Transforming women leaders to decision-makers

"I thought it was right to know about my rights as a woman,"  said Rowena Recahuerta, member of the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) Federation-Infanta Chapter and considered as one of the women leaders in the locality. 

Women are usually seen on the sidelines in environmental conservation and management in the Philippines, a gap Haribon Foundation aims to address. One of the institution's key strategies is called  Community Organizing and Community Development  (COCD), a tried-and-tested approach to promote community and conservation development through capacity building. Through the project " Enhancing the Role of Women in Protected Area Governance Project " funded by the  European Union , Haribon is able to train and work with women leaders in Infanta, Quezon province to ensure sustainable management of the  Mt. Irid-Angelo Key Biodiversity  (KBA). 

Haribon identified KALIPI as a partner in fostering stewardship in Mt. Irid-Angelo. KALIPI consists of leaders from women organizations of 36 barangays in Infanta. It was difficult to shift the organization's goals from general women concerns to environmental concerns. Their usual role in the community includes street sweeping, dancing during women's month celebrations, and raising awareness about Violence Against Women and their Children.  

Trainings and workshops continued amid the pandemic. A participatory situational analysis was conducted to assess the environmental, economic, socio-political, and cultural situation in Barangay Magsaysay, Infanta. Rowena Recahuerta, one of the respondents, affirmed a change in perspective within the community: “ The training helps me understand the situation of the community and act according to the situation. If I did not understand the situation of our environment, I would not be encouraged to act and cooperate in planning for the Barangay.”   (“The trainings were important for me to understand different situations happening in my community and the different actions I need to take depending on the situation. If I don't understand what's happening in my own backyard, I wouldn't be motivated to act and plan for the betterment of my barangay.”) 

Edna Azogue of Barangay Cawayan was able to connect poverty brought about by the continued decrease of farm and forest harvests to the changes in climate conditions and associated environmental issues. " We used to get all our food from the forest. There are many fish in the river, fruits that grow spontaneously in the forest, medicinal plants and the vast forest is our recreation with fresh air. Now there is nothing, there is little water in the river and it no longer provides food. There are no fish and the rice paddies that depend on river water produce little harvest.” ( "We were used to getting all our food from the forest. There were still many fish in the rivers, fruits that easily fall off from the trees, and medicinal herbs were abundant. The forests were our playground. It also provided clean, fresh air. Today, the rivers are shallow and dry with very few fish. The rivers were also our main source of water to irrigate farmlands.")

These issues were highlighted in previous training activities.  

This year, KALIPI's board of directors and officers through their president Cristina Luna was able to draft and submit a resolution requesting the Pambayang Pangulo ng Liga ng mga Barangays (PPLB) of Infanta to allocate at least Php5,000.00 funds from the Baranagay Gender and Development fund to their organization. According to Gina Rutaquio of Barangay Catambungan, the barangay captain immediately approved the resolution.  

To date, more women organizations are motivated to be involved and active in their cause. A change in mindset from being boxed in productive and reproductive roles to more community-management roles. They are now empowered to ask support from the local government to support them in their plans. Out of the 36 barangays in Infanta, 13 barangays with women organizations were able to lobby the barangay council for fund support.  

Luna also stated that, " we can't just dance every women's month celebration and clean the roads, but we can help curb the problems faced by women and the people of Infanta. We should do something more meaningful than dancing and cleaning.”  ("We can't be content in dancing at women's month celebrations or sweeping the roads. We need to do our part in solving problems within our community, especially on women's rights. We need to do something worthwhile.") 

Recently, through KALIPI, a Gender and Development Plan and Budget was formulated and submitted to the local government amounting to Php487,500.00. Municipal mayor Filipina Grace America endorsed and approved the budget, which includes concerns related to the environment as well. This will be covered in the municipality's internal revenue allotment for 2022.