Community Validation Strengthens UMRBPL Impact Assessment

As part of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) Impact Assessment (UIA), funded by the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), the Fostering People's Education, Empowerment and Enterprise (FosPEEE) Inc., in partnership with the HARIBON Foundation and BAN Toxics, conducted the UIA Results Validation Activity on July 30, 2026, in Barangays San Jose and Calawis, Antipolo City. The activity formed part of a series of assessment activities undertaken in the area, including courtesy calls, secondary data gathering, and primary data collection through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception (KAP) Surveys.

Bringing Community Perspectives into the Assessment

The Community Validation activity provided an important opportunity for community members, local government representatives, and People’s Organizations to review the initial findings of the Socio-Economic Assessment and Waste Management Practices Assessment, and to provide feedback based on their knowledge and experiences of the area. The HARIBON Foundation facilitated the presentation of the initial socio-economic assessment results, while BAN Toxics presented the findings of the Waste Management Practices Assessment. The presentations were followed by open forums, allowing participants to clarify information gaps, share local knowledge, and provide additional perspectives grounded in their experiences, expertise, and existing local government policies. In both Barangays San Jose and Calawis, the activity brought together representatives from the Barangay Local Government Units, including the Chairpersons for Environment, Agriculture and Livelihood, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), and members of the Barangay Councils; People’s Organizations such as KABALIKAT, MASAKA, TUPAI, SJPBARA CPBI, and TSKC; and representatives from FosPEEE, HARIBON Foundation, and BAN Toxics. The discussions highlighted the importance of incorporating community perspectives into the assessment to ensure that its findings accurately reflect local conditions, experiences, and concerns.

Strengthening the Final Assessment

The Community Validation is expected to contribute significantly to the refinement of the final UIA report by confirming, clarifying, and supplementing the initial findings, while also identifying key issues that may require immediate or longer-term interventions. The process also aims to ensure that proposed recommendations are practical, relevant, and responsive to the needs of local communities and the ecosystems they depend on. At the same time, the activity provided an avenue for identifying opportunities for continued collaboration among communities, local government units, People’s Organizations, and partner organizations.

Valuing Community Knowledge for Watershed Protection

The activity reaffirmed the value of participatory assessment and community knowledge in understanding the socio-economic and environmental conditions of the UMRBPL, including household-level waste management practices within communities. By bringing together local stakeholders and technical partners, the validation process helps strengthen the assessment as a shared body of knowledge—one that recognizes both technical findings and the lived experiences of communities on the ground. Through continued collaboration among communities, local government units, and partner organizations, the UMRBPL Impact Assessment can provide a stronger basis for appropriate, locally responsive interventions and sustained watershed protection efforts.