GREEN ALLIANCE. Samdhana Institute's Dr Hilly Ann Roa-Quiaoit talks on the principles behind Green Livelihoods Alliance during the Theory of Change workshop for the river basins of Cagayan de Oro and Tagoloan facilitated by XU's Governance and Leadership Institute. Supplied photo.
Report by Wilson J Hormeguera
“Ecologically balanced, providing sustainable livelihood, and inclusively and collaboratively managed by 2022,” is what non-government organizations, civil society groups, and local government units have envisioned for the river basins of Cagayan de Oro and Tagoloan.
The new vision of the stakeholders resulted from the workshop anchored on the Theory of Change, held from June 29 to July 1 in CDO.
As a process, Theory of Change involves identifying a long-term goal, necessary assumptions to achieve that goal, strategies to be executed by the organization, and developing performance assessment indicators for each assumption and strategy, including writing reports and experiential narratives to encapsulate the theory.
This can be achieved through inclusive involvement of all stakeholders, implementation of sustainable livelihood program, proper management of waste, and stringent adherence to environmental and ecological policies and regulations.
“I thought that this workshop won’t respect our cultural practices but I’m wrong,” Datu Dungkuan “Rio” Besto, one of the indigenous people (IP) leaders from Miarayon, Talakag, Bukidnon. “The process highlights our role as protectors. We protect the river basin because it is our life.”
Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council and Tagoloan River Basin Management Council form part of 10-member Mindanao River Basin Organization.
The Mindanao River Basin covers 21,503 square kilometers across four regions and ten provinces of central and southern Mindanao.
Xavier University’s Governance and Leadership Institute (GLI) director Dr Dixon Q Yasay facilitated the workshop initiated by Samdhana Institute through Dr Hilly Ann Roa-Quiaoit.
The outcomes of the said workshop serve collectively as a strategic picture of a five-year development project for the two river basins. ∎