YEAR-END REPORT (2008) GO GREEN PHILIPPINES PROJECT Catmondaan, Catmon, Cebu

IMPLEMENTORS: NAGKAHIUSANG MAG-UUMA SA CATMON-DAAN (HIMASACA), DENR-7 ERDS and Cebu FAME (Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters) Foundation

FUNDING SOURCE: Go Green Philippines Project Donors through Cebu FAME Foundation

COOPERATING AGENCIES: FMS-7, PENRO Cebu, CENRO Carmen, and LGU Catmon, Cebu.

PROJECT DURATION: 5 Years

RATIONALE

The Cebu-FAME Foundation in partnership with DENR-7 and Peoples’ Organizations ventures into a Go Green Philippines Project. The project goals are: 1) to help the government in greening and reforesting the degraded forestland of the country and contribute in the abatement of global warming with special consideration in the development of areas awarded with Community Based Forest Management Agreement by DENR, 2) enhance the quality of life of project beneficiary thru the employment generated in project implementation and the livelihood opportunities that will be implemented in the future, and 3) to provide sustainable supply of raw materials for the Philippine costume jewelry industry by establishing tree plantation species for costume jewelry. Financial requirement of the project will be coming from Cebu FAME Foundation, source out from the donations of foreign buyers of Cebu-FAME members’ products.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

1. To establish tree plantations of preferred species for costume jewelry industry as future source of quality and cheaper raw materials.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1. To propagate and establish plantation of FAME tree species in Central Visayas in partnership with CBFM Peoples Organization.
2. To conduct support R & D activities for some tree species for costume jewelry industry to enhance propagation and utilization of the same.
3. To provide technical assistance and continuing capability building/strengthening to selected People Organizations.
4. To generate employment and provide livelihood to selected CBFM POs.

MILESTONES IN CY 2008

A. PO Mobilization, Site Selection and Arrangements

1. Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma Sa Catmondaan (HIMASACA) represented by its President Ms. Mercedita Molina is the CBFMA holder recommended by CENRO Carmen to be the beneficiary of the project.
2. Dialogue with the PO together with Cebu-FAME and DENR followed by orienting them about the project and the benefits they will be receiving.
3. Site identified by the PO for the 10 has. Pangantoon Plantation is at Sitio Ilum, Catmondaan, Cebu part of their 229 has. CBFM area. This was done together with Cebu-FAME and DENR representatives.
4. PO members and representative from Cebu-FAME where then re-orient by DENR on the methodologies of the nursery operations, plantation establishment, maintenance and protection.
5. A tripartite Memorandum of Agreement where then executed by Cebu-FAME, DENR-7 and HIMASACA spelling out the obligations of the three parties and the commencement of the “Go Green Philippines Project”.

B. Nursery Operation

1. PO-HIMASACA was able to establish a nursery which could accommodate the 25,000 seedlings targeted for production on top of the fence and shades they have also put up.
2. The PO was able to produce and maintained a total of 26,128 pangantoon seedlings and wildings.

C. Plantation Establishment, Protection and Maintenance

1. The PO was able to conduct stripbrushing, staking and hole digging activities to a total of 10 hectares.
2. The PO was able to establish the 10 hectares Pangantoon Plantation. Planting started in August 2008 until September 2008 at a planting distance of 2 m x 2 m.
3. Maintenance have not yet been undertaken, although protection is continuously undertaken by the PO.

D. Technical Assistance and Other Arrangements

1. Technical assistance through coaching was provided by DENR for the PO to be able to produce quality planting materials during seedling production and during the plantation establishment activity of the PO.
2. Technical assistance through suggested recommendations was also provided to Cebu-Fame on strategies to fasttracked project operation. DENR also assisted Cebu-FAME in the timely evaluation of PO’s accomplishment for payment.
3. Technical assistance was also provided to the project by mapping of site for development (Annex 4a) and eventually the charting of GGPP Donors’ areas
4. Cebu-FAME was able to provide necessary inputs such as plastic bags, pangantoon seeds and fertilizer to the PO.
5. Cebu-FAME was able to provide the financial requirement for the PO to continue with their activities.