ECOCOMMUNITY PROGRAM: Piloting Green Communes Development
![]() As Green Governance get more mainstreamed with anticipated victories in program enforcement & reforms in policies as more and more Greens enter into politics by successes in elections by the MAKAKALIKASAN Party, the vision of EcoCommunities at the watershed levels will result into island-level sustainability (see sample above).
However, at the initial stages of Party Building as we move from our current formative stage to full maturity stage, we would begin with local modeling of intentional green communities reflective of our ideology of deep communitarian ecologism utilizing the EcoCommunity Framework. At the heart of this modeling is the Party-Building Framework that necessitates a three-prong movement building process that starts from a MAKAKALIKASAN Cultural Movement that builds on a MAKAKALIKASAN Socio-Economic Movement in the form of an Associational Cooperative and eventually building a MAKAKALIKASAN Political Party formation that scales up as more support and services are re-align through successes in influencing governance. Read the full concept paper of this approach here:
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As Local Chapters & Assemblies of the Party are formed and consolidated, the next step is to define clear LOCAL GREEN AGENDA & PROGRAM. An approach born out of rich experiences of some local party organizations and leader that have existed for years prior to the formation of the Party points to the potential of an EcoCommunity framework.
This strategy integrates organic agroforestry & permaculture with community forestry to increase food self-sufficiency and develop economically-viable non timber forest product community enterprises and thereby providing incentives for forest conservation over that of timber extraction and cutting. Key operational components have been identified, as follows: a) 70% forest cover b) organic food security c) approtech renewable energy d) green housing e) community development f) green education g) green arts & craft h) green spirituality i) green business and equitable trading practices & systems. We will pursue this as part of our current operation GOAL of 3,000 hectares of reforestation and forest conservation by 2028. Added to this GOAL is to achieve this through the setting up of 7 GREEN COMMUNES or intentional communities where we will fully be able to demonstrate our GREEN NORMAL INITIATIVES. Approach and Implementing ProgramGiven the current realities of our situation now with the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are approaching this program using a Community PlanTree Approach piloted by our partners in Glorious Land Ecofarm in Labo, Camarines Norte which calls for:
Pantry is the initial community engagement, which shows our natural instinct to care for one another. At this stage, we hope to provide immediate basic needs of the target communities (e.g. food, toiletries, etc.). Pilot communities for 3Ps will be identified and validated. In partnership with our sponsors and volunteers, pledges will be brought to designated barangay pantry to serve its purpose.
Plantry. In this phase beneficiaries will be encouraged to grow their own food, either in their backyard or community gardens. Initial seedling materials will be provided by partner organizations and institutions. There shall be demonstration of cultural management practices and home-based fertilizer production integrated during Pantry activities. Aside from this, alternative livelihood shall be developed, preferably from regenerative resources in the area. This can be made possible by establishing partnership with government institutions, NGOs and private individuals. Plantree. This is the ultimate goal of the program. In this phase, we aim to empower communities to care and develop harmonious relationship with mother Earth. It begins with understanding nature, importance of biodiversity and how we can be part of this ecosystem. A series of Permaculture trainings and seminars shall be conducted to develop and strengthen this relationship. At the end of the project, the selected communities shall be protecting the environment, resilient and self-sustaining through unlimited abundance provided by nature. |