To meet the challenges of the big Cs in water, the DILG IX in coordination with Water and Sanitation Services Unit (WSSU) addressed the concern through a regional learning event on human rights based local water and sanitation governance on April 30,2013 at Hotel Guillermo, Pagadian City.
Invited resource speakers were DILG-WSSU, UNDP, NWRB focal persons namely: Ms. Fe Banluta, Ms. Jennifer Ginete and Ms.Belen Juarez,who communicated the various issues in the region covering the different Cs- corruption, capacity-building, culture and conduct of localized human rights local water governance interventions.
Also present in the forum was the Integrity-watch for Water Anti-Corruption Group (IWAG) , a third party monitoring group which was based in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur who shared their insightful experiences in the implementation of projects under Millennium Development Goals.
In his welcome remarks, DILG- IX Finance and Administrative Division Chief Fiorello G. Elizaga underscored the importance of such event to share practices and knowledge products that can be adopted or replicated by the provinces and municipalities in implementing their water and sanitation programs ,to know the challenges in local water governance and how these can be addressed and for the participants to identify practices and knowledge products to be used or replicated in their localities.
Invited participants were MPDCs, MEs, MHOs, SB on Appropriation, NGOs/ CSOs and representative from Water Service providers (WDs) from the municipalities of Alicia, Payao, Tungawan, Ipil , Lapuyan, Midsalip, Tigbao, Kalawit, Katipunan, and Sindangan in the region.
Highlighted feature during the process was the “Talakayang Tubig”, a talk- show participated by the resource persons and the presence of Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil who graced the event where they had been discussing issues and concerns relative to the implementation of water sanitation governance.
“There is so much focus on infrastructure development for water but sometimes we forget that the soft component or the software is equally important, if not more important. For example, projects that fall by the wayside often lack social preparation and therefore no sense of ownership is generated among the people the project seeks to serve. That is why I look at capacity development both as a tool and strategy in the development of water systems and in local water governance,” said RD Abutazil during the Talakayang Tubig.
Furthermore, there were also sharing and learning on the gains and pains of addressing cultural issues in local WATSAN through plenary presentations from LGU Kalawit of Zamboanga del Norte, LGU Tungawan of Zamboanga Sibugay and IWAG.
Learning the human-rights based, the participants also engaged in playing the life-size WATSAN Quest Board Game and a video presentation on “Empowering lives through water: quick glimpse of the MDGF and its results”
During the event, the participants also received knowledge products such as AVP films on water stories, communication toolkit, IEC materials and other instructional media to guide on communication planning for community- based development to their respective level.
Filling up the Tubig- Yaman jar containing their expression of commitment and support culminated the learning event.