WBA conducts training on baseline assessment

WBA participants registering their attendance for the training series 1. 

November 25, 2018, Zamboanga City – Selected municipal officials and local leaders from the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) – Hadji Muhtamad, Lantawan, Maluso, Sumisip and Tabuan Lasa - troop to this city today for a week-long training on diagnostic tool, drafting of the memorandum of agreement (MoA) and baseline assessment relevant to the coastal resource development (CORD). CORD is the new umbrella focus of the alliance. The training commences today and will run up to the end of the month at Cecille's Hotel, Tumaga Porcentro.

Noor Saada of the MILAB Project supporting the WBA, states that this training is first of three series with the objectives of building the capacity of the WBA technical working group around assessing the alliance using a standardized diagnostic tool, crafting a memorandum of agreement (MoA), establishing baseline information around the primary focus of coastal resource development, developing CORD advocacy and operations manual and in using all of these in developing project proposals based on CORD priorities, either for internal or external funding.

Mr Saada adds that during this training, there will be general WBA overview presentation as many participants are new to the alliance; an introduction to interlocal cooperation (ILC); champions, models, phases and processes; and diagnostic test will be presented by Karen Oloroso, the interlocal cooperation specialist who is serving as overall content and process consultant. Line agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reforms (DAR) and the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) will also share agency baseline data and plans.

Prof Rosalyn Echem of the WMSU Gender Research and Resource Center will also provide inputs on gender integration in project development.

From all of these inputs, a strength-opportunity-aspiration-result (SOAR) analysis will be undertaken to bring together a cohesive and relevant CORD baseline data and priority to inform project development and Phase 2 direction of the WBA.

Western Basilan Alliance is the first interlocal cooperation in Basilan and is being capacitated by the AECID-funded MILAB Project, implemented by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) with the Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance (ZABIDA) as CSO partner.