AQD, DENR hold UNITAR workshops for LGUs

The Training workshop on development of local capacities in sea and human security in coastal communities in the Philippines was organized by AQD and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with support from the United Nations Institute For Training and Research (UNITAR). The workshop was held in collaboration with the local government units (LGUs) of Culasi, Antique and Masbate City, Masbate.

Masbate City. The two-day workshop was held last April 15-16 and attended by 47 invited and volunteer participants and resource persons.

Culasi, Antique. The workshop was held last April 28-29 and attended by 58 participants and resource persons.

Day 1. In both venues, the first day of the workshop focused on a series of lectures on the sea and human security. The lectures started with the introduction of the key concept and principles of the UNITAR-Hiroshima Initiative. Then, the lectures linked these concepts to local issues and developments in the Philippines and in the local settings in Masbate City and Malalison Island.

Day 2. The second day of the two workshops in Masbate City and in Barangay Malalison in Culasi focused on the Participatory Action Plan Development (PAPD). The activity engaged participants to contribute in the identification of environmental, socioeconomic and sociopolitical problems relevant to seas and human security in Masbate City and in Malalison Island, respectively.

Priority problems include floods, land subsidence, reclamation areas, low income from fishing, and lack of supplemental livelihoods, medicine and electricity. Solutions were evaluated in terms of technical, financial and institutional feasibility.

The PAPD allowed every participant to cast their votes in the prioritization of these problems. Consensus building and cooperation were key attributes that were demonstrated and developed in the PAPD process.

Results of the PAPD will be discussed in the full report to be submitted to UNITAR-Bannai Small Grant Fund and the other participating organizations and agencies.