Governance – Polevu

The Hierarchy of Food Autonomy: A Comprehensive Framework for Sustainable Food Systems

The Philippines and Vietnam just signed an agreement “on rice cooperation to ensure sustainable food supply in the face of climate change“. Under the agreement, Vietnam is to supply snnually between 1.5 to 2 million metric tons of white rice to the Philippines in the next five years. While other countries are already talking about food sovereignty, the agreement simply exposes the situation of the Philippines when it comes to food security — a situation that is not going away anytime soon.

In the quest to address the global challenge of ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all, the concept of the Hierarchy of Food Autonomy emerges as a critical framework. This model delineates a progressive path from the foundational availability of food to the pinnacle of food autonomy, encapsulating the multifaceted aspects of food systems that need harmonization to achieve sustainable food security and sovereignty. This article delves into the Hierarchy of Food Autonomy, examining each level’s significance and the interconnections that forge a resilient and equitable global food system.

Food Availability: The Foundation

The journey towards food autonomy begins with food availability, the bedrock of the hierarchy. This level focuses on the physical presence of food, ensuring that sufficient quantities are produced and distributed to meet global demand. Availability hinges on agricultural productivity, efficient distribution networks, and the resilience of food supply chains against climatic and economic fluctuations. Indicators such as the quantity of food produced per capita and the diversity of crops highlight the robustness of this foundational layer.

From Gun-slingers to Motorcycle Drivers and the opening of Roads to Peace in Lugus, Sulu

Sulu, a province in the Philippines, has long been synonymous with violence and conflict — the very reason why it is last in my bucket list. But every now and then, we need to test the information handed down to us as some of these are already outdated. Just like the picture of Lugus, an island municipality of Sulu.

Lugus, a 5th class municipality in Sulu, Philippines, has been historically associated with violence and conflict, mirroring the challenges faced by the wider province. The prevalence of firearms exacerbated these issues, leading to fatal conflicts and an elevated crime rate. Law enforcement, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, faced an uphill battle in maintaining order. Responding to reported cases of violence, or at least the presence of violent extremists, is always a challenge as vehicles like mobile patrols are unusable in the municipality especially before 2019. And, the local government, hamstrung by resource limitations, found it challenging to tackle the escalating issues effectively.

However, a new chapter began in Lugus when Mayor Hadar M. Hajiri and Vice Mayor Medz Hajiri, took office and initiated a unique approach to bring peace and progress to the municipality: road construction.

Before the Hajiris took over, there were no roads in Lugus Island to speak of. For people to travel from one barangay to another, they need to ride boats and trek hills and mountains. The lack of access roads not only made transportation difficult but also a challenge for the residents to go to the municipal hall and access the basic services. Hence, Mayor Hadar embarked on the ambitious task of concreting the municipality’s first-ever roads, personally financing the endeavor when no LGU funds were available.

One section of the circumferential road in the municipality of Lugus, Sulu.

Mayor Hadar’s commitment to road construction remained steadfast, even during the challenging circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, support arrived, with some assistance from the regional government for road concreting projects. Recently, the LGU completed the construction of a circumferential road in Lugus, although not all sections have been concreted yet. Nonetheless, these roads have become usable and have had a significant impact on the community.

Empowering Local Communities: Lessons from Indonesia’s Dana Desa for Barangay LGUs in the Philippines

Now that the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections are done and that the winners have been proclaimed, what’s next?

In the pursuit of sustainable and inclusive development, governments around the world are constantly exploring innovative ways to empower local communities and promote grassroots development. One such endeavor that has garnered attention is Indonesia’s “Dana Desa” program, which translates to the “Village Fund”. This program provides direct financial resources to rural villages, enabling them to plan and execute development projects tailored to their unique needs and priorities.

The Dana Desa program offers valuable lessons and insights that Barangay Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Philippines could consider emulating. While every nation has its distinct socio-economic and political landscape, there are principles and practices from Dana Desa that can be adapted to enhance community development efforts in the Philippines.

1. Direct Funding to Local Communities

One of the key strengths of Dana Desa is its direct financial support to village communities. This direct funding mechanism ensures that resources are more likely to be allocated for projects that directly benefit the community. Barangay governments could explore similar approaches, allowing them to channel funds directly to the grassroots level.

While it is true that there are procurement-related limitations, one barangay has shown this — Barangay Taloot in Argao, Cebu. The community throught the puroks, in partnership with the elementary school in the barangay, developed programs and clear success indicators which were then submitted to the Barangay LGU for funding. The results include increased reading literacy and lower malnutrition that led the practice to win the 2023 Galing Pook Awards.

2. Community Empowerment

Dana Desa empowers local communities by granting them the authority to identify their development needs and prioritize projects accordingly. Barangay LGUs can adopt a similar strategy, encouraging community participation in decision-making and project planning. This approach ensures that initiatives align with local needs and preferences, enhancing their relevance and impact.

3. Transparency and Accountability

To maintain public trust and accountability, Dana Desa incorporates mechanisms for transparent fund utilization. Barangay LGUs can implement similar practices, such as regular reporting and auditing, to ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively, and to maintain transparency throughout the process.

4. Capacity Building

Dana Desa includes capacity-building programs aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of village officials and community members. Barangay LGUs could invest in training and education to empower their communities, ensuring they have the capabilities to manage and implement development projects effectively.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation

For any development program to succeed, it is essential to have robust monitoring and evaluation systems in place. Dana Desa conducts regular monitoring and evaluation of projects to assess their impact. Barangay LGUs should establish similar processes to track the progress and outcomes of funded projects, allowing them to make data-driven decisions for future investments.

6. Flexibility in Project Selection

Dana Desa grants communities the flexibility to choose the types of projects they want to implement based on local needs and circumstances. Barangay LGUs should follow suit, allowing flexibility in project selection and implementation to accommodate the unique requirements of each barangay.

7. Community Engagement

Active community participation in project implementation is a cornerstone of Dana Desa’s success. Barangay LGUs should promote community engagement and participation to ensure that projects are not only successful but also sustainable in the long term.

8. Sustainability

Dana Desa promotes sustainability by emphasizing community involvement in project maintenance and operation. Barangay LGUs should consider the long-term sustainability of projects and involve the community in planning for ongoing maintenance to ensure projects continue to benefit the community over time.

9. Sharing Best Practices

To improve local development efforts, Barangay LGUs can benefit from studying the experiences and best practices of the Dana Desa program and adapt relevant strategies to their own context.

10. Legal and Regulatory Framework

Finally, ensuring that the legal and regulatory framework in the Philippines supports the implementation of such a program is crucial. Laws and regulations related to local governance, funding allocation, and community participation should align with the principles of empowering local communities and grassroots development.

Indonesia’s Dana Desa program offers a valuable blueprint for empowering local communities and promoting sustainable development. While not all aspects of the program may be directly transferable to the Philippine context, the principles of direct funding, community empowerment, transparency, and sustainability can serve as a guide for Barangay LGUs seeking to enhance their community development efforts. By adapting and integrating these lessons, Barangay LGUs can work toward building stronger, more resilient, and self-reliant communities in the Philippines.

Disregarding natural disasters in socioeconomic planning is a calamity

The recent pronouncement of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan citing the impact of a series of typhoons as a contributing factor to the perceived poverty among Filipinos is quite alarming, if not highly irresponsible. It simply means that his department has not, and never, considered the fact that the Philippines is a high-risk country in terms of natural, and even man-made, calamities. The Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in September revealing that 48 percent of respondents considered themselves poor is a stark indicator of the nation’s struggle against poverty. However, the attribution of this perception to natural disasters alone reveals the depth of understanding and preparedness, if not negligence, of the government in mitigating the effects of such calamities.

The Philippines, located within the Pacific Ring of Fire and the typhoon belt, is undeniably susceptible to various natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In fact, the 2022 World Risk Index ranks the country as the first on the list of global disaster risk hotspots — a measure of a country’s exposure and vulnerability to natural hazards. It generated a score of 46.82 followed by India with 42.31, and Indonesia with 41.46. The assessment

Are Filipino officials using old age to avoid vaccination?

In a country with a high vaccine hesitancy, a high government official getting COVID-19 vaccine shots could make a change. Unfortunately, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and a number of his Cabinet officials are hiding in the cloak of old age to avoid getting inoculated. Could this be because they also do not trust Coronavac, the vaccine developed by Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac, which efficacy is reported at 50.4%?

The Philippines started rolling-out on Monday, March 1, 2021, its long delayed vaccination against COVID-19. Despite being the second hardest hit country in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is the last country to secure vaccine supply. Complicating this is the high vaccine hesitancy noted between 40% to 60%. In Metro Manila, for instance, only 25 percent are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with 47% undecided and 28% firm of not getting inoculation. “Vaccine hesitancy” refers to the “delay in acceptance or refusal of safe vaccines despite the availability of vaccination services.”