MANILA, Philippines – In a country still in shock over an unimaginable political massacre, three local government units from far-flung provinces have shown that peace, if sincerely pursued by local leaders, is not elusive after all.

For being peacemakers in their own way, the remote province of Sarangani, the small town of Midsayap in Cotabato and the municipality of Tabuk in Kalinga each won a Galing Pook Award.

Galing Pook Foundation executive director Eddie Dorotan says: “These winners show that peace is possible if leaders have the will to pursue it.”

He adds: “Conflicts should not be resolved by violence. We cannot resolve conflicts through physical atrocities. In the end, everyone loses in violence.”

Like its neighbors in Mindanao, the town of Midsayap has witnessed numerous bloody feuds between families, locally known as “rido,” mostly because of land disputes.

But the village leaders of at least six barangays, where Muslims and Christians live, have chosen not to live in fear or apathy. In 2005, they established an alliance called “Natularan Mu,” which puts together the names of six barangays: Nabalawag, Tugal, Lower Glad, Rangaban, Nes and Mudseng.

The alliance is not a formal organization and gets funding only from voluntary contributions of the village leaders, but it has succeeded in resolving, among others, a dispute involving a 24-hectare property in Barangay Mudseng. The warring families have agreed to divide the property equally.

The Natularan Mu acts as peacemaker, mediator, referee, guide, peace and order enforcer, and endorser of community projects. In honoring the group, the Galing Pook Foundation has recognized that the Natularan Mu “has made great strides toward really making their areas into real sanctuaries of peace.”

14 best projects

Galing Pook Foundation chair Rafael Coscolluela says: “We have often heard of aspirations for more excellence in local governments. We wished, not just for islands but for an entire archipelago of good governance.”

The foundation annually honors 10 best practices from nominated local government units. This is the first time it will honor 14 locally initiated projects, ranging from peace and conflict resolution to environmental management to health and social services, Dorotan says.

The winners were selected from 123 nominations the foundation received this year. The national selection committee, chaired by economist and Inquirer columnist Solita Monsod, looked for the following characteristics: “Innovation, positive results, transferability and sustainability, people’s participation, and efficiency.”

Integrating Islamic values

The project “Kalinaw Sarangani” has given Sarangani province its first Galing Pook award.

Since 2007, it has brought together different ethno-linguistic groups to take part in peace-building, development planning, decision-making, governance and the formation of 50 peace and development communities.

One of the project’s components is the integration of Islamic values in the school curriculum of 50 Islamic schools in the province to “help mold the students into enlightened, responsible and peace loving citizens and leaders.”

Resolving conflicts

Another winner is Tabuk in Kalinga’s “Matagoan Program” which has helped resolve 33 of 35 tribal conflicts in the area between 2002 and 2007.

The mountainous town used to be notorious for vendetta killings and tribal warfare, but the program has created a council tasked to settle tribal disputes. It has established closer relationships between the local police and the communities. The decrease in tribal conflicts has led to an increase in economic productivity.

The foundation has cited the program because “it is simple [as] it employs existing customs, practices and beliefs of the native residents.”

The Galing Pook Foundation will award each of the 14 winning projects with a P100,000 grant from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in a ceremony in Malacañang on Dec. 4.

Other Mindanao winners

Three other winning projects come from Mindanao, another two from Visayas, one from Luzon while five others are from Metro Manila.

In Surallah, South Cotabato, farmers practice organic and bio-dynamic agriculture and the production of alternative medicine through the “Paraiso Himsug” project. Households grow organic crops used in processing alternative medicines, bringing together families while giving them livelihood and promoting good health.

Malaybalay City in Bukidnon has started the “Malaybalay Integrated Survey System,” patterned after the DILG’s Community-Based Monitoring System. It has administered a survey of 231 questions covering the needs of the different departments. It has also given the government a better picture of its constituents and their needs providing a basis for development and action planning.

Barangay Barobo in Valencia City, Bukidnon promotes “vermiculture” as a livelihood program. Called “Project Bulawan,” the barangay council encourages members to grow worms which feed on bio-degradable wastes and produce “vermi cast” used as organic fertilizer. The project has popularized organic farming and reduced farming production costs by as much as 48.5 percent.

Visayas, Luzon winners

Barangay Luz in Cebu City has launched the “Kuarta sa Basura” that allows the community to earn through recycling, composting and other environment-friendly activities. The project helps reduce the waste disposed in the city’s landfill to 28 percent while the rest of the garbage is converted to cash through recycling and composting.

With the help of the German Technical Cooperation Agency, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental has started “Ecosan,” a project that treats and transforms human wastes into fertilizers, soil conditioners and materials for irrigation, construction and fire-fighting. The project is the country’s first LGU-constructed and managed wetland wastewater treatment facility.

Bulacan Province has established the “Gawad Dr. Manuel G. Roxas” award which recognizes outstanding projects in the province. Since it began, the award has honored 12 projects which have become regular government programs.

MetroManila winners

Marikina City has started a “Clean Food and Water Laboratory” which disseminates information on food safety and hygiene. The city requires food vendors to undergo food safety and personal hygiene training. It also regularly monitors water and food quality through the city’s own laboratory which also serves neighboring cities. The project is now being replicated in Muntinlupa City.

Taguig City has launched the “Taguig Citycard,” an identification card system that gives residents free or discounted social services. The card also prioritizes residents in employment opportunities. The city requires a levy of P750 annually from private companies for every non-resident employee, encouraging local hiring and generating more revenues for social services. Some 20,488 card holders are offered free college education, free funeral services, senior citizen birthday gifts, socialized housing and other benefits.

In Quezon City, the Parks Development and Administration Department has transformed the city by developing the La Mesa Eco Park, the CP Garcia Park, North Olympus Park and the Tandang Sora Shrine, among others. Barangays are empowered to develop parks through cost-sharing with the city government. The parks have increased property values, improved the residents’ well-being and promoted peace and order.

Makati City has implemented a “Waste Diversion and Reduction Program” that has reduced garbage volume and increased incomes of poor families through recycling. Through its “Baratilyo ng Basura sa Barangay” the city’s junk shop operators participate in the project.

Parañaque City’s “Adolescent Friendly Reproductive Health Services” (AFRHS) promotes and provides quality health services to adolescents. Health centers have special rooms for counseling and treating adolescent clients. Through these initiatives, the government hopes for a declining rate of teenage pregnancy, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases.