Andres Soriano Foundation, Inc.

The Foundation continues to explore opportunities to replicate successful programs in community organizing and local governance, resource management and environmental protection, livelihood assistance, and delivery of basic services in the islands of Palawan. In collaboration with barangay and local government leaders, ASF provides varied technical assistance and supervision to different groups, particularly fisher folk, in activities related to marine protection, peace and order, waste management, education and community affairs.

- Organization of three new fisher folk groups in three coastal barangays of Magsaysay town, in partnership with the local government unit which assigned staff to handle the community work;

- Formation of the Agutaya Micro-Entrepreneurs Organization (AMEO), whose main objective is to provide loan services to micro-entrepreneurs and fixed-income earners in mainland Agutaya;

- Strengthening of the Algeciras Seaweeds Farmers Association, and helping it secure P35,000 in financial assistance from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for its seaweeds dispersal project;

- Establishment of four parlor shops (two in Algeciras, and one each in Manamoc and Concepcion), along with the necessary operational systems, policies, and procedures as an output of the livelihood training conducted by Splash Foundation.

- Organizational and technical assistance provided to the new personnel of the re-organized Manamoc Water Management Council

The Foundation assisted four barangays (Villa Fria, Concepcion, Algeciras, and Manamoc) in preparing their three-year Barangay Development and Investment Plan, and helped secure the following counterpart funds from Barangay Councils for various projects and activities:

Barangay Council	Project/Activity	Amount
Manamoc	Medical Mission; Pre-school; Nutrition Month	P27,000
Concepcion	Medical Mission; Pre-school	P10,000
Algeciras	Medical Mission; Pre-school	P15,000
Villa Sol, Diit, Concepcion, Algeciras, Manamoc	Reef Check Monitoring and Coastal clean-up	P6,750
Agutaya LCE	CRM Training for 2 new Island Barangays	P20,000

No development program is sustainable without measures to assure the maintenance and protection of natural resources. This is what the CRM project of SISDEP strives to do.

In line with CRM Project, our Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Advocacy achieved the following: :

- Establishment of the Indagamy Marine Sanctuary in Magsaysay was approved through an ordinance passed by the Municipal Council;

- Advocacy for institutionalization of Bantay Karagatan is now being heard at committee level of both the Agutaya and Magsaysay Municipal Councils;

- The Cuyo LGU has adjusted its priorities to favor CRM, and its patrol and surveillance activities have yielded:

o Confiscation of 65 kilos of cyanide; two motorized boats with air compressors; and 20 bottles of dynamite; and

Similarly, the program’s enforcement efforts in established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), in collaboration with the PNP and Kilusang Sagip Kalikasan (KSK) , and with assistance from Barangay Law Enforcement Groups, have yielded gratifying results, including:

- five apprehensions of illegal fishing and two cases filed in court by Barangay Canipo (687 hours logged);

- discovery of an abandoned three-tonner boat, apprehension of an air compressor, and collection of P21,500 in fines in Manamoc (68 hours).

The Marine Protected Areas themselves have generally exhibited considerable improvement, with three new marine sanctuaries established in Magsaysay, bringing to nine the number of assisted sites. An evaluation of the status of the sites’ coral reefs yielded these findings:

MPA Site	Live Coral (Past Year)	Live Coral (Current Year)
Manamoc	59.25%	57.50%
San Carlos	45.32%	47.25%
Canipo	50.00%	60.25%
Rizal	31.00%	34.75%
Villa Sol	36.88%	39.97%
Diit	53.75%	49.10%
Lucbuan	28%	34.50%
Balaguen	26.50%	39.50%
Emilud (new area)	-	24.75%

The Foundation’s CRM initiatives and consequent gains in coral growth and biodiversity earned a commendation from Senator and environmental advocate Loren Legarda during her visit to Manamoc last March 2008.

Efforts to rehabilitate and reforest mangrove areas have also produced notable success, with 4,000 propagules planted in a 4,000 square meter area in San Carlos, and Rizal, Balaguen, Emilud, Lucbuan, and Danawan each having 2,000 propagules planted in 2,000 square meter areas.

Coastal/mangrove clean-up has been instituted as a semiannual activity. Also during the period, all assisted coastal barangays participated in the International Coastal Clean-up Initiative celebrated every September. Community involvement in coastal clean-up and marine sanctuaries has grown since these initiatives are associated with increasing fish catch in recent years outside the buffer zones where fishing is allowed.

ISLA aims to harness sustainable on-shore livelihood potentials of partner communities to minimize the pressure and dependence on marine resources. ISLA projects for the period cover micro-credit services and marketing link-up.

ISLA served a total of 251 beneficiaries in six communities, releasing 264 loans worth a total of P1,047,330.35, in support of various micro-enterprises such as food vending/processing, poultry supply/boar management, retailing, tailoring, eateries, seaweed farming, and iodized salt production. As of June 30, 2008, P587,648.45 of the total loan had been collected, leaving a balance of P459,681.90.

The Manamoc Livelihood Association continues to produce quality goods, catering to the nearby Amanpulo Resort as well as the surrounding community and neighboring island barangays. This partnership benefits approximately 177 families. Products sold to Amanpulo include pork, pork tapa, tocino, rice, vegetables, vinegar, dried fish, edible seaweed, salt, and cogon doormats. Total sales on major items, namely pork, tapa, and tocino, topped P2.1 million during the period..

A three-day medical mission was held in Algeciras, Concepcion, and Manamoc barangays for a total of 1,736 consultations. Services included infant, child and adult consultations, tooth extraction, circumcision, dermatological treatment, and other special concerns. The three Barangay Councils provided P16,000 worth of free medicines, while Amanpulo shouldered accommodation, meals, and airfare of five doctors.

One of the Foundation’s flagship activities is a three-year Integrated Population and Coastal Resource Management program, initially funded by PATH Foundation, which views population management and coastal resource utilization as integrated endeavors. The program added 78 new acceptors to last year’s 225 family planning practitioners. It also expanded in Manamoc, gaining 52 more practitioners in less than a year, with four new community-based distribution outlets for FP commodities, for a total of 48 CBDOs to date. The program also facilitated its 2^nd batch of Voluntary Sterilization Surgery, with a total of 20 women opting for voluntary surgery. The Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo was tapped to provide surgical services for free. Four OB-GYN were sent to Cuyo, where the Cuyo District Hospital provided the operating room and assigned two nurses to assist the doctors.

In addition to the seven Quiniluban Education and Training (QUIET) Centers established in 2001, one new Center was opened in Edupoy last year, increasing the number of pre-school graduates from 158 in 2007 to 199 in 2008. In school year 2008-2009, the program expanded operations with two more Centers in Mandit and Silad, both hamlets of Algeciras, as requested by the children’s parents. Enrollees for this school year now total 247 children.

2. Repair and Rehabilitation of the Andres Soriano Memorial Elementary School (ASMES) in Roxas, Palawan

Phelps Dodge Philippines Energy Products Corp. donated P1.215 M for the school’s repairs, Phinma’s Union Galva Steel gave maximum discounts for the required GI sheets, and the Roxas Municipal Engineering Department prepared the building and material requirements plan. These gifts made possible the rehabilitation of 12 classrooms instead of the initially proposed nine, as well as a restroom for each classroom, construction of a school guardhouse, and paint materials for this year’s “Brigada Eskwela”. A simple turn-over ceremony was held in July 2008, with the Department of Education Provincial Superintendent, the District Supervisor, the ASMES school administration, Provincial Vice Governor David Ponce de Leon, the Municipal Council of Roxas, and the PTA Officers in attendance. ASF Trustee Narcisa M. Villaflor represented Anscor/PDP.

- 3,000 books for the pre-school department, earlier donated by Bato Balani Foundation to ASF;

- 2,116 books for the elementary department, donated by a private school in Pasay City;

- a replica of an Amorsolo painting of Col. Andres Soriano, donated by Anscor, and placed in the school library;

- a metal marker for the school, with Don Andres’ brief bio and his legacy in education and social development;

Repeat donor Seacology of the

U.S.

, under its Carbon-Offset Program, provided a $25,099 grant for the Solar Energy Project in Manamoc. In exchange, Manamoc agreed to leverage its 108-hectare Marine Protected Area as a “no take zone” for 20 years. Shell Solar Philippines supplied 13 modules with two solar panels each, distributed among seven community structures – two units each to the barangay health center, the elementary school, and the pre-school center; one each to the barangay hall, the chapel, and the multi-purpose hall; and four to the high school computer lab.

The donor also approved the purchase of the following with the remainder of the grant: six stand fans (for the three schools and the health center), two nebulizer units (inclusive of needed drugs), two sets of sphygmomanometers and stethoscopes for the health center, one TV set with DVD player and 12 educational DVDs for the pre-school, and one personal computer with printer for the elementary school.