PDRF signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Kaksaan ne Dumaget de Antipolo – Dumagat Remontados for the implementation of the Building Resilience through Inclusive Development and Gender Equality (BRIDGE) Project within their ancestral domain in Antipolo City and the participation of their communities. BRIDGE is a four-year project implemented by PDRF to improve the climate and disaster resilience of water-stressed communities in the cities of Antipolo and Baguio City, through funding support from the Global Affairs Canada.
The ceremonial signing marks a significant milestone in the Foundation’s efforts toward pushing for inclusion and active participation of communities and vulnerable groups in its programs. Held in Sitio Pantay, Barangay Calawis, Antipolo City, chieftains and elders of the Dumagat Remontados and officials from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) CALABARZON participated in the activity. Mark Roslin, President of Kaksaan ne Dumaget de Antipolo – Dumagat Remontados, and Modesto Sta. Ana, Rapu of Barangay San Jose led the signing with BRIDGE Project Director Anna Katrina Aspuria signing as a witness.
The Project Leadership opened the program with an introduction of PDRF and the BRIDGE Project to Kaksaan and NCIP, particularly emphasizing the Project’s focus on supporting women and indigenous peoples through Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).
The event also served as an avenue for an open forum with members of Kaksaan to raise their concerns and questions regarding the stipulations of this partnership and provided PDRF with the opportunity to explain in detail the Project’s goals and pipelined activities to level the community’s expectations.
During the discussion, Kaksaan President Mark Roslin shared that access to clean water remains one of their community’s major concerns, as coverage of water service provisions remains limited only to the Calawis area. One of the chieftains also emphasized the importance of sustainability, reiterating their community’s need for programs that can continue even after the life of the project. Roslin, adding to this, expressed that while the community sees the project as beneficial, it is important for them to carefully study and understand its implementation.
The Project Leadership responded with reassurances that the project approaches have evolved in recent years to focus not only on sustainability but also on practicality.
“Instead of simply providing resources, a planning session will be conducted with the members of Kaksaan to identify appropriate interventions that the Project can implement and support, and ensure that they are tailored-fit and responsive to the needs of the community. A project can only be considered successful when the community is already capable of sustaining it on its own, ” said Project Director Aspuria.
As a result, PDRF has also secured a separate signed resolution from the community members of Kaksaan ne Dumaget de Antipolo – Dumagat Remontados, granting the BRIDGE Project team permission to enter their land and conduct activities moving forward.
The selected project sites for the BRIDGE Project are Barangay San Jose and Barangay Calawis in Antipolo City, both situated within the ancestral domain of the Dumagat Remontados.
