The Guimaras Experience

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Local Economic Development

• The Guimaras Experience

A presentation during the Balanghai Summit Butuan
City, October 12-14, 2005 By Evan Anthony
Arias and Angeles Gabinete
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Location
southeast of Panay Island and northwest of
Negros Island In Western Visayas (Region 6)
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GUIMARAS at a glance

• An island-province created in 1992
• Total Population - 141,450 (NSO
  2000)
• Land Area (has) - 60,457
• Number of Municipality - 5
• Poverty Incidence - 22.6 (NSO
  2000)
• Economy
• Tourism
• Agriculture
• Fisheries
• Services
• Total Revenues (2004) - P199.3M

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Poor but Rich
A fourth-class province with vast potentials in
agriculture and tourism development but is
experiencing low level of investments resulting
to limited employment opportunities, under
employment, low revenues and lack of urban
amenities and services
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Guimaras is Poor
Lack of employment and other economic
opportunities is a major problem
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Guimaras is Rich
Blessed with vast potentials in agri-fishery and
tourism
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Guimaras Vision
Guimaras is the Agri-Tourism capital of the
Region with empowered and healthy families in a
progressive economy anchored on the principles of
sustainable development
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Economic Goals and Objectives
Competitiveness and sustainability of Guimaras
economy

• Increased agri-fishery productivity and
  profitability
• Increased tourist receipts
• Increased investments
• Established market linkages
• Rationalized land uses
• Promoted entrepreneurship

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Pursuing LED

• Examined LED Best Practices
• Local and International
• Economic Assessment
• Identifying econ. drivers
• Determining existing capabilities
• Formulated Local Economic Development Strategy
• Highlighted LED in the Provincial Development
  Plan
• Identified Organizational Structure for LED
• The need for an office or unit
• Developed Local Capacity
• Study tours, training, coaching
• Implemented Demonstration Projects

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Local Action
Organizational Development for Local Economic
Development (LED)
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Context

• Economic assessment of the province revealed the
  following concerns
• Lack of coordination in implementing LED programs
  and activities
• Inefficient utilization of resources and
  capabilities
• Absence of a unit or office that coordinates
  implementation of all economic development
  initiatives

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Goals and Objectives

• To effectively coordinate economic development
  efforts
• To provide a structure for the implementation of
  economic development functions
• To initiate and manage provincial government
  economic enterprises
• To provide effective business support policies
  and services

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Activities

• Examined best practices on organizational
  development for LED
• Bohol, Bulacan, Zamboanga
• Organizational assessment
• Organizational improvement strategy
• Creation of the Provincial Economic Development
  Office (PEDO)
• Organizational Strengthening activities

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Results

• Guimaras Trade and Information Center (GTIC)
• Enhanced implementation of key economic projects
• Provincial economic enterprises
• Integration of agri-fishery-tourism initiatives

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Challenges

• The need to effectively address equity issues in
  economic development
• There is a need to build staff capacity in key
  functional areas
• Too few resources considering more demand for
  PEDO services

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Local Action
Attracting External Investment for Guimaras
GIS-based Tax Mapping System
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Context

• the province recognized the need to increase
  local revenues without increasing tax rates
• There is an increasing demand to improve database
  on land resources for investment promotion
  purposes

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Goals and Objectives

• To attract investors for the establishment of a
  GIS-based tax mapping system towards achievement
  of the following objectives
• increased local revenues by increasing tax
  collection efficiency
• established updated accurate information on
  land resources
• improved efficiency in RPTA
• upgraded capabilities in data management

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Activities

• Explored partnership with private sector in
  establishing GIS-based RPTA
• Invited contractors to submit proposals
• Negotiated for a favorable financing package
• Engaged a competent contractor
• GIS establishment

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Results

• Fast and easy retrieval and updating of real
  property data
• Accurate inventory of land resources
• Updated tax delinquency list
• Initial operations showed marked increase in tax
  collection efficiency
• Improved transparency in government transactions

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GIS-based Tax Mapping System
GIS-based Business Permits and Monitoring System
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Challenges

• Change management -migration from manual to
  automated system
• Absence of landlines in three municipalities
• The need to reconcile data between treasurer and
  assessors office
• Boundary conflicts between barangays and
  individual properties

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Local Action
Sustainable Tourism (Guisi Heritage Tourism
Project)
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Context
-a community-based development project to create
opportunity to share the cultural, historical,
natural, livelihood and religious heritage of
Guisi, Dolores to local and foreign guests
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Goals and Objectives

• Create and implement a project that respects
  local culture and values and protection of the
  environment
• Enhance community capabilities in managing local
  economic enterprise
• Contribute to poverty reduction goals of LGUs

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Activities

• Pilot site selection
• Community-based tourism awareness seminar
• Construction of the Heritage Cottage
• Participatory Planning
• Capability building

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Project Management
Provincial Government in partnership with the
Municipality of Nueva Valencia, Brgy. Dolores
Tourism Council, community, NGAs POs
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Results

• Empowered community
• Generated income opportunities

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Challenges

• Mobilizing the community
• Wait and see attitude

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Local Action
Partnerships in Tourism (3Ps in Tourism)
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Context
-a collaborative program between the government
and the private sector that aims to facilitate
the planning of the development of Guimaras
tourism industry that features Cultural
Preservation, Environmental Management and
Protection and economic empowerment as principles
of tourism development
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Activities

• Participatory Planning Process
• Tourism Promotion and Marketing
• Community-based Tourism Initiatives
• Tourism Support Services

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Results

• More economic opportunities and income
• Increased tourist arrivals
• Increased tourist receipts
• New investments
• Empowered community and private sector
• Completed Tourism Master Plan
• Produced Promotional Materials

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Challenges

• Long implementation period
• Misconceptions of tourism as an industry
• Generating commitments and support from
  stakeholders

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Local Action
Buy Local Campaigns (Panindahan sa Manggahan)
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Context
-a farm market day event to attract domestic
tourist as a means of promoting the agricultural,
fishery industries, local culture and the
provinces arts and crafts
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Goals and Objectives

• To invigorate the role of Jordan Food Terminal
  Market as the major trading center of the
  province
• Enhance the capabilities of the market vendors
  and other stakeholders in planning and
  development of activities to enhance LED through
  participatory approach
• Create market festival during the Manggahan sa
  Guimaras

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Activities

• Consultation with key players and stakeholders
• Event planning
• Capability enhancement
• Promotional campaign (trimedia)

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Results

• Empowerment of Market vendors
• Generated more income
• Created Market Fair Festival

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Challenges

• Resistance of some market vendors
• Mobilization of stakeholders

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Local Action
Guimaras Trade and Information Center (Farm
Marketing Support)
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Context
The Guimaras Trade and Information Center (GTIC)
is a showroom of all Guimaras products and
services that also serves as a one-stop
information center for tourists, investors,
existing businesses, and business associations
responding to investment inquiries with data and
advices
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Goals and Objectives
To promote a supportive and competitive climate
that will enable Guimaras to attract new
investments on fishery, agriculture and tourism
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Activities

• Organization of GTIC management structure
• Establishment of systems, policies and procedures
• Establishment of database on economic information
• Capability building of service providers and
  stakeholders

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Results

• Operational support services for investors and
  entrepreneurs
• Generated significant sales out of Guimaras
  products
• Increased awareness on Guimaras products and
  services

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Challenges

• Bureaucratic processes
• Generating support and cooperation of municipal
  governments
• Low production capacity of Guimaras producers

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Mabuhay!