respective Green party based on its unique characteristic. And later, APGF must establish its own theoretical and philosophical views on the Green Party in the region.

Conclusion: Facing the Challenges of Time!

!ere is a constant need to balance the polarity of the two contending realities of the “Western Culture” and to the poorer countries on the nature of the Greens Party. !is can only be realized if APGF will rede$ne its role on the basic requirement and support mechanism on Party building in Asia and to constitute a Training-Organizing and Research Program.

!e Training-Organizing and Policy Research Program is an internal program designed to formulate a Training-Organizing/Party Building Program which constitute on strengthening of the emerging party and its institutionalization. !e implied strategy will focus on developing Party Builder capacity and capability to ac-quire general skills to specialized Sectoral Concerns (Gender Equality, Indigenous People/Youth and LGBT’s). !e collation includes strategic assessment on the current socio-political situation on the respective countries of the region as well as the collation di"erent experiences and document history of social movement. !e study of the existing governance model and thematic issues that a"ect the ecological situation of respective country is likewise crucial.

One among the many suggested mechanism is to provide a special focus on Asian regions that have diverse culture and rich historical values on social movements. It is imperative to create an Asian desk that will provide strategic leadership in consolidating greens initiative and e"ectively implement the design provided by the APGF. On the other hand, established green parties who were already in power at the national level like Australia and New Zealand and local green parties in Japan should review its strategic commitment to ensure the implementation of the program provided by APGF.

It is the intention of the recommendation to provide an e"ective social environment to build the Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF) as the true representative of the “One Voice” of the region founded in its ideology which represents common philosophy and theoretical foundation in advancing a Green agenda in the region.

4RELATED LOCAL AND FOREIGN LITERATURE


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a) Village Eco-Governance: Dr. Stewart Jackson 7

!e Philippines Greens/ Partido Kalikasan (PK) formed in 2003, brought together members of envi-ronmental NGOs in the Philippines to advance the cause of environmental protection in the political arena. !e party however never registered. !e people involved did form a Party List groups to contest elections. !ey were, however, unsuccessful. At least one other of the initial leadership joined the Government administra-tions, although not as party members. !e PK itself struggled along from 2004-2013 under the leadership of Roy Cabonegro. During that time, the party held meetings, recruited members (primarily via social media) and attempted establish some form of internal structure.

In late 2013 the Vice Chairperson of the party, Elias (‘Kiko’) Labro put forward an alternative plan for local level training and organizing. Labro then became National Chairperson. !e key concepts behind Labro’s plan, to create a locally based organization, will be examined here, and some conclusions drawn from this.

Methodology

Although some work has previously focused on Asia Paci$c Green parties (particularly Unaldi 2009), there is only limited documentary evidence to draw upon. !erefore the primary exploration of the party has been through interviews and site visits to selected local groups within the Philippines. Interviews were con-ducted with Kiko Labro and members of the party in Central Manila, while site visits to party projects, includ-ing discussions with local members, were conducted in Laguna Province.

!e documents provided by the party o"er an overview of the new party plan, while the structured interviews provide key insights into the organizing ethos behind the plan, an enunciation of the problems and barriers faced by the party (as perceived by party members), and commentary regarding the future trajectory of the party in electoral terms.

Literature

!e Philippines has a long history both of voting and a vibrant civil society. It equally has a long history of colonialism, authoritarianism and insurgency. !e most recent period of authoritarian rule, under President Marcos, ended in 1986, and with its ending it was expected that Filipino democracy might %ourish. However, insurgencies continued, particularly from the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)/Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the movement which ousted Marcos split between reformers and those who favoured armed struggle (see Tadem 2011). Peoples Power was called upon again to oust President Estrada, who had been accused of corruption, and in the hope that new President Arroyo would herald new democratic activities that Greens PH was formed to further environmental actions and claims.

However, pro-democracy movements in the Philippines need to be understood in a broader context of social movement activity in the archipelago. Bourdreau (2013) makes a clear case for a pre-existing structur-ing of movement activity linked to existing social and political structures. !e tensions embodied within these

structures, dormant during the immediate a#ermath of the overthrow of Marcos in 1986, re-emerged in 1987, particularly a#er the election of a new Congress. Old rivalries, amongst new and existing factions seeking pow-er, in%uence and particularized outcomes, asserted themselves in new alignments between various movement bases. Amongst these have been the larger environmental NGOs, working with each of the incoming Presi-dents to move existing laws forward, but equally working within a political sphere structured by pre-existing elites and factions.

!e context of Philippine democracy movement’s needs, then, to be seen beside environmental con-cerns aris ing from a number of signi$cant issues, o#en connected to corruption and cronyism. Foremost are ongoing concerns surrounding illegal logging and mining (or more particularly, the non-enforcement of Philippine laws). Alongside this sits more localized issues of illegal or fraudulent land acquisitions and the dispossession of peasant farmers, as well as global issues including climate change. !e series of issues from the global to the local featured a number of common elements in the failure to implement existing laws and a failure to adequately adapt to, and prepare for, changing environmental conditions.

!at said, the Philippines has a long history of movement based activities, going back to the original struggles to expel the Spanish colonialists in the late 19th century, and then the US in the 20th century. !e Philippines also has a long history peasant and labor union activism, primarily around land reform and the right to form union, and these movements have remained active during the various periods of authoritarian or corrupt rule. !e emerging environment is a newer civil society movement, but equally and important one that is able to link a number of movements together. One example is that of the human rights movement. While human rights in the Philippines are currently being addressed through organizations such as the Centre for Human Rights, aided by compensatory laws regarding victims of the Martial Law period under Marcos, the more general issues of rights of people to live in safe, secure housing, be able to work unhindered by corruption or illegal practices, and (for farmers and $sher folk) to have access to their means of livelihood, are less well addressed. !ese issues also formed the core of ongoing protests and the mobilizing context of the CPP and National Democratic Front.

!e potential for environmental issues to then overlay with these struggles is highlighted by climate change. Climate change a"ects farmers and insecure land holders through increased chance of %ooding, loss of land/livelihood and destruction of property. Illegal logging has in impact here as well, as through poor log-ging practices, land is cleared in unstable areas, leading to landslips and increased runo". !is pollutes water-ways, %oods houses and potentially collapses on people’s houses themselves, taking lives. Increased and more destructive typhoon activity, as seen with Typhoon Yolanda, again a"ects poor and susceptible peoples ($sher folks, those in poorer barrios) disproportionately.

Alongside civil society movements in the Philippines, the institutional process also seeks to incorporate disparate voices within the parliamentary and electoral process. While the Philippine Congress is a unicameral house elected through universal su"rage, similarly to other nations in the region, it retains a feature that is unique: a partial list system, designed to provide representation to non-party actors. While 75% of seats within the Congress are reserved for MPs elected from single member electorate (using a FPTP system), the additional 25% of seats are elected using a list system. Groups campaigning for the list, however, cannot be registered po-litical parties, and need to be able to identify as a supporting a particular group or section of Philippine society to qualify. Additionally, for a party to be elected on the list it needs to achieve 2%, and groups are limited to

7Dr. Stewart Jackson; Initial Report


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elected 3 MPs.

!e intended impact of the list system was to provide additional representation outside the existing parties (and attendant oligarchs and elites). However, it has generally not functioned well, with the compliment of seats set aside for the list not being $lled in the $rst four post-Marcos elections. Compounding this, the limit of 3 seats per group encourages fragmentation and competition amongst groups that might otherwise have co-operated to win seats, fragmenting the progressive and le# wing vote to the extent that seats were lost through not reaching the threshold.

In this context, would it then be reasonable for a Green party to arise in the more standardized western (and predominantly European) model of party development? If we follow Duverger (1964), it was the expan-sion of su"rage that provides the $rst stirrings of the modern party. From there, however, we go to local no-tables, as these are the $rst to whom the newly enfranchised populace turn to. !ese local notables form the $rst cadre parties within the parliamentary assembly. Extra-parliamentary organizations form (generally on the le#) to generate the $rst mass parties. Critically, the form of electoral system will also determine whether there are multiple e"ective parties or the system becomes e"ectively bi-partisan. Sartori also engages in a long discussion of the shi# from ‘faction’ to ‘party’, and critically states that “parties are channels of expression” (1976, p27) – they are a mechanism for the population to express their views to the executive. However, party

development is also taking place within a political and economic paradigm a"ected by two wars and a shi# from welfarism to neo-liberal capitalism. Parties are seen as much more institutions of the state, even while remaining as the principle link between electors and parliaments, yet still an intrinsic party of the political systems in developed nations. Dean Jaensch states this bluntly in relation to Australian politics, “Politics in Australia, almost entirely, is party politics” (1994, p2).

Green parties in Europe, particularly the most successful parties such as Germany’s Die Grunen, and France’s Les Verts, had their beginnings in le# and alternative gatherings of activists. In the German case this developed from an electoral coalition of civil society organizations, designed to campaign at both the Lander and federal levels. While winning seats at the local level was seen as important, the focus remained primarily on attempting to enter government. !is ultimately led the party into coalitions with the Social Democrats at both levels, and became a template for what Green parties would strive to achieve.

Partido Kalikasan and the environment movement

From the outset, the new Philippine Greens, Partido Kalikasan (PK) was hamstrung by the pre-existing structuring of movement activities. Bourdreau notes that social movements in the Philippines tended to fall into two blocks, those favoring democracy-as-governance, and those favoring democracy-as-electoralism. Fol-lowing the ‘good governance’ road means looking for instrumental outcomes from government, and equally means aligning with factions already within the government to achieve those aims. Aligning with the electoral model means competing with other factions, movement and parties to win popular support (‘mandates’) for policies through a populist appeal to voters. !e former group emphasizes the alignment of Philippine govern-ment to global liberal norms, and would seem particularly suited to an emergent Greens party, the ideology of which is $rmly rooted in those norms (see Rico).

Core elements of the environment movement followed the 'governance' model. Unaldi (2009) notes that the party’s formation was centered on high pro$le technocrats and environmentalists, at least two of which went to senior government posts. !e intent in each case was to seek better environmental outcomes through governance

!e impact of institutional arrangements needs also to be highlighted. While noting that the list system that is intended to provide 25% of seats in the Congress, it has rarely delivered, and has fragmented existing pro-democracy (and environmental) actors. !is particularly a"ected the parties and groups that had allied during the post-martial period under Marcos (1981-86), such that, although they had been part of the over-throw of Marcos' authoritarian regime, they were not able to capitalise on events following Marcos' downfall and departure from Philippine politics. While the Presidency of Corazon Aquino following Marcos initially promised a rapprochement with the various civil society actors, the reality was that the pre-existing movement structuring was reinforced by the new Constitution's attempts at electoral engineering.

!e post-EDSA consensus amongst pro-democracy (and anti-Marcos) forces then began to break down. While Corazon Aquino appeared to initially be prepared to favor an open form of government, and indeed to build bridges with CPP/NPA insurgency leaders, by 1988 this had begun to disintegrate, and those


64 65

initially described as part of the new Philippines were once again being described as terrorists. Land reform, a crucial element of CPP/NPA demands, was even brie%y considered, but nothing came of negotiations that might have otherwise threatened entrenched interests. !e brief period 1986-87 was therefore overshadowed by a return to a more elite-structured politics. Aquino was followed as President by former Marcos-period General and Defense Minister, Fidel Ramos, and then by movie star-turned-politician Joseph Estrada (“Erap”).

!e Estrada presidency, itself characterized as kleptocratic, can however also be seen as a re-emergence of a populist versus elite politics mode. Estrada, a popular $gure with working and poor people, was elected to the Presidency over more established $gures from the traditional elites. !e campaigns against him (leading to EDSA 2) were themselves a product of elite-driven disagreements over the direction of the country, including economic reform. !ese disagreements particularly agitated the urban middle class, who not having necessar-ily bene$ted in the post-Marcos period from renewed economic growth now turned their attention to Estrada. !is class-driven divide recreates older debates between poor, and particularly working class people, and urban middle classes and elites. It also recreates a cycle of Filipino politics between populism and elite authority.

!e environment movement, predominantly urban and middle class, mirrors that of the core of envi-ronmental movements in the west. Whether we take Inglehart's post-material thesis seriously or not, that the key groups identifying as 'environmentalist' are predominantly urban needs is a consideration. While in the west rural and regional people may suggest they are environmentalists too, this is not their primary source of identity or identi$cation. Processes of technological change in industrial agriculture have removed the require-ment for high numbers of agricultural workers, and with the advent of modern broad-acre farming techniques have also removed many small farmers from rural areas, as much as urban areas have grown as industry expands. However, in the Philippines, there are still signi$cant numbers of rural peasantry, as well as critical numbers of regional poor in towns and cities outside the urban conurbation of Manila. While many of these people would feel the impacts of environmental concerns quite deeply, they would not normally $gure in the calculations of support for environmental concerns. It is in this context that the PK has attempted to form and build over the extended period 2003-2014.

Village Eco Governance Development Framework (VEGDF)

By 2013, PK could claim 635 members, and, although the party had been in existence for 10 years, had yet to contest an election. !e National Committee of PK did $nally decide to move to a structure that would allow the party to register with COMELEC as party to contest the 2016 national election. !e Deputy Chair-person of PK, Elias Labro, outlined a new direction for the party, in which the party would move away from what appeared to be a predominantly urban-based membership and structure, to one that would work in small communities and at the barangay level. !e intention of the shi# in party direction would allow the party to build a grassroots based structure, and hopefully lead to a more solid organizing base. !e new focus would also allow the party to be more active in local and provincial politics, although would also be resource intensive in respect of party workers time and money.

!e key to the new party focus would by the “Village Eco Governance Development Framework” (VEGDF), which would have a primary focus at the barangay level, with localized goals and structure. !e initial trial for the organizing principles would be in Labro’s home province of Laguna, 2 hours drive southwest of Manila on the southern edge of Laguna da Bay, centered around the city of Bay. !e province is historically signi$cant in Philippine history, as the birthplace of the national independence hero, Jose Rizal, and as a site of early Spanish settlement in the 17th century.

!e VEGDF is based upon organizing at the lowest possible level, and creating what might otherwise be called ‘a&nity’ groups supporting the party. However, distinctly from western movement organizing where a&nity groups support the broad movement through either dealing with sectional demands of the main move-ment or as purely support groups, PK at the barangay level would be organized to deliver speci$c bene$ts to

local people, and would focus key party elements as a form of community organizing. !e $rst element of the VEGDF would be a form of savings bank, built amongst the poorest community members, but as a move away from micro-$nancing and towards self-reliance/cooperative arrangements. !e second element was to focus on disaster management as a way of working on local issues. Lastly, having worked for the election of o&cials at the barangay level, the party also needs to train and support those o&cials, both in respect of their working activities, but also in governance and technical expertise.


66 67

!e Kabalangay Savings Program (KSP) would envisage local communities, based on street-level groups of 50 members, gathering to save small amounts of money to build capital that would allow them to then col-lectively purchase items. While micro-$nance could be accessed for this, the potential is that where a project is unsuccessful the borrower is le# exposed to the $nance provider. By acting cooperatively, groups of people are

able to build their own capital to start their own enterprises, without the added worry of repayments or in-terest. !e amount saved each week (per member) is 20 pesos, a relatively small amount by western standards, but amongst the 50 members of each group can grow quite quickly to a substantial amount of money. !e $rst groups to begin with KSP have moved to become rice dealers, where they buy rice (a food staple for villag-ers) at reduced prices from a whole-saler, before on-selling the rice to lo-cal buyers. KSP members themselves get a discount on rice purchases, so receive an immediate bene$t from the process, while also building the capital within the enterprise. !e aim

would be that a#er a period of local collection, the KSP project would then transfer their savings from what amounts to tins under beds to the more formal structure of a bank, with perhaps the ultimate aim of estab-lishing their own rural cooperative bank. While still in its infancy, the program has had moderate success in generating small income streams for the KSPs, while also providing subsidized rice for local members. !e next stage for the KSP groups would most likely be to $rst expand their range of products or services to increase their market, and from there potentially to move into locally-based cooperative business ventures. Although still based in a market growth paradigm it does represent a shi# from a loan-based economy for many of the people involved.

Disaster management is critical in the Philippines, as the country is prone to signi$cant environmental issues impacting severely on human and economic development. A long history poor, misdirected or illegal development has le# sections of the Philippine community (notably the poorest) particularly vulnerable to the impacts of environmental devastation. Climate change is talked about in the Philippines as a critical issue as the shi#s in weather bring added problems and exacerbate others. Hurricane Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated southern regions around the Leyte Gulf, with much of this destruction still being repaired a year later. Exacer-bating the frequent hurricanes, illegal logging that has cleared upland forests allows for increased runo" and downstream %ooding. For instance, Laguna da Bay was thought to %ood on a 10-year cycle, but now %oods low lying districts annually. On top of climate-based disasters, the Philippines are also signi$cantly a"ected by volcano and earthquakes events. !e combination of these events leaves many communities vulnerable, and

thus disaster management (as much as disaster relief) an important issue at the barangay level.

Disaster management is therefore an interesting governance issue to tackle. Given the intersection of interests surrounding the implementation of any management plans this could also be considered a highly political area. Where particular vested interests (such as forestry or property development) might be threatened by aspects of planning, then it would be expected that political actions may ensue. Equal-ly, that the actions of those interests may be adversely a"ecting the impact of disasters such as extreme weather events upon vulnerable communities may also ensure that people a"ected (such as farming or $shing communi-ties) may also be engaged to become more overtly political. However, at its base level disaster management and planning enables the involvement of local community members in prepara-tory works and training.

Ideally it might also be directed by the community into activities that would directly assist disaster recovery.

!is last part, community participation and decision making, is at the core of the PK use of disaster manage-ment and planning as a way of politicizing, activating and involving local communities in decision making af-fecting their community. For the party to operate at the barangay level, as opposed to the state or national level, however, requires an expenditure of time and resources to support existing and proposed projects and elected o&cials. While the stated aim of the program from PK itself is to develop a community based training program led by the community, this equally implies that the community itself has the capacity to act in this manner.

b. Assessment on the Impact of RA 7160: Baranggay Governance 8

Two signi$cant literature were able to present the signi$cance of the Village level intervention for focus-development and participatory governance. !e enactment of the Republic Act 7160 or must popularly known as the Local Government Code of 1988 and the study conducted by Demetrio Imperial, on the signi$cance of the Local Government Unit (Barangay/Village) as the venue for social change expresses the opportunity for the civil society organization, including the Partido Kalikasan (PK/Greens PH) to in%uence and empowered the grassroots and its political system.

Chapter V, Section 390 of the Local overnment Code of the Philippines or the RA 7160 de$nes the Composition of the Sangguniang Barangay, the legislative body of the Barangay, shall be composed of the Pu-

8Demetrio Imperial Jr., Introducing participatory planning practices with local governments: A Philippines case study


68 69

nong Barangay as presiding o&cer, and the seven (7) regular sangguniang Barangay members elected at large and Sangguniang Kabataan chairman, as members.

In Section 391 which also de$nes its Powers, Duties, and Functions. -

(a) !e Sangguniang Barangay, as the legislative body of the Barangay, shall:

(1) Enact ordinances as may be necessary to discharge the responsibilities conferred upon it by law or ordi-nance and to promote the general welfare of the inhabitants therein;

(2) Enact tax revenue ordinances, subject to the limitations imposed in this Code;

(3) Enact annual and supplemental budgets in accordance with the provisions of this Code;

(4) Provide for the construction and maintenance of barangay facilities and other public works projects charge-able to the general fund of the barangay or such other funds actually available for the purpose;

(5) Submit to the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan such suggestions or recommendations as it may see $t for the improvement of the Barangay or for the welfare of the inhabitants thereof;(6) Assist in the establishment, organization, and promotion of cooperative enterprises that will improve the economic condition and well-being of the residents;

(7) Regulate the use of multi-purpose halls, multi-purpose pavements, grain or copra dryers, patios and other post-harvest facilities, Barangay waterworks, barangay markets, parking areas or other similar facilities con-structed with government funds within the jurisdiction of the Barangay and charge reasonable fees for the use thereof;

(8) Solicit or accept monies, materials and voluntary labor for speci$c public works and cooperative enterprises of the Barangay from residents, land owners, producers and merchants in the Barangay; monies from grants-in-aid, subsidies, contributions, and revenues made available to the Barangays from national, provincial, city or municipal funds; and monies from other private agencies and individuals: Provided, however, !at monies or properties donated by private agencies and individuals for speci$c purposes shall accrue to the Barangay as trust fund;

(9) Solicit or accept, in any or all the foregoing public works and cooperative enterprises, such cooperation as is made available by national, provincial, city, or municipal agencies established by law to render $nancial, tech-nical, and advisory assistance to Barangays and to Barangay residents: Provided, however, !at in soliciting or accepting such cooperation, the Sangguniang Barangay need not pledge any sum of money for expenditure in excess of amounts currently in the Barangay treasury or encumbered for other purposes;

(10) Provide compensation, reasonable allowances or per diems as well as travel expenses for sangguniang barangay members and other barangay o&cials, subject to the budgetary limitations prescribed under Title Five, Book II of this Code: Provided, however, !at no increase in the compensation or honoraria of the sang-guniang barangay members shall take e"ect until a#er the expiration of the full term of all members of the sangguniang barangay approving such increase;

(11) Hold fund-raising activities for barangay projects without the need of securing permits from any national or local o&ce or agency. !e proceeds from such activities shall be tax-exempt and shall accrue to the general fund of the barangay: Provided, !at in the appropriation thereof, the speci$c purpose for which such fund-raising activity has been held shall be $rst satis$ed: Provided, further, !at no fund-raising activities shall be held within a period of sixty (60) days immediately preceding and a#er a national or local election, recall, referendum, or plebiscite: Provided, $nally, !at said fund-raising activities shall comply with national policy standards and regulations on morals, health, and safety of the persons participating therein. !e sangguniang barangay, through the punong barangay, shall render a public accounting of the funds raised at the completion of the project for which the fund-raising activity was undertaken;

(12) Authorize the punong barangay to enter into contracts in behalf of the barangay, subject to the provisions of this Code;

(13) Provide for the administrative needs of the lupong tagapamayapa and the pangkat ng tagapagkasundo;

(14) Provide for the organization of community brigades, barangay tanod, or community service units as may be necessary;

(15) Organize regular lectures, programs, or fora on community problems such as sanitation, nutrition, lit-eracy, and drug abuse, and convene assemblies to encourage citizen participation in government;


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(16) Adopt measures to prevent and control the proliferation of squatters and mendicants in the barangay;

(17) Provide for the proper development and welfare of children in the barangay by promoting and supporting activities for the protection and total development of children, particularly those below seven (7) years of age;

(18) Adopt measures towards the prevention and eradication of drug abuse, child abuse, and juvenile delin-quency;

(19) Initiate the establishment of a barangay high school, whenever feasible, in accordance with law;

(20) Provide for the establishment of a non-formal education center in the barangay whenever feasible, in co-ordination with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports;

(21) Provide for the delivery of basic services; and

(22) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.

It includes, Section 39 of the same code applies the Baranggay Assembly and its mechanism and Composition; Meetings. -

(a) !ere shall be a barangay assembly composed of all persons who are actual residents of the barangay for at least six (6) months, $#een (15) years of age or over, citizens of the Philippines, and duly registered in the list of barangay assembly members.

(b) !e barangay assembly shall meet at least twice a year to hear and discuss the semestral report of the sang-guniang barangay concerning its activities and $nances as well as problems a"ecting the barangay. Its meetings shall be held upon call of the punong barangay or of at least four (4) members of the sangguniang barangay, or upon written petition of at least $ve percent (5%) of the assembly members.

(c) No meeting of the barangay assembly shall take place unless a written notice is given one (1) week prior to the meeting except on matters involving public safety or security, in which case notice within a reasonable time shall be su&cient. !e punong barangay, or in his absence, the sangguniang barangay member acting as punong barangay, or any assembly member selected during the meeting, shall act as presiding o&cer in all the meetings of the assembly. !e barangay secretary, or in his absence, any member designated by the presiding o&cer to act as secretary, shall discharge the duties of secretary of the barangay assembly.

Section 398. Powers of the Barangay Assembly. - !e barangay assembly shall:

(a)Initiate legislative processes by recommending to the sangguniang barangay the adoption of measures for the welfare of the barangay and the city or municipality concerned;

(b) Decide on the adoption of initiative as a legal process whereby the registered voters of the barangay may directly propose, enact, or amend any ordinance; and

(c) Hear and pass upon the semestral report of the sangguniang barangay concerning its activities and $nances.On Demetrio Imperial study on the impact of the Baranggay Council in the country states that “….From the period of Spanish and American colonization, to the Philippine Commonwealth and Republic, up to the Marcos dictatorship in 1972, the Philippines was ruled from the national capital, derisively referred to as "Im-perialist Manila". Centralization has been exacerbated by a culture of dependency and paradigms that look condescendingly upon local level institutions in the belief that the centre knows best. !ere was an e"ort to de-centralize administrative authority (but notpolitical decentralization) during the Marcos dictatorship through a local government Code enacted in 1983. But real power continued to be concentrated in Manila with local units heavily dependent upon central government.

Following the overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, the Aquino administration adopted the Policy Agenda for People-Powered Development, which included decentralization of government structures, minimum government intervention and greater involvement of people in the decision-making, planning and implementation of programmes through community organizations and non-government organizations or NGOs. !e general strategy was based on the emerging paradigm of "growth with equity", where development e"orts are focused on meeting minimum basic needs of the poor rather than on simply achieving macro eco-nomic targets. Since then, "devolution and decentralization have marked Philippine government policies in that while central government provides the broad policy framework and social environment, it is the Local

Government Units (LGUs), private sector and civil society entities which act as the prime engines for growth, equity and sustainability (Quizon, 1997). !e decentralization processes are of three major types:!ree (3) Shi# of power summarizes the study which includes:

1. Shi# from national to local aims to "bring the government closer to the people" involving deconcentra-tionand devolution. Deconcentration or administrative or sectoral decentralization involves central govern-ment transfers of power, authority and responsibility or discretion to plan, decide, manage to lower or local lev-els that are within the central or national government itself. Devolution, or political decentralization, involves the transfer of power and authority from the national government to Local Government Units (LGUs), de$ned in the 1987 Constitution as the territorial and political subdivisions of the state. In this context, devolution is inherently tied to the concept of local autonomy.

2. Shi# from state to private (business) sector, where state assets, programmes and services are contracted to private corporations.

3. Shi# from state to civil society, by which civil society participates directly in government programmes and systems of governance, characterized by 1) the focus on self-organized sectors of civil-society (e.g. NGOs, POs, professional associations, academia, etc.) and 2) instituting participatory mechanisms going beyond elec-tions and similar traditional norms. !e intention here is to address issues of equity for disadvantaged sectors


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and to increase direct participation in governance.

!e Local Government Code of 1991 represents the most radical and comprehensive policy instrument of the Aquino administration to further its "people power agenda." With its avowed objective of reversing the centrist tendencies of Marcos and other previous administrations, the Code incorporates all three forms of decentralization.

!e Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code (LGC), was enacted by Congress and signed into law by former President Corazon Aquino in October 1991 taking e"ect in January 1992. !e LGC is an attempt to more regularly involve people, through their organizations, in governance. It aims to reverse centuries of centralism believed to cause grass-roots underdevelopment and make up for the government's failure to deliver basic services. !e Code decentralizes governance by devolving powers and functions of LGUs and by strengthening the mechanisms for people's participation in governance.

!rough devolution, "the National Government confers power and authority upon the various local government units to perform speci$c functions and responsibilities." However, the autonomy of an LGU - au-tonomous region, province, city, municipality and barangay - as well as its political and administrative powers, are derived powers, not inherent ones. Given its empowerment perspective, the 1991 Code (and its implemen-tation) is an instrument to promote sustainable development and address related problems of poverty, inequity and security.

Under the Ramos administration, anti-poverty measures have been consolidated through the adoption of the Social Reform Agenda (SRA) as the integrated national action agenda for poverty alleviation. Among the companion laws to the LGC are the Cooperative Code of the Philippines; the Comprehensive Agrarian Re-form Law; the Magna Carta for Small Farmers (RA 7606) and the Magna Carta for Countryside Development (Kalakalan 20).

In addition, Mr. Imperial pointed out that Partido Kalikasan or other members of the civil society in helping the government achieve genuine decentralization through:

1. Devolution of authority, assets and personnel of various national government agencies (NGAs) to local government units (LGUs) to provide primary responsibility for basic services and facilities. !is involves the mandatory delivery of $ve basic front-line services - health, social welfare, natural resources and environment, agricultural extension and public works. Other services include education, tourism, telecommunications and housing programmes and projects.

2. !e transfer of various regulatory powers of NGAs to LGUs. !is involves enforcement of certain regulatory powers, implementation of environmental laws, inspection of food products for public consumption, enforce-ment of quarantine regulations and the Sanitation Code, enforcement of the National Building Code, franchis-

ing of tricycles, processing and approval of subdivision plans, licensing of cockpits and regulation of tourism establishments.

!e promotion of people's participation (NGO, POs and private sector) in local governance through the following statutory avenues:

(a) Membership in Local Special Bodies (LSBs). NGOs and POs are represented in Local Special Bodies, primarily but not limited to the Local Development Council, the Local School Board, the Local Health Board, the Pre-quali$cation, Bids and Awards Committee and the Local Peace and Order Council. Non-mandated but Code-inspired LSBs have included Agrarian Reform Councils, Fisheries and Aquatic Reform Councils. Repre-sentation in the LDC is preceded by the process of accreditation by local governments, while representation in other LSBs is by appointment by the local Chief Executive. Although one-fourth of the membership of the Local Development Councils must be comprised of NGOs and POs, the latter have minority representation in LSBs. LDC proposals such as the Local Development Plan are merely recommended to the sanggunians(consultative bodies).

(b) Mandatory Consultations and Public Hearings. NGOs and POs can actively participate in mandatory consultations and public hearings where they help apprise national government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations of local sentiments to consider before implementing projects that could signi$cantly a"ect local host communities.

(c) System of Recall. NGOs and POs may participate in a system of recall where registered voters are against local o&cials whose performance is unsatisfactory.

(d) Local Initiatives and Referenda. NGOs and POs may participate in local initiatives and referenda where registered voters of an LGU may directly propose, enact, repeal or amend ordinances, a process that NGOs and POs may likewise facilitate or participate in.

(e) Sectorial Representation to Local Sanggunians. NGOs and POs are expected to participate in selecting and $elding of sectorial representatives to local sanggunians from labour (industrial or agricultural), women and one representative from either the urban poor, indigenous peoples or the disabled. Broadly, NGOs have participated directly in governance through local government units, national policy and planning agencies, government line agencies, sectorial representation in Congress, and follow-up activities of United Nations summits and international covenants.

GO-NGO/PO mechanisms have been set-up mainly for joint consultations, policy dialogue or implementation of projects, with varying degrees of success. NGO/PO representatives are either appointed by government or selected by the sector itself - to represent either the NGO/PO community, the private sector, basic sectors, or CSOs. Assessment studies identify some success factors of GO-NGO mechanisms: (a) presence of strong local NGOs/POs linked to local and national networks; (b) favourable attitudes and a common understanding on


74 75

SYNOPSIS

the need to collaborate; and (c) presence of high-ranking, supportive GO o&cials.

Mr. Imperial suggest !ree modes of GO-NGO cooperation in the implementation of programmes which states that, generally, there are three modes/types of GO-NGO collaboration: GO-led programmes in which NGOs are hired to undertake speci$c activities (usually community organizing or social preparation) on a contractual basis; Alternative NGO-led programmes wherein NGOs retain control over programme manage-ment and development; and Joint GO-NGO programme development of a government project.

NGO-led programmes. !e government controls programme management and policy decisions. NGOs are usually tapped by government agencies for: (1) social preparation of target communities; (2) needs assessment, project design and monitoring; (3) provision of skills training and non-formal education; and (4) $eld implementation of projects on poverty alleviation, environmental protection and delivery of social ser-vices. NGO services are covered by contractual arrangements, where both $nancial and technical assistance is provided.

Alternative NGO-led programmes. !ese take the form of tripartite arrangements, i.e. GO-NGO-POs. NGOs develop the programme, then seek the government's mandate, commitment and involvement. Such e"orts do not strategically di"er from GO-led programmes and activities, but rather in the degree of NGO participation and control over programme management and development. A major distinction from GO-led programmes is the degree of resource control by NGOs. Funding is o#en from bilateral or NGO sources, rather than from multilateral agencies. Examples are the Tripartite Partnership for Agrarian Reform and Rural Devel-opment (TRIPARRD) and the Tripartite Partnership for Upland Development (Tri PUD) of the Phil DHRRA network.

Joint GO-NGO programme development. Sometimes, NGO participation takes place at the level of programme development through joint GO-NGO task forces or working groups. !e resulting programme is either jointly managed, or provides for parallel/complementary e"orts between government and NGOs with certain points of convergence.

NGO roles and services. NGOs perform a broad range of functions summarized below:

ery of services such as providing medical services under the primary health care pro gramme (immunization, medical consultations) and (b) "institution-building" services such as serving as conduits for loans under a credit programme or organizing agrarian reform bene$ciaries for land tenure improvement and for support services.

(a) actual project management; (b) capacity building, such as conducting team-build ing and skills training for LGUs; and (c) special consultancy engagements such as project evaluations.

5


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!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: is Partido Kalikasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance a manuscript that sum-marizes the experience derived from the day-to-day operation of the volunteer-sta" and leaders of the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH in the province of Laguna. It is an a&rmation of its commitment base on the resolution adopted by the National Council that treats Laguna as its pilot area in developing designs and strategy for Party Building.

!e following documents summarizes the province commitment to developed its own turf by continu-ous development of di"erent practices that will contributes for the realization of its goal – a Green party that narrates its sociological, historical, political and ecological systems that values most in the respective practices, tradition and culture of the province.

a. Internal Paper (Interview format) for Dr. Stewart Jackson, University of Sydney, Syd ney, Australia: portion of the research conducted by Dr. Stewart Jackson last March 13-17, 2014 focusing on the challenges and opportunities in building a Greens Party in the country.

b. Training-Organizing Program: Party Building Strategy: an applied Community Orga nizing-Ecological Based (CO/E) Training Program for Party Builders and developing the cadre of CO’s for the party.

c. Village Ecological Governance Development Framework (VEGDF): grassroots base community model.

d. KABALANGAY/Greens Village: Local Party Institute: local institutional mechanism for decentralization of party operation.

e. KABALANGAY Savings Program (KSP) Evaluation Report: Party Organizing Entry Point: entry point in integrating enterprise development in party organizing.

f. Gender Balance and Sensitivity: conscious integration of gender equality as one among the many agenda of the party; its role and signi$cance to the party building.

g. Dra# APGF Political Statement: insights for the Asia Paci$c Greens Federation (APGF) operation in the region; its signi$cance to the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH.

!e main body of the manuscript is the articulation of the concepts, its practices that hope to rational-ize the a&rmation of the party’s organizing strategy and building its strength at the very Village (Baranggay) of the country. !e paper also narrates the veracity of its thesis that gives credence to the importance of the “base building” at the grassroots level to in%uence social change – a grassroots base membership of the party as against to its old practices in building in%uence at the middle class section of the society. !is premise is

being articulated by the recent study conducted by Dr. Stewart Jackson, a known Governance expert base in University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia on the signi$cance of the Village Ecological Governance Development Framework that being practiced in the province. It also reinforces the need to strengthen the basic unit of Gov-ernment of the country – the Village (Baranggay).

!e manuscript is also the narration of the party’s philosophies that the very reason’s of having tremen-dous impact and changes on Climate Change is all about the economic pattern and its political system, a hege-monic relationships in the region that for a centuries manipulates hunger, poverty, technologically manipulat-ed greed’s and catalpulation to power. !is situation validates the study presented by ____________________ on the current situation of the eco-system of the Laguna Lake and its river tributaries. !e existence of the industry polluting-economy, the rampant land and lake conversions, the illegal logging activities along its wa-tersheds of Sierra Madre and Mt. Mailing, the proliferation of the illegal form of $shing – the corrupt govern-ment system systematically makes the eco-system of the region a classic example of the capitalist greed.

Climate Change is all about Climate Justice and Human Rights. !is is how the manuscript tries to contextualize its discussion paper on the sectoral issues and its relationship on the disastrous e"ects on lives and property of the very victims of natural calamities – the common worker, the farmers and $sher folks, the women and children, the indigenous people and the minimum wage earner in the state runs o&ces. !e dislo-cation and in-equality of the presence socio-political system in the region and the death and lost of properties by the e"ect of the Climate Change are the twin results of the hegemonic greed practices by the capitalist in%u-ence on the states power to every lives of the citizens of the region.

!e economic pattern introduces by the big capitalist and super powers of the region – the globalization and unbounded advantage against to the developing countries like ours put the signi$cance of the Asia Pa-ci$c Greens Federation (APGF) into a more challenging thing for the social activist to pursue. Its signi$cance to in%uence the emerging party and from its technologically sounds resources and experience in building a Green Party is the outmost consideration to reckon with. In the 2014 APGF Political Statement prepared by the author for the suppose Congress of APGF, it simply narrates the necessity of refocusing APGF attention in the 3rd word countries and providing a social environment to establish a cross-party relationship by institut-ing framework for experience sharing and to learn from its process of understanding the necessity of having a Greens Party on his own practices, culture and tradition.

From Serhat Unaldi’s study of Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH formative period and the obstacle that brings the party building into a slow phase settings which is attributed to di"erent sociological in%uences and the stagnant political systems brought about the exercise of power by the “hegemonic greed” in the society re-mains a challenges that the every social activist and workers-of-conscience to continue its path for social justice and equality.

From operational point of view, the building and formation Partido Kalikasan at the Village level re-mains to be the goal set by its current structure; the localization and decentralization of the its party institute, like the formation of the KABALANGAY/Greens Village validates the earlier thesis on giving attention to the


78 79

respective provinces socio-cultural, historical and cultural process in giving birth to a social movement. !is is the a&rmation of the party’s thesis that “…in order to have a strong and strategic relationship among and between the toiling masses, on their aspiration; and with the fervent hope to build an alternative political party as against to the existing inept one, the party must be build in the premise of the local sociological process un-dertaken, culture and the traditions that nurtured their interest for a morally sounds political system and the practices and experiences that evolved during its exposures on di"erent social activism.” At the fervent hope the Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH is the “toiling masses” alternative party that represents the ordinary masses aspirations and sociologically accepts norms of the society.

!e literature presented by DR. Stewart Jackson and Demetrio Imperial ampli$es the signi$cance of the Village level, both for Organizing Strategy for party building and the value of the Village (Baranggay) Gover-nance on Grassroots development and ecological base policy determination. !e correctness of the direction setforth by the present leadership of the party in refocusing the energy on the Village level gives credence and integrity to the (1) decentralization of the party institutes operation; and (2) building the party’s base at the grassroots level.


80 81

!e Laguna Provincial Directorate of Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH is jointly operated by the National Secre-tariat, Provincial Council and the KABALANGAY/Green Village, Inc. It is jointly operated by the Management Committee who supervised the day-to-day operation.

ABOUT THE PARTIDO KALIKASAN/GREENS PH LAGUNA PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATE

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For implementation and monitoring, the Management Committee is having a regular meeting on Monday; while the Secretariat is conducted its meeting every Saturday of the week.

Quarterly assembly/assessment is being held with the Baranggay Volunteer Worker (BVW) of the party Insti-tute, KABALANGAY; while the Laguna Provincial Directorate is conducted its regular bi-monthly meeting.

MANAGEMENENT COMMMITTEESECRETARIAT

Demetrio Imperial Jr., Introducing participatory planning practices with local govern-ments: A Philippines case study

Dr. Stewart Jackson; Initial Report, University of Sydney; Sydney, Australia

Global Footprint Network, August 2013

Partido Kalikasan Party Orientation, July 2013

RA 7160 – Local Government Code of 1991

Serhat Unaldi vv, From Grassroots to Government, Augusr 2013

Photo Credit: Ms. Medelyn Quinones - Maagundayao; KABALANGAY/Greens Village, Inc.

REFERENCES

!e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Po-litical System: Partido Kalikasan (Laguna) Grassroots Centered Advocacy on Village Ecological Governance written and compiled by Mr. Elias C. Labro, Jr. Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH National Chairman is a timely and relevant manuscript not only for the leaders and volunteer-sta" of KABALANGAY/Greens Village, Inc. and for the Laguna Provincial Directorate but for those individuals who adhere for an alternative political system in the country.

!e manuscript is the summary of our experiences, vision of governance and our strategy in building a Greens Party – at the very door step of the countries electorate, the Baranggay (Village). !is is the summary of our one (1) year of serious operation at the province since we formalize our commitment last June 6, 2013; from a simple study group into a full blown party in Laguna.

!is will serve as our inspiration and will serve as our compentdium of knowledge that will bring us to the path that we are striving with – Green Governance.

Mabuhay ang Partido Kalikasan/Greens PH!

Mabuhay ang Kaisahan sa Kaunlarang Pambaranggay (KABALANGAY/Greens Village), Inc.!

Documents

e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the ...s Grassroots... · !e Sociological Underpinning’s of Greens Perspective in the Philippine Political System: Partido