Rationale. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed and approved in March 2003 by concerned local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs) and coalition of NGOs in South Cotabato for the purpose of formally creating an alliance in order to mitigate adverse impact of the recurring Allah River flooding. Through the continued support of the LGSP-CIDA, the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLDA) started its operation with the setting-up of the Program Management Office (PMO) in January 2004. Since then, there have been many activities undertaken by the AVLDA through the spearheading of the PMO.

The AVLDA has the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) which contained the situational characteristics of the Allah Valley Landscape (AVL) with the proposed resource and environmental programs and projects of the member-LGUs. The operational process relative to organizational and management aspect is guided by the AVLDA Manual of Operation. Translating those two documents into daily implementation strategy, the PMO has been required to produce yearly, for the Board of Director's (BOD) approval, the Operation Plan (OP). The OP is guiding the PMO and AVLDA in the pursuit of managing AVL within the limited budgetary range set by the BOD.

Three years have passed, yet the efforts and funding of the member-LGUs and technical contribution of the NGAs were not assessed in relation to the objectives and goals of the AVLDA. There has been no review and evaluation activity conducted in the past. All stakeholders involved in this noble endeavor are maybe too eager to ask how far we have gone. And those who kept track of the difficulty experienced by the alliance and the PMO may curiously ask what really went wrong and how can we make rectifications.

If we are to set and keep right the direction of AVLDA as we are heading into the closing stage of the MOA in 2008, there is a need to conduct an Assessment and Strategic Planning activity. This activity is very important because understanding and analyzing previous activities will give us a better view of what can be done in the next two years. The assessment and plans will be shared and agreed by the group members themselves.

Rationale. The conduct of the CBRAM among the 4 target pilot barangays were very successful and best practices on community level process of data gathering was proven effective. CBRAM as a tool does not only fed information to the AVLDA working team but also educate community member about their own resources and situation. It widens the knowledge of the residents in terms of knowing their own community and resources especially the natural environment. The activity also facilitates the realization of the community of their role as consumer and at the same time manager of their resources.

The LGUs on the other hand were given the opportunity to learn the process and can be mobilized in their own communities. The tool ensures the participatory process that each participant can share with. It was also an occasion that community people gathered and shared in common their own perception of their environment. Historical and social information were also revealed during the process and some community events were explained and shared with deeper analysis and interpretation.

This activity really captured the quality information that every community has. it answered the questions that every outsider normally asks to every communities. This process can be very helpful in providing information to any stakeholder that seek to share resources in developing a certain community. Thus, this activity design for CBRAM replication was made.

Rationale. There have been many success stories on the management of natural resources in the country. These stories could become examples to other areas of institutions that are also initiating innovative efforts in managing their environmental resources. The processes on how those institutions succeeded can be learned, possibly, can be applicated by others.

The province of Bukidnon has a lot to tell about successful stories on natural resource management particularly forest and water. Davao City has examples of LGU-industry-NGO partnership on sustainable use of water and forest resources.

Allah Valley has vast natural resources which all the people depend upon for their food, income and employment. AVLDA has been established to respond to pressing concerns and problems that have direct bearing on the condition of natural resources. To avert any further destruction of Allah Valley watershed and river basin, best practices and models on environmental management should be undertaken.

Bukidnon and Davao developed their own best practices or models which are worth learning by AVLDA.

Rationale. After Lake Maughan tragedy in 1995, and again in 2002, Allah river has been damaged heavily. Allah river is so important to Allah valley as it feeds almost half of the entire watershed for water that is being used for various purposes especially for irrigation systems. The provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat depend largely on the water from Allah river to maintain large scale production of rice and corn.

Allah River and its tributaries have to be rehabilitated and protected from further damage if they are to remain to function in a natural system. To attain this objective, broad perspectives from different users must be identified and multiple approaches must be done by various stakeholders.

Background. After the Allah River has been destroyed by the flashfloods brought about by the Maughan Tragedy, efforts by many sectors and institutions including the creation of AVLDA to respond to the problems have gone a long way. The provincial government of South Cotabato and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) implemented the “Allah River Rehabilitation Project” which protected the Allah River from further damage thru vegetative cover along the banks. Municipalities and Barangays along the boundaries of Allah River also took their own initiatives thru diking with the use of sand bags and planting of bamboos and other trees.

Local Government Units (LGUs) and some communities reiterate that the meandering of the river, flooding in the farm areas during heavy rains, and erosion of riverbanks should be considered serious concerns needing collective actions. Last year, the AVLDA-PMO conducted Information and Education Campaign to ‘River Communities' in some municipalities to encourage participation of the people in resource management. During the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Workshop/Writeshop on Riverbank Stabilization held last March 28, 2006, the participants strongly endorsed the creation and/or strengthening of Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) at the LGU level and the enforcement of Riparian law as a strategic institutional solution to river and water problems.

Those efforts deserve merits on their own, and must be recognized as a community and local governments' commitment for the protection of environmental resources that have close bearing on the economic development of the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

One of the AVLDA's strategies in order to maximize government powers in the implementation of environmental projects and programs is to tap the support of both the national and local legislative bodies. This support would be in the form of policy instruments such as ordinances and resolutions that push for environmental protection, enhancement and sustainability.

There are many local environmental policies and legislations that further clarified and strengthen particular roles and functions of LGUs. However, there should be more thoughtful and specific policies to river/stream and water management and sustainability. This is a very important component of any sustainability agenda in the Allah Valley watershed and river basin.

Rationale. The basic framework of the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance with the concept of collaboration, linkage and unified efforts of all stakeholders in addressing the issues and concerns within the Allah Valley landscape. As it moves, it continues to reach out and establish linkage with other significant stakeholders who are supposed to be but are still not yet officially part of the alliance. The alliance believes that, to be able to have sustainable management of the redources within the landscape, everybody should take part.

One of the significant stakeholders is the Municipality of Norala . With the combined efforts of the Municipal Planning Office and the Sangguniang Bayan of Norala together with the AVLDA-Project Management Office and the support of Hon. Mayor Romeo Januto in the establishment of the municipality's membership with the alliance, a Resolution authorizing the municipal Mayor of Norala to enter into contract wit the alliance was realized.

With this development, the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance-Project Management Office (AVLDA-PMO) will now administer the conduct of a Memorandum of Agreement Signing activity between the Municipal Mayor of Norala and Chairperson of AVLDA to eventually formalize the Norala's membership with the AVLDA.

Rationale. The protection and conservation of the biodiversity of Allah Valley Landscape is the concern of all residents covering the South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces. It does not limit only to one sector like the government but also to other stakeholders like the non-government institutions. The LGUs of the landscape have been forging unity for environmental concerns which paved the way for the creation of Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLDA). Efforts from the private sector are also expected and that resources will be pooled for the said purpose. The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and people's organizations (POs) have been in the forefront of development work including the environment friendly activities in the community level in both provinces. In South Cotabato , NGOs and POs have developed their networking relations and coordination aspect is working-out. Their network became a permanent representative in the AVLDA-BOD and is actively participating during meetings and activities of the alliance.

In Sultan Kudarat province, there is no established NGO network that responds to the call of the alliance unlike in the province of South Cotabato- the Coalition of Social Development Organizations. While various NGOs and POs within the province are actively engaged on environment programs and services, there is a need to gather them and bring the mandate of the alliance among their communities and beneficiaries. More so, the LGUs of the province are very articulate in bringing in the agenda of the Allah Valley Watershed in their programs and services. We all know however that NGOs have their own programs but they also practice environment related s ervices among their partner/beneficiaries. Thus, there is a need to group these NGOs and push for the common understanding of the concern of the Allah Valley Watershed as our immediate environ.

Rationale. The remaining three years of AVLDA's operation is crucial for the sustainability of Allah Valley watershed protection and rehabilitation initiative. To chart the direction of AVLDA for the next three years, there is a need to formulate plans and programs based on a clear framework.

One of the contributing factors in every success of an organization is that the workforce will be equipped with knowledge of the directions and thrusts of the institution where they are working in. Management can provide the staff of relevant reading materials according to their jobs as an initial activity towards a group discussion among the management staff of the organization. Collective discussion will lead into common understanding and unified directions. Thus, this activity was conceptualized.

Rationale. One of the concerns of the LGU members of the alliance is to have a grasp in the current situation of the Lake Maughan or Lake Holon , one of the critical sources of water supply of the Allah River . The “Maughan Tragedy” in 1996 and 2001 that caused flashfloods resulted in the meandering and siltation of Allah river. It destroyed farms and properties in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. The flashfloods also took many lives in the province of South Cotabato.

Lake Holon is helpful being the source of water to sustain development in the Allah Valley area; but at the same time it poses a real threat to lives, properties and infrastructure facilities in the downstream areas.

Having an ocular visit into the lake and on-site gathering of data will provide the planners and project implementers of AVLDA deeper understanding of the physical processes that shape the condition of Laka Holon. This understanding will be translated into a viable strategy by which further damage to Allah valley can be minimized or evaded.

Rationale. One of the upstream municipalities in the Allah Valley Watershed in the municipality of Lake Sebu . The upstream area plays a big role in the preservation and protection of the Allah Valley landscape watershed. To rehabilitate denuded areas, one of the key methods of AVLDA as stated in KRA4 of the Operational Plan-2006 is the tree planting activity for riverbank/stream bank stabilization particularly for Allah River and its tributaries.

In this connection the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance-Project Management Office (AVLDA-PMO) in partnership with the South Cotabato Parole and Probation Office (SC-PPO) together with the participation of DENR and PSWDO, agreed to collaborate its resources for a Tree Planting Activity at Sitio Lower Alo, Brgy. Seloton, Lake Sebu .