ANGOC's project interventions may be classified into four major areas: a) access to resources and health services; b) increasing productivity and resource conservation; c) establishing market linkages; and d) reforming the policy environment. All these activities were directed towards enhancing the capacities of indigenous communities for them to actively participate in socio-economic and sociopolitical activities.
Access to land and basic services
Access to land
Most of the upland farmers including the Higaonons cultivate the logged-over timberland. Technically, these lands are owned by the government. With high elevation and sloping terrain, soil is easily eroded causing siltation of the rivers.
Forest occupation is not an isolated problem in Cagayan de Oro. It was estimated in the 1990s that there are already around 14 million forest inhabitants. As a way of addressing this problem, the Government launched the strategy of Community Based Forest Management Program (CBFMP) where the communities are tapped to rehabilitate, protect and conserve the forests by granting them the management and sustainable use of the remaining forest resources. To formalize this arrangement, the forest occupants are given a certificate of stewardship contract (CSC) for individual farmers or families, a Community Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA) for the entire community and/or a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CADC) for organized indigenous communities.
To secure this contract or agreement, the Project undertook the following activities: a) organizational formation and strengthening of indigenous communities including official registration of these organizations with government bodies, b) support in the preparation of ancestral domain management plans, c) land survey to delineate boundaries and legal assistance, in areas where there are objectionable boundaries and d) facilitate the issuance of these legal contracts.
A critical support activity in land transfer is the organization of strong and viable farmer organizations as the government deals only with organized groups. To enhance their capability and to improve management of their resources, training courses were given on leadership and value formation, financial management, gender sensitivity training, sustainable agriculture, cooperative development, paralegal and environmental advocacy.
After less than two years, 1,650 hectares were distributed to the farmers under the CBFM Program.
Table 1. Data on no. of hectarage per farmer-beneficiary organizations.
| Name of Organization | No. of hectarage |
| Tungao-Dayunan Higaonon-Dumagat Farmers Association (TUDAHIDUFA) | 350 has. |
| Kapunungan sa Bato Upland Tribal Tiller (KAB-UTT) | 250 has. |
| Butay Higaonon Farmers Association (BUHIFA) | 300 has. |
| Langag Higaono Farmers Association (LAHIDUFA) | 250 has. |
| Bayanga Higaonon Farmers Association (BAHIFA) | 500 has. |
| Total | 1,650 has. |
Source: ANGOC Reports, 1999.
Access to health services
The “inadequacy” of health services in the project area is an indication of the little support that indigenous communities receive from the government. And yet, it was difficult to implement socio-economic project without addressing the basic needs of the community. In consultation with the community, ANGOC incorporated the provision of health services as a component of the project.
As nothing much can be relied on from the Government in terms of financial and medical personnel, ANGOC together with the College of Nursing of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan opted for the promotion of primary health care program. This approach called for the active participation of the community in assessing and in finding solutions to their health problems. It required the training of resident volunteer health workers on the use of low cost, appropriate technologies combined by the use of traditional medicines (herbs, finger pressure, etc.) and essential drugs.
After 2 years, ANGOC was able to train 25 female community health workers. Of the 25 volunteers, 10 continued to provide first aid services in their respective communities while the City Health Office of Cagayan de Oro absorbed 2 of them as regular health workers with corresponding honoraria.
Training courses and provision of health services (e.g. medical missions, free dental services, distribution of medicines) were made accessible to some 800 households. Sanitary latrines and community toilets were constructed benefiting 193 households. Four community herbal gardens were established and maintained by their respective organizations. A Botika Binhi Orientation Seminar was also conducted. Botika Binhi is a community drug insurance program aimed at making essential drugs accessible, affordable and available to local communities.
All these have been achieved through the collaboration of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan College of Nursing, Department of Health, Rotaract Club of RI District 3870, volunteer health nurses and nursing students.
Productivity Enhancement and Resource Conservation
The challenge in enhancing productivity in the uplands is finding the balance between optimizing yields while enriching soil fertility. This is essential in reversing environmental degradation while providing food to the community. Aside from productivity, stability is also a major factor considered.
A critical decision at the start of the project is to delineate lands for cultivation and those that would have to be reforested. In fairly denuded and very steep areas, the communities decided to set them aside for reforestation. Some farmers had to transfer to other lands as they were cultivating very steep lands. But this decision is proving to be correct as the forest is now coming back to life. These areas are now planted with different varieties of hardwood and fruit trees such as acacia mangium, g-melina, narra, cashew, mango, jackfruit and santol. ANGOC was able to negotiate with DENR for some 139,500 seedlings for planting while the communities provided 5,000 seedlings themselves. A survival of about 60% was recorded.
The project took on a participatory technology development with heavy inputs on training. Training courses conducted were mostly on sustainable agriculture, integrated and diversified farming system, agro-forestry livestock management and reforestation. These courses were supported by the establishment of demonstration farms, cross-site visits and farmer-to-farmer exchanges. NGOs and government agencies were tapped to provide technical assistance. A farmer-trainer was hired to introduce sustainable agriculture practices and to supervise the farmers as they adopt these technologies.
Table 2. Agricultural training courses conducted Sustainable
| Course | Subject Areas | |
| Sustainable Agriculture Concepts, Principles and Practices | • | National and Global Agricultural Situationer |
| • | Sustainable Agriculture (SA) in Relation to Ecology | |
| • | Appropriate Technology and Spiritual Dimension of SA | |
| • | Seven Dimensions of SA | |
| Integrated/Diversified Farming System | • | Integrating Livestock in Upland Farming |
| • | Crop Diversification | |
| • | Bio-intensive Gardening | |
| • | Intercropping | |
| • | Contour Farming | |
| Sustainable Agro-Forestry Livestock Technology | • | Nursery Care and Management |
| • | Plant Propagation (orchard development, seed bed preparation) | |
| • | Livestock Raising and Management (swine production, goat raising, caracow breeding and fattening, duck raising, quail raising) | |
| • | Forage and Pasture Development | |
| Cross-Visit to | • | Interaction with fellow farmers |
| Sustainable Agriculture Model Farms | • | Exchange of farming techniques |
| • | Appropriate Technology | |
| • | Upscaling SA Initiatives | |
Source: ANGOC, 1999.
To complement these training courses, livelihood assistance was provided. Cattle fattening, goat raising, pig dispersal and poultry-raising were initiated among community members both for food and income generation. These livelihood projects were identified by the communities themselves and monitored by their respective organizations.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
It was envisioned that with the increase in productivity, there was a need to establish market linkages. This was identified by the farmer beneficiaries as a critical link to increase their income. The products that they brought to the market are usually left unsold because they have no stalls to display their products. Established entrepreneurs and big businessmen already control these stalls.
The Project conducted a consultation among the farmer beneficiaries including other farmer groups in the area to determine the kinds of crops and the production volume that may be supplied to the market. A feasibility study was also conducted to determine the demand for the products of the farmers. Based on the information gathered, a market strategy was formulated. As financial assistance was necessary to start off the marketing activities, donors' support was sought. However, it took some time before assistance came. Finally, the Japanese Embassy, through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Project, responded positively.
The project encountered a number of problems in implementing the marketing component. First, the timing was not favorable. It came at a time when production was low due to El Nino. Second, the marketing officer hired by the Project lacked the capacity to efficiently manage the nuances of linking with the market. Third, current production system of the upland farmers do not fit well with the requirements of the market.
The Project adjusted its strategy to focus on the local market instead. It was able to negotiate with the local government to provide the needed space for farmers to display their products. While it was a step backward, it gave the farmers the opportunity for a hands-on experience in marketing.
REFORMING THE POLICY ENVIRONMENT
This intervention is part of ANGOC's strategy to link policy work at the macro level and community activities at the micro level. Changes in policy would have a broader reach as it will benefit other communities in a similar situation. Essentially, the intervention is to translate field experiences into concrete policy options to influence government policies and programs.
Policy dialogues
The Project provided opportunities for indigenous communities, farmers and other sectors to dialogue with government agencies at the local, provincial and national levels. Community mobilizations served as avenues for education and awareness building on various interrelated issues particularly on access and control to resources.
A milestone event took place during the commemoration of World Food Day in 1998 when the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) accepted the invitation to dialogue with more than 500 representatives of indigenous communities, farmers, fisherfolks, women and urban poor organizations. At the end of the dialogue, the Secretary expressed full support to the different organizations and even distributed cattle to support the livelihood of the farmers.
Table 3. Issues and talking points Other General Concerns
| Sector | Demands | |
| Lumads/Indigenous Peoples | • | Immediate intervention and action to stop illegal logging and destruction of the watershed area |
| • | Clearer land-use policy for the uplands | |
| Upland Farmers | • | For the DA to increase its promotion of and support to viable sustainable farming systems and through relevant policy favorable to farmers practicing organic farming and other sustainable farming practices |
| • | Greater technical support and assistance from government is needed to enable communities to engage in massive tree planting | |
| • | More proactive efforts and direct extension work are needed • Direct provision of post-harvest facilities, particularly mechanical dryers for corn | |
| • | Market assistance, particularly a trading facility/space in Cagayan de Oro for farmers to sell their produce | |
| • | For DA to increase its promotion and support of coastal resources management - by increasing its support to community-based law enforcement to enable fisherfolk to protect their resources | |
| • | For the DA Secretary to intervene in deputizing not just community PO leaders but also NGOs who have already been involved in Bantay-Dagat activities | |
| Fisherfolk | • | For the DA Secretary to intervene in behalf of the fisherfolk communities, in coordinating with other agencies, in making industries more accountable and transparent in their activities |
| Other General Concerns | • | Active DA support for agrarian reform, particularly on policy issues against land conversion, and the pursuit for an integrated protected areas system for agricultural production and sustainable food security at the household level· |
| • | Direct assistance for the setting-up of small-scale irrigation systems | |
| • | Direct DA assistance and support for providing safe, potable drinking water among many poor agricultural communities in Northern Mindanao | |
| • | DA must take decisive, positive steps against bio-piracy and the collection and exporting of germplasm | |
Source: ANGOC, 1999.
Institutional building
Though not formally part of the plan, the Project was instrumental in the establishment of the City's Clean and Green Board in response to the monitoring work conducted by the farmers on illegal logging in the area adjacent to the project site. The Board is a multi-sectoral body chaired by the city mayor to oversee and monitor the faithful enforcement of forest laws and regulations and to investigate illegal cutting and transportation of trees and other forest products in violation of said forest laws. It may also recommend and assist in the prosecution of violators.
Direct actions
To stop illegal logging, multi-sectoral groups barricaded the main highways of Cagayan de Oro to prevent the passage of trucks carrying illegally cut logs. ANGOC facilitated the support of national groups such as the Bishop-Businessmen Conference (BBC) and the members of the Philippine Senate to the protesting groups.
Similarly, ANGOC assisted the farmers, fisherfolks and indigenous community who traveled to Manila to demand from the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) not to lift the transport ban of timber products from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao to Northern Mindanao. The Cagayan de Oro - Lanao watershed has been reduced to about 3,000 hectares as of 1992 from 30,800 hectares in 1981.
Documentation
The Project generated case studies focused on health and illegal logging issues. It also produced a video documentary on the Higaonons in Dansolihon, Cagayan de Oro. It depicted their effort to secure access to the land they till, make it productive in a sustainable manner and influence government to institute policies to protect their forests.
As part of ANGOC's accountability, a presentation of the ANGOC's poverty alleviation initiatives in Cagayande Oro was conducted. Participated by some 40 representatives from the community, local NGO partners, local government units and national government agencies, ANGOC presented the results of its interventions.
