(Read the Filipino version here)
“… KALIPI Real Federation is very different now compared to how the organization was before”
-Leo James Portales, MGDH-MSWDO, Municipality of Real, Quezon
This is the line that challenged and inspired the KALIPI Real Federation, an organization made up of women leaders of various barangays of the Municipality of Real as well as the Women Go Project Team while Mr. Leo James Portales, Municipal Government Department Head of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office of Real, Quezon, gave this message during their Strategic Planning Workshop last October 12, 2021. The Workshop enabled the members to go through the process of reviewing and updating the organization’s vision, mission, goals, and strategy to form the basis of their focus, plan, and priority activities over the next five years.
Mr. Portales happily announced the upcoming recognition or accreditation by the local government of Real to the KALIPI Real Federation. “…At first I was really hesitant about KALIPI Real because I see it as unsustainable due to political change. But now, the Real People’s Government recognizes you as a partner in reaching out to women in the community. Previously, KALIPI Real members only gather once a year to attend the Women’s Month Celebration in the City of Lucena, Quezon. No activities follow after this gathering. Now the KALIPI Real Women’s Federation is formulating their policy, plan, and even establishing their annual budget”.
Mr. Portales further commended the continued growth of the KALIPI Real Federation with the help of the Enhancing the Role of Women in Protected Area Governance for Social Change or Women Go, a Haribon Foundation project funded by the European Union.
He proudly narrates the positive changes and development of KALIPI Real. According to him, “the KALIPI became more active because of the help of Haribon”. He further shared that since the Organizational Profiling and Assessment done through the project, the organization realized the need to become an independent organization and was able to pursue their DOLE Accreditation.
The assessment was a big help, he said, because in September 2020, the Local Government of Real had just initiated the formation of the KALIPI Federation Real. It is also said that through the assessment led by the Women Go Team, they found out their current state. They also identified the capabilities and needs to be improved by the organization through the Organizational Capacity Assessment. They were also given technical assistance during the KALIPI monthly meeting and given guidance to pursue registration with the Department of Labor and Employment in Quezon.
At present the KALIPI of Cawayan and Poblacion 1 are already DOLE registered. He was also pleased with the impact of the Facilitators Training on Basic Ecology and Environmental Laws that resulted in the members’ being active, fluent, and self-confident. He further addressed the members, “Before you did not speak and were afraid, now as I listen to you, it is as if you are also the trainer. There you see the impact, there is a gain of knowledge. There is a continuity of people being built up to be the leaders of the Federation ”.
His face shows his sincere gratitude to the stronger KALIPI because of the Women Go Project of the Haribon Foundation. At the end of her message, he said, “The Women Go Project of the Haribon Foundation will end but the KALIPI Federation Real will not be lost, no matter who the Mayor and Barangay Captains are. Like any other association that is active, thriving, and reaching new heights, the KALIPI Real Federation will continue to do so.”
