TMMD Fishermen's Organization in El Nido, Palawan

Members of Tarabiangan 'Y Ang Maerentek Nga Manigpangisda sa Dipnay (TMMD) or "Small Fishermen's Group in Dipnay" in Barangay San Fernando, El Nido, Palawan recently concluded the small grant they received from SCOTIA. The fishermen and women set up monitoring enforcements not just to guard their MPA against intruders and illegal fishing but also to monitor sightings of sea cows (dugong) and giant marine turtles (pawikan) for tourism development. SCOTIA trained the members in organizational skills and coastal resource management; facilitated intensive lessons on the living habits of the dugong and pawikan; and assisted in facilitating the local government's commitment to regular financial support for TMMD activities. USAID officials visited Barangay San Fernando and officially turned over the monitoring enforcements to the TMMD officers-a newly-constructed guardhouse with a strategic view of the MPA, a patrol boat, and monitoring equipment.

As the fishermen and women deepened their value for efficient environmental management and their substantial contribution in this important endeavor, they noted an increase in both the volume of their catch and the regularity of their dugong and pawikan sightings. SCOTIA will continue to give technical assistance to the TMMD members, latest of which was an assessment of the habitat conditions of their MPA resources. The Mayor and Vice Mayor of El Nido also committed to provide technical support and guidance to TMMD as well as oversee management of the sanctuary.

Dado Junkshop Business in El Nido, Palawan

SCOTIA's technical assistance in solid waste management (SWM) is one of its most successful programs in El Nido, Palawan. The ongoing improvements now benefiting the town include innovations in the local government's 10-year SWM plans; cleaner production interventions for tourist resorts; waste segregation, composting, and recyclable collection on the barangay level down to individual households; and other substantial changes. SCOTIA further assisted in the development of small businesses that would support SWM.

Three years ago Oliver and Nerissa Dado had considered closing down their small junkshop with little more than metal scraps giving them income. But with SCOTIA's technical assistance, the couple learned the necessary skills to build up their business, including pricing of specific recyclables, space-saving packaging techniques, and other important skills. Their junkshop today is filled daily with assorted materials from customers who have learned the profitability of selling their recyclables. In addition to this development, the big break came to the couple when Ten Knots Resorts, operators of two first-class island resorts in El Nido which SCOTIA had also assisted in SWM, made the Dado Junkshop its official recyclable hauler. Oliver and Nerissa Dado recognize the long-term viability of their business with SWM now well-established in their town as an essential means to conserve El Nido's coastal resources.

ABAKA's Composting Project

ABAKA raised the bar for composting as it concluded its SCOTIA grant with an output of almost 500 kilos. From 2005 when SCOTIA facilitated the organization and training of the ABAKA women, they have since succeeded in various SWM projects, partnering with the LGU and business establishments in Moalboal, Cebu (see SUCCESS STORIES Archives). SCOTIA facilitated composting training for ABAKA and construction of the composting facility in Bgy. Poblacion East. Even before the facility was completed, the women went full swing into composting of biowaste from the municipal market. SCOTIA continued to facilitate the women's capacity building-from the simplest steps in composting to advanced techniques such as vermiculture and aerobic bacteria composting (see HIGHLIGHTS Composting).

The ABAKA women are now eyeing to expand their project by offering compost-for-a-fee services to members of MBTO, the Moalboal Business and Tourism Organization comprised of resort operators and other business establishment owners in Bgy. Basdiot. Such an arrangement would ensure sustainable revenue generation for ABAKA's composting project. Other expansion ideas which the women are studying are biowaste collection from eight other barangays; specialized segregation for recyclable waste to complement the operations of junkshop dealers; and intensified marketing of their compost products.

ABAKA spearheaded the celebration of Earth Day on April 21, 2007 in Moalboal with the planting of 1,800 mangrove propagules. They have started to collect segregated waste from Bgy. Basdiot in addition to the biowaste they collect from the market. As the group's advocacy widens to reach more communities, the ABAKA women continue to live up to their organization's name-Ang Babaye ug ang Kalikupuan, "women for the environment."