Sustaining Legal Advocacy and Campaign Towards the Protection of the Watershed Forest Reserves (Phase II)
- Proponent: Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw, Inc. (BALAOD-Mindanaw)
- Amount: PhP 1,994,500.00
- Project Start Date: September 01, 2013
- Project End Date: October 31, 2014
- Grant Type: Environmental Defense
- Area: Mindanao
- Grant Status: Past
Project Goals and Objectives
To sustain the legal advocacy and campaign about the importance of biological diversity conservation and protection of the 43,601-hectare watershed in Surigao del Sur through strengthening and expansion of paralegal formation and the coalition.
Outputs and Outcomes
Component 1: Strengthening of Community-Based Paralegals and Community-based Organizations
Critical Activities | Outputs |
Community groundworking | List of paralegals trained finalized and turned-over to the Coalition and paralegal network |
Conduct of Training Needs Assessment (TNA) | POs selected potential paralegals |
Advanced Paralegal Training | Updated and enhanced knowledge and skills of existing paralegals on different environmental laws and environmental procedures
Enhance paralegal skills on campaign and advocacy skills
|
Basic Paralegal Training | Capacitated community advocates with basic paralegal skills and knowledge of the law
Community advocates as new paralegals come up with a Community Campaign Plan
Campaign Core Group formalized in the municipalities of Cantilan, Carmen, Madrid, and Lanuza
|
Profiling of participants for IP Mandatory Representation Training | Identify the final participants for the IP Mandatory Representation Training |
Conduct of 4 paralegal clinics and tactic session/community visit | Monitoring/updating of paralegal plans and strategize
Updated and monitored status in the community vis-à-vis the actions taken by paralegals in the community and status of the community
|
Drafted 4 new modules | Revised and improved toolkit |
Reprinting of the Paralegal Toolkit | Printing of updated Paralegal toolkit |
Conduct of series of campaign orientation for Carac-an Watershed protection | Number of Community member from different municipalities of Surigao del Sur gain knowledge on the status of the campaign for Carac-an Watershed protection
Point person from different municipalities identified
Plan per municipality for the support to the campaign for Carac-an Watershed protection formulated
|
Conduct of IP Skills and Knowledge on IP Governance Training | Number of IP representative gain deeper knowledge on IP governance |
Paralegal assembly | All trained paralegals come together to formulate province wide plan for environmental protection
Network of paralegals established and formalized
Paralegal coordinators/point persons identified
|
Component 2: Local and National Policy Reform Advocacy and Campaign
Critical Activities | Outputs |
Attended congressional hearing on NLUA | Projected the mining threat to watershed |
Participated in the national network strategizing for AMMB | Policy proposals discussed and validated
Presented policy proposals
|
Conducted research for AMMB, NLUA, and FRB | Participation in the finalization of the NLUA Bill |
Drafted and released flyer on Cantilan and NLUA | Highlight Cantilan Issue in support for passage of NLUA |
Reproduction of advocacy materials | Printed and disseminated advocacy materials to the local and national audience |
Participated in the National Conference on NLUA and Business | Business sector expressed support on the passage of NLUA |
Finalization of local ordinance | Finalized draft of local ordinance |
Finalized discussion on the local ordinance with some SB officials of Cantilan, Carmen, Lanuza, and Madrid, Surigao del Sur, in a Legislative Forum | SB members, paralegals and other organizations agree and commit their presence in a legislative forum |
Series of policy discussion with paralegals and SB officials | Local ordinance framework presented to paralegals and some SB officials |
Lobbying for sponsorship of local ordinance and repeal of a local resolution | SB officials agree to sponsor the ordinance and passed in the local Sanggunian
SB officials amend controversial resolution
|
Local mobilization | Local mobilization initiated by the paralegals |
Component 3: Coalition Strengthening and Networking
Critical Activities | Outputs |
Meeting with local partners/coalition | Strengthened and expanded local coalition for the protection of the watershed forest reserves |
Tactic session with community-based paralegal coordinator and VSAC
Discussion with Baywatch and its partners for sustainability
|
Discussion of strategies within which to assist the paralegals in the realization of the plans identified |
Meeting with Coalition members | Discussed certain strategies and plans to sustain campaign plans |
Meeting with SOS-YB | Discussed strategies and developments of the members of the Network and the status of the campaign |
Convergence Forum of Surigao del Sur Pro-Environment Advocates | Gather stakeholders of Surigao del Sur for consolidation of like-minded advocates |