Arrival in Mindanao & Briefing Conference with Stakeholders

(c) Wikipedia

On June 15, the MDP Team left Manila for the province of Misamis Occidental to start the community consultation process, the second phase of the Field Experience. Misamis Occidental is located in the northern part of the island of Mindanao, a Visayan-speaking region of the Philippines. At the heart of the province sits Mount Malindang and the surrounding mountain range that was designated in 1971 as a protected area. Most of Misamis Occidental population resides in the coastal areas by the Iligan Bay, where the two major cities Ozamiz and Oroquieta are located. There are, however, municipalities located entirely on the mountain range, such as Concepcion and Don Victoriano. These municipalities are home to the Subanen, the indigenous people who have inhabited the region even prior to Spanish colonization. Despite the fairly porous borders between Misamis Occidental municipalities, many barangays inside the Mount Malindang Range Natural Park (MMRNP) have kept the Subanen way of life and language, assimilating non-Subanen to their culture while maintaining its core foundations. The communities are the primary stakeholders of a potential biosphere reserve, being culturally, economically, and spiritually connected to the mountain range. As they add immense cultural and heritage value to the protected area, the barangays on the mountain range were a crucial piece in the MDP Team's ensuing community consultation process.

Accompanied by PH NatCom’s staff, Lindsay Barrientos and Freddie Blanco, and Biodiversity Management Bureau’s representative Teresita Blastique, the MDP Team landed in Ozamiz City early in the morning. At the arrival gate, the delegation was greeted by DENR’s Deputy Protected Area Superintendent, Bobby Alaman, who had been coordinating the Team’s itinerary in Misamis Occidental prior to their arrival. However, the highlight of the first minutes in Ozamiz City was the first contact of the MDP Team with the MMRNP: still from the airstrip, the team marveled at the sheer size of the protected area and its beauty. The close connection of the province with its central mountain range became even more evident as the MDP Team was transported by car to its living quarters in Oroquieta City. Along the way, the mountain range remained visible and the Team was surprised by the number of rivers and creeks that spring from it.

MDP Team arrives in Mindanao on a sunny morning. A part of
the mountain range is shown in the background.
(c) M. V. Punay

The community consultation is perhaps the most important phase of the project and its objectives are twofold: a) to interpret the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere program (MAB) to the local stakeholders, explaining what it means to be designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in terms of benefits, responsibilities, etc.; and b) to gather their input regarding existing management frameworks, sustainable development opportunities, and cultural connection to the site. The community consultation was kickstarted by an entry conference on June 16 (hosted at hotel Villa Amor, Oroquieta City) attended by members of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), that included Local Government Unit (LGU) representatives, Indigenous People (IP) council members, DENR provincial officials, law enforcement officials, among others. The wide array of actors illustrates well the plural character of the PAMB. The board is responsible for managing the MMRNP and it does so by bringing together all concerned stakeholders: from Barangay Captains to the Provincial Government and from IP representatives to DENR officials.

MDP Team, David Wilsey, and Lindsay Barrientos
have a conversation with Gov. Herminia Ramiro
after the conference.  (c) mdpteammalindang

After the initial ceremonies were concluded, the MDP Team took the floor. The Team introduced the University of Minnesota’s MDP Field Experience concept, provided an overview of the UNESCO MAB Programme, and presented the Mount Malindang nomination project, with a particular focus on the community consultation phase. The proposed process involves a one week-long hike to the communities located on the mountain range, where assemblies with the barangay residents and leadership are to take place. Following the site visit on the mountain range, the Team is set to meet with key barangays on the lowlands and areas surrounding the range, selected based on criteria such as potential for ecotourism, presence of IPs, etc.

The Q&A session that followed the Team’s presentation provided attendants the opportunity to engage in the conversation. Concerns about sustainable development, infrastructure investment, and the availability of information on the biophysical factors of the mountain range were raised and answered not only by the presenters, but by attendants as well, reinforcing the round table character of the meeting. Towards the end of the conference, the Provincial Governor, Ms. Herminia M. Ramiro, arrived and spoke to the audience, reiterating the support of the Provincial Government to the MDP Team’s project.

Following the entry conference, the MDP Team met with its faculty adviser, David Wilsey--who had arrived in Oroquieta City shortly after the Team--to fine tune the last details of the conceptual framework of the community consultation. After duly endorsing the team to the local authorities, representatives from PH NatCom and BMB returned to their respective offices in Luzon, while the MDP team prepared for the long-awaited Mount Malindang hike.

Stakeholders of Mount Malindang, headed by Gov. Herminia Ramiro, come together to support the nomination project.
(c) mdpteammalindang