Part II Community-Based Forest Management Program - ppmrn

EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
INTRODUCTION
Community organizing is a process by which a community identifies its needs
and develops the confidence and the will to work and find resources to meet
such needs.
Under EO 263, CBFM is prescribed as a national strategy in the implementation
of forestry sector projects. It is based on the concept that efficient and sustained
management of forestlands and coastal areas is a result of responsible resource
utilization by organized and empowered local communities. Thus, the need for
effective Community Organizing (CO).
CO aims to mobilize the communities and develop/strengthen their capabilities
to implement subprojects activities and become long-term resource managers.
The audit, however, disclosed that community organizing was not effectively
undertaken. Core activities under the CO contracts were not implemented
contributing to the failure to transform the POs into viable entities capable of
managing the subprojects on a long-term basis.
OBSERVATIONS
1. The capability of the POs to manage the forest on a long term basis
was not fully developed during the conduct of community
organizing due to inadequate training. This contributed to the
suspension and termination of livelihood projects initiated with the
assistance of CO contractors. The absence of livelihood sources is
adversely affecting the ability of the POs to maintain the CBFM
area. In the case of PMRSP, the PO’s apparent concentration on
livelihood projects adversely affected the maintenance and
protection of the established plantation.
Recognizing the communities as partners in the development and
beneficiaries of program services under the CBFM program, community
organizing was conceptualized as one of the major project component. It is
a process of providing the communities with skills and capabilities on
technical, social and managerial aspect and transforming them into an
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