LUCENA CITY, December 6, 2023 – Sustaining the spaces for authentic engagement in the field, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) run its second course of Community Organizing towards Social Mobilization Training to 32 program implementers from the National Program Management Office (NPMO), CALABARZON, and National Program Management Support Office (NPMSO) of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

During the training which took place from November 28 to December 1, 2023 in Lucena City, Dr. Dumaraos Jr, co-facilitated by the NPMO staff, discussed the essential elements of leadership, advocacy, team development, network and alliance building, parliamentary procedures in conducting a meeting, relationship marketing, monitoring and evaluation, and social mobilization.

Said topics are anchored towards building power at the community level to advocate for transformational change of the marginalized sectors that the program has served since its Phase 1 implementation. Goal achievement relies upon the interdependent relationships of the program actors, partners, and the key players building a durable movement and working on it collectively.

Dr. Dumaraos Jr underscored the significance of the training to the program implementers, “It may be hard and challenging, but this training has given us a roadmap for effective community engagement. It’s not just about projects; it’s about building relationships that last.”

On the other hand, in his speech, SAAD National Program Director Ulysses J. Lustria Jr emphasized the importance of streamlining the social preparation process from Phase 1. He said that by investing in the skills and capacities of development workers, the training sets the stage for a more inclusive, collaborative, and sustainable approach to rural development, ensuring that marginalized sectors in rural areas are not just recipients of change but active participants in the positive changes of their lives.

“Kaya tayo nagkakaroon ng social preparation dahil gumagawa tayo ng legacy para sa ating farmers and fisherfolk. Tulungan natin ang mga farmers na palaguin ang kanilang negosyo. I expect for more positive  development,” Director Lustria Jr shared his expectation from the participants after the said skill-building activity.

(We engage in social preparation with the aim of building a lasting legacy for our farmers and fisherfolk. Let’s support our farmers in expanding their businesses…)

He also expressed his appreciation to Dr. Pedro S. Dumaraos Jr. for sharing his expertise in the said course.

Learners were also placed in scenarios where they had to show how certain activities were conducted in the field and how these things could be cascaded effectively to the farmers to strengthen their foundations. In a sense, the training program’s objectives extend beyond the transfer of skills and raising awareness. As development workers and community organizers, this also entails establishing new farmer organizations where none previously existed and restructuring existing ones to make them more effective. The local people’s willingness and active participation in the development process are essential to rural development’s success. ###

Writers: Jennifer Valcobero and Kathleen Agonoy, DA-SAAD NPMO Information Officers