Category: Citizen-centered Services

Name of the Organization

Cagayan Economic Zone Authority

Name of the Office/Unit that leads the implementation of this best practice entry

Community Affairs and Development Division

Focus Area of the Best Practice

Strategy, Inclusive Development, Social Innovation

Date the best practice was first implemented

14 March 2006 – up to present

Summary of the Best Practice

The Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) was rife with environmental, social, economic, and institutional issues that impeded the area’s development and livelihood. However, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) saw that livelihood diversification could help address these problems and saw the opportunity to develop the area for tourism. To achieve these goals together, CEZA initiated a Community-Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Program, a pilot test in Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS). Through a range of activities around organizational development, community management, and resource generation, the program managed to help secure livelihoods for its residents, beautify the area, and earn an income of over Php 50 million that benefitted the community.

The Challenge

In the early years of taking over the CSEZFP, CEZA was confronted with environmental, social, economic, and institutional issues that have impeded the area’s development. The rich biodiversity of the area was threatened by abusive and uncontrolled practices. The forest lands were slowly deteriorating due to illegal logging, timber poaching, and the conversion of forest lands into agricultural land for the daily needs of the local population. Similarly, marine resources were also exposed to illegal fishing, marine products extraction, and other activities that had detrimental effects. With the main sources of livelihood being fishing and agriculture and with limited livelihood and income opportunities available for the residents back then, there was a struggle between sustaining people’s needs and preserving and protecting the area’s natural resources.

CEZA recognized that livelihood diversification could help address the people’s problems. Moreover, in seeing the area’s natural beauty, CEZA also recognized the area’s potential to be a key player in the country’s tourism industry. To achieve these goals together, CEZA envisioned a Community-Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Program, and decided to have the Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS) as their pilot site.

However, an assessment of the site revealed that there was a lot to be done. Being a protected area and a marine reserve, the management of PIPLS was under the purview of a multi-sectoral body known as the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), and it complicated administrative affairs for the project, the area also lacked infrastructure to support a tourism industry, and the community was not yet open to the project. These were among the considerations that CEZA had to note in crafting its CBST Program.

Solution and Impact

On 14 March 2006, CEZA proceeded with a number of activities to mobilize the program.

1. A resource-based inventory (RBI) for PIPLS was conducted to obtain baseline information about the chosen site for tourism development.
2. CEZA also communicated pertinent topics, such as the program’s Business Model and principles of ecotourism, with stakeholders and community members through a series of consultations and IEC activities. At first, stakeholders and members of the community did not appreciate the concepts introduced under the CBST Program, especially its “high value, low volume” principle. However, this challenge was eventually overcome through public discussions, consultations, information, and education campaigns.
3. A tourism planning workshop was also undertaken with the participation of stakeholders from government entities, non-government organizations, academe representatives, civil society groups, private partners, island leaders and residents.
4. A visioning exercise was also conducted to discuss the activities, goals and objectives of the Program and provide a clear view of what CEZA intends to do with the Program.
5. CEZA also facilitated the identification of tourism products and services that could be produced at the site.
6. CEZA also helped establish tourism infrastructures and facilities by organizing resource generation campaigns and applications for grants/financial assistance.

Along the way, CEZA has also adopted the Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (PEPA), which was originally formed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). PEPA is composed of residents who have been volunteering to be the caretakers of the PIPLS. Since their adoption, they have also extended their role in the tourism development of the island.

Since then, CEZA has also expanded the program’s tourism products and services through the creation of seven PEPA sub-groups, namely (1) Palaui Island Guides, (2) Palaui Reef Ranges,(3) Palaui Women’s Catering, (4) Palaui Island Spa, (5) Palaui Weavers Association, (6) Palaui Island Honey Hunters Marketing Cooperative, and (7) Palaui-San Vicente Motor Boat Association. These community-assisted organizations were also provided interventions for organizational development and strengthening, capacity-building, resource generation, marketing and promotions. CEZA has also partnered with public and private sector organizations, which all have contributed to the successful implementation of the program.

Milestones

The CBST Program now contributes to the environmental management of the CSEZFP and it has provided secure livelihoods for its residents. The community enterprises benefit by charging competitive prices in exchange for high-value tourism products and services. Since 2011, the income generated by PEPA and its sub-groups has already totaled over Php50 million. This could have been higher if not due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the success of the Program, it has been used to benchmark the 55 ecotourism enterprises in 22 sites of DENR-PAWB’s Integrated Coastal Resource ManagementProjects’ (ICRMP’s) ecotourism sites in the provinces of Cagayan, Davao Oriental, Cebu, Masbate, Siquijor, Zambales, Benguet, and the succeeding CBST initiatives of CEZA.

The CBST Program itself was also recognized many times. To name a few:

1. PEPA was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Association of Southeast Asian Nationals (ASEAN) Community-Based Tourism Standard for 2017-2019 and 2019-2021.
2. It was also awarded by DOT for its Outstanding Community-Based Tourism in March 2019.
3. It was also a third-placer in the Para El Mar Award for its Outstanding National Integrated Protected Areas System – Marine Protected Areas in 2017, and a first-placer in the same category in 2019, obtaining a Php1 million cash prize.
4. PEPA was also recognized as the Longest Running Federated Tourism Organization and ASEAN Awardee during the Regional Tourism Forum Awards Night in May 2022.
5. During the Regional Tourism Forum and Awards Night in July 2022, CEZA was also recognized by DOT for its efforts to implement its programs, even at the middle of a pandemic.

Testimonials

The most rewarding and fulfilling remarks and actions on the tremendous success of the CBST Program come from the island residents themselves. They believe that the Program has empowered them through their active participation in the protection of their Island, and the availability of an alternative source of livelihood that they can count on. The satisfaction of the community beneficiaries is evident in the feedback they gave that rated the said Program with an “Excellent” adjectival rating.

Organization

Ifugao State University (IFSU) Ifugao Rice Terraces as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System Research and Development Center

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Strategy, Citizens / Customers

Year Implemented

July 2019-Present

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

In recent years, indigenous peoples in the Philippines have experienced discrimination in textbooks produced by the Department of Education. In particular, Ifugao youth are losing interest in continuing their cultures and traditions. So, through the collaboration of Ifugao State University (IFSU) with many local and international organizations, they initiated a program around creating learning materials for junior and senior high schools in Ifugao.

Background and Problem

In recent years, indigenous peoples in the Philippines have experienced discrimination in textbooks produced by the Department of Education. Specifically, there have been textbooks that depict indigenous people as backward, uncivilized, and uneducated. These types of content contribute to the long history of discrimination against indigenous peoples, not just in the Philippines but even across the globe.

Notably, research has also shown that the Ifugao youth, in particular, are losing interest in continuing their cultures and traditions, and this discrimination is just one of many factors contributing to this. It has been evident that most young Ifugaos prefer to move out from their communities and find work elsewhere. This exodus of young Ifugaos contributes to the degradation of the Ifugao heritage.

Solution and Impact

Through the collaboration of Ifugao State Universityhttps (IFSU), Department of Education-Ifugao (DepEd-Ifugao), Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMo), Gohang National High School in Banaue, Knowledge Holders under the Ifugao Indigenous Educators Training Program, the Center for Taiwan-Philippines Indigenous Knowledge and Local Knowledge and Sustainable Studies (CTPILS), a program was created.

One of the program’s components was about creating learning materials. So far, the program has developed and produced at least 40 contextualized indigenous learning materials for junior and senior high schools in Ifugao. These learning materials were locally developed and carefully crafted to contain appropriate content for Ifugao schools. In particular, the contextualized materials contain a range of learning topics; Ifugao biodiversity, rice terraces, music and dances, gender roles, and heritage sites.

These were also validated on different levels by indigenous knowledge holders, education supervisors, and curriculum experts, and they were also quality assured by the DepEd Ifugao. Notably, research has shown that contextualized indigenous learning materials are considered one of the more important platforms in promoting and conserving the rich indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices (IKSP) among school children.

As of writing, twelve of the contextualized learning materials are in the process of copyright with the National Library of the Philippines. Moreover, these materials are being used by teachers in delivering their “Alternative Delivery Mode” to introduce IKSP among the students. As per Senate Bill No.3220, alternative delivery mode refers to the nontraditional education program recognized by the DepED, which applies a flexible learning philosophy and a curricular delivery program that includes non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.

Milestones

1. Development and Production of 40 Contextualized Learning Materials on:
   • Ifugao biodiversity
   • Music and dances
   • Ifugao values
   • Gender roles
   • Heritage sites
   • Ifugao traditions and practices
2. Copyright of 12 Contextualized Learning Materials
3. Upcoming 20 additional IKSP Learning Materials
4. Continuing copyright of the learning materials
5. Sharing of these learnings

Organization

Municipal Government of General Luna, Quezon

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Leadership, Strategy, Citizens/Customers

Year Implemented

April 2020 – present

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

Ang Ligtas Gutom program ng Pamahalaang Bayan ng General Luna ay may adhikaing serbisyo na may puso sa mga naapektuhang negosyo dulot ng banta ng COVID-19. Sa pamamagitan ng Pautang na May Puso, Pautang na Walang Tubo, patuloy ang pagtugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mamamayang Heneralunahin.

Background and Problem

Magmula ng magkaroon ng kinatatakutang pandemya dulot ng COVID-19 ay nagsimula rin ang Pamahalaang Bayan ng Heneral Luna sa pagbibigay ng naaangkop na programa, at isa na ang Ligtas Gutom Program na pagpapautang sa mga business establishments upang patuloy na maibigay sa mamamayan ang kanilang mga pangunahing pangangailangan.

Solution and Impact

Sa pamamagitan ng Ligtas Gutom Program – Pautang na May Puso, Pautang na Walang Tubo ng bayan ng General Luna sa Quezon ay patuloy ang mga business establishments upang matugunan mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng mga mamamayang Heneralunahin sa kabila ng pandemya. Hanggang sa kasalukuyan naman ay patuloy pa ring umiikot ang programang ito.

Milestone

The DILG Region IV-A CALABARZON has recognized the Ligtas Gutom Program as 1st Place in the first Sagisag ng Pag-Asa Awards.

Organization

National Kidney and Transplant Institute

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Leadership, Citizens / Customers, Operations

Year Implemented

March 2020

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

As the COVID Crisis Management Team was mobilized, human resource concerns, alternative work arrangements, transportation, accommodation, logistics, supply management, procurement, etc., were also addressed. Medical and surgical practices were recalibrated in such a way that the activities were suspended at the outpatient department and limited admissions to only urgent and emergency renal cases. Subsequently, “telehealth” was employed, and surgical cases resumed. Control and containment of the transmission of the disease were paramount because it is the essence of protecting immunocompromised patients. The hospital specializes in renal diseases, not pneumonia which should be the domain of the lung specialty center, but then there were renal cases who developed pneumonia, and there were severe septic pneumonia cases who went into renal failure and needed hemodialysis and even hemoperfusion. When patients come to the hospital, the first course of action is to accommodate them and take care of them the best way.

Background and Problem

Part of controlling the spread of the disease is to protect the healthcare workers and the patients of the NKTI. Another is to contain the disease and not let it spread. However, there were not enough beds and space under the roof. When there were no COVID RT-PCR tests, the hospital relied more on a high index of suspicion. Unless proven otherwise, a patient with pulmonary symptoms was tagged as a “COVID” patient at the triage. Some waited in their cars. They sit side by side in wheelchairs and lie very near each other on the stretchers without physical distancing. Others cannot be attended to immediately when incoming moribund patients must be intubated. There was no vacancy in the intensive care unit (ICU). Watchers also conglomerate and, later, become infected. Likewise, healthcare workers (HCWs) also become infected.

During the early months, COVID referral centers were also congested and not well-equipped. Networking was not effective. The gate for cars going to the Emergency Room (ER)  had to be closed as patients also occupied the supposed drop-off areas near Gate 2. Whether on dialysis or not, renal and non-renal patients just kept on coming to the hospital. Patients should be cohorted before admission to a regular room. It was impossible to cohort them until the COVID swab tests and chest x-ray was administered and the results were released. “Congestion” can look like pneumonia when patients are under-dialyzed or have missed dialysis due to a lack of transportation during lockdowns. 

The hospital’s total bed capacity is 381, but it only has an implementing bed of 302 because of the conversions made to some patient rooms to donning and doffing areas and observance of physical distancing. The ER has only 30 beds, with an extension of 14 beds. With patients under investigation (PUI), patients under monitoring (PUM) averaging, and COVID positives with a running average of 130-140 a day, they had to find a way to put a roof on the field. The ER occupies an area of almost 250 square meters. In the vicinity of the ER is a covered tunnel that separates it from a commercial bank. Across the bank is the parking lot. These areas would soon be commandeered to become the “Tent Field.” Renal patients on dialysis are urgent and emergency cases who need insertion/creation of vascular access and “troubleshooting” of their clogged vascular access. They too had to be screened before any surgery. All patients should undergo COVID testing and chest x-ray. They cannot be done in a room, which is also being used by non-COVID patients, as cross-infection should be prevented.

Solution and Impact

In front of the ER, from a mere triage, the “manger” expanded and built tents of different colors, sizes and heights. Most of these are donations. These resources were carefully managed to serve their purpose. Some donations were tents, electric fans, air-conditioner units, cot beds cushions, ventilators, and medical and surgical supplies. They built a “Tent Field Hospital” for COVID and retrofitted “Hotzones,” harnessing the art and science of engineering, the highlights of which included the provision for laminar airflow, negative pressure, elevated floorings, air-conditioning, installation of exhausts, electrical and water sewer lines, local area network, and oxygen supply.  The number of tents increased, rapidly occupying the tunnel, the parking lot, towards Gate 2, and almost encroaching East Avenue. There were tents for cohorting patients, pediatric patients, a makeshift ICU, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis stations, watchers, a radiology tent with an ultrasound and x-ray machine, and a satellite operating room. As part of the emergency response, the Eden field (formerly occupied by an illegal establishment), a modular COVID hemodialysis facility was built.

The second floor of the main hospital was retrofitted to modify air exchanges in preparation for more admitting patients. Four wings compose the main building: Units 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D, the 2B and the 2C extensions – comprising the 80-bed hot zone. In these areas, acrylic curtains were installed. 2A was occupied by patients with negative (-) RT-PCR but with pneumonia, suspicious of COVID. 2B to 2D were occupied by positive (+) RT-PCR patients with increasing severity of pneumonia. 2C was dedicated to isolation rooms for HCW, and 2B extension became a 4-station COVID dialysis room. In-patient dialysis stations were converted to outpatient COVID patients who free-standing dialysis centers refused. Four beds at the ICU were dedicated to critical COVID cases. During a COVID surge, the Gymnasium had to be converted into a  COVID ward consisting of 30 beds with strict observance of the required distancing.

Because of this extraordinary measure, more patients were managed optimally, physically, and medically. Even during the second surge, NKTI was well-armed. The COVID Manual, with its guidelines, underwent a second edition. The NKTI “Contingency Plan for COVID Surge” was crafted and will apply to any infectious disease.

Milestones

The NKTI management started creating the COVID Crisis Management Team and simultaneously modified the physical set-up of the hospital as early as March 2020. Controls were provided as regards the ingress and egress of persons in the hospital. Ancillary support services include free accommodation, meals, and transportation to healthcare workers. The main thrust of the NKTI management is to be resilient and not to suspend hospital operations since most NKTI patients are chronic and require lifetime treatment, e.g., patients under dialysis. A COVID RT-PCR was also built, eventually accredited by the DOH. A modular COVID HD was also built alongside facility conversions, such as patient units and the gymnasium.

Organization

National Kidney and Transplant Institute

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Leadership, Citizens / Customers, Operations

Year Implemented

July 2021

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

The NKTI COVID Modular Hemodialysis (HD) unit was established to address the shortage of HD centers in NCR capable of accommodating COVID confirmed End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) cases. The need for an HD facility for COVID-positive outpatients only was recognized. It was carefully planned to provide safe HD in an infection-controlled environment. It was designed with individual patient cubicles for HD, donning and doffing areas for personal protective equipment, shower rooms for staff, and separate entrance and exit areas. This became the 20-station NKTI COVID Modular HD Unit, built by the DPWH at no cost to the NKTI. This was part of the “whole government approach” in dealing with the pandemic’s challenges. The facility was inaugurated on May 5, 2021, the first in the country. This facility provided the breathing space for the main hospital’s HD Unit that went back to delivering urgent HD support for admitted and ER patients.

Background and Problem

With the COVID pandemic kickoff in March 2020, HD centers in the NCR saw a steady increase in the number of COVID cases and suspects among their prevalent dialysis patients. The inadequacy of the available personal protective equipment (PPEs), isolation rooms, proper air exchanges/ventilation in most HD centers; the uncertainty of the course and treatment of the disease early in the pandemic; and then, coupled later, with staff resignation (specific nurses) primarily due to fear and fatigue, led to the inability or refusal of these dialysis centers to accommodate their patients who became COVID suspects or confirmed cases. These patients missed their regular HD sessions, developed congestion and uremia and scouted far and wide for HD centers that temporarily accommodate them while battling SARSCOV2 lest they face mortality. Many of them found themselves knocking on the doors of the NKTI ER and NKTI HD Unit. These displaced non-NKTI ESKD patients who were eventually accommodated by NKTI significantly outnumbered NKTI’s regular HD patients.

The NKTI put up about 26 tents for its HD unit all over its Emergency Room parking areas and driveways to serve 100 covid suspects and confirmed patients while the hospital was retrofitting its wards to accept patients with this infectious virus while keeping the HCWs safe. There were 3 HD tents with about 19 HD machines and several portable reverse osmosis machines for water treatment. When the rainy season came, these tents were slowly dismantled, and patients were transferred to the main hospital. Patients requiring HD from the ER and hospital wards were all accommodated in the main hospital’s HD Unit. With the increase in COVID patients coming to the NKTI, the main hospital’s HD Unit became overwhelmed. HD treatment times were shortened to enable all patients to undergo HD on their scheduled date, with some patients experiencing delays of up to 24 hours. Additional temporary HD stations were placed on the hospital’s 3rd floor and another on the transplant floor to address this need. As patients recovered from COVID, they needed to have a negative COVID RT-PCR test before re-acceptance to their chronic HD facility for non-COVID patients. COVID-recovered patients needed up to 3 weeks of quarantine before returning to their HD facilities. The need for a separate facility to dialyze these patients.

Solution and Impact

The permanent solution was building a separate HD facility for COVID patients. This would relieve the burden on the hospital’s main HD Unit in dialyzing COVID-recovering patients or those still in quarantine since their original HD facilities will not accept them. A separate HD facility for COVID patients would allow the main HD Unit to dialyze only critical patients admitted or at the ER rather than squeeze dialyzing even recovered outpatients. NKTI’s top management consulted with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to see if they could build this facility for the NKTI at the soonest possible time to address this urgent need. Both agencies agreed to assist the Institute, and NKTI allocated space for this facility. It took several weeks of planning with NKTI’s HD Leaders for the specifications of HD provision, discussions with the Infection and Prevention and Control Unit to ensure that the building specifications met the safety requirements for treating COVID patients, and meetings with the NKTI general services division.

The government-to-government mode of procurement under the COVID emergency allowed immediate construction of the facility. The NKTI went through the bidding process for the provision of HD services for one year, which was successfully awarded. On 5 May 2021, building turnover to NKTI was done by DPWH in simple rites at the facility attended by the Mayor of Quezon City, Secretaries of the Departments of Health, DPWH, and IATF. This project was another first for NKTI and the country, where a separate HD facility for COVID patients was built. Many hospitals were given additional HD machines for their COVID patients, but this is the first HD facility constructed for only COVID patients.

The NKTI COVID Modular HD unit has resulted in numerous benefits. An ideal facility with isolation rooms for every patient, adequate air exchanges and areas for donning and doffing for PPE, including shower areas for the staff, and separate entrance and exit areas in this 20-HD station facility was met with satisfied patients and HCWs. A separate adjacent dormitory was also built, and HCWs on regular duty at the COVID modular HD facility were provided rooms. COVID-recovering patients from all over NCR now have a facility of their own. No patient is left without a place to have this lifesaving treatment. The provision of dialysis has been NKTI’s core service, and no stone is left unturned for NKTI to deliver this promise to its patients with ESKD. This project was a very successful example of the government working together for the common purpose of serving the dialysis population.

Milestones

Efforts to completely and effectively cohort COVID suspects and confirmed cases eventually led to establishing the country’s biggest and most ideal dedicated outpatient COVID HD unit. This is the NKTI COVID Modular HD unit with its clearly defined COVID protocols. It has twenty (20) HD stations that can run a maximum of four (4) shifts per day. It can cater to a maximum of eighty (80) patients daily. This facility addressed the HD needs of many COVID ESKD patients in the NCR.

There were two parallel activities required to operate this facility:

1. Construction of the HD facility via government-to-government procurement; and
2. Procurement of the HD services for this facility for one year.

These activities were simultaneously done due to the immediate demand for a facility for the increasing number of COVID renal patients. The facility started its operations in July 2021.

Organization

Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Strategy, Citizens, Customers, Operations

Year Implemented

June 2020 to present

This is a GBPR entry

Summary

The NEUST College of Public Administration and Disaster Management launched the “Plant Plant Plant Against COVID-19 Program.” Ninety seedlings of eggplants were initially planted in two plant boxes within the NEUST-General Tinio Street Campus. Taken from the Department of Agriculture’s urban gardening program, the initiative aims to spread hope that a patch of greenery can turn into a healthy lifestyle. With this initiative, the College and FSU aim to encourage others to grow their garden and plant idle lands and pots with edible or ornamental plants. Turning fruit peels into compost and seeing plants growing from barren lands are calming and rewarding. The institution’s minuscule contribution to food production can have a lasting effect.

Background and Problem

The pandemic has undoubtedly affected the lives of many. The movement was restricted to prevent the spread of the contagion. People were discouraged from going outside as it increases the risk of acquiring the virus. People could go to the market and grocery stores to buy essential goods. Still, the prolonged stay-at-home arrangement made some people feel frustrated about the situation, even causing depression.

To promote mental health and support the Department of Agriculture’s call for a concerted effort toward ensuring food sufficiency and sustainability, the College launched the “Plant, Plant, Plant, Plant against COVID-19 Program.” Ninety seedlings of eggplants were planted in a vacant plant box near the school premises. The seedlings were taken care of by the faculty. Taking care of plants became a mental relaxation technique for the faculty and residents.

The program also encountered challenges concerning improper waste disposal since the community has been used to throwing sachets, plastic bottles, and trash in the area. This problem was addressed by initiating a clean-up drive.

Solution and Impact

The College initiated a clean-up drive to maximize the vacant lot’s use and turn the dumpsite into a garden. The faculty removed the debris, concrete, and garbage piles to prepare the space. The area formerly catered to food stalls, and when they relocated, the site was converted into a dump site. The team sought permission to turn the spot into an urban garden. The team tilled the land and planted more seedlings. Aside from eggplant, seedlings of okra, red and green chili peppers, squash, ampalaya, and papaya were planted therein. Not long ago, community members were also encouraged to plant seedlings in pots and in their backyards.

Milestones

A program was initiated to address mental health and promote backyard and urban gardening, turning a dumpsite into an urban garden. The Municipal Agriculture Office of Sta. Rosa donated seedlings of eggplant and chili. The barangay officials offered help cleaning up the debris. The student council also donated funds to purchase nets and bamboo fences.

Tricycle drivers, joggers, construction workers, guards, vendors, and others were encouraged to plant vegetables in their backyard. The dumpsite was turned into a vegetable garden, and the community benefited. The initiative encouraged the community to manage solid waste and throw garbage in the right bin.