Inception Meeting with PTFCF preps MFI, beneficiaries for implementation of SR-HARP Project Phase 2

In line with the approval of the “Silway River Headwater Areas Rainforestation and Preservation (SR HARP), Phase 2” proposal last July 21, 2015, MFI facilitated an Inception Meeting on September 1, 2015 together with PTFCF Assistant Project Officer, Ms. Diane Estephanie Bagui and Program Staff, Ms. Malou Laluan to discuss further the conditions/recommendations of PTFCF and settle concerns to ensure effective project implementation. The Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation (PTFCF)  team met with the Mahintana Project team at the MFI Conference Room. Another meeting was done at the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office of LGU Tboli to update the LGU on the status of project implementation and its accomplishments, and at the project site in Barangay Datalbob, Tboli with the project beneficiaries to discuss developments and the agreements reached between PTFCF and MFI. Among the issues/ concerns raised and resolved were (a) reconsidering of planting bamboos along the boundary of the protection forest; (b) installation of durable signboards; (c) reduction of budget for capacity building; (d) clarification of delineation survey; and (e) replacing the term ‘headwater’ to ‘watershed.’ Also, Ms. Laluan raised some concerns such as: (a) the effectiveness and reliance of the Open Data Kit (ODK) based data collection and on how this tool can be efficient in sharing information to PEMO, DENR and CENDRO; (b) Ensuring water quality; and (c) the effects of climate change for a period of time.