Community partnership through skills development program for Clark Green City Project-Affected People (PAP) /
Marilou C. Lacsina.
- 87 leaves : color illustrations
Public Management Development Program
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC), contributes to the country's sustained economic growth and reduces poverty by generating investments and creating jobs through the conversion of former military bases into globally competitive and innovative growth center. In the past 20 years, BCDA successfully generated P56.7 billion proceeds from the privatization of Fort Bonifacio and Villamor Air Base. Part of these was channelled towards full commercial and industrial development of the former US installations in Central and Northern Luzon. This endeavor gave rise to livelihood opportunities benefiting hundreds of thousand Filipinos, including those displaced by the departure of the Americans from the bases. Other notable BCDA projects include the Bonifacio Global City and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Express (SCTEx) road. Clark Green City (CGC) is BCDA's recent development project approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board. The development of Clark Green City is envisioned to bring investments and generate jobs aligned with the country's societal goal on inclusive growth and poverty reduction. Its development is founded on the concept of a green metropolis. The development of CGC involves conversion of a portion former military base into alternative productive use, hence, within BCDA mandate. The development of a project as huge as Clark Green City (CGC) will probably take more than fifty (50) years. As such, social preparations are critical as these will spell out the social and environmental outcome of the project. Relative thereto, BCDA has to address the concerns of people directly affected by the development. BCDA's timetable on social preparations is dependent directly on how the community accepts the project and their willingness to work with BCDA in achieving the desired milestones, especially since the land earmarked for development is inhabited by informal settlers. Thus, BCDA must be able handle various concerns of the stakeholders, such as (1) the project-affected communities' concern on resettlement; (2) the Local Government Unit's concern to protect its constituents and political power play; (3) the national government's priorities; and (4) availability of resources for development, including the challenge of protecting the environment due to climate change. The ReP Plan's intention is to establish a community partnership with Project-Affected People (PAP) through skills development. It intends to provide livelihood opportunities to project-affected people to prepare them for integration in the development of the Clark Green City. However, as facts of previous government projects show, particularly those that practice dole-outs, it is not enough that the government provide training programs, seminars, starter kits and financial assistance. It was recognized in this ReP that the concerned community has to take a proactive role in its own development and welfare. To be able to do that, the ReP established the baseline data on the community organizations within the area of development. Based on the data gathered, 60% of the members are 50 years old and below, 39% of which are literate considering that most are high school and college graduates. Most of the members grow crops and livestock. This data will be in identifying not only the probable training programs that will be needed, but also the organized group that can sustain livelihood programs. Part of the ReP also involved the direct extraction of data on the kind of livelihood the PAP were most interested in, through the conduct of group discussion (FGD). Based on the data gathered during the FGD, the top two livelihoods that interest then are beauty care/hairdressing and tailoring. Beauty care/hairdressing topped the list because there are no beauty parlors in the area and this can be an immediate source their daily subsistence. Training on tailoring will also give them employment opportunity at Clark Economic Zone. Relative thereto, a training program was drafted based on the TESDA program. However, there is a need to have a holistic approach to be able to mobilize the community for genuine participation. Considering the different success stories mentioned, as in the case of the Local Government Unit of Dumingag, Zamboanga; the elements of social enterprises as exemplified by CARD MRI, Gandang Kalikasan and Bina Swadaya; and the framework adopted by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), this ReP will serve as a guide in arriving at holistic approach mobilizing the community. Without the communities' participation, the development envisioned to result into inclusive growth will not be realized. To further enhance communication between BCDA and the PAP, an On-Site Community Relations Manual was also submitted for comments of concerned staff. The manual was extracted from the World Bank Guidelines on handing infrastructure project grievances. The manual provided for a means on how to handle issues and concerns; the need to establish evaluation criteria and approach to complaints; a guide on how to implement action; and knowledge management based on feedback and learnings. The ReP envisions that successful implementation of a community development implemented through a well-planned CSR program, together with the collective and concerned efforts of all concerned private and government agencies, produce these expected outcomes: (a) a community organized as social entrepreneurs capable of providing the needed logistics of business in the area; b) members of the community have acquired the necessary and even formed labor organizations, for their eventual integration to CGC; and c) a well-functioning On-Site Community Relations Manual has aided and facilitated communication between BCDA and PAP, thereby minimizing the negative social and environmental impact of the development. Given that, there will be a timely implementation of the development of Clark Green City which will result in inclusive growth and poverty reduction.
Skills development program--Clark Green City--Philippines.