Ten
months after the onslaught of super typhoon Haiyan, communities in
Babatngon, Leyte are now reinforcing their livelihoods and ecosystems
through Babatngon Kalikasan Habitat Adaptation and Wellness (BAKHAW)
program.
The
program aims to rehabilitate and develop the coastal resources and at
the same time provide sustainable sources of income to address the
pervasive poverty in the coastal barangays of Babatngon, a coastal area
and a third class municipality whose residents depend on the wealth of
aquatic and marine species found in their local ecosystem for
livelihood.
“In
my childhood days, a storm meant good memories under the rain. Now, it
only spells phobia,” shared Mayor Charita Chan of the municipality of
Babatngon.
Mayor
Chan said that the mangroves or bakhaw served as the first defense
against storm surges. The mountains surrounding the town also served as
natural protection to the poor town. Despite these natural shields, the
residents’ livelihoods have yet to fully recover from the impacts of
last year’s super typhoon.
Babatngon
means “bind” in the local dialect. The town was known historically for
its wildlife, a rich source for food and livelihood. That bounty is
scarcely seen today compared with its neighboring towns.
“Strengthening
poor people’s income is one of the best ways to improve their
resiliency to climate change. It is important though that economic
programs also consider the health of the ecosystem on which people
depend for food and livelihood,” said Jay Bertram Lacsamana, Foundation
for Sustainable Society (FSSI) Executive Director.
FSSI
is a social investing organization providing grants and loans to social
enterprises which deliver social, economic and environmental returns
for the local economy, Ms. Merriam Azurin, FSSI Advocacy and
Communications Manager said.
A
memorandum of agreement and statement of commitment were signed just
recently, by the municipality and provincial government of Babatngon and
Leyte, with partner organizations such as the PHCCI Multi-Purpose
Cooperative, San Ricardo Producers Association, Brgy. District 4 Women’s
Association, Brgy. District 3 Agricultural and Environmental
Association, VICTO National, Eastern Visayas Multi-Purpose Cooperative,
Eastern Visayas State University, Philippine Tropical Forest
Conservation Foundation, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the
Philippine Cooperative Central Fund Federation (PCF).
Through
BAKHAW, stakeholders envision a vibrant local economy propelled by
community enterprises owned or participated by the poor who uses their
environmental resources sustainably.
Butch
Salera, CEO of the PCF said, “Through the help of different local
sectors such as the government and cooperatives, we hope to engage the
citizens in social enterprise that will alleviate the quality of lives
of our citizens”.
The
program kicked-off with a motorcade followed by a message from Mayor
Chan who encouraged the community people to venture into social
entrepreneurship.
“The
participation of our community people in this program means a lot
because it will hopefully result not only to an empowered community but
also to a protected and sustainable marine resource in our place.”
“Economic
activities must always have people, planet and profits as their
bottomlines. It is the central aim for profit that has put poor
communities vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. It is time to
change our business and governance behaviors.” Lacsamana said.
The
FSSI also provided grant support for the establishment of a housing
project for persons with disabilities in Leyte managed by the Foundation
for These Abled.
In
Tacloban, it also provided a low-interest loan for the Philippine NGO
Support Program, Inc. to operate a community-run social health
enterprise clinic providing low-cost diagnostic services.
FSSI
also worked with Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through
Alternative Legal Services to provide legal services for the
reconstruction of the identity of Haiyan’s survivors needed for claiming
benefits.
Apart
from supporting projects with community organizations, FSSI is also
supporting the passage of the Poverty Reduction Through Social
Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Bill which now has a senate committee report.
The bill aims at making social entrepreneurship in the planning
framework for national and local governments. Opt
