Participatory Research Organization of Communities and Education towards Struggle for Self-reliance (PROCESS) Foundation is an independent, non-profit, non-government organization which aims to create and establish strong peoples organizations, building their capabilities, and harness their own potential for participatory and self-reliant development.
This organization is an off-shoot of the 1981 International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Ministry of Labor and Employment-sponsored project called “Sarilakas” meaning “own strength”. The “Sarilakas” project, geared towards self-reliant development, was a test project in stimulating grassroots initiatives among the rural communities of Antique and Batangas.
On October 12, 1982, PROCESS was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Foundation initially operated in the provinces of Antique and Batangas. Today, PROCESS operates in three (3) field offices: in Bohol, in Northern Luzon, and in the Panay-Guimaras islands. Since then, catalytic work and social development activities have intensified and PROCESS has been mobilizing the poor to become main actors in development programs. Thus, mainstreaming their involvement in socio-economic, political, and cultural endeavors.
In January 1997, PROCESS-Panay Field Office acquired its autonomous provision and became an independent organization, later on registered as a separate entity, PROCESS Foundation-Panay Inc., with the Security and Exchange Commission. As an independent institution, PROCESS now bears its own obligation to look for funding to support and finance its operations and projects. At the same time, it has the right to directly implement projects and programs under the direction of a new Board of Directors and its operation under the Executive Director.
Under a new name and Executive Director, PROCESS Foundation-Panay operates in five provinces in Panay and the Guimaras Islands. It works closely with different peoples organizations in 38 municipalities involving more than 300 barangays as of 1997. To date, it has facilitated organizing 211 peoples organizations, both at the municipal and barangay levels. It also maintains critical collaborative initiatives with other partner NGOs, POs, and Local Government Units of different assisted municipalities. PROCESS has worked with different funding institutions, local and international, academe, and other pro-people development groups in achieving its vision, mission, goals and objectives.
Presently the Foundation, through its Executive Director, Mr. Wilfredo J. Homicillada, and staff have embarked on programs and activities designed to transform and empower local communities into a just and humane, peaceful and God-fearing society, living in a sustainable and ecologically sound environment. PROCESS employs 53 personnel to ensure proper implementation of its programs.
The women In Development (WID) program aims to capacitate rural agricultural women in enhancing the capabilities towards organizational development, local governance, gender equity, enterprise development and marketing, ecology, human rights and legal reform. The WID program benefited more than 500 women and their families in Panay and Guimaras Island. Thus, women were able to support their families through additional income brought about by their livelihood projects.
WID, through the women’s organizations assisted in this project, was instrumental in placing different women leaders as members of the LGU women’s desk. It also encouraged these women to sit in local development councils and special bodies. Not only were women’s organizations involved in training and seminars, they also participated in undertaking environmental projects such as reforestation, and mangrove nursery establishment. Partnerships were made and enterprise development and environmental rehabilitation, protection and conversation activities were initiated.
As a national program, the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) aims to promote socio-economic upliftment of forest dependent communities as the same time achieve sustainable development and management of forest resources. This program recognizes and supports the capabilities and indispensable roles of local communities to protect, rehabilitate, develop, utilize and manage forest lands and related resources. In areas where PROCESS is currently operating, there are 1, 700 member families in the upland areas of Iloilo, Aklan, Antique and Capiz who are CBFM beneficiaries.
One of the outcomes of the CBFM project was that all upland POs were registered with government accrediting institutions such as DOLE, SEC, and CDA. These peoples organizations are undertaking reforestation projects and directly managing project funds. Through capability building activities, upland agri-technologies are established and currently practiced.
Through PROCESS, facilitation, upland communities were able to develop their respective 20-year Upland Resource Development Plans, which is initially being implemented. Other highlights of their work are the economic enterprise activities undertaken by some POs, the integration of the POs 5-year Development Plan in the LGU’s action agenda, and the lobbying of POs against mining operations in the area (the result of which was the passage of LGU resolution against mining).
Community organizing, lobbying, and advocacy for legal reform and access to resources were intensified. Actual transfer for 850 Agrarian Reform beneficiaries (ARBs) covering no less than 1,000 has been facilitated. This made possible the signing of leasehold agreements, implementation of income generating projects; integration of ARB Barangay Comprehensive Plans in LGU plans; land tenure improvements; enhanced cooperative development; and the development of plans for productivity systems improvement. Campaigns against land conversion, lobby for participation and land mapping and land productivity schemes and evaluation were also conducted. Approximately 1, 150 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries covering Iloilo and Antique were strengthened and developed into self-determining communities with ownership of land and access to basic services.
Support provided by the LGUs and government agencies helped develop communities that manage their own basic health and sanitation programs. For this particular intervention, there are 5 upland and 2 lowland barangays with approximately 2, 500 beneficiaries. As a result of PROCESS Foundation strengthening of these 7 communities, there was a decrease in the incidence of health-related mortality while malnutrition incidence was also reduced by 20 percent. Basic services such as potable water systems were constructed and currently used by the selected communities. Rural folks participated in municipal and provincial health activities and promotions.
The implementation of the Community-Based Resource Development Project has encouraged fisherfolks and upland farmer organizations to lobby and advocate for continuous environmental protection and conservation. This has also influenced LGUs to pass municipal ordinances regarding Community-Based Coastal Resource Management (CBCRM). Thus, the declaration of coastal areas as marine sanctuaries or reserves. PROCESS has also formed Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMC) spearheaded by local fisherfolks. They also encouraged the fishing communities to involve themselves in cluster-municipality coastal resource councils. Coastal communities were able to integrate their fishery resource management plans in respective Municipal Development Plans.
In response to urban health issues, PROCESS and other agencies have designed and implemented the Community-based Human Immuno Virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention, Education, and Control Project. Recognizing the growing prevalence of freelance sex workers in the area, this project aims to develop the potentials and skills of freelance sex workers and peer educators in the campaign against the spread of diseases, and for the prevention and control of HIV and STDs.
This organization is an off-shoot of the 1981 International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Ministry of Labor and Employment-sponsored project called “Sarilakas” meaning “own strength”. The “Sarilakas” project, geared towards self-reliant development, was a test project in stimulating grassroots initiatives among the rural communities of Antique and Batangas.
On October 12, 1982, PROCESS was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Foundation initially operated in the provinces of Antique and Batangas. Today, PROCESS operates in three (3) field offices: in Bohol, in Northern Luzon, and in the Panay-Guimaras islands. Since then, catalytic work and social development activities have intensified and PROCESS has been mobilizing the poor to become main actors in development programs. Thus, mainstreaming their involvement in socio-economic, political, and cultural endeavors.
In January 1997, PROCESS-Panay Field Office acquired its autonomous provision and became an independent organization, later on registered as a separate entity, PROCESS Foundation-Panay Inc., with the Security and Exchange Commission. As an independent institution, PROCESS now bears its own obligation to look for funding to support and finance its operations and projects. At the same time, it has the right to directly implement projects and programs under the direction of a new Board of Directors and its operation under the Executive Director.
Under a new name and Executive Director, PROCESS Foundation-Panay operates in five provinces in Panay and the Guimaras Islands. It works closely with different peoples organizations in 38 municipalities involving more than 300 barangays as of 1997. To date, it has facilitated organizing 211 peoples organizations, both at the municipal and barangay levels. It also maintains critical collaborative initiatives with other partner NGOs, POs, and Local Government Units of different assisted municipalities. PROCESS has worked with different funding institutions, local and international, academe, and other pro-people development groups in achieving its vision, mission, goals and objectives.
Presently the Foundation, through its Executive Director, Mr. Wilfredo J. Homicillada, and staff have embarked on programs and activities designed to transform and empower local communities into a just and humane, peaceful and God-fearing society, living in a sustainable and ecologically sound environment. PROCESS employs 53 personnel to ensure proper implementation of its programs.
The women In Development (WID) program aims to capacitate rural agricultural women in enhancing the capabilities towards organizational development, local governance, gender equity, enterprise development and marketing, ecology, human rights and legal reform. The WID program benefited more than 500 women and their families in Panay and Guimaras Island. Thus, women were able to support their families through additional income brought about by their livelihood projects.
WID, through the women’s organizations assisted in this project, was instrumental in placing different women leaders as members of the LGU women’s desk. It also encouraged these women to sit in local development councils and special bodies. Not only were women’s organizations involved in training and seminars, they also participated in undertaking environmental projects such as reforestation, and mangrove nursery establishment. Partnerships were made and enterprise development and environmental rehabilitation, protection and conversation activities were initiated.
As a national program, the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) aims to promote socio-economic upliftment of forest dependent communities as the same time achieve sustainable development and management of forest resources. This program recognizes and supports the capabilities and indispensable roles of local communities to protect, rehabilitate, develop, utilize and manage forest lands and related resources. In areas where PROCESS is currently operating, there are 1, 700 member families in the upland areas of Iloilo, Aklan, Antique and Capiz who are CBFM beneficiaries.
One of the outcomes of the CBFM project was that all upland POs were registered with government accrediting institutions such as DOLE, SEC, and CDA. These peoples organizations are undertaking reforestation projects and directly managing project funds. Through capability building activities, upland agri-technologies are established and currently practiced.
Through PROCESS, facilitation, upland communities were able to develop their respective 20-year Upland Resource Development Plans, which is initially being implemented. Other highlights of their work are the economic enterprise activities undertaken by some POs, the integration of the POs 5-year Development Plan in the LGU’s action agenda, and the lobbying of POs against mining operations in the area (the result of which was the passage of LGU resolution against mining).
Community organizing, lobbying, and advocacy for legal reform and access to resources were intensified. Actual transfer for 850 Agrarian Reform beneficiaries (ARBs) covering no less than 1,000 has been facilitated. This made possible the signing of leasehold agreements, implementation of income generating projects; integration of ARB Barangay Comprehensive Plans in LGU plans; land tenure improvements; enhanced cooperative development; and the development of plans for productivity systems improvement. Campaigns against land conversion, lobby for participation and land mapping and land productivity schemes and evaluation were also conducted. Approximately 1, 150 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries covering Iloilo and Antique were strengthened and developed into self-determining communities with ownership of land and access to basic services.
Support provided by the LGUs and government agencies helped develop communities that manage their own basic health and sanitation programs. For this particular intervention, there are 5 upland and 2 lowland barangays with approximately 2, 500 beneficiaries. As a result of PROCESS Foundation strengthening of these 7 communities, there was a decrease in the incidence of health-related mortality while malnutrition incidence was also reduced by 20 percent. Basic services such as potable water systems were constructed and currently used by the selected communities. Rural folks participated in municipal and provincial health activities and promotions.
The implementation of the Community-Based Resource Development Project has encouraged fisherfolks and upland farmer organizations to lobby and advocate for continuous environmental protection and conservation. This has also influenced LGUs to pass municipal ordinances regarding Community-Based Coastal Resource Management (CBCRM). Thus, the declaration of coastal areas as marine sanctuaries or reserves. PROCESS has also formed Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMC) spearheaded by local fisherfolks. They also encouraged the fishing communities to involve themselves in cluster-municipality coastal resource councils. Coastal communities were able to integrate their fishery resource management plans in respective Municipal Development Plans.
In response to urban health issues, PROCESS and other agencies have designed and implemented the Community-based Human Immuno Virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention, Education, and Control Project. Recognizing the growing prevalence of freelance sex workers in the area, this project aims to develop the potentials and skills of freelance sex workers and peer educators in the campaign against the spread of diseases, and for the prevention and control of HIV and STDs.