Enhancing Institutional Mechanism Forum 1: Changing the Context By Jerolet Sahagun Our RDAPP is entitled the Integration of the

National Convergence Paradigm in the Transfer of Vermicomposting in Municipality of Palauig, Zambales. The context on sustainability of any project in the Philippines is a always an issue because it is always a missing factor in the project implementation. Therefore, our RDAPP was conceptualized to create a modified model of an integrated National Convergence Model where it can actively respond to the need of the community and at the same time sustain it through enhanced institutional mechanism applying the underlying principles of Public-Private Partnership and Value Chain Analysis. The model expects to inspire other community and project to utilize it, maybe with some modification to fit it to their specific need. Technically, the action plan intends to fill in the need of the community to dispose their waste in a sustainable manner at the same time give them the alternative from using the inorganic chemical input to increase their productivity through self sustaining organic fertilizer production using vermicomposting. Also, the operation of the project itself and its product, the vermicompost and vermitea, have the gigantic potential to generate income and livelihood opportunities for the community inline with the sustainable agro industrialization efforts of the government in pursuing rural development. The Key Actors in the aforesaid rural development project are the following: NCI MPMRD Batch 1 Scholars DA, DAR & DENR LGU of the municipality of Palauig Sangguniang Bayan Members MAO (Municipal Agrarian Officer)-technical assistance and monitoring and evaluation of the project MARO (Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer)-technical assistance and monitoring and evaluation of the project MPDO (Municipal Planning Development Office)- lead in the continues implementation and in providing technical and financial to sustain the operation of the project Sibol Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (SARBMPC) Purok President of Sitio Sibol Farmers of Sitio Sibol Household Members of Sitio Sibol and Neighboring Sitio and Barangays People Organization (e.g. Dapla-Salaza Resettlement Community MPCI) DA-Zambales Provincial Office- conduct lecture and demo training on vermicomposting

Our allies in the implementation of the project are those institutions, usually in the government that have the same interests like us. Those institutions include DA of Zambales Provincial, LGU, MAO, MARO and MPDO that aims to uplift the lives of the community by providing them with appropriate agriculture productivity tool. The challengers among the key actors are the Purok President of Sitio Sibol, Farmers of Sitio Sibol and Household Members of Sitio Sibol and Neighboring Sitio and Barangays. At the start of the activity for the project during FGD and Community organizing, some of them are really indifferent and hesitant to be involved in the project. In the implementation of our action plan, we may derive some lessons in the following commonly identified factors that dictated the pitfalls and successes of existing convergence initiatives Pitfall Failure to identify the right lead implementers and key persons that shall be involved from the start of program conceptualization. Lack of motivation in the side of the recipient stakeholders due to history of failed previous project of the government Success Thorough and reliable identification measures has been done in the identification of the right stakeholders and their involvement started from the time the program was conceptualized A leader in the community was identified, who inspired the residence to be involved in the program emphasizing the cruciality of the program to the growth and development of the community

Enhancement of the institutional capacity to support the sustainability of the project. Proper budget allocation for the activities to be conducted during the full duration of project has been done prior to the start of the program. The main lesson that we can derive from the previously successful convergence work is to make sure that the key stakeholders are alerted and motivated for their full participation to the success of the project while the implementors shall make sure that the institutional mechanisms used are appropriate and they able to deliver what have been promised.

Inadequate resources and technical support from the institutions to make convergence work successful