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Irosin Inter-Barangay Environmental Development Program
Irosin, Sorsogon
1998
Shortly after assuming office in 1992. Mayor Eddie Dorotan, M.D., re-directed the usual town fiesta celebration to generate local participation in achieving sustained efforts in community development and environmental management. Dubbed as the Irosin Inter-Barangay Environmental Development Program (IIIEDP), the program used creative strategies to conduct environmental education, value formation, community mobilization and multi-sectoral cooperation at the barangay and municipal levels. Irosin's 40,000 residents in 28 barangays were the main implementers of the program in coordination with their respective barangay development councils. The Malaya Ka, a women's organization, acted as the secretariat while other participating groups contributed in cash or in kind.
From previously disorderly barangays, general cleanliness and beautification were achieved as evidenced by uniform, creative, and indigenous residential fencing, roadside trees, neat surroundings, and an increase of households with toilets. The program has formed 23 Barangay Tripartite Partnership for Upland Development (TRIPUD) and federated at the municipal level. Community gardens using idle lands and collectively tilled have provided additional income to the communities. The development of communal herbal gardens in each barangay led to the establishment of the Irosin Center for Traditional Medicine. A multi-sectoral group electively curbed illegal tree-cutting and organized regular tree-planting and maintenance activities especially in the watershed areas. Herbal gardens established in each barangay have become major sources of medicinal plants for the use of respective communities. Numerous health, sanitation and beautification drives and inter-barangay visits were conducted. These activities culminated during the annual town fiesta celebration in September where awarding ceremonies for outstanding barangays were held.
Because of the program, the day-to-day business of ecological preservation and development, traditionally viewed as a central government concern. Has become a municipal-wide responsibility of the various sectors. Overcoming apathy and factionalism, the program has elicited the residents' drive for excellence, spirit of cooperation (bayanihan) and healthy competition.
This program is recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Programs in the 1998 Galing Pook Awards.
Building safe, smart, and sustainable communities
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