Galing Pook Awards - ARMM 2010 • 1galingpook.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Galing-Pook-in... · 2020. 5. 19. · Galing Pook Awards - ARMM 2010 • 3 The Galing Pook T he Galing

Galing Pook Awards - ARMM 2010 • 1

2 • Galing Pook Awards - ARMM 2010

Galing PGaling PGaling PGaling PGaling Pookookookookookin ARMM 2010in ARMM 2010in ARMM 2010in ARMM 2010in ARMM 2010

ContentsContentsContentsContentsContents3 The Galing Pook

4 Galing Pook Hymn

5 A New Milestone

6 Good Governance in ARMM

7 Stronger and More Accountable LGUs

8 Inspiring LGUs to Improve Governance

9 Galing Pook in Mindanao

10 ARMM: Surmounting Governance Challenges

12 Bridge to PeaceMunicipality of Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur

14 From Conflict Managementto Shared GovernanceSulu Province

16 Tri-Partite Health Program for the PoorSouthwestern Ligawasan Alliance of Municipalities

18 Integrated Solid Waste ManagementMuncipality of Wao, Lanao del Sur

20 Bringing Public Services Closer to the PoorMunicipality of Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao

22 Administrative and Fiscal Reformsfor Local DevelopmentMunicipality of Bongao, Tawi-tawi

24 Better Education through Communtiy ActionMunicipality of Upi, Maguindanao

26 Stewardship for Watershed DevelopmentMunicipality of Wao, Lanao del Sur

28 Galing Pook Awards ARMMSelection Committee

30 The Galing Pook Awards ARMM Trophy

31 Board of Trustees and SecretariatDisclaimer: This publication is made possible by the generous support of the Americanpeople through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Thecontents are the responsibility of Galing Pook Foundation and do not necessarily reflectthe views of USAID, the United States Government, or The Asia Foundation.


The Galing PThe Galing PThe Galing PThe Galing PThe Galing Pookookookookook

The Galing Pook awards is a pioneering program thatrecognizes innovation and excellence in localgovernance. It started in October 21, 1993 under thejoint initiative of the Local Government Academy-Departmentof the Interior and Local Government, the Ford Foundation,and other individual advocates of good governance fromthe academe, civil society and the government.

The Galing Pook winners are chosen each year from a widearray of programs from local governments after undergoinga rigorous multi-level screening process. The winning programsare selected based on positive results and impact, promotionof people’s participation and empowerment, innovation,transferability and sustainability, and efficiency of programservice delivery.

For 2010, the Galing Pook Awards program sets in place aparallel equally prestigious formal recognition for innovationand excellence in local governance in the Autonomous Regionin Muslim Mindanao. This is a cooperative undertaking of theARMM Regional Government, Galing Pook Foundation, LocalGovernment Academy - Department of the Interior and LocalGovernment and The Asia Foundation, with the support ofthe United States Agency for International Development.

The winners for the Galing Pook Awards - ARMM are chosenfrom among the local governance programs exclusively inthe ARMM areas after undergoing rigorous screening processbased on positive results and impact, promotion of people’sparticipation and empowerment, innovation, transferabilityand sustainability, efficiency of program service delivery,and gender responsiveness.

VisionVisionVisionVisionVisionWe are a leading resource institution that promotesinnovation, sustainability, citizen empowerment, andexcellence in local governance.

MissionMissionMissionMissionMissionWe promote excellence in local governance throughrecognition, sharing of information and support ofefforts to replicate best practices at the local level.

We encourage partnerships among civil societyorganizations, private sector, and governmentagencies at local, national and global levels to improvequality of life.

Cover Design, Layout and Main Articles by Allen M. Mariano • References supplied by LGUs • Photos by LGUs and Galing Pook File Photos •The artwork on the cover is printed with permission from the family of Dr. Abdulmari Asia Imao, Jr., National Artist

PPPPPararararartnerstnerstnerstnerstners

Beyond the awards, winning programs become models ofgood governance that are promoted for adoption in othercommunities. They will provide useful insights and strategiesto find innovative solutions to common problems. Moreimportantly, they serve as concrete examples of communitiesand local governments in their unique cultural milieu workingto bring the good news of good governance that are actuallyhappening in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.


Galing Pookmusic and lyrics by Gary Granada

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

Ang aming adhikainAy simple lang namanSapat sa pangunahingMga pangangailangan

Saan mahahagilapAng mga munting pangarap

Makaigpaw sa hirapMaalwang hinaharap

Sa punyagi at kusaMunting pamayanan

Sa husay kinilalaUmani ng karangalan

Kayraming nagsasabingAng galing galing daw namin

Saan ba nanggagalingAno ba’ng anting-anting?

Simple lang yanKaya mo yan, Bay!

Sa malikhaing paraan, sa paraang malikhainKasama ang mamamayan, mamamaya’y pagsamahin

Pagbabago na lantad, lantad na pagbabagoTuluy-tuloy na pag-unlad, tuluy-tuloy na pag-asenso

Sa dami ng balakidSa dami ng hadlang

Ang diwang nalulupigNagtitiis na lang

Ngunit huwag kang papayagHuwag kang pabubuway

Tadhanang ating paladNasa ating kamay

Chorus counterpoint:Galing Pook..

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

Subalit doon sa aming mumunting komunidadNamayani ang maraming kabutihan ang hangadPinaghusay ang lokal na gobyernong niluklokPinagpala’t natanghal na isang Galing Pook!

Ang sabi ng marami, Pilipino ay tamadWalang respeto sa sarili, dangal at dignidadPalakasang palasak, boto na nilalakoLider na nagbubuhat ng sarili ring bangko

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

Visit www.galingpook.org to download lyrics and music


A New MilestoneA New MilestoneA New MilestoneA New MilestoneA New Milestone

My warmest congratulations to the eight outstanding local government units (LGU) that received the2010 Galing Pook Awards in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Minadanao (ARMM) for their remarkableinnovations and initiatives in good governance.As we give honor to the exemplarly performance of these LGUs, I cannot but admire them for theirinnovativeness and creativity in steering and managing their respective local governments to greater heights.

Indeed, this is a milestone. The first ever Galing Pook Awards in ARMM signals a new dimension in thegovernment’s effort to help ARMM improve its local government systems and procedures, especially thedelivery of basic services to our people.

I salute the winning LGUs for making a difference in the lives of our people. May they serve as models ofexcellence in local governance, as the Department of the Interior and Local Government pursues ways andmeans of building and strengthening the capabilities of local governments in the spirit of good governanceand nation-building.

Let me also commend our development partners from the private sector and civil society organizations fortheir combined efforts in helping us promote good local governance.

Congratulations and Mabuhay!

JESSE M. ROBREDOSecretary, DILG

The first everGaling Pook Awards in ARMM

signals a new dimensionin the government’s effort

to help ARMM improveits local government systems

and procedures,especially the delivery

of basic services to our people.


Good GoGood GoGood GoGood GoGood Govvvvvernance in ARMMernance in ARMMernance in ARMMernance in ARMMernance in ARMM

Outstanding local governance plays an integral role in the achievement of genuine peace and prosperityin the ARMM. Indeed, some of the causes of rebellion can be traced back to local governance. It isthus our conviction in the autonomous regional government that local governance in ARMM must beelevated further to a higher level.

It is our aspiration that local government units in the ARMM would be participatory, consensus oriented,accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule oflaw. Good governance, by definition, assures that corruption is minimized, if not totally eliminated; that theviews of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard indecision-making.

We are hence hopeful that through the institution of the 2010 Galing Pook Awards – ARMM, the above-noted characteristics would become more pronounced in our LGUs. We are optimistic that more would trulyembrace good governance not only for mere recognition but for the lasting benefits it gives both to thegoverned and the leaders.

As the winners of the 2010 Galing Pook Awards – ARMM amply demonstrate, LGUs in ARMM have stories totell that are inspiring. They are sources of emulation for other LGUs.

Governance may remain to be one big issue among LGUs and even with the regional government. But withthe conferment of the recognition rightly deserve by yet several towns in the autonomous region, we believethat raising the level of local governance to universally accepted standards is now very much at hand.

I therefore extend my warmest congratulations to the winners of the 2010 Galing Pook Awards – ARMM. Weare also grateful to the Galing Pook Foundation for making the autonomous regional government as one ofits strategic partners in its Outstanding Local Governance Program.

ANSARUDDIN ALONTO ADIONGActing Regional Governor, ARMM

It is our aspiration that localgovernment units in the ARMMwould be participatory, consensusoriented, accountable, transparent,responsive, effective and efficient,equitable and inclusiveand follow the rule of law.


Stronger and More Accountable LGUsStronger and More Accountable LGUsStronger and More Accountable LGUsStronger and More Accountable LGUsStronger and More Accountable LGUs

GLORIA D. STEELEMission Director, USAID

On behalf of the United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID),I congratulate all the winnersof the first GalingPook awards for the AutonomousRegion in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This special recognitionattests that good governance is happening in the ARMM!

The ARMM has vast potential. Local governments play acrucial role in changing conditions to unlock the region’spotential for economic progress and democratic stability. Thisexceptional cadre of local governments in the ARMM tookon the reform challenge, and began their journey towardsdevelopment for and with the citizens they serve. USAID is a staunch supporter of good governance worldwide.In the ARMM, we provide assistance in creating a favorableenvironment for effective decentralization, improving theability and capacity of local governments to become betteradministrators, and strengthening mechanisms for transparencyand citizen involvement. Our support to the Galing Pookspecial awards for the ARMM signifies USAID’s commitmentto support stronger and more accountable local governmentsthat work to ensure economic prosperity, social development,and peace in the region. We hope that the successful experiences of the first round ofwinners will inspire other ARMM local governments to exploreinnovations in the service of their citizens. We alsocongratulate the Galing Pook Foundation and The AsiaFoundation for yet another endeavor to effectively promotedecentralization in the Philippines.

USAID is committedto support stronger

and more accountablelocal governments

that work to ensureeconomic prosperity,social development,

and peace in the region


Inspiring LGUs to ImproInspiring LGUs to ImproInspiring LGUs to ImproInspiring LGUs to ImproInspiring LGUs to Improvvvvve Goe Goe Goe Goe Govvvvvernanceernanceernanceernanceernance

STEVEN ROOD, Ph.D.Country Representative

and Regional Advisor for Local GovernanceThe Asia Foundation

Greetings of Peace!

The Asia Foundation has for the past decade providedtechnical assistance to various local governments toaddress some of the needs of local governance inthe Philippines, through the Transparent AccountableGovernance (TAG) project, with support from theUnited States Agency for International Development.

One of the project’s activities is the dissemination ofexemplary practices in local governance, with the aimof promoting good local governance practices. Inthe Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)we envision that this awards program will inspireexcellent performance among local governments inthe region. To achieve this objective, the Foundationpartnered with the Galing Pook Foundation topromote innovations and excellence in governancein the ARMM. Through this partnership, Galing Pook’swell-respected awards mechanism at the national levelis replicated in the ARMM to recognize initiatives andinnovations that have helped improve localgovernance as well as community capacities, either in

the form of a policy program, project, process, ororganizational intervention. We want to recognizecontributions to finding and implementing creativesolutions to development needs and priorities in thisregion. It is my hope that this first-ever Galing PookAwards in ARMM will inspire other local governmentsto improve the quality of governance in their localitiesthrough sound policies and concrete actions from localofficials.

I would like to congratulate the Galing PookFoundation for successfully taking the lead inorganizing this awards mechanism for ARMM. Theactive support of USAID, the DILG-ARMM, and projectpartners made these awards possible. May I also takethis opportunity to congratulate the eight winners ofthe 2010 Galing Pook Awards in ARMM for provingthat good governance in the ARMM is possible, andfor showing the commitment to enhance democraticdevelopment in the Philippines.

Sukran!

It is my hope that this first-everGaling Pook Awards in ARMMwill inspire other localgovernments to improve thequality of governancein their localities throughsound policies and concreteactions from local officials.


It is easy for non-Mindanaoans to give up onMindanao, especially ARMM. But hope springseternal, it is said, and can be contagious whenenough good news emanate from the strife-torn South.

For Galing Pook, this meant finding and showcasingstories of Mindanaoans – local government andconstituents – working together for the common good;of local governments doing their job and doing it well.We thus sought out, and happily found, much to beoptimistic about in ARMM.

In Sulu, seemingly discordant interests wereharmonized and institutional partnerships enhanced,thus allowing essential goodwill to prevail andcommunity development and services to get through.

Kapatagan in Lanao del Sur chose to seize andcreate every opportunity for both peace-building andbuilding on peace instead of wasting valuable timeon the question of which to start first.

Four towns in Maguindanao – the SouthwesternLigawasan Alliance of Municipalities – formed a multistakeholder health program for their poor constituents,establishing birthing clinics, health centers and localpharmacies. They promoted proper nutrition and localvegetable production, developed solid wastemanagement systems and installed water andsanitation facilities.

The town of Sultan Mastura, also in Maguindanao,brought services directly to the people through a teamapproach and efficient consolidation of availableresources. They made the presence of government

Galing PGaling PGaling PGaling PGaling Pook in Mindanaoook in Mindanaoook in Mindanaoook in Mindanaoook in Mindanaofelt in their barangays by delivering vital health,education, livelihood and social services.

Still farther south, Bongao in Tawi-tawi reformed theirmost basic administrative and fiscal systems, resultingin increases in local revenues and more investments inpublic facilities.

Upi, also in Maguindanao, took a different tack todramatically improve the quality of their children’sbasic formal education. More than just parents,teachers and schools, the local government broughttogether stakeholders from all other sectors in thecommunity and promoted participative educationreform to improve Upi’s public education system.

And in Wao, Lanao del Sur, we saw excellent casesof solid waste and watershed management. In the firstprogram, they showed the effectiveness of correlatinghousehold and community discipline, local regulations,efficient collection and processing systems andrevenue generation. For the second program, theyprovided a model on expanding forest cover andprotecting water sources while increasing thewatershed dwellers’ income.

These fine examples of governance in ARMM boildown to the choices made by the people and theirlocal officials. And like the LGU achievers that wehonor in the 2010 Galing Pook Awards - ARMM, wechoose to focus on the positive. We choose to beone with them in believing there is hope in enlightenedlocal governments. Galing Pook is happy to presentthe good news from ARMM!

These fine examplesof governance in ARMMboil down to the choicesmade by the peopleand their local officials.

Rafael L. CoscolluelaChairperson, Galing Pook Foundation


AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MUSLIM MINDANAO (ARMM)

Surmounting GoSurmounting GoSurmounting GoSurmounting GoSurmounting Govvvvvernance Challengesernance Challengesernance Challengesernance Challengesernance ChallengesThe struggle for autonomy in SouthernPhilippines is now over a four-hundred year war that continues to bewaged by the Moros. The Philippinegovernment, meanwhile, has beenfighting several insurgencies in the lastthirty years against four fronts.

In an attempt to put an end to hostilitiesin Mindanao, the government pursuedthe granting of an Autonomous Regionin Muslim Mindanao. The strategy wasto settle for peace with the MoroNational Liberation Front and then theMoro Islamic Liberation Front so that theArmed Forces could concentrate on theNew People’s Army, whom it considersas the most threatening insurgent group.

OriginsIn the 1970s, escalating hostilitiesbetween government forces andthe MNLF prompted then FerdinandMarcos to issue a proclamation formingan Autonomous Region in the SouthernPhilippines, which was however, turneddown by a plebiscite. In 1979, BatasPambansa No. 20 created the RegionalAutonomous Government in Westernand Central Mindanao regions.Evetually, the ARMM was created onAugust 1, 1989 through Republic Act No.6734, as a manifestation of theconstitutional mandate to provide for anautonomous area in Muslim Mindanao.A plebiscite was held to determine ifthe residents would want to be part ofthe ARMM. Of the areas where theplebiscites were held, only Lanao delSur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawivoted favorably for inclusion in the newautonomous region.

The ARMM was officially inauguratedon November 6, 1990 in Cotabato City,which was designated as its provisionalcapital.

Republic Act 9054 was issued in 2001for the expansion of the ARMM toinclude the areas which initially rejectedinclusion. But only Marawi City andBasilan with the exception of IsabelaCity agreed to be integrated in theregion. Today, the ARMM is dividedinto two geographical areas – theMindanao mainland and the Sulu

Archipelago. Lanao del Sur andMaguindanao are situated inthe Mindanao mainland, while Basilan,Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are located withinthe Sulu Archipelago.

The new law stipulated that ARMM“shall remain an integral andinseparable part of the national territory


of the Republic” and the Presidentexercises general supervision over theRegional Governor.

The ARMM is authorized to create itsown sources of revenues and to levytaxes, fees, and charges, subject toConstitutional provisions and theprovisions of RA 9054. Meanwhile, theShariah would apply only to Muslimsand its applications are limited bypertinent constitutional provisions.

ObstaclesDespite its “autonomous” nature, theARMM receives approximately 98% ofits operating revenue from the NationalGovernment of the Philippines. It hasyet to create significant, viable sourcesof additional revenue. Per capitaspending on vital services such aseducation and infrastructure in the regionare among the lowest in the Philippines.

Expenditure per student on educationis very low at less than US$100, withthe result that students within ARMMschools generally score poorly onstandardized achievement tests.

The ARMM also remains as the poorestregion in the Philippines, with a povertyincidence of 45.4% in 2003 which isalmost twice the national average of24.4 percent. It is the lowest earningregion among the Phil ippines’17 regions; with the secondlowest having a per capita income thatis almost double that of the ARMM’s.The average annual income was justPhP89,000 (US$ 2,025) in 2006. This isless than a third that of the NationalCapital Region’s annual income. Its percapita gross regional domestic productof PhP3,433 in 2005 is 75.8% lowerthan the national average of PhP14,186.

Addressing urbanizing issues—such asthe management of waste, water andair quality, and access to adequatehousing—has also become a significantchallenge. Fertility rates remain abovethe regional average which is due inpart to an unmet needs for familyplanning. Increasing population densityand environmental degradation weighs

further on the population’s vulnerabilityto disasters, as settlements encroach intodisaster-prone areas. The dramaticreduction in forest cover contributes tothe severity of flash floods andmudslides.

Peace and order also remains volatilebecause of the presence of organizedlawless elements and terrorist groupssuch as the Abu Sayaff. And becausetraditional tribal and family enmitiesoften escalate into armed conflicts, thedisplacement of hundreds of familiesand economic disruptions result.

These are some of the challenges facedby LGUs in the region.

Rising up to the challengesFortunately for the people, there areLGUs who have risen to the challengeand introduced innovations ingovernance which has led to muchimprovement in their lives. Among theLGUs are those recognized in thepioneering Galing Pook Awards -ARMM and are featured in thismagazine.

As a result, significant progress has beenmade in reducing poverty in the region,which, according to the latest availableindicators, has been brought down to10.5 percent from the 2000 figure. Allthe ARMM provinces in 2000 wereamong the 10 poorest in the Philippines.By 2003, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi were out of the bottom 10, leavingonly Maguindanao, which remains to bethe second province with the highestpoverty incidence among all provinces.Lanao del Sur reduced its poveryincidence by as much as 26.9 percent,placing itself as the 12th most successfulprovince in poverty reduction. Tawi-Tawiand Sulu have also reduced theirpoverty figures by 18 and 17.6 percent,respectively.

Comparative advantageAlong with commercial and industrialpotentials, the ARMM's comparativeadvantage lies in agriculture andfisheries. Maguindanao’s fertile flatlands

is suitable for the farming of rice, corn,vegetables and other commercial crops.It also has wide coconut and cassavaplantations for commercial or industrialpurposes. Meanwhile, the vast coastlineof Sulu has abundant coral reef rich inmarine resources. Sulu and Tawi-Tawiproduces around 72% of the country'sseaweeds. Sulu’s rolling hills aboundwith coconut, cassava, abaca, durian andmangosteen.

Lanao del Sur has existing large cassavaand coconut plantations. Lanao Lake isthe country's second biggest andprovides Mindanao with hydroelectricpower aside from providing irrigationto the vast flatlands of the province.

Tawi-Tawi produces the bulk of thecountry' seaweeds. Other marinepotentials in the province include theculture of pearl, mussels, oysters, lobstersand groupers. Its land is also suitablefor growing rice, corn and fruit trees.

Although the region’s agricultural andfishery resources are relativelyunderdeveloped, it has now an arrayof fast-emerging agricultural and fisheryindustries. It is the country's top producerof carrageenan-bearing seaweeds,mangosteen, durian and cassava. Themuch sought after-yellow fin tunaabounds in Sulu Sea, a Philippineterritory rated as one of the richestfishing ground in the world. Plantation-scale production of banana, durian,mango and other high-value crops isbecoming a trend.

With these abundant reources andinnovative programs, the LGUs of theARMM have all the means at theirdisposal to surmount the numerouschallenges confronting them.

Still, considering the unique social andcultural milieu and the seeminglyenormous challenges that wereengendered over the centuries, thoseLGUs with demonstrable gains trulydeserve to be recognized for theirachievements in promoting innovationand excellence in local governance inARMM.


Municipality of Kapatagan, Lanao del SurMunicipality of Kapatagan, Lanao del SurMunicipality of Kapatagan, Lanao del SurMunicipality of Kapatagan, Lanao del SurMunicipality of Kapatagan, Lanao del SurBridge to PBridge to PBridge to PBridge to PBridge to Peaceeaceeaceeaceeace

A mere decade ago, theMunicipality of Kapataganwas a “no man’s land” when itbecame the battleground of thePhilippine military and variousarmed groups. Back then, apartfrom displacement due to thearmed conflict, the farmers andfisher folk of Kapatagan’s 15barangays also had to endure clanwars, cattle rustling, robberies, andmurder. There were also manycases of eloping young couplesand early marriages. All thesecombined to stunt human andeconomic development in thismunicipality of Lanao del Sur.

When the armed conflict subsided,the Kapatagan LGU initiated theforging of a covenant of peaceamong all the stakeholders.Subsequently, it launched the Tulaysa Kalilintad or Bridge to Peaceprogram, which enabled the localgovernment to elicit the supportand cooperation of various civilsociety organizations, governmentline agencies, the military and eventhe various armed groups inpursuing peace-building initiativesin the municipality.

The Kapatagan program led to theformation of the KapataganMunicipal Inter-Agency Committee(KMIAC) which ensured stake-holder participation in the planning,implementation, monitoring andevaluation of socio-economicdevelopment projects in themunicipality. This program includedthe establishment of the MunicipalPeace and Order Council and the“Lupong Tagapamayapa” whichare composed of barangay

representatives and religiousleaders, who employ traditionalconflict resolution practices (such astaritib and ijma) to settle disputesand promote harmonious relations.These mechanisms were successfulin reducing the cases of violentconflict in the municipality. Throughkhutba, the advocacy of gender-sensitive Muslim religious leaders,and Kapatagan’s Gender andDevelopment Code, cases ofelopement and early marriageswere also reduced substantially.Moreover, more men and womenbecame aware of the roles andrights of women in Islam and withintheir communities.

Infrastructure has also vastlyimproved. Kapatagan has a newmunicipal hall, more farm-to-marketroads, a covered sports arena, ahealth center and a mosque. A wetand dry goods market is now also

thriving across a bustling highschool. And two other schools havealso been erected by the mainhighway.

Livelihood and housing projects arealso booming in Kapatagan. With95% of the population beingMuslim, one ustadz (Islamic teacher)is now assigned per barangay.

The LGU continues to broaden itspromotion of peace anddevelopment initiatives with otherneighboring LGUs and communitiesto sustain its gains. It also allocatesresources for regular meetings andcapacity development activities.

Today, the people of Kapataganare leading peaceful andproductive lives. Visitors nowmarvel at how the localgovernment has managed to bringpeace to a once war-torn area.


Mayor Nhazruddin B. MaglangitTel No. 0917 7040356Email: [email protected]

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The Kapatagan Municipal Inter-Agency Committee (KMIAC)

ensured stake-holder participationin the planning, implementation,monitoring and evaluation ofsocio-economic developmentprojects in the municipality.


Sulu ProvinceSulu ProvinceSulu ProvinceSulu ProvinceSulu ProvinceFrom Conflict ManagementFrom Conflict ManagementFrom Conflict ManagementFrom Conflict ManagementFrom Conflict Management

to Shared Goto Shared Goto Shared Goto Shared Goto Shared Govvvvvernanceernanceernanceernanceernance

Sulu Province came underinternational scrutiny when theAbu Sayyaf abducted foreignvisitors from a resort in Sipadan,Malaysia and brought their captivesto Patikul, Sulu where a longdrawn-out hostage drama playedout. When the negotiations failed,the military forces engaged thekidnappers in an attempt to freethe hostages. The clashes resultedin the displacement of hundreds offamilies who fled the danger zonesand the Sulu provincial governmentfound itself with its hands full incaring for those displaced by thefighting and the tension. Themagnitude of the problem requirednovel solutions.

Thus was born the Sulu AreaCoordinating Center, an institutionalmechanism for shared governanceto steer the socio-economicdevelopment of the province.

The Sulu ACC evolved from theJoint Civil-Military AreaCoordination Center that wascreated by then Gov. Abdusakur M.Tan in 2000 specifically to handlethe Sipadan hostage crisis and to

cushion the impact of militaryactions on the civilian populace. Thecoordination mechanism’s unique-ness lies in its being an institutionwhere the local government,different line agencies, civil societyorganizations and even the militaryand police can converge and workin partnership without losing, buteven effectively taking to task,their respective institutionalmandates. It was an efficientmechanism for emergency andcrisis-related operations andbecame a novel approach tocoordinating various developmentinitiatives and programs, achievingdevelopment goals and promotingmulti-sectoral and citizenparticipation in developmentefforts. Eventually, the nationalleadership adopted the mechanismvia Executive Order 21 in 2001 tomanage military action in otherconflict-prone areas.

When Gov. Tan re-assumedgovernorship in 2007, he enhancedthe Sulu ACC as an instrument forshared governance of the provincethrough EO 5, s. 2008. From merelymanaging the impact of military

actions, the Sulu ACC now alsopursues peace-building initiatives,socio-economic development aswell as disaster response and reliefoperations. A major role of the SuluACC is ensuring complementarity inthe activities of diverse groups whoare pursuing peace anddevelopment initiatives in theprovince.

The Sulu governor chairs the SuluACC and presides over the ACCNetwork Conference (its generalassembly), while an executivedirector manages the ACC’s day-to-day operations. The Center isperhaps the only governmentoffice that remains open duringweekends and holidays, withofficers and staff working onrotation, to ensure that the peoplehave someone to turn to forassistance.

With the ACC in place, the peopleof Sulu are now equipped with abetter governance mechanism thatcould help them attain peace anddevelopment which have eludedthem for so long a time.

The SACC is a centralizedaction, need and crisis

response mechanism – aconduit for relief efforts

and development initiatives


Governor Abdusakur M. TanHj. Fazlur-Rahman A. Abdulla, Exec. Director, SACCMobile. No. 0916 5156291Email: [email protected]

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Southwestern Ligawasan Alliance of MunicipalitiesSouthwestern Ligawasan Alliance of MunicipalitiesSouthwestern Ligawasan Alliance of MunicipalitiesSouthwestern Ligawasan Alliance of MunicipalitiesSouthwestern Ligawasan Alliance of MunicipalitiesTTTTTri-Pri-Pri-Pri-Pri-Pararararartite Health Protite Health Protite Health Protite Health Protite Health Program fgram fgram fgram fgram for the Por the Por the Por the Por the PoorooroorooroorThe first thing that comes to mindwhen Maguindanao ismentioned these days is thegruesome massacre of 58 womenand media personnel and thedivisiveness among the people inthe region. Thus, it was a pleasantsurprise to learn that several LGUshave banded together to pursuecommon development goals.

The Southwestern LigawasanAlliance of Municipalities (SLAM),was organized in June 2008 whenthe municipalities of Datu Paglas,Paglat, Gen. SK Pendatun andSultan sa Barongis came togetherand agreed to pursue programsthat will benefit their constituents.

SLAM was able to develop a multi-stakeholder health program forpoor farmers and fisherfolk fromits previous project partnership withthe Zuellig Family Foundation. Thehealth program entails inter-agency coordination and identifiesspecific roles and responsibilitiesamong three key project

partners—i.e. the LocalGovernment Unit (LGU), MunicipalHealth Office (MHO), and CivilSociety Organizations (CSO)—who cooperate in the program’simplementation.

Under the program, the LGUs aretasked to provide leadership,policy support, and logisticalresources (such as health, waterand sanitation facilities). The CSOshave the responsibility of orienting,organizing, mobilizing and ensuringthe participation of the intendedbeneficiaries in health outreachactivities. Health workers trainingand the conduct of data gatheringand monitoring of the health statusof the local population areundertaken by the MHO.

This led to the establishment ofbirthing centers, rural health unitsand local pharmacies (i.e. Botika ngBarangay) and orientations onproper nutrition and the promotionof vegetable garden cultivationamong the population. It also

prompted the creation of anEcological Solid WasteManagement Plan and theconstruction of water and sanitationfacilities.

Today, the poor have better accessto health services, such as maternaland prenatal care, medical check-ups and even health insurance.Health indicators show markedreductions in maternal and infantmortality rates as well as decreasesin morbidity rates—maternalmortality rates were reduced from1% to 0.73% while infant mortalityrates were reduced from 0.68% to0.36% within a year (from 2008to 2009).

To truly appreciate the gains of thehealth program, one has to considerthat it was conceived andimplemented by 4th and 5th classmunicipalities in a war-torn andconflict prone area in ARMMwhere health services is notdevolved, and where displacementwas the norm rather than theexception. When viewed in thiscontext, the gains chalked up bySLAM’s Health Program makes itworthy replicating by other LGUsunder similar circumstancesparticularly in the ARMM.

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Mayor Abdulkarim Langkuno of Paglat;Mayor Mohamad Paglas Sr of Datu Paglas;Mayor Bonnie Kali of Gen SK Pendatun;Mayor Datu Allandatu Angas of SS Barongis

Mr. Padido H. UsmanProject Management Officer, SLAMDatu Paglas, Maguindanao - ARMMTel No: 0907 5460915Email: [email protected]


SLAM’s health program entails inter-agency coordination and identifiesspecific roles and responsibilities among three key project partners—i.e. the Local Government Unit (LGU), Municipal Health Office (MHO),

and Civil Society Organizations (CSO)—who cooperate in theprogram’s implementation.

Profile and number of program beneficiaries


Municipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality of W W W W Waoaoaoaoao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del SurInteInteInteInteIntegrated Solid Wgrated Solid Wgrated Solid Wgrated Solid Wgrated Solid Waste Managementaste Managementaste Managementaste Managementaste Management

Wao is one municipality in theAutonomous Region in MuslimMindanao that has alsoinstitutionalized a successfulIntegrated Solid WasteManagement (ISWM) program.

Wao’s ISWM program covers all ofthe municipality’s 26 barangays inthe Province of Lanao del Sur andaims to establish a clean, green,and healthy environment byregulating the disposal andrecycling of solid wastes.

The LGU began implementing itsISWM program three years agowhen the Sangguniang Bayanissued ordinance no. 262 regulatingthe collection of residual, bio-degradable and special wastesalong designated routes and theimposition of penalties for improperwaste disposal.

The program entailed thesegregation of waste material andthe setting up of MaterialsRecovery Facility (MRF).

At the municipality’s SanitaryLandfill (SLF), further segregationis being done by a collection crewand the re-usable or recyclablematerials are stocked at the centralMRF before being sold toauthorized buyers. Biodegradablematerials are also processed intocompost and sold as fertilizer. Allthe monies earned from the MRFand composting operations aredeposited into the ISWM TrustAccount.

Issues relevant to the program aredeliberated on by a Multi-SectoralBody known as the MunicipalEnvironment and Natural Resources

Council (MENRC) which also acts asthe Municipal Solid WasteManagement Board.

As with all new governmentprograms, the ISWM was met withskepticism and even outrightopposition. But the LGU remainedsteadfast and strictly enforced thelaw. The fines from apprehensionin the first year amounted toP33,500.

Solid wastes ManagementEnforcers were deployed atdesignated areas to apprehendviolator while street sweeperscleaned at their assigned areasdaily. Personnel were on duty evenduring weekends and holidays.

The diminishing trend inapprehensions in the succeeding

The first Category 1 Sanitary Land Fillin Mindanao


Mayor Elvino B. Balicao, Jr.Tel: 09188868000Email: [email protected]

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years indicated that the programwas gaining momentum.

The LGU’s incessant, organized,and effective information andeducation campaign eventuallyencouraged households to utilizecompost in vegetable gardeningand to sell recyclable wastematerials to scrap buyers. Schools,offices, religious institutions,industrial and commercialestablishments have also complied

and maintained the cleanliness oftheir premises because of the strictenforcement of the program. Andthe town has become more elegantas evidenced by cleaner streets,spotless plazas, neat schools, andeven tidy wet and dry markets.

In a locality where indifference toordinances and disorderly conductwere formerly the norm, the strictimplementation of the program andthe subsequent compliance come as

a big surprise. The ISWM of Waois a major accomplishment leadingtowards better, healthier andeffective ways of doing things.

Schools, offices, religiousinstitutions, industrial and

commercial establishmentshave also complied and

maintained the cleanlinessof their premises becauseof the strict enforcementof the ISWM regulations


Municipality of Sultan Mastura, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Sultan Mastura, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Sultan Mastura, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Sultan Mastura, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Sultan Mastura, MaguindanaoBringing Public SerBringing Public SerBringing Public SerBringing Public SerBringing Public Services Closer to the Pvices Closer to the Pvices Closer to the Pvices Closer to the Pvices Closer to the Poorooroorooroor

In most rural areas in the Philippines, access togovernment services is something of a luxury,especially for those who reside in far-flung areas. Asa result, a lot of the people suffer malnutrition andother health problems and miss out on education forthe young.

In the case of the Municipality of Sultan Mastura, 70%of schoolchildren were malnourished and had toothproblems. School facilities were poorly maintainedand there was an acute lack of teachers. The majorityof senior citizens and person with disabilities werenot able to avail of public services due to lack ofawareness. These, along with other predicaments,prompted the leadership of Sultan Mastura’s LGU tovow that, “If the people cannot go to the LGU, let theLGU go to the people!”

Thus, the local government came up with its “BringingIntegrated Services and Innovation through TeamApproach (BISITA) sa Barangay Program.” Throughthis initiative, the LGU aimed to deliver basic servicesdirectly to the barangays through concerted andcoordinated drive and consolidating whateverresources are available for better results.

The program aims to make the presence ofgovernment felt in every barangay with the monthlyteam visits that entail the delivery of health, education,livelihood development and social services. The visitingteam is composed of municipal line agency fieldofficers and LGU officials.

The visits to the barangay also serve as consultationsessions between the barangay residents and thenational or regional government agency and the LGUrepresentatives. These dialogues are crucial in theidentification and prioritization of community concernsas these provide an opportunity for the constituentsto voice out their concerns and participate in findingalternative solutions to their problems.

These sessions also enabled the LGU to carry outrelevant actions such as the repair of school buildings,provision of equipment, improvement of roads,


Mayor Armando T. MasturaTel: 09177201955Email: [email protected]

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installation of potable water system, cleaning ofcreeks, installation of electric posts and the enactmentof necessary laws such as the ban on illegal fishing.

Within the short period of only one and a half year,the program was able to succesfully elicit directcommunity participation in governance. For example,the reconstruction and re-establishment of the Kir-kirElementary School encouraged a School Teacher tovolunteer her services. Some skilled communitymembers have also expressed willingness to assist inthe re-construction of the school building. Meanwhile,fishermen in the coastal barangays suggested waysto curve illegal fishing and the conservation of coralreefs and fish sanctuaries.

As a result of the program, 7 of 13 school centerswere renovated and 2 primary schools were opened.There are now 20 volunteer teachers who aresubsidized by the LGU and the Parents, Teachers andCommunity Association. Also, 15 Barangay HealthWorkers and one Municipal Health Officer are nowcaring for the people in the barangays. Under theprogram, 6, 689 children have been provisioned withnutritional food supplements and educational suppliesthrough the Healthy Feeding and School Kits programsthat in considerable measure accounted for thedecrease in malnutrition by 20%.

Since the program started, 70% or 3,000 family headshave been provided with Phil Health Cards. Medicalcheck-ups and medicines have been provided to 5,132patients while Dental Services has been extended to1,651 patients.

The program has effectively restored the people’strust and confidence in government. And thisachievement is quite a feat given that the LGU ofSultan Mastura Municipality is still in its early stage asa full fledged municipality, (the Municipality wascreated only in April 28, 2003). More so because itsuffers from inadequate technical skills in publicmanagement and financial resources to sufficientlyrespond to the needs of its constituents. Yet, the LGUhas institutionalized a program that helps it compensatefor its staffing and funding shortfalls.

Clearly, the Municipality of Sultan Mastura has hit ona program that will surely lead to the improvement ofits people’s lives. If more LGUs in Mindanao wouldreplicate the program, a host of problems plaguingthe region would have a bigger chance of gettingeffectively addressed.

If the people cannot go to theLGU, then the LGU will

go the people!


Municipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality of Bongao Bongao Bongao Bongao Bongao, T, T, T, T, Tawi-tawiawi-tawiawi-tawiawi-tawiawi-tawiAdministrativAdministrativAdministrativAdministrativAdministrative and Fiscal Re and Fiscal Re and Fiscal Re and Fiscal Re and Fiscal Refefefefeformsormsormsormsormsfffffor Local Devor Local Devor Local Devor Local Devor Local Developmentelopmentelopmentelopmentelopment

In Bongao, Tawi-tawi, the LGUintroduced administrative andfiscal reforms that helpedtransform the municipality from a4th class to a 2nd class municipalitywithin the span of a decade.

From earning only P42 million in2000, Bongao’s estimated incomeat present already amounts tomore than Php102 million. In theprevious administration, theincome of the LGU from local taxcollections was not adequatelymonitored. The collectors werereportedly handling moneyunprofessionally. They bring homethe collected cash with them andeven use the money for theirpersonal needs.

When the new mayor assumedoffice in 2001, the first thing hedid was to make sure thatgovernment resources wereefficiently managed. Heimmediately introduced the simplesolution of ensuring that the day’scollection is deposited in the bankimmediately. He also hiredcompetent financial personnel.These reforms helped the LGUincrease its income and enabledit to hire more competent LGUpersonnel, computerize its systemsand standardize personnelsalaries. All these, coupled withcapacity enhancement activitiesfor its personnel, tremendouslyimproved customer services, civilapplication processes andfinancial management.

In terms of financial accountability,Bongao LGU is now recognized tohave an effective financialmanagement system. Information isalready automated and reportsare updated regularly. The LGU’sBids and Awards Committeefunctions satisfactorily. Procure-ment rules and procedures arebeing complied with andproceedings of meetings are welldocumented. Recently, the LGUinstalled a biometric system foremployees’ attendance and set upa Close-Circuit Television system tomonitor activities. Sanctions forerring local government personnelare strictly enforced.

What is noteworthy is the LGU’sconcerted effort to involve thepeople in local governance. CivilSociety Organizations’ (CSOs’),People’s Organizations (POs’),National Line and RegionalAgencies (NLRAs) and other sectorsparticipate in the preparation ofBongao’s Comprehensive Deve-lopment Plan (CMDP), Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) and other

LGU plans. The LGU also conductsregular consultations with variousgroups such as the business sectorfor business permits and licensingprocesses and real propertyowners in the implementation of thetax code and ordinances.

To sustain Bongao’s socio-economicdevelopment, the LGU organizedthe Bongao Area CoordinatingCouncil whose members alsoinclude the heads of the differentline agencies, the PNP, CSO’s andalmost all sectors in Bongao. Thelocal government of Bongao alsovalues transparency andaccountability. It has alreadyhired a Municipal InformationOfficer to provide relevant andtimely information about the LGUand its constituents.

Other similarly challenged LGUs asBongao was prior to theimplementation of crucial reformmeasures would do well toreplicate the strategic interventionsintroduced by Bongao.


Mayor Jasper S. Que, Al HajTel: 09177183902 / 09196393612Email: [email protected]

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In 2005, only oneof 10 children

could read.By 2007, it is 9

out of 10.

A tri-peoplestrategy inmobilizingcommunitysupport

Rendaw means light in Teduray

Mayor Ruben D. PlatonMobile Nos. 09209155844, 09162674840Email: [email protected],

[email protected]

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Municipality of Upi, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Upi, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Upi, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Upi, MaguindanaoMunicipality of Upi, MaguindanaoBetter EducationBetter EducationBetter EducationBetter EducationBetter EducationThrough Community ActionThrough Community ActionThrough Community ActionThrough Community ActionThrough Community Action

Traditionally, education of youngchildren was seen as the soleresponsibility of sc hools andteachers. But in the municipality ofUpi in Maguindanao, parents,teachers, local governmentofficials, Tirurays, armed forces,business sector, religious leaders(both Muslims and Christians) andthe community work hand-in-handto help schoolchildren obtain abright future through improvedquality of education.

This unique participatory approachto education has worked so wellthat it resulted into a decline in thenumber of non-readers from

almost 90% in 2005 to only15.83% in 2007 and an increasein the number of children withadvanced reading skills from only1.56 % to almost 40% in 2007.

Project Rendaw, which means lightin the Teduray language, aims tobring a bright future to the childrenof Upi by improving anddeveloping reading proficienciesof grades one to six pupils. Thegoal is to make readers fromseven out of ten students. Asidefrom its participatory approach,the Project also adopts a tri-people strategy in mobilizingcommunity support that serves asthe engine for education reformand governance, which ensurequality performance in readingfor school children.

To accomplish this goal, themunicipality conducted educationsummits that enabled thecommunity to agree on a sharedvision for the children of Upi. TheLocal School Board was likewisereinvented and expanded tobecome an empowered,responsive and proactive board byaccommodating more people whowill be involved in improving Upi’sstate of education. The SchoolBoard that has taken leadership ineducation programs leads parentsand teachers’ training.

The Special Education Fund is nowfocused on activities that improvelearning performance. Twenty-

three barangay school boardshave been organized tocoordinate education activities forschools and out-of school youth.

Capacity-building for stakeholderswere provided for teachers andparents alike. Training in Englishand Math were held for teachersto improve class instruction.“Mentoring of parents was alsogiven to raise awareness on theimportance of their role in inspiringtheir children to do better in schooland for them to actively take partin the education of their children”,says former Upi Mayor RamonPiang.

More importantly, Upi developedand contextualized its own trainingprogram for parents based on theTiruray dialect. Its parent-leadersnow conducts training of otherparent-leaders in 11 moremunicipalities in ARMM, scaling upits program on responsibleparenting to reduce dropouts andimprove academic performance ofchildren not only in Upi but innearby towns as well.


Municipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality ofMunicipality of W W W W Waoaoaoaoao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del SurStewardship fStewardship fStewardship fStewardship fStewardship for Wor Wor Wor Wor Watershed Devatershed Devatershed Devatershed Devatershed Developmentelopmentelopmentelopmentelopment

Protecting the environment is notjust about quality of life, it is aquestion of survival especially forthe poor, who depend on it for theirlivelihood. For many Filipinos, theresult of a degraded environmentis hunger, poverty and vulne-rability.

The municipality of Wao in Lanaodel Sur has taken this perspectiveseriously and has developed aprogram—The Watershed Co-management Development Prog-ram—to address environmentalissues more effectively. Under thedevelopment intervention, the LGUand the Department of Environmentand Natural Resources (DENR) inARMM agreed to jointly manage2,184 hectares of watershed.Conceptualized in 2005, theprogram aims to increase theincome of its beneficiaries while atthe same time expand forest coverand water supply.

The municipal government, throughits partner, Banga Farmers andWatershed Development Coope-rative, oversees nursery plantingand maintenance, capacity-buildingon agro-forestry and livelihoodprograms and communityorganizing. Through the directparticipation of the programbeneficiaries, community needs andlivelihood are harmonized with themanagement of natural resources.

The LGU provided high varietyfruit seedlings and other high valuecrops that would be planted by thefarmer-beneficiaries in a “plantnow, pay later plan.” To date, about128 hectares of the watershed hasbeen planted with assorted varietyof seedlings.

“Once fully productive,beneficiaries are ensured at least59.38% monthly income fromP1,667 to P9,900” says WaoMayor Elvino Balicao Jr. He also

assured that the program willcontinue until such time the wholearea of 2,184 hectares watershedis fully developed as planned.

The municipality also noted anabrupt decline in illegal cutting oftrees and slash-and-burn activitiesinside the watershed area due tothe increased awareness of thecommunity and the strictenforcement of the existingenvironmental laws.

Three LGU Monitoring Stationswere established in strategiclocations to check the entrance andexit of forest products. To date, atleast three truckloads ofundocumented forest lumber havebeen apprehended.

What makes the program uniqueis that dwellers within thewatershed have become not onlybeneficiaries but active partners ofthe local government in the


Mayor Elvino B. Balicao, Jr.Tel: 09188868000Email: [email protected]

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management and implementationof the program. As project partners,these dwellers are allowed to stayand proceed with the cultivation oftheir respective areas. They areissued with Individual PropertyRights in Alienable and DisposableLands, which is effective for twentyfive years and renewable foranother twenty five years.

Many people will certainly benefitfrom Wao’s success in sustainableenvironment management byadopting this program.

The municipality noted an abrupt decline inillegal cutting of trees and slash-and-burn

activities inside the watershed area due to theincreased awareness of the community andthe strict enforcement of environmental laws


2010 ARMM S E L E C T I O N C O M M I T T E E

ADEL FADEL ABBAS TAMANO is aFilipino lawyer and politician. Theeighth son of the late SenatorMamintal Tamano and civic leaderHadja Putri Zorayda Abbas Tamano,Adel Tamano graduated from theAteneo de Manila University with anAB Economics degree in 1992, andlater law school, graduating in 1996.He took up postgraduate studies at the University of thePhilippines, earning a masters’ degree in Public Administrationin 2003. He then earned a scholarship to Harvard University,graduating with a Master of Laws degree in 2005. Adel wasthe first Filipino Muslim to graduate from the Ivy Leagueuniversity with a masters degree in law, and was chosen asthe commencement speaker at their graduation ceremonies.Tamano first practiced law as an associate of the MendozaLaw Office after graduating in 1996. He later joined KapunanTamano Villadolid and Associates as a senior partner since2004. After finishing his studies at Harvard, he returned tothe Philippines in 2005, where he was a frequent guest analyston legal issues on the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC).Tamano became president of the Pamantasang Lungsod ngMaynila (PLM) on August 09, 2007. He is also a lecturer onconstitutional law at PLM and the Far Eastern University Instituteof Law, and also on legal writing at the Ateneo Law School.

AMINA RASUL-BERNARDO is anoted peace and human rightsadvocate and President of thePhilippine Center for Islam andDemocracy. She is a columnist withBusiness World and has publishedseveral books on the Mindanaoconflict. She is a Fellow of theStrategic Studies Group of theNational Defense College of the Philippines. She hasspearheaded programs to empower Philippine Muslimreligious leaders for peace and development, helping toestablish the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines(NUCP) and the Noorus Salam (a network of aleemat andMuslim women civil society leaders). She has led thedevelopment of an Islamic model for peace education forMindanao, publishing a book that is currently used by NUCPand Noorus Salam members. Amina was recognized as a“Mindanao Peace Champion” by the United Nations (UN)-sponsored Action for Conflict Transformation (ACT) for PeaceProgramme for her contribution to building peace in southernPhilippines. She was also awarded as the Muslim Democratof the Year Award by the Washington DC-based Center forthe Study of Islam and Democracy. In 2000, She was thefirst Filipino invited as Senior Fellow at the US Institute ofPeace in Washington DC. She was a founding member of


Bantay Dagat (Watch the Seas) Movement, an NGO whichsupports protection of the seas and coastal resourcemanagement. She has served on the board of the NationalGreening Movement. She is involved in the Muslim Associationfor Climate Change Action (MACCA). From1994 to 1998,Amina was a member of Cabinet as Presidential Adviser onYouth Affairs and concurrently chairperson of the NationalYouth Commission, which she organized. From 1990 to 1998,she served as a Commissioner of the National Commissionon the Role of Filipino Women. She earned a Masters degreein Public Administration from the Kennedy School ofGovernment - Harvard University, an MBA from the AsianInstitute of Management, and a Bachelor of Arts degree ineconomics from the University of the Philippines.

FR. ELISEO “JUN” MERCADO,JR., OMI spearheaded thecreation of Kusog Mindanaw(Strong Mindanao) in 1994. Thismultisectoral coalition, wasprimarily established to promotepeace and development, andbegin a process of increasing thevoice of the peole in Mindano innational policymaking. Kusog Mindanaw had broughtimportant and meaningful roundtable conferences centeredon peace and development for Mindanao. He heads theInstitute for Autonomy and Governance, an independent andnon-partisan think tank founded in 2001 to generate ideason making autonomy an effective vehicle for peace anddevelopment in the southern Philippines. From 1992 to 2002,Father Jun served as the President of Notre Dame Universityin Cotabato City, Philippines. During this period the Universitygot involved in the two peace processes in SouthernPhilippines. He also chaired the Independent CeasefireCommission from 1998-2002. Father Jun is deeply involvedin interreligious dialogue and cooperation betweenChristianity and Islam.

JOSE T. DELES, JR. has been directlyinvolved in capacity building of localgovernments for more than twodecades. He played a key role in themaster planning of the Halal Industry,development of economic zones andstreamlining of the Polloc Port systemsin ARMM. He also served as consultantand manager of donor-assistedgovernance capacity building programs both in the Philippinesand overseas; he spent 18 years with various CIDA projectsin the Philippines and 2 years with USAID-funded projects.He has a keen understanding of the governance issues andtheir political-cultural context especially in Mindanao. Mr.Deles is now a candidate for a Master’s Degree in AppliedSocio-Anthropology from the Ateneo de Manila University,

from which he also obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in PoliticalScience. He also holds a Certificate in Community BasedEnvironmental Management from the University of Calgary,in Alberta, Canada.

YASMIN BUSRAN-LAO is a peaceactivist, women’s rights advocate andcommunity organizer. She works withdisadvantaged communities and thewomen of Muslim Mindanao and hasbeen pushing for the right of localcommunities to self-determination andgood governance in her Bangsamorohomeland. Yasmin is a Maranao whogrew up in Lanao del Sur amidst an environment of armedconflict and grinding poverty. She was awarded the BenignoS. Aquino Jr. Fellowship for Professional Development bythe US Embassy and the Benigno S. Aquino Foundation in2005. She was also nominated to fill the 12th slot of theLiberal Party’s senatorial slate for the 2010 National Electionsto represent Muslim Mindanao, grassroots leadership andwomen.

MARIA BELEN BONOAN is theDirector for Local GovernanceProgram with The Asia Foundationin the Philippines. In this capacity,she manages the TransparentAccountable Governance programand assists in the development,imple-mentation, monitoring, andevaluation of selected activitieswithin the Foundation’s Governance and Counter Corruptionprogram. She is an expert on subnational planning andfinancial management, national and local-level counter-corruption initiatives, government-private sector partnerships,design and facilitation of multi-sectoral processes, and buildingpeer support networks among local governments and resourceinstitutions. She was a domestic public finance anddecentralization specialist in the Asian Development Bank’sRegional Capacity Building and Governance for theExpanded ARMM project, and has worked on the Foundation’slocal governance projects in Sri Lanka. Prior to joining theFoundation, she was a local finance specialist for the Associatesin Rural Development-Governance and Local Democracyproject, where she helped improved local governmentrevenues and capacities. She has previously worked in aninternational humanitarian agency dealing with politicalrefugees and economic migrants. She earned her B.A. inInternational Relations from the Mindanao State Universityand her M.A. in Public Administration from the University ofthe Philippines. As guest panelist, Ms. Bonoan sits as the sixthmember of the Galing Pook Awards - ARMM 2010 SelectionCommittee.


Board ofBoard ofBoard ofBoard ofBoard of T T T T Trusteesrusteesrusteesrusteesrustees, , , , , 2010-20112010-20112010-20112010-20112010-2011Rafael L. Coscolluela Chairperson. Chairman, ESKAN. Former Administratorof the Sugar Regulatory Administration and Governor of Negros Occidental. Ma. Nieves R. Confesor Vice-Chairperson. Executive Director, AIM-TeaMEnergy Center for Bridging Leadership. Former Secretary of the Department ofLabor and Employment. Austere A. Panadero Corporate Secretary. Undersecretary for LocalGovernment, Department of the Interior and Local Government. Alex B. Brillantes, Jr. Treasurer. Professor and Former Dean, NationalCollege of Public Administration and Governance, UP Diliman. President,Philippine Society for Public Administration.. Josefina M. Dela Cruz Trustee. Chairperson, Southeast Asian CommunityManagement Corporation. Former Governor of Bulacan and Secretary-Generalof the League of Provinces of the Philippines. Elisea G. Gozun Trustee. Presidential Assistant for Climate Change.Chairperson, Earth Day Network Philippines. Former Secretary of theDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources. Cielito F. Habito Trustee. Director, Ateneo Center for Economic Research andDevelopment. Former Director-General, National Economic and DevelopmentAuthority. Yasmin Busran-Lao Trustee. Consultant and Founding President, Al-MujadillahDevelopment Foundation. Founding Chairperson, Nisa Ul-Haqq Fi Bangsamoro(Women for Truth and Justice in the Bangsamoro). Victor O. Ramos Trustee. Board Member, Ramos Peace and DevelopmentFoundation. Former Secretary of the Department of Environment and NaturalResources.

Eddie Dorotan, MD, MPA • Executive DirectorLorenzo Ubalde, MDM • Program OfficerMarie Guzman • Administration and Finance OfficerAdrian Adove • Program AssistantMonette Montemayor • Program AssistantEdith Ramos • Administration and Finance AssistantChristine Beltran • Administrative Assistant

Secretariat

G A L I N G P O O K F O U N D A T I O N

No. 25 Mahusay corner Malinis StreetsUP Village, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101 PhilippinesTel. Nos. (+632) 926-4136, (+632) 433-4731 to 32http://www.galingpook.orgCO

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Galing Pook Awards - ARMM 2010 • 1galingpook.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Galing-Pook-in... · 2020. 5. 19. · Galing Pook Awards - ARMM 2010 • 3 The Galing Pook T he Galing