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Strengthening the Monitoring and Evaluation System of The Development of Salt Industry Project (DSIP) to Kawit, Cavite’s Vanishing Salt Farms through a Monitoring and Grievance Form  

Development of Salt Industry Project

Memorandum Circular 34 Series of 2022 The Development of Salt Industry Project (DSIP) is an initiative from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that aims to revitalize local salt industries through the following:

1) provision of appropriate technologies;

2) capacitation of fisherfolk in proper salt-making techniques; and

3) development of production, processing, and packaging methods.

In Kawit, Cavite, the implementing body of DSIP is the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) working in tandem with BFAR to disburse equipment and training and oversee project implementation.

Rationale

The decline of the Philippine salt industry is caused by factors including import liberalization, urbanization, climate change, and Republic Act 8172 or the ASIN Law. Implemented in 1995, ASIN law oversaw salt iodization sought in order to address micronutrient deficiency in the country. Nevertheless, this law inadvertently marginalized traditional salt producers who needed more capital and training to comply with iodization requirements. Because of this, they could not legally sell their salt, leading to a decline in profitability.

Salt beds in Kawit used to occupy almost a thousand hectares. The law, among other reasons such as the provincial intervention in land zoning, reduced it to what it stands now at 3 hectares. Nevertheless, the local government of Kawit is actively involved in revitalizing the dying industry by including the salt beds in the Kawit Heritage Tours (Aguinaldo, 2018), eyeing to purchase the salt beds for tourism purposes, as per Kawit Municipal Agriculturist Ronaldo Lontoc. The implementation of DSIP directly affects these salt farmers as it aims to revive and support the local salt industry.

The Stakeholders

The salt farmers of Barangay Santa Isabel in Kawit, Cavite are the key stakeholders of DSIP. They are directly involved and affected by the implementation of this project because they are the first trench receivers who benefit from the provisions enshrined to them in DSIP, namely mechanization and technology-based assistance and capacity building.

MAO and BFAR, being the chief executing bodies of DSIP, are the primary stakeholders of DSIP. They coordinate with each other to disburse material assistance and oversee capacity building programs. They likewise engage in the monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Municipal Agricultural Office (MAO) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)

Salt farmers of Brgy. Sta. Isabel, Kawit

Traditional carrying basket for harvested salt

Traditional stone tiles (Tibul) used as substrate for salt beds

Clay pot tile provided by BFAR as substrate for salt beds

Rake used to gather salt from the salt beds

In an interview with the MAO chief, the group discovered that the BFAR insisted on using corrugated iron instead of the traditional wood as a holding material for harvested salt. Moreover, in an interview with the farmers, the group likewise discovered that the BFAR provided clay pot tiles which were unsuitable for the salt farms that required the smoother and sturdier stone tiles as a substrate for salt beds. This has likewise been the case with BFAR-provided wheelbarrows which were deemed by the farmers to be too heavy for use in their pliable soil. Additionally, the training and capacity building provided by BFAR in Los Baños insisted on techniques such as salt baking which were inappropriate to traditional practices in Kawit that rely on solar evaporation to render salt. In response to these inconsistencies, the farmers insisted on returning the unusable material to BFAR but to no avail. As of today, the mismatched equipment is stored in bodegas unsold and not put to any productive use.

What is the Problem?

Harvested salt to be picked up by supplier

Mismatch of Assistance by BFAR to the Actual Needs of Salt Farmers

The Public Policy Challenge

The challenge is in the current DSIP implementation. The lack of a grievance and accountability mechanism fostered a disconnect between the farmers' needs and the support they received. Moreover, this indirect communication process led to the farmers' concerns not being conveyed or addressed in a timely manner. Without a structured system for investigating grievances, there is no way to track or document these issues systematically. Therefore the lack of data makes it challenging to identify recurring problems that could foster a more effective program implementation. It likewise prevents accountability, as there is no clear process for addressing complaints and even ensuring that appropriate actions are being taken to resolve them.

"Bakit pa tatanungin, eh nakikita naman?"

—Mr. Ronaldo Lontoc, Kawit Municipal Agriculturist

Harvested salt in storage area

Salt farmer

Group's interview with the salt farmers

Policy Evaluation

The group's challenge involves addressing the final stage of the policy process which is policy evaluation, where a proposal to strengthen mechanisms of monitoring, evaluation, and accountability are warranted.

Recommendation

Current set-up under DSIP

Proposed Intervention

Solution

Our group proposes an accountability mechanism through a monitoring and grievance form. This will serve as a formal platform for farmers to express their grievances, while also establishing accountability mechanisms to BFAR. MAO will interview the farmers using the grievance form alongside their weekly fieldwork. The form provides farmers a direct avenue to communicate their grievances and also ensures that MAO can effectively relay these needs through a structured conversation assisted by the grievance forms.

As part of this process, MAO will categorize the forms into a comprehensive report to be submitted to BFAR on a weekly basis. This will serve as a guiding mechanism for BFAR to accountably respond and monitor accordingly, ensuring the timely disbursement of benefits and addressing farmers' requests.

Significance of the solution

The absence of a feedback mechanism in DSIP can inhibit participatory engagement with the policy creating significant difficulties for farmers in expressing their conditions and concerns to the relevant institutions. These needs may include but are not limited to access to equipment, training, and the like. Moreover, the absence of the opportunity for two-way communication leaves the policy vulnerable to misallocating resources that do not adequately address the real challenges faced by the salt farmers.

The solution addresses these shortcomings as it is a direct avenue for the salt farmers to provide feedback to MAO and BFAR in a timely and effective fashion.

Talaan sa Pagsisiyasat at mga Hinaing

The proposed monitoring and grievance form or Talaan sa Pagsisiyasat at mga Hinaing is as simple yet comprehensive form comprising 4 sections. The MAO officer conducting the weekly monitoring visits will fill out this form.

Personal na Impormasyon ng Tagapagsiyasat will see the MAO officer fill in their personal information.
The second section asks for the personal information of the salt farmer.
The third section, Katanungan Ukol sa Kalagayan ng Irasan, is the monitoring and grievance proper wherein MAO officers will ask personal, equipment, and overall situation questions to the salt farmers.
The fourth section is an accountability and verification check of the form in which the MAO officer who conducted the monitoring visit and the salt farmer whom this officer asked for feedback from are expected to sign.

Municipal Agriculture Grievance Catalogue

A representative from MAO will interview the farmers using the grievance form alongside with their weekly fieldwork. This provides farmers a direct avenue to communicate their grievances and also ensures that MAO can effectively relay these needs through a structured conversation assisted by the grievance forms.

As part of this process, MAO will categorize the forms into a comprehensive report using Google Sheets to be submitted to BFAR through e-mail monthly. It will serve as a guiding mechanism for BFAR to accountably respond and monitor accordingly, ensuring the timely disbursement of benefits and addressing farmers' requests.

Proposed Electronic Mail template for MAO to send to BFAR

The Process

The group interviewed both representatives from MAO (Mr. Lontoc and Mr. Neil Malabanan) and the salt farmers themselves in order to compare and contrast the efficacy of project implementation from the perspective of both key and primary stakeholders. The findings were used to formulate the recommendations vis-à-vis already existing mechanisms within the DSIP and MAO's regular operations.

Project Manager: Duke Xander CampilanResearch Manager: Matthew Wendell FariñasCollaboration Director: Apple Jesshielle GalanoPublic Relations: Liam Reece BasigsigDocumentor: Reighn Villena

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