Rationale. The ravages of Maughan Flooding in 1996 and 2002 remain a traumatic experience of many communities relying heavily on the Allah River as a source of their livelihood and income opportunities. Public infrastructure facilities were devastated, and the families who became victims felt the most gruesome history in their life.

Until now, the force of water gushing from the Maughan Lake is sounding a profound threat of gradual immersion of areas along the Allah river channel. Communities near the river's path and public infrastructures connected to the river in one time or another may again be challenged to survive from the impact of raging water. Water rushing along Banga River , on the other hand, is also rampaging agricultural areas and settlements located sides of its path.

There have been studies conducted in the past that present condition of the Allah and Banga rivers, but these are in broader and general terms that could hardly be used as a basis for planning and decision making. The physical characteristics of the two major rivers in the Allah Valley should be determined in a more detailed field survey in order to come up with more realistic, scientific and even practical solutions that are within the capability of the stakeholders and affected landowners to undertake.

Intermittent increased of water volume during high rainfall months and unpredictable flood events often create substantial damage to properties and lives. But what people most know is that impact of flooding is a mere cause of natural environmental occurrence that could hardly or impossible to control. Some communities did heroic actions of controlling flashfloods, but only to find that their hard and tiresome efforts become a futile exercise. After any disastrous incident, government agencies are often called for support and are expected to undertake rehabilitation measures.

Lessons learned from other experiences suggest that mixed prevention and mitigation measures are needed to be applied in areas that are prone to water-related disasters. These start from the field evaluation, investigation and survey to be able to come up with scientific analysis and practically sustainable solutions.

Rationale. Gauging program developments and project impacts can best be conducted at the end of a given implementation phase. There are various tools that can be used on the processes and they are all directed in identifying quality impact on the target beneficiaries and intended objectives. Likewise, time element of a particular plan is very essential in employing methodologies for evaluation or assessment.

For AVLDA-PMO, the one year operation plan serves as implementation activities directed towards its goals. Periodic or yearly evaluation and assessment is important in looking back on the activities and relate them to the direction of the alliance. Active participation of the members of Technical Working Group (TWG) on this activity is very substantial as they are the ones who crafted the operations plan and they were directly involved in the implementation activities of their respective development projects.

Rationale. The Community Based Resource Assessment and Mapping (CBRAM) replication activity was conducted last year to increase community's level of participation in governance, particularly in natural resource management. Community members were given an opportunity to articulate their relationship with natural resources around them and to show how the condition of the resources affects their lives.

The activity is a tool to generate and document the vital information of a certain locality. The data which the community shared during the process will be translated into vital documents that could be used a basis for project concept and policy decisions. However, finalization of the documents needs a process of validation and corrections at the community level.

One of the vital information taken from the CBRAM activity is the resource map. It was drawn to a plastic sheet with 4 square meters wide by the community members using colored pens. This document contains basic information of the community. It consolidates a bundle of information of a certain Barangay wherein its resources were identified and located geographically. It includes different ecosystems like the farm lands, forests, wetlands, built-up areas and grasslands. This document will be digitized to a computer so that it can be used as an information material, and it can be updated or modified using specific computer programs. The activity also includes appraisal of their livelihood undertakings and characterization of their socio-cultural activities. Historical time-lines were also considered for deeper discussions and knowledge of their social set-up.

All data gathered during the activity are to be presented back to the community for validation and confirmation. It needs an intensive and critical observation of the documentation materials as an output from the CBRAM.

Rationale. The protection and conservation of the biodiversity, land and water resources in the Allah Valley Landscape is the concern of all residents covering the South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces. It does not limit only to one sector like the government but also to other stakeholders like the non-government institutions. The LGUs of the landscape have been forging unity for environmental concerns which paved the way for the creation of Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLDA). Efforts from the private sector are also expected and that resources will be pooled for the said purpose. The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and people's organizations (POs) have been in the forefront of development work including management of the environment in the community level in both provinces. In South Cotabato , NGOs and POs initiated the creation of Civil Society Development Organization (CSDO) and developed their networking relations and coordination aspect is working-out. Their network became member in the AVLDA and is actively participating during meetings and activities of the alliance.

In Sultan Kudarat province, there is no established NGO network that responds to the call of the alliance. While various NGOs and POs within the province are actively engaged on environment programs and services, there is a need to gather them and bring the mandate of the alliance among their communities and beneficiaries. More so, the LGUs in Sultan Kudarat are very articulate in bringing in the agenda of the Allah Valley Watershed in their programs and services. We all know however that NGOs/POs have their own programs but they also practice environment related s ervices among their partner/beneficiaries. Thus, there is a need to group these NGOs and push for the common understanding of the concern of the Allah Valley Watershed as our immediate environ.

During the June 29, 2006 AVLDA-BOD meeting, a resolution was passed for the support of the alliance in the formation of the CSDO in Sultan Kudarat province.

Background. For the past three years, AVLDA has been able to achieve certain level of strength and draw a new path for implementing its fundamental mandate of addressing physical and social problems brought about by the drastic changes in the aftermath of extreme flooding events. The 1991 Local Government Code allows the Local Government Units (LGUs) complement their resources in undertaking program in answer to their common problems; but adjustment to administrative procedures and management process is necessary. Indeed, the operation of the AVLDA is a continuing challenge among the concerned stakeholders especially the LGUs that have defined limits of political and administrative jurisdiction.

AVLDA has a very clear purpose with its support emanates from its members including civil society organizations and national government agencies. It has been acknowledged as strategic implementing program to capture landscape level issues and concerns. However, its difficulty is centered on implementing integrated challenges and opportunities because external assistance should come in the form of funding.

The creation of AVLDA is accompanied by the formulation and adoption of Environmental Management Plan (EMP) indicating Allah Valley Landscape (AVL) situational analysis and actions plans. The EMP is supposed to attract external funding assistance. However, it is an indicative plan that is lacking critical information and data to come up with more effective, responsive and comprehensive action plans.

Along the three-year operation of AVLDA, more data and information were gathered through many field activities and landscape mapping. New sets of maps, significant element in management planning and decision making, has been acquired. Given this updated information, there is a need to produce an updated and comprehensive plan as the basis for integrated action and decision by the AVLDA members. There is also a need to reflect a renewed commitment of members that have contributed to the achievement of the alliance with the inclusion of their new programs and projects for the next five to ten years to the new management plan.

The focus of AVLDA has transcended to include Banga River watershed, in so far as the delineated map of AVL is concerned. This is the reason the Municipalities of Banga and Norala were invited for AVLDA membership. Development programs and projects for these two municipalities should be included in the updated AVL Management Plan. Component projects along the Banga River addressing issues and problems on siltation and flooding are very important.

Rationale. The protection and conservation of the biodiversity of Allah Valley Landscape is the concern of all residents covering the South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces. It does not limit only to one sector like the government but also to other stakeholders like the non-government institutions. The LGUs of the landscape have been forging unity for environmental concerns which paved the way for the creation of Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLDA). Efforts from the private sector are also expected and that resources will be pooled for the said purpose. The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and people's organizations (POs) have been in the forefront of development work including management of the environment in the community level in both provinces. In South Cotabato , NGOs and POs initiated the creation of Civil Society Development Organization (CSDO) and developed their networking relations and coordination aspect is working-out. Their network became member in the AVLDA and is actively participating during meetings and activities of the alliance.

In Sultan Kudarat province, there is no established NGO network that responds to the call of the alliance. While various NGOs and POs within the province are actively engaged on environment programs and services, there is a need to gather them and bring the mandate of the alliance among their communities and beneficiaries. More so, the LGUs in Sultan Kudarat are very articulate in bringing in the agenda of the Allah Valley Watershed in their programs and services. We all know however that NGOs/POs have their own programs but they also practice environment related s ervices among their partner/beneficiaries. Thus, there is a need to group these NGOs and push for the common understanding of the concern of the Allah Valley Watershed as our immediate environ.

During the June 29, 2006 AVLDA-BOD meeting, a resolution was passed for the support of the alliance in the formation of the CSDO in Sultan Kudarat province.

Rationale. The measures to be undertaken in order to control further destabilization of the Allah Valley 's major river systems are enormous. AVLDA is finding more scientific and technical solutions; though these solutions should also consider social acceptability to ensure sustainability of efforts and capital. Moreover, cooperation and support of local communities and other stakeholders is indispensably necessary if gains have to be relevant, widespread and lasting.

The Allah River is now a braided river system which is characterized by a very wide, shallow riverbed with waters separated by sand bars and changing riverbanks. The Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau 12 is quoting a study which shows that 16,000 tons of silts are mobilized in the Allah River during intense 1-3 days rainfall time recurring once a year. Banga River has similar characteristics and causing occasional flooding of farmlands downstream of Banga irrigation dam.

Given the situation, there is an impending threat to agricultural properties located along major river channels. There is a huge potential cost and destruction resulting from flooding, siltation of rivers and riverbank migration. Large tracts of productive farmlands are submerged on the water year by year. Silts are transported in the irrigated farms which may affect rice production capacity in the long term.

Structural and non-structural interventions can both be done at the same time. However, the lack of finances for structural projects will leave us no options but to seek for a cheaper way of response. With a limited funding, we can only deal with the problems one at a time. It is very costly to control flooding, but there is a potential option to prevent riverbank erosion and migration. It is a long accepted observation that vegetation provides a very significant contribution in controlling soil and riverbank erosion. Bamboos and other suitable tree species stabilize riverbanks; hence they can potentially reduce riverbank migration problems.

Rationale. The launching day of the Riparian Zone Revegetation program in September 27,2007 gained tremendous support from all stakeholders of the program- adopters, barangay officials, concerned landowners, line agencies and the LGUs/AVLDA. Everybody actively participated in planting the 9, 473 bamboo hills (Apos,Bayog and Laak varieties) which covered at least 27 kms stretch as initial development and as the first line of flood defense in 27 kms stretch along Allah and Banga/Kapingkong River banks. This was undertaken simultaneously among the 19 barangays of 11 municipalities and 1 city alliance members.

The support could be attributed more on the dispensed community level of information, education and campaign (IEC) activities which highlighted the spectacular effectiveness of bamboo plants in protecting precious agricultural lands and other properties from being wrecked by floods, and few information on the economic benefits the plant could provide.

PMO staff and PEMOs level of knowledge/information on the economic benefits from bamboo plants has to be enhanced through exposure on actual processing of bamboo products, and collection of available reading materials on such. This would enable dissemination of more substantial information during the succeeding IECs in the continuation of the Riparian Zone Revegetation program. Hence, this proposed activity.

Rationale. Sustained management of environmental resources is a contemporary challenge being faced by various stakeholders and end-users within a particular watershed. Each watershed location has unique characteristics; therefore approaches and methodologies to management vary. However, it is commonly understood that the restoration of the denuded forest areas in the critical portion of the watershed is significant in maintaining the balance of the whole ecosystem.

The upper portion of the Allah Valley watershed shares a significant role within the landscape in which Lake Sebu is part of. It plays an important role being the head water source of most river systems contributing to Allah River . But increased migration of the people in the uplands resulted in the substantial decline of forest cover.

Currently, a wide sloppy portion of Lake Sebu needs to be replanted with trees to prevent soil erosion and river protection. To rehabilitate denuded areas, one of the key methods of AVLDA is the tree planting activity. This activity also addresses streambank stabilization particularly of the Allah River and its tributaries.

The Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance-Program Management Office (AVLDA_PMO) and the South Cotabato Parole and Probation Office (SC_PPO) together with the participation of the LGUs, agreed to collaborate for the Tree Planting Activity at 2 nd Falls situated at Sitio Lower Alo, Brgy. Seloton, Lake Sebu.

Rationale. For the purpose of formally creating an alliance in order to mitigate adverse impact of the recurring Allah River flooding, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed and approved in March 2003 by concerned local government units (LGUs) in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, national government agencies (NGAs) and coalition of NGOs in South Cotabato . Through the continued support of the LGSP-CIDA, the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance (AVLDA) started its operation with the setting-up of the Program Management Office (PMO) in January 2004. Since then, there have been many activities undertaken by the AVLDA through the spearheading of the PMO.

One highlight among the activities was the partnership with Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) particularly on Landscape Mapping and Community-Based Resource Assessment and Mapping. It was a one year engagement between AVLDA and ESSC with the purpose of generating sets of geographic data of the landscape. The ESSC staff worked closely with PMO staff especially in the coordinative activities among the member LGUs. With this collaborative effort, data sets were generated and the outputs are now ready for turn-over to the alliance.

The AVLDA has the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) which contained the situational characteristics of the Allah Valley Landscape (AVL) with the proposed resource and environmental programs and projects of the member-LGUs. The data sets produced during the partnership with ESSC are substantial and essential information to be used in updating the EMP or in the LGU level of planning.

Thus, given the current information available generated through remote sensing and landscape mapping and community-based resource assessment project, there is a need to interpret and undergo deeper discussion among the technical working group of the alliance in order to have a common interpretation of the data set turned-over by the project partner. Eventually, it will enhance the current planning process of the alliance particularly in updating the EMP of the landscape.