5. Sustainability and durability of project achievements
A. Economic Improvement
1. Engagement of all women participants in IGP. A total of P7,242,245.16 ($272,265) loan was released to about 1612 members from 1991 to 1993.
As of August 1994, total loan amounted to P9,105,913 ( $342,328).
2. Increases in total household income brought about by significant increases in income contributed by women respondents.
3. Increases in women's income led to improved family welfare. Primarily, women used their earnings for the family in terms of nutrition, clothing and education which all add up to health, welfare and development.
4. Some women already engaged in more advanced economic activities (fish processing, mussel culture, meat processing, etc.).
5. Improved women's skills in the management of enterprise led to expansion and diversification of their economic ventures.
6. Acquisition of capital assets (e.g. motor boat, fishing gears, tricycle, etc.) and household-related assets (e.g. appliances, lot, etc.). These can serve as collateral if members decide to continue and expand their credit practices even without the Project's assistance.
7. Women acquired the good habit of savings and credit practices through training.
8. General economic improvement of members influenced nonmembers (neighbors) to engage in similar economic activities (e.g. fish vending, commodity trading, etc.) 'to improve their lives' too. More non-members expressed their desire to be part of the Project.
B. Social-related Improvement -
1. Improved family relations. Knowledge, values and attitudes learned by the women from training were transferred or shared with their husbands, children and other household members.
2. Improved awareness and knowledge of family planning methods. Improved access to family planning services provided by the project and accounting in part for the rise in contraceptive prevalence rate from 20% in 1990 to 65/. as of August 1994.
3. Active participation in MCH and nutrition related programme (immunization, operation timbang, supplemental feeding, etc.) and community-related activities.
A. Women's association and linkages
1. 78 WGs with 1692 members were organized from 1990 to 1993. (Number of drop-outs is excluded).
2. In Capiz, 7 Municipal Federations and Provincial Federation of all WGs were organized. In Pangasinan, only 5 Municipal Federations of 18 WGs were organized.
3. Representation of the Chairman of WG Federation in Municipal Development Council.
4. Legal personality of the WGs (38 WGs in Pangasinan and all WGs in Capiz) as they are registered in DOLE. In Capiz, some WGs are in the process of registering with CDA as full-pledged cooperative.
5. Strong linkage with LGUs, DOH and other agencies and with banking institutions (LBP and Allied Bank).
6. Established Group CBU fund and savings. As of August 31, 1994 , Pangasinan's WGs has a total of P169,549.20 Group CBU fund and P189,501.60 Group Savings. As of July 31, 1994, Capiz, WGs has a total of only P5,7611.50 Group CBU fund and P190,321.34 Group Savings.
Some WGs have already used their Group Funds for relending and marketing activities.
7. Leadership capabilities of women were recognized in the community as indicated by the recent-election wherein come members were either elected as barangay officials or appointed as barangay secretary or treasurer.
B. Barangay Community Activities
1. Social Action Projects of WGs:
a. construction of project office
b. cleanliness and beautification drive
c. tree planting
d. medicinal/herbal garden or vegetable garden
e. construction of waiting shed/area
f. assisted in construction of school building/chapel/mini sports facility/day care center/multipurpose center
g. facilitated electrification of village
h. facilitators on some community activities (e.g. Cooperative Month, Nutrition Week, Brgy. Fiesta, Valentine's Day, etc.)
i. campaign on illegal fishing or illegal gambling
2. Health-related projects
a. immunization
b. supplemental feeding to malnourished children
c. operation timbang
d. sputum sampling
e. herbal medicine preparation
f. construction of sanitary toilets or latrines
g. distribution of first aid kits
h. request for Medical Action Teams for medical checkups of village residents
i. service of some members as Day Care Worker
3. Family Planning Related Projects
a. referral system
b. resupply of contraceptive pills and condom
c. film showing on family planning
d. participation in Population Week Celebration
e. IEC billboards
f. service of some members as BHWs, BSPOs for government and NGO programs
g. service of FPV (Pangasinan has a total of 30 functioning FPVs)
4. Fund Raising Activities (Raffle, benefit dance, Christmas carolling and others) - proceeds are used in financing their projects and as group CPU and savings.
The enumerated activities above are the type. of projects initiated by WGs. One WG has at least 3 social action projects and several health and family planning related activities. Construction of project office is their primary project.
The sustainability and institutionalization of the Project will mainly depend on the Project's implementing arms namely the Provincial Governments of Pangasinan and Capiz.
Among the measures introduced by the project in order to ensure that its activities can be continued without interruption are as follows:
A. CAPIZ
1. Creation of Group Volunteer Organizers (GVOs). At least one (1) GVO per WG is being trained as leader or another "field worker" who can assume some of the Field Worker's tasks, e.g. organizing women, preparing training design, resource speaker in training courses, conducting survey of members etc. Three (3) training for GVOs with 112 participants had been conducted since 1991.
2. Federation of all 30 WGs at municipal and provincial levels. Chairman of WG Municipal Federation has a representation in Municipal Development Council.
3. Gradual conversion of WGs into a full-pledged cooperative. In August 1994, District 1 had piloted a General Assembly. Processing of CDA registration is underway.
4. Inclusion of project in PPDO's regular budget. 20% of development fund is alloted to project. By 1995, expansion to upland areas is included in their workplan and budget.
5. Strengthening skills and competencies of project staff through regular training/seminar that will enhance project implementation not only from project but also from other institutions.
6. Establishing strong linkage with LGUs, Some municipal LGUs have provided financial assistance (e.g. sponsoring WG federation's general assembly, inter-barangay tour), facilities and encouragement.
7. Representation of PMS (Field Supervisor of District 1) in the session of Municipal Council on a quarterly basis to update officials on the progress and problems of the project. Mayors are furnished with project monitoring reports.
B. PANGASINAN
1. Creation of FP Volunteer. Two (2) training with 41 pax were conducted.
2. Five (5) municipal-based WG federations were established in 1994 .
3. Strengthening of skills and capabilities of project staff through regular training/seminars.
It is noticeable that Capiz, approaches toward sustainability are many compared with Pangasinan. The frequent replacement/turnover of staff, contractual nature of assignment and lack of commitment might be the contributing factors of this result.
On a quarterly basis, project staff assessed the level of development of WGs whether the group is in Level 1 (Group Formation), Level II (Group Development) or Level III (Group Institutionalization). In 1992, only 1 WG achieved Level III, a. shown in Table 23. It is assumed that in 1994, more WGs are in Level III. (Data on recent status of level of WGs development level is not available.)
The goal of the Project is for all WGs to reach the Level III status since it is an indication that the group can continue and sustain their activities even without the project.
The community-based management and the integrated social and economic approach of the project particularly the training package have already been adopted by the implementing agencies in some cases which are as follows:
A. CAPIZ
1. Other PPDO Special Projects
a. Greening Panay, a project with task force composed of DA, DENR, PPDO, Rotary Club, etc.
b. Coastal Resource Management
2. Municipal LGUs a. Training for Sangguniang Kabataan
B. PANGASINAN
1. Provincial Livelihood Program. The Provincial Government entered into a separate agreement with LBP for implanting a similar model of lending for accredited organized groups and associations (e.g. fishermen, farmers, etc.).
C. Project in other countries
1. CPR/89/P01, a UNFPA project in China which is similar to PHI/89/P16. Sixteen (16) Chinese project implementors had a 2week training program in Capiz in 1992 for them to be exposed to the Philippine experience in WG formation, savings mobilization, micro-enterprise development and integration of social development activities in WG established.
Project- staff were the trainors and WGs had actual interaction with the Chinese.
2. Visit of 3 fellows from Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative in Capiz on July 1992. This is under the UNDP/IPAF assisted project Artisanal Fisheries Development Project of the Government of Nigeria which has placed special emphasis on women fisherfolk.
1. The project is starting to influence a participating commercial bank's (Allied Bank, Capiz) lending policies toward the poor, particularly for women. It has indicated its desire to replicate the Project's credit scheme to other provinces.
2. Municipal Mayors esp. in District 1 of Capiz expressed to replicate the project in other areas of the municipality. Allocation of part of Countryside development fund is planned.
