Deparment of Agriculture
UPLAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN SOUTHERN MNDANAO (UDP)
ALA/97/68
Environmental Awareness
Campaign Plan
Christina B. Banluta
Consultant/ Environmental Awareness Campaign Specialist
May 2000
UDP is a special project of the Department of Agriculture in Southern Mindanao
Supported by the European Union
Table of Contents
1. 2. 3. 4.
Foreword Objectives
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Summary and Recommendations Implementation Strategies
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- 4-5
- 4.1
- Approaches
4.1.1 Community-based environmental awareness campaign 4.1.2 Institutional environmental awareness campaign
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------------------
57
- 4.2
- Major Activities
4.2.1 Formal 4.2.2 Non-Formal
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78
4.3 4.4
- Target Groups
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- Types of Communication Methods
- 10
11 14-15 16
5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Campaign Modes and Focus of Messages Steps in Environmental Awareness Campaign Module for an EA Workshop
- Schedule of Activities for CY 2000
- 17
- Schedule of Activities for CY2001 – CY2004
- 18
- 10. Budget Estimate for EA Activities CY 2000
- 19
- 11. Budget Estimate for EA Activities CY 2001-2004
- 20
Figures
- Fig. 1
- Community-based environmental awareness campaign flow
Institutional environmental awareness campaign flow Target groups and campaign approaches flow Environmental awareness campaign and message focus framework Strategic Campaign and Sustainability flow of environmental awareness campaign
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Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5
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Annexes
- A.
- Maps
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- 1. Barangays with elementary schools
2. Barangays covered by interpersonal/print 3. Barangays covered by radio stations 4. Barangays (lowland only) covered by TV/cable stations
B. C. D.
Available Media in Southern Mindanao Establishing and Operating a Community Radio Station Sample Environmental Audio and Video Scripts
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1. Foreword
Environmental awareness (EA) as part of the whole effort in communication process in any development-conservation work is not new in the Philippines. Today, many agencies involved in helping communities change, be it on community development, upland development or environmental protection, include environmental awareness campaign in their programme of activities. The campaign, through interpersonal or the mass media, is essential for it is through this process, that people are informed on environmental issues, are motivated and empowered to take part and make decisions for themselves and their communities.
The Upland Development Programme in Southern Mindanao (UDP) shall undertake environmental awareness campaign in the effort to protect upland natural resources in five (5) provinces of Southern Mindanao namely: Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental. The campaign shall also cover the whole of Region XI as target audiences range from communities within and outside the watershed areas, students, partner-organisations of UDP, LGUs, and the policy makers of the municipalities and provinces covered by the Programme.
The campaign differs from other communication activities of the Programme as it specifically focuses on the understanding of environmental issues as a basic foundation for a sustainable management of natural resources. Though EA maybe integrated in one way or another in other communication activities of the Programme, the campaign shall be targeting all sectors involved in community development to ensure the sustainability of the activities.
Understanding Environmental Awareness
Environmental awareness
is helping individual and communities acquire sensitivity to the total environment and its related issues and problems.
A successful awareness campaign can be
Obtaining basic understanding of the environment and
attained when
Knowledge problems and humanity’s critical presence and role
efforts be exerted to elevate environmental:
Acquiring social values, strong concern for the environment and the motivation to actively participate in the environmental protection activities
Attitude
Developing a sense of responsibility and urgency regarding the environment
Participation
2. Objectives
As one of the support units of the Resource Management Component and in the effort to achieve the over-all goal of the Upland Development Programme, the environmental awareness activities shall
embark on a campaign to increase the environmental awareness level of identified target groups in UDP areas of the need to properly manage the natural resources in upland
Southern Mindanao. The campaign shall also be initiated to raise the awareness on environmental issues among UDP’s partner organisations, the Local Government Units, and the municipal and provincial
policy makers. The activities shall be geared towards fully understanding the environmental issues including production and sustainable land use - confronted by communities and those
directly working and influencing the lives of the communities. This campaign shall support in achieving the objective of the Resource Management Component which is to develop a model for sustainable
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management of natural resources being adopted and implemented by LGUs and communities in the uplands of Southern Mindanao.
In view of the above, it is emphasized that understanding environmental issues plays an essential part in the whole planning process of the watershed management which will be undertaken by the communities and the people working in the communities. Realization of the importance of protecting the upland ecosystem is a fundamental part in the interventions of UDP in communities to improve their living standards.
3. Summary and Recommendations
Implementing Strategies and Approaches
Ø Environmental awareness (EA) campaign shall be undertaken hand-in-hand with the community development organising activities as the campaign will be a built-in task of all the UDP staff.
Ø EA campaign shall target the following groups: community-based organisation, community, supporting institutions and UDP.
Ø The EA activities, one of the support units of the Resources Management Component of UDP shall be categorised into two (2) strategies/approaches for various target audiences. These are: communitybased environmental awareness (EA) campaign and the institutional environmental awareness (EA) campaign.
Ø These approaches shall underline two (2) major activities: the formal and the non-formal EA activities. Ø The substantive areas of focus in the environmental awareness campaign shall be the following: environmental education, environmental values and ethics, and environmental action/advocacy. These integrated messages which shall be the substantive focus of the three (3) campaign modes: participatory, community media; project promotion and support; and communication as intervention.
EA Activities
Ø The inter-personal activities (IPA) such as house to house visit and small group discussion is still considered as the most reliable approach given enough time and manpower. This activity can be intensified for the purpose of fully understanding issues by distributing printed materials and video showing.
Ø Printed materials such as brochure, leaflets, flyers, and comics are seen as effective tools in the dissemination information. Drawings and pictures with less words should be emphasized.
Ø Radio, the most commonly used medium in Southern Mindanao, shall be utilised to reinforce environmental messages to target groups utilising local radio stations popular or most listened to in the area. This medium can reach a wider audience and thus, effective for short environmental messages to reinforce the EA activities in the area.
Ø Environmental video materials in Filipino and local dialects shall also be produced for the various target groups.
Ø For policy makers, partner-organisations and LGUs, the Programme shall use video as its primary medium and shall be supported by using the radio and distribution of printed materials.
Ø Two (2) community radio stations are recommended to be set-up in two (2) yet to be identified and assessed areas with no access to media.
Ø Recommended partner-organisations are the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources – Public Affairs and Information Office, the Philippine Information Agency, the Provincial and Municipal Information Offices. Initial discussion with these agencies has been undertaken.
Ø Production of EA materials – printed, audio and video – shall be undertaken in collaboration with the identified partner-organisations.
Environmental Education
Ø The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) has the necessary mandate, manpower resources and extensive geographical coverage that should be enhanced to effectively increase the level of environmental awareness and education of the Southern Mindanao residents. It is recommended that UDP will assist the capability of DECS in the integration of environmental education in the existing curricula. The Local Government Units may also play a vital role in this effort through the Local School Board.
Ø In school year 2001-2002, DECS, the LGUs, together with UDP shall undertake a pilot study to develop concepts and methods for the integration of environmental education at elementary level in five selected elementary schools in UDP areas in Southern Mindanao.
Ø If no staff can directly supervise the environmental education activities, the Programme may contract this activity out to a competent organisation involved in environmental education.
Ø The Programme shall support the libraries of selected schools by providing necessary reading materials on environmental protection and upland resources management.
Other Important EA Concerns
Ø Provincial Offices with no access to audio-video equipment must be equipped each with a TV set, VHS, and karaoke. A set of these equipment will cost around P30,000.00. These shall be utilised for the environmental awareness activities such as for a and meetings for policy makers, students, for barangay to barangay awareness campaign and for other communication activities of the Provincial Offices. The equipment shall be turned-over to the provincial/municipal information offices which shall continue the efforts of UDP in pursuing the environmental awareness activities.
Ø Market day or “tabo-tabo” , a once a week activity in a number of barangays in Mindanao, where the lowland and upland residents meet to sell goods and products, is a good venue for an EA activity.
Ø Baseline survey on the level of awareness in the target areas can be integrated in the UDP’s baseline study to be conducted this year.
Ø As UDP now undertakes activities in the areas, initial environmental awareness activities necessary to complement other Programme activities should be implemented as soon as possible.
4. Implementation Strategies
All activities which to be undertaken shall run through the common thread of helping communities help themselves that only them can help conserve watershed resources through proper understanding of environmental issues around them. In view of this, dynamic process of involvement with the community has been encouraged in every environmental awareness-related activities which are geared to increase awareness and understanding of the problems and needs of the communities and the environs.
The environmental awareness activities shall be divided into two (2) approaches for various target groups. These are: community-based environmental awareness campaign and institutional environmental
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awareness campaign. These approaches shall underline two (2) major activities: the formal and the nonformal environmental awareness activities.
4.1 Approaches
4.1.1Community-based environmental awareness campaign. The activities under this are those
directly targeting the community - the farmers and their families in the uplands of Southern Mindanao. Messages, which is the primary aspect considered in the whole process of the campaign, shall help alleviate community concerns if they would undergo a participatory process. This means that the awareness campaign has to spring from the values, aspirations, and beliefs of the targeted groups. Conducted through small group discussions, the design and content of the communication channel and message will be identified by the communities themselves.
This does not mean that no intervention messages will be disseminated at the community level.
There are environmental issues that need to be discussed for a community to realize or for them to understand. Message interventions here are those be designed by the Programme and its partnerorgnaisations.
Figure 1. Community-based environmental awareness campaign flow
Community
Dissemination
Community
Discussion, designing of messages & identification of medium for specific
Production of materials
Distribution
Messages/ Issues on upland
Through -INTERPERSONAL -GROUP
INDIGENOUS,
PRINT, AUDIO OR
-MIXED
resource management
VIDEO issue/message
COMMUNITY
ACTION
FEEDBACK
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4.1.2 Institutional environmental awareness campaign. This campaign shall target the UDP staff and all the Support Institutions. These target groups are critical groups of the environmental awareness campaign since they influence the communities which the Programme is directly targeting. These organisations and institutions will also be the groups which shall be relied upon for the sustainability of the EA activities.
Figure 2. Institutional environmental awareness campaign flow
Dissemination Distribution
Through -INTERPERSONAL -GROUP
UDP, Partnerorganisations discussion,
Production of materials
PRINT, AUDIO OR
identification and designing of messages
- VIDEO
- -MIXED
COMMUNITY
ACTION
FEEDBACK
- 4.2
- Major Activities
4.2.1 Formal.
Environmentalism in the classroom is an effective tool for increasing the level of environmental awareness among school children. As provided for in Section 53 of the Philippine Environment Code, the
Department of Education Culture and Sports(DECS) shall integrate subjects on environmental education in its school curricula at all levels. It shall endeavour to conduct special community education emphasizing the relationship of man and nature as well as environmental sanitation and practices.
The DECS has the necessary mandate, manpower resources and extensive geographical coverage that should be enhanced to effectively increase the level of environmental awareness and education of the Southern Mindanao residents. It is recommended that UDP will assist the capability of DECS in the integration of environmental education in the existing curricula. The Local Government Units may also play a vital role in this effort through the Local School Board.
In school year 2001-2002, DECS, the LGU together with the UDP may undertake a pilot study to develop concepts and methods for the integration of environmental education at elementary level in five
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selected elementary schools in UDP areas in Southern Mindanao. In early 2000, the mentioned agencies shall collaboratively design and produce teaching supplements; train teachers on environmental education integration; and shall design and implement a monitoring and evaluation procedure. UDP will continue to support DECS and the LGU in integrating environmental education in more public schools, involving more teachers and make use of newly designed instructional materials.
School year 2005-2006 shall serve as the hand-over period after which DECS and the LGU shall sustain the integration of environmental education in school curricula with less input from UDP.
4.2.2 Non-Formal.
This is the multi-media approach of the environmental awareness activities. One of the strategic approaches in disseminating and sharing environment issues or concerns is through existing communication channels. A few would deny that in the Philippines, particularly in Southern Mindanao, the media play a significant role in the day-to-day lives of young and old. The production of materials essential to the implementation of UDP’s activities shall be done collaboratively with the Programme’s partner-organisations.
Appropriate materials needed in a certain activity shall carefully be identified by those directly working with the communities. Video materials, radio plugs and programmes, printed materials such as flyers, pamphlets, and posters shall be produced as the primary materials for distribution in the upland areas. Messages on watershed, the ecosystem, environmental laws, shall be incorporated in the campaign.
Fascination of communities over audio-visual equipment, particularly the television set, is noted in communities. The effectiveness of the audio-visual media to attract and gather people, especially in areas where TV is luxury has been proven in other parts of the country. The endless fascination of upland communities over television and movies isn’t surprising for there is a widespread belief in many societies with low levels of education that “if the TV (or radio) said it, it must be true.”
In the book ‘Education for Sustainability’, Huckle and Sterling states that “the rapid growth in television set ownership and usage during the second half of the twentieth century is remarkable precisely because of the extraordinary influence visual images and narrative structures exert on audience perceptions. Researching for a report on the impact of images of Africa, Van der Gaag and Nash (1987) found evidence to suggest that: “The public’s perceptions, though they were influence by other factors like family, friends and school, were ultimately formed by media…The visual images were dominant, and the images were remembered when even significant facts and figures had been forgotten.”
Environmental awareness or EA days shall be held from barangay to barangay, sitio to sitio, school to school, using an audio visual van (a mobile video unit), an improvised, locally assembled vehicle. If an AV van isn’t possible, a set of one (1) karaoke, a TV set, a VHS, and a generator should be made available to Provincial Offices. Consultations and discussions with communities during EA days shall be reinforced by video and film showings and distribution of printed materials – these would help in stimulating process of reflection among the participants.
Radio is still recognised as the most widely used medium and thus, effective in reaching a number of audience in rural areas. Local radio stations in some areas maybe utilised by the Programme as the venues for the environmental radio plugs and programmes.
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Setting-up community radio stations is recommended in areas with no access to any form of media or in a hardlly communication-oriented community. A community radio station is in the community, it is about the community, and it is by the community. The concept of community radio station cleared the way for a significant move towards a wider audience spectrum in hardly communication-oriented communities. It was introduced in the Philippines by Tambuli Project working towards a new public a media structure that is owned and controlled by the people. Seen as a vital project to empower community through information, this would help communities identify and pursue development opportunities particularly the management of their resources and the environment. (Please see attached
paper written by C. Banluta on community radio station based on the experience gathered from the communities assisted by the Palawan Tropical Forestry Protection Programme in Palawan).
- 4.3
- Target Groups
People’s Organisation
1) Community Based Organisation 2) Community
Communitybased environmental awareness
campaign
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Unschooled Farmers Schooled Farmers Tribal Group Women School children
UDP
1) PMO 2) PPO
Support Institutions
1) Brgy. Gov’t 2) Mun. Gov’t
- 3) Provincial Gov’t
- 3) MPO-MPT-LGU
4) PFI’s, NGOs, Coops
5) Academic/ Research
Instituitons
6) Government Agencies 7) Religious Groups/ Leaders
Continuing environmental awareness campaign
Figure 3. Target Groups and the Campaign Approaches Flow
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- 4.4
- Types of Communication Methods
- INTERPERSONAL
- GROUP