Participatory Rural Appraisal in the Upland Ecosystem of Mt. Malindang, Misamis Occidental, Philippines
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) of the upland ecosystem during the pre-implementation phase of the Philippines-Netherlands Biodiversity Research Programme in Mindanano: Focus on Mt. Malindang was done in April to May 1999. This activity aimed to:

1. describe the biophysical, socio-cultural and economic conditions and status of the upland ecosystem;
2. assess the biodiversity conditions of Mt. Malinding Range;
3. identify the stakeholders and their needs;
4. determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the communities in relation to biodiversity conservation; and
5. identify researchable areas in the upland ecosystem of Mt. Malindang Range.

The Upland Ecosystem Team consisted of eight members with multidisciplinary background such as forestry, ecology, zoology, wildlife biology, entomology, and socio-anthropology. They come from the different institutions of higher learning and agencies based in Mindanao. Two members (Dr. Jose B. Arances and Prof. Lucy B. Ledres) are from Central Mindanao University (CMU), Musuan, Bukidnon, two (Dr. Olga M. Nuñeza and Dr. Ermelinda G. Tobias) are from the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), three (Dr. Caharodin A. Cali, Dr. Emma M. Sabado, and Dr. Apolinario A. Alicante) are from MSU, Marawi City, and Mr. Domingo Ramirez from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)- National Integrated Protected Areas Program (NIPAP)-Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). The team was led by Dr. Caharodin A. Cali as key person and Dr. Jose B. Arances as PRA team leader.

The PRA sites for the Upland Ecosystem Team were the municipalities of Concepcion and Don Victoriano. Both are located in the Malindang mountain range which is within the core of the Province of Misamis Occidental. Only six barangays of Don Victoriano and five barangays of Concepcion were included. To establish interconnectivity with the lowland ecosystem, one barangay of Sapang Dalaga, Sixto Velez, was included.

Preparatory activities for the PRA were done. All PRA participants attended trainings and workshops conducted by SEARCA. The Philippine Working Group, Dutch experts, and resource persons of various disciplines were also present. The first training and workshop was held in Dapitan in August 1998, where all the participants were introduced to participatory, multidisciplinary, and multisectoral approaches to biodiversity research. Major activities of the pre-implementation phase were determined and key persons and members for each activity were identified to: (1) gather secondary data about Mt. Malindang and its environs, (2) identify stakeholders, (3) identify problem areas, (4) form a research team, and (5) identify research areas.

During the training, ocular visits to the research site were undertaken to encourage the enthusiasm of the participants. Further training and workshop were undertaken at CMU, Musuan, Bukidnon where additional participants were invited to join. Team building, interdisciplinarity, and commitment were emphasized by the trainors. Different methods of PRA were introduced, including transect walks, semistructured interview, and focus group discussions. The landscape approach to biodiversity assessment was fine-tuned. Hence, three ecosystems were named: upland, lowland, and coastal ecosystems. Three ecosystems teams were formed. Likewise, the teams for stakeholders analysis and biodiversity research programme were also formed. Each training participant was identified for a particular ecosystem.

Entry protocols and requirements to the PRA sites followed. These were facilitated by the Stakeholders Analysis Team and enhanced by the different ecosystem teams themselves. Permits to enter and conduct fielwork in the designated barangays were secured from the respective municipal mayors.

The Upland Ecosystem Team conducted the reconnaissance survey in the two towns of Don Victoriano and Concepcion in early April 1999. Courtesy calls and consultative meetings with local government officials followed and the Philippines-Netherlands Biodiversity Research Programme in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang was presented and discussed. In addition, multisectoral meetings were conducted to further enhance the community’s understanding of the biodiversity research programme. Key informants, stakeholders, and participants were identified and orientation of prospective participants followed in preparation for the fieldwork.

Fieldwork of the PRA commenced in early May 1999 at Barangay Mansawan, Don Victoriano. Transect walks were done toward various directions within the barangay taking note of its biophysical, economic, and cultural features. Documentation of observations and activities was done. Spot mapping and resource mapping of the main thoroughfare of the barangay were accomplished. To enhance the gathering of information about biophysical, socio-cultural and economic conditions, interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted among residents encountered along the transect walks and those in their homes. Small group discussions ensued whenever people flocked with the team members due to curiosity. In effect, further verification and validation of information/data gathered was accomplished. At the end of the day, the team members shared, discussed, and analyzed the data/information gathered.

The team continued the transect walk toward the next barangay, taking note of the biophysical features along the way. Identification and counting number of specific species were done to determine biodiversity status. The next barangay is Gandawan. Similar methods of gathering information about flora and fauna that were prevalent a long time ago and about socio-cultural and economic conditions of the people were employed in all barangays of the two municipalities of Don Victoriano and Concepcion where the team conducted the PRA. Barangays include Mansawan, Gandawan, Lake Duminagat, Lampasan, Tuno and Lalud of Don Victoriano, and Upper Salimpuno, Upper Potongan, Small Potongan, Poblacion, and Virayan of Concepcion and Sixto Velez of Sapang Dalaga.

Data/information gathered from each barangay were organized and analyzed in terms of the relationship among the population, resources, and the environment (PRE analysis). Strengths and weaknesses of the local people were identified and opportunities for courses of actions to be taken were determined. Activities that were threats to environmental security and biodiversity conservation and sustainable development were identified and analyzed. From these, researchable and development areas were generated.

Validation of the PRA results and their analyses were conducted in the communities of Don Victoriano and Concepcion toward the end of June 1999. Government officials and local and indigenous people from various barangays attended the community validation meetings. Their excellent participation in the validation of the results was noted and appreciated.

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