Canadian Embassy, NCIP spearhead discussions
Patoh, however, was particularly impressed with the discussions at the Community-Based Enterprise (CBE) Assessment and Action Planning Workshop he recently participated in. The workshop, organized by the Embassy of Canada in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), sought to provide a venue for indigenous peoples (IP) and community organizations to build their entrepreneurship capabilities in their ancestral lands, particularly those hosting mining operations.
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The Siocon contingent, deep in thought (from left) Siocon Subanon Timuoy Jose “Boy” Anoy, TVIRD’s Jose “Dagala (partly hidden) and Joan Senon, Siocon Subanon women’s group leader Vivencia Davi, Santa Maria Fisher Folks head Tan Cailo, and Tabayo Barangay Captain Bonifacio Patoh as they discussed their action plan for their communities.
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“If I am to rate this workshop from 1 to 10, with 10 being excellent, this is an ‘8’ for me,” Patoh said. “This one involves skills and entrepreneurship development training that will be of great help to my constituents, particularly when it is time for TVIRD to leave Canatuan at the end of the mine life.” With Patoh were other leaders of TVRD’s host and impact communities, among them Siocon Subanon tribal chieftain Timuoy Jose “Boy” Anoy; Santa Maria Fisher Folks Association, Inc President Tan Cailo from the Muslim village of Santa Maria, host to TVIRD’s warehouse and port facilities in Siocon; and Siocon Subanon Women’s Association, Inc. Vice President Vivencia Davi.
The workshop was facilitated by personnel from the Philippine Business for Social Progress led by Ramon Derige and Maria Floreta Omega, who discussed the details of CBE development framework and rapid assessment tool, as well as the formulation of actions plans for CBE assessment.
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Cameron Zywina of the University of Manitoba (left) and Mavis McRae, and independent consultant, in action during the two-day workshop.
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NCIP Commissioner Eugenio Insigne said the workshop helped address “the economic empowerment training needs of the Indigenous peoples in a highly mineralized area of the country.” He pointed out that the workshop “specifically focused on providing the participants with the skills to assess potential community-based enterprises, which could sustain the IPs’ economic development as stand-alone commercial initiatives or to complement the development of mineral resources.
“The workshop is intended to lay a positive foundation for a cooperative business climate between stakeholders,” Insigne stressed.
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Ramon Derige and Floreta Omega, both from PBSP, leading the discussions on the Rapid Appraisal Tools for Community-Based Enterprises.
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Other resource speakers were University of Manitoba International Development Officer Cameron Zywina and independent consultant Mavis McRae, who shared their expertise in the field of entrepreneurship, problem and solution identification, education and training, as well as sustainability.
“We have co-organized IP capacity building workshops since 2006 with the NCIP and our experience with these CSR initiatives led us to re-assess our effectiveness in economically empowering the IPs,” said Canadian Senior Trade Commissioner Andrew Smith. “The lessons learned in forging sustainable and meaningful economic development for our IPs meant returning to the basics. This workshop was meant to do that.”
The workshop was also attended by officials of the Department of Interior and Local Governments, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Minerals Development Council. Representatives from the mining industry, led by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, were also on hand to support the participants, indigenous peoples from mining communities of TVIRD and other resource development concerns such as Filminera Resources Corporation, Berong Nickel Corporation, Mindoro Resources Limited, Lepanto Mining, and Philex Mining.
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Canadian Senior Trade Commissioner Andrew Smith delivering his closing remarks. “The lessons learned in forging sustainable and meaningful economic development for our IPs meant returning to the basics,” he said.
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After the workshop, the IPs and representatives of mining companies they host participated in a planning session, where they were asked to formulate an action plan using the workshop tools provided to them. Government officials also joined in the discussions and give their inputs.
TVIRD was represented by Jose Dagala and Joan Senon, Information-Education-Communication Officer and Agriculturist, respectively, of the company’s Community Relations and Development Office (CReDO).
Patoh is optimistic that the things he and his fellow Siocon IPs learned in the workshop will prove useful as they begin the difficult yet rewarding task of promoting entrepreneurship in their communities, with the able support of, and, whenever sought, guidance from TVIRD. All these in pursuit of sustainable development. (Joana Tiglao)