Partner people’s organizations and communities of De La Salle University (DLSU), social enterprise (SE) advocates including faculty members and other delegates from twenty-five 25 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) representing 10 countries from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus Japan, China, and Korea participated in the September 9-18, 2019 # WeCAN International Boot Camp. The International Boot Camp and Research Colloquium hosted by DLSU through the Lasallian Social Enterprise for Economic Development Program of the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA) was supported by the government’s Commission on Higher Education.
The 10-day learning and mentoring sessions, cultural appreciation, social enterprise / social incubation and innovations exposure aimed to equip participating HEIs to contribute to the localization of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through social entrepreneurship. The international boot camp also included a research colloquium co-organized by the Social Development Research Center. DLSU showcased in the research colloquium studies on SDGs undertaken by faculty members, students and researchers.
Also, COSCA pushes to engage more community partners in the series of sessions for the LSEED SE Fellowship Program. Women members from the following partner community organizations participated in the series of workshop held from July to August 2019: a) Bukluran ng mga Migranteng Manggagawa at Kapamilya, Inc., b) Kababayan Samahan ng Bagong Barrio, Caloocan, Inc., c) Erinyes Community Kaingin I Chapter, Inc. and d) Kayumanggi Valenzuela City Chapter Association, Inc. The program capacitates more community members to help them prepare themselves in their social entrepreneurship journey. The series of workshop introduce them the concepts of “social entrepreneurship and the SE landscape, organizational development, conflict management / resolution, social business canvass and creating and developing the SE idea and business incubation.
SE workshop sessions aim to deepen understanding of the opportunities and challenges identified during community business scoping as well as facilitate the identification of immediate action plans that will enable partner communities and students to create / develop social enterprises that are relevant, sustainable and impact-driven.
Talim bay’s local fishers, Local Government Unit (LGU) of the Municipality of Lian, Batangas (reprsented by Municipal Mayor Isagani Bolompo), conservation advocates and the De La Salle University-Manila (represented by Br. Raymundo Suplido, DLSU President) through its Center for Social Concern and Action and the Br. Shields Ocean Research Center push to sustain biodiversity conservation initiatives with the renewal of partnership and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Sept. 23, 2019 in Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas.
During the MOU signing, local fishers were represented by the leaders of LGU of Brgy. Lumaniag, Lian, Batangas and of local peoples’ organizations like Lian Fisherfolk Association, Inc. and the Samahan ng mga Mandaragat sa Sulok at Samahan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda ng Binubusan.
While maintaining Talim bay’s biodiversity remains a challenge for conservation advocates and the fishing community given the concerns on coral reef bleaching and limited fish catch in Talim bay areas declared as marine protected , stakeholders commit to take a closer look at establishing their version of a Marine Protected Area, designed to protect the municipal coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove forest and help ensure the integrity of these ecosystems. The operative word is to sustainably utilize resources through regulation and peoples’ participation.
To date, one coastal community in Talim Bay continues operation of its community based-ecotourism activity as alternative source of income for fishers. Also, stakeholders pursue initiatives to help keep Talim bay's health, sustain peoples’ participation through continued capacity building activities and facilitate the conduct of relevant services with the community, among others.
Moreover, De La Salle-Red Cross Youth, the DLSU-Lasallian Scholar’s Society, Sagip Bayan Foundation, Inc. and DLSU-COSCA through its Lasallian Health Education, Accessible Resources and Training Services component facilitated the conduct of a Medical Mission last July 27, 2019. Approximately 180 household members of fishers in the coastal communities of Lian, Batangas received health services during the mission through medical check-up and provision of medicine supplies.
DLSU – Center for Social Concern and Action continues to pursue initiatives to help make partner communities increase capacities on resiliency and safety. The academe recognizes its role as resource for knowledge generation and knowledge sharing It also acknowledges the important role that communitiy members play in disaster preparedness being at the frontline and directly affected in times of disaster or calamity.
In the effort of helping build disaster resilient communities, DLSU-COSCA continues to pursue partnership building and strengthening with institutions and organizations that suport advocacies on climate change adaptation and mitigation and environmental protection. On August 8, 2019, COSCA supported the GlobalGiving-sponsored forum dubbed “Conversations on Strengthening Community Resilience through Localized Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in the Philippines.” The forum highlighted the sharing of experiences of organizations and institutions engaged in raising capacities of communities in the Philippines which include, among others the following: Office of Civil Defense-NDRRMC, Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP), Philippine Preparedness Partnership, Buklod Tao, Inc., Las Pinas Persons with Disability Federation, Inc. and Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. The forum also discussed the current state and trends on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in the Philippines. It provided the community members and representatives of participating institutions and people’s organizations venue to network and share their learnings and examined the challenges they encountered in operationalizing the elements of DRRM. The discussion also allowed participants to share best practices and explore areas for future collaboration to deepen engagement of communities in DRRM.
Also, a 5-day Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training of Trainers (CBDRRM TOT) was organized on September 3-7, 2019 to help enhance the capacity of the Municipality of Lian, Batangas on resiliency and safety. Formal leaders and representatives from the 19 barangays of LGU Lian, Batangas including its Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) staffers successfully completed the CBDRRM TOT. The training which tapped the expertise of CDP was pursued by DLSU to help contribute to the efforts of building disaster resilient partner communities.
The training of trainers focused on the discussion of the following: a) Context of Disaster in the Philippines and Importance of CBDRRM, b) Steps in Conducting CBDRRM, c) Disaster Preparedness, Prevention, and Mitigation, d) Disaster Response, Rehabilitation, and Recovery, and e) Action Planning. Provided with the knowledge on DRRM concepts and the different techniques in formulating effective and efficient plans and actions related to DRRM, the participants were given the chance to become trainers and /or facilitators of a simulated CBDRRM training. The simulation training which is a requirement for completion is also an essential step for the participants to obtain accredited with the Office of Civil Defense as CBDRRM trainers.
The CBDRRM TOT is an initial step for the conduct of CBDRRM training in the partner barangays which will be supported by LGU Lian’s MDRRMO and consistent with DLSU-COSCA's initiative under the Lasallian Environmental Sustainability and Governance component of DLSU-COSCA’s Lasallian Sustainable Development Program.
