PDAP

The Partnership for Development Assistance in the Philippines Inc (formerly known as Philippine Development Assistance Programme, Inc.), started as a consortium of Filipino and Canadian non-government organizations (NGOs). It was founded in 1986 as a non-stock, non-profit organization, to become an effective instrument in reducing poverty and inequity in the Philippines. PDAP prides itself in having 6 member networks with more than 300 community-based members and partner NGOs. PDAP has distinguished itself in promoting and developing rural enterprises for poverty reduction and as a tool in promoting peace in conflict-affected areas.

News and Events

PDAP starts pre-deployment of PBSP business advisers for SEAWEED Project

Ms Jay Infesto (PBSP) and Ms. Baylon (volunteer adviser) during a focus group discussion with DAFO and KCBMRMPO

As part of the SEAWEED Project, volunteer business advisers from the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) were pre-deployed last February 20-27, 2013 to conduct site assessment and meet with PDAP partner POs in Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte. The advisers discussed with the POs the scope and approaches of the business advisory program. The advisers will be deployed for the next 12 months to provide capacity building through coaching/mentoring to improve the POs organizational and enterprise performance.

The shift in the manner of providing capacity building intervention was a result of the performance capacity index (PCI) assessment last July 2012 and recognition that though the POs are mostly at the start-up stage, they do have different needs. By engaging the expertise of PBSP in business advising, participating POs will be provided with learning experience which will help in addressing their organizational and enterprise development needs.

PO Partners attend National Seaweed Convention 2012

Seven (7) seaweed farmers representing six (6) Peoples’ Organizations (POs) who are partners of PDAP in its Seaweed Project attended the 2012 National Seaweed Convention at Marco Polo Hotel, Cebu City on November 15-16, 2012. Organized by the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP), the convention was attended by representatives of government agencies, farmers’ groups, local traders, NGOs, processors and exporters in the country. With the theme “Philippine Seaweed & Carrageenan Industry: Partnership in Global Leadership,” the convention defined the farmers’ vital role in the industry in increasing production, productivity and enhancing quality of raw dried seaweeds (RDS). It also highlighted the significance of strong market support from the local traders, processors, and exporters.

^{National Seaweed Convention 2012 Plenary}

In the convention, the PDAP PO partners also explored possible marketing tie-ups with processors and exporters by bringing and showing RDS samples from their respective areas. Cebu-based market executives gave positive responses on the quality of the RDS samples and encouraged the PO partners to consolidate.

PO Partners Visit SEAFDEC and Shemberg Corporation

Last September 10-14, 2012, representatives of the People’s Organizations who are partners of the Seaweed Project had a study visit at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Tigbauan, Iloilo and Shemberg Corporation in Cebu City.

_{Participants at Igang Mariculture Park , SEAFDEC located in Municipality of Jordan, Guimaras}

In the visit at SEAFDEC, various aquaculture technologies were shared by SEAFDEC scientists thus raising the awareness and interests of the seaweeds farmers in the culture of abalone, sea cucumber and fish cages. This could help in diversifying their sources of income through product diversification by adopting/adapting these aquaculture technologies in their respective communities. This would help farmers augment their income derived from seaweeds which is highly seasonal. One of the farmers commented during the visit, “Sus nia ra man diay ni. Daghan mani sa amoa nga pwede man diay maculture galing lang wala pay igo nga teknolohiya unsaon. Pero dako gyud kini ug ikabatang sa mga mangusuay ug mangingisda.” (Abalone and sea cucumber are present in our locality though we just ignore them since we do not have the necessary technology to culture them. But this could be a great help to seaweeds farmers and fishermen.)

_{Mr. Antonio Yuri Yap during the open forum at Shemberg Conference Room.}

From Iloilo, the seaweeds farmers went to Mandaue, Cebu to visit the Shemberg Corporation. In an open forum, Mr. Antonio Yuri Yap, Plant Manager and current Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) Secretary General, pointed out the significance of product consolidation as well as meeting the required quality standards to be able to get premium prices. Farmers were also allowed to go around the Segregation Section wherein they were able to observe how impurities like stones, sand and plastics are manually segregated from the Raw Dried Seaweeds (RDS) prior to further processing.

A poem dedicated to the participants:

Sa lupa, sa hangin o maging sa dagat man
Ito ang karanasang sadyang di makakalimutan
Ikaw, ako at kahit sino man
‘Wag sanang balewalain ang natutunan
Ibigkas, isigaw at ipalaganap ang kaalaman
At huwag itago para sa ating kapakanan
Para sa ikabubuti ng ating sambayanan

Jose Regulus Ortega
PDAP Program Officer

Two of the four seaweeds dryers were completed and operational, the two others will be completed in October. The dryers were constructed in four barangays- Brgy. Manyayay, Lianga and Brgy. Poblacion, Barobo in Surigao del Sur and Brgy. Montserrat and Brgy. San Carlos, Dapa in Surgiao del Norte.

Left photo shows the 90% completed dryer in Brgy Poblacion, Barobo, Surigao del Sur. Right photo is taken from Brgy Manyayay, Lianga, Surigao del Sur during the lay-outing and installation of posts.

Seaweed farmers today use concrete pavements, basketball courts and roadsides to dry their harvested seaweeds thus making the seaweeds susceptible to impurities such as sand, pebbles and other debris. These foreign particles plus high moisture content result in poor quality that generally lowers the prices. The seaweeds dryers will help ensure better quality of dried seaweeds and therefore higher prices.

^{Left photo shows the dryer in Brgy San Carlos, Dapa, Surigao del Norte awaiting delivery of additional flooring materials. Right photo is the dryer in Brgy Montserrat, Dapa, Surigao del Norte which is now 50% complete.}

PDAP PO Partners continue to undergo CapDev Trainings

By: Jose Regulus Ortega

Capability development (CapDev) trainings and seminars for the 18 PO Partners in the Caraga region were intensified as the AECID/Codespa-funded SEAWEED Project gears towards the second semester of 2012. A total of 79 PO members participated in the Brief Recording in Enterprise Farming (BRIEF) Seminar which was conducted on the first week of June 2012. Specifically, participants of the BRIEF Seminar were the treasurers, bookkeepers, auditors and business managers of the organizations. Through the seminar, their technical capacities in managing financial transactions were enhanced.

^{Participants during one of the simulation exercises of the BRIEF Seminar in Siargao}

Also, a technical training on post-harvest practices was conducted last June 26 – July 2, 2012. This was attended by 59 para-technicians of the 18 partner organizations that had also undergone the farming technology enhancement training in September 2011.

^{Ms. Evangeline Faburada, PDAP Technical Officer, with the PO members during the post-harvest technical training in Brgy. Kinayan, Barobo.}

The CapDev interventions are continuously being provided to enhance the seaweeds PO partners’ enterprise capacities as well as to increase the farmers’ seaweeds production through improved farming techniques.

8 Seaweed Nurseries Established in the Caraga Region

By: Jose Regulus Ortega

A total of eight (8) seaweed nurseries have been established in Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte as part of the AECID/Codespa-funded SEAWEED Project in the Caraga region. The nurseries, whose construction started in May 2012 and were completed in June 2012, were intended to provide sustainable supply of quality cultivars to increase seaweeds production and productivity.

^{Working areas established in Brgy. San Carlos (left photo) and Brgy. Montserrat (right photo), Dapa, Surigao del Norte}

The seaweed nurseries will be jointly managed by the 18 PO partners. They will also be responsible in the expansion of the facilities in the next six months. Each PO shall provide additional cultivar lines and seedlings. The local government units (LGUs) of Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte contributed in the construction of the 8 seaweed nurseries. They provided materials for mooring blocks, additional cultivar lines and floaters.

Seaweeds Nursery Updates - Surigao del Sur

Seaweeds Nursery Project in Brgy. Rizal, Barobo

^{_{Photos above show the on–going construction of the working area in Brgy. Rizal, Barobo, Surigao del Sur.}}

Seaweeds Nursery Project in Brgy. Liatimco, Lianga

^{_{As of May 2, 2012, the working area in Brgy.Liatimco was partially completed. PO partners LIASEMCO and KEMMAKK are responsible for the construction of this area.}}

Seaweeds Nursery Project in Brgy. Dapdap, Barobo

^{_{Photos above show the construction of the working area in Brgy. Dapdap, Barobo, Surigao del Sur. Last May 18, 2012, Chairman Tomas Amora of Kinayan CBRM led the said construction.}}

Seaweeds Nursery Updates - Surigao del Norte

As of May 18, 2012

Seaweeds Nursery Project in Brgy Montserrat, Dapa

^{_{This working area in Brgy Montserrat, Dapa is halfway done with lumber materials still lacking.
The materials are expected to be delivered on the 19th of May, 2012.}}

^{_{Frames for the seaweed nursery had already been set – up by the Montserrat Seaweeds Farmers Assn (MONSEFA); however, cultivar lines are not yet in place. The whole structure is expected to be completed within the month of May 2012, including the partial planting of cultivars.}}

Seaweeds Nursery Project in Brgy. San Carlos, Dapa

^{_{As of the last week of April, the working area in Brgy. San Carlos, Dapa had been partially completed by members of the San Carlos and New Uba Aquamarine Assn (SCNUAA). The whole facility is expected to be completed within the month of May 2012, including the initial planting of seedlings.}}

Seaweeds Nursery Project in Sitio Capinggon, Brgy. Maribojoc, San Benito

^{_{This photo of the on – going construction of the working area in Sitio Campingganon, Brgy. Maribojoc, San Benito was taken during the 3rd week of April 2012. As of May 18, it is almost complete, with guard house and flooring already installed. The frame for the seaweeds nursery is yet to be established on the 21st of May, 2012. Target date of completion for the whole nursery structure is also within this month.}}

PO Partners Commit in Seaweed Nursery Project

Farmers from the 18 PO Partners have shown their commitment in the seaweed nursery project in Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur. Upon the release of funds from Fundacion CODESPA on the 2nd week of April, farmers started working on the establishment of eight (8) seaweed nurseries in the towns of San Benito, Dapa, Lianga and Barabo.

^{_{Members of the San Carlos and New Uba Aquamarine Assn.
with the newly delivered nursery materials}}

The seaweed nurseries will be established in specifically defined location to ensure year round production of seaweeds. Each nursery will have 5m x 10m working area which will serve as a support structure for farmers especially during planting, tilling and drying. This will also serve as their guard or shed house. There will also be a minimum of 50m x 80m planting area per nursery which will be jointly managed by the POs themselves. These nurseries are expected to be completed on the 2nd week of May 2012.