The PACAP12

Mt. Matutum Integrated Conservation and Development (MICADEV) Project
South Cotabato as the pilot province. The same consultation workshops also picked the
CSDO-SC as its implementers. CSDO-SC worked in area-specific clusters and
operationalised integrated approaches for multi-stakeholder partnerships. They promoted
their agenda through community participation, environmental protection and conservation,
and socio-economic development activities. PACAP chose the MICADEV cluster for
its initial area-focus approach.
The MICADEV-AFA project upscales the original MICADEV program. It was implemented
in ten (10) different locations within the MMPL and required massive community
organising. PACAP funds made up sixty three percent (63%) of the PhP54,087,274
invested in the MMPL. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of the PACAP funds was allocated for
forest rehabilitation while twenty-five (25%) percent was set aside for socio-economic
development.
The overall goal of the MICADEV-AFA is to “sustain the MMPL watershed using an
integrated area development approach, establishing viable community enterprises,
promoting multi-sectoral partnership, and enhancing community participation.”
Major components of the project are:
1) environment and resource management,
2) community organising and organisational development,
3) economic assistance and livelihood development,
4) basic social services,
5) infrastructure, and
6) advocacy.
E. Area-Focus Approach
AFA is a management and implementation strategy that seeks to unite stakeholders
within a common or complementary agenda and focuses development initiatives and
resources on a single geographically contiguous and clearly delineated area. Area-focus
approach strives to harness diverse multi-sectoral resources and agenda toward larger
common goals. This requires an extraordinary ability on the part of the development
agency to consolidate all the activities of the actors or players and harness them toward
these common goals. To achieve this, some fundamental elements must be in place,
namely: 1) LGU support; 2) Multi-sectoral and multi-level coordination; 3) Learning
focus process.
F. LGU Support
LGUs extended counterpart financial as well as other resources to the MICADEV
project. They issued resolutions, ordinances, and executive orders to provide the legal
mandate for MMPL-related activities. LGUs on their part were hoping that the activities
of PACAP and its partners will reduce calamities in the area and alleviate the poverty and
lack of social services hounding the communities.
G. Multisectoral and Multilevel Coordination
AFA required close coordination among key players, particularly the NGOs and LGUs.
Thematic or sectoral concerns were incorporated into larger educational and social awareness-
B E S T P R A C T I C E S I N C O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T 13