Inclusion of livelihood projects, social entrep into PCSDS activities mulled

Consistent with the plan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) as a DENR-attached agency is mulling over the integration of livelihood projects and social entrepreneurship into its activities. This was shared by PCSDS Planning Officer Designate Ryan Fuentes following his attendance, along with PCSDS Executive Director Nelson Devanadera, to the DENR’s Expanded Executive Committee Meeting and National Reprogramming Workshop in San Mateo, Rizal province on January 23-26. “Each division, especially the District Management Divisions, shall look into how livelihood projects and social entrepreneurship can be integrated into their activities on the ground,” Fuentes recommends. “This can entail the explicit identification of suitable (environment and biodiversity-friendly) livelihoods for poor and marginalized communities in appropriate municipal Environmentally Critical Area Network (ECAN) zones,” he added. For this, he suggested that it would be good for each division to explore partnerships and networking with non-government organizations, peoples’ organization, and funding institutions concerning livelihood provision, and “to document these agreements, and take note of how many beneficiaries and how much income the projects generate.” Fuentes, who’s handling the Planning Division, said they would prepare a roadmap that is consistent to the thrust and policy directions of President Rodrigo Duterte and DENR Secretary Regina Lopez. During the National Reprogramming Workshop, the DENR reiterates its “outcome-based,” action-oriented, and results-oriented strategic planning and project implementation, with “social justice” as a key operational principle and with happiness, health, environment, economy, peace and order, and freedom from drugs as performance indicators. To achieve that, the DENR is focusing on livelihood generation through deliberate actions that are far from “business as usual”. Lopez has directed all regional directors to pursue Sustainable Integrated Area Development (SIAD), create “models that show and inspire” within their areas, and report on the accomplishments. “She wants concrete, tangible, and high impact results with properly documented reports within 6 months,” Fuentes said.