T A L I M P A C T AS

E N S ES
N M S
I RO

ME
ENV

NT

SUBMITTED BY:
CHARMELENE C. DELA CRUZ

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. DONNA SAN ANTONIO
The Town Introduction

Goa is a landlocked municipality in the coastal province of Camarines Sur.

The municipality has a land area of 206.18 square kilometers or 79.61 square miles which

constitutes 3.74% of Camarines Sur's total area. Its population as determined by the 2020
Census was 71,368. This represented 3.45% of the total population of Camarines Sur
province, or 1.17% of the overall population of the Bicol Region. Based on these figures,
the population density is computed at 346 inhabitants per square kilometer or 896
inhabitants per square mile. Having the location of the said municipality being located not
that near the ocean, Tsunamis are almost impossible to reach Goa.

Goa, Camarines Sur is a town with a total of 34 barangays, almost half of these
barangays belong to the so called “Upland” of Goa. This is where people in a low-class
family lives. In order to maintain the population and to help those that are living in the low
class, there are various of programs being implemented by different groups of youth in
Goa. The household population of Goa in the 2015 Census was 63,198 broken down into
12,842 households or an average of 4.92 members per household.

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TUCAD

TUCAD, the contraction of Trekking to Unlock Community Ailments and Difficulties, is an

innovation that brought inspiration and encouragement to the government’s servant

leaders in Goa spearheaded by Mayor Marcel S. Pan. It serves as a tool to further

strengthen the delivery of services and ensures that such services are reaching even the

remotest sitios of this idyllic town.

TUCAD was institutionalized by Municipal Ordinance No. 278, series of 2020. Aside from
bettering the services of the government in the hinterlands, the program also aims to
identify the significant problems and difficulties confronting the vulnerable and
disadvantaged communities to immediately provide them with the necessary interventions.

With TUCAD, gone are the days when faraway communities suffer inadequacies in terms of
basic services received from the government due to their remoteness to the town’s major
residential districts.

Thru the TUCAD program the LGU has set policies, organized management composition,
and systematized trekking protocols. It also look for other sources of funds to augment its
budget for the program that needs to be sustained to effectively address the concerns on
potable water, electricity, education, health and sanitation, agriculture, environment,
poverty, disaster risk reduction, peace and order, and the updating of the Community-

Based Monitoring System (CBMS) data.

An Environmental Impact Assessment is a need in order to to assess the significant effects

of a project or development proposal on the environment. This is to ensure that the project

decision makes would be able to think about the effects on the environment at the earliest
possible time in order to reduce the risk and offset those effects.

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Purpose of the Case Study
To determine the purpose of the Plan being implemented.
To identify what else can the youth of Goa contribute to a better environment, or a town
to live in.

To help those in needs living in sitio barangays in Goa, Camarines Sur

to further strengthen the delivery of services and ensures that such services are

reaching even the remotest sitios of this idyllic town.

Issues
It has been assumed that numerous families living in the sitios of Goa, Camarines sur are
mostly malnourish.
Goa’s upland community are mostly under the low class living household.
Houses upland are greatly damaged by typhoons.
People on the upland community often catch various of serious illnesses
Illegal logging is also assumed to be conducted by those living up land.

FINDINGS
The Environmental Impact Assessment report includes the projected impact to the land, air,
water and people within the project site.
1. Perimeter of the land they are visiting
2. Impact on the air
3. Impact on the water

4. Agro-productive quality of soil

5. Impact on Population Growth

6. Job opportunities for people living in the low class category

7. Impact on the lifestyle of people living upland Goa

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TUCAD has also implemented or built a

bridge for those that are having difficulties

having to cross a river with strong current

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Baseline Collection Data
Perimeter of the land they are visiting- TUCAD has been to over 5,000 families upland
and mainland Goa, giving food packs and conducting a feeding program as well as giving
true to life experiences to kids and adults to open their eyes onto what the world might
become, so that they would be able to keep up with the generation we are in today.
Impact on air- TUCAD does not only conduct gift givings, but as well as tree planting
activities, land restoration and clean up drives. With the said activities they are able to
contribute for a fresher and greener air in order for the trees to give out more oxygen.
Impact on water- TUCAD has made great impact for the people on the upland of Goa to

drink such clean water. For the past years, TUCAD non-existing, more than half of the
families living upland drink unsafe and dirty water causing most of them various deceases
and doe not even bother to go to the hospital for they say that it is expensive. With
TUCAD, they have made almost impossible things, making a reservoir of clean water
upland Goa.
No Family Planning - There is a vicious cycle of high child mortality and lack of family
planning leading to high fertility rates and maternal deaths. High child mortality is not only
a cause but also a consequence of lack of family planning. This vicious cycle can be
broken by lowering child mortality and using family planning.
Sewer Problems - Sewer line blockages are usually caused by a broken sewer pipe or
tree roots that have grown into the pipes. Main sewer pipes are at least six inches in

diameter, so a hair clog or other minor issues are unlikely to be the cause. ... It's also
possible a severe clog such as years of grease buildup has blocked the pipe.
Minimal Proper Waste Disposal - Improper waste disposal is the disposal of waste in a
way that has negative consequences for the environment. Examples include
littering,hazardous waste that is dumped into the ground,and not recycling items that
should be recycled.

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 Job Opportunities- open up to those living in the low class level. While the TUCAD are on
the go donating and conducting gift giving programs. They also recruit people from these
families to give them a job at the mainland, which will help the families maintain a 3 meal a
day set up.
The quality of Soil- has also improved right from the start of TUCAD, They planted a lot of
trees for the past few months, and they planted them on different areas in the town of
Goa, most likely in the upper part of the mountains.
Impact on the lifestyle of people living upland Goa- Their lifestyle has been pretty much
great the day TUCAD gave them a visit, why?, because TUCAD has donated solar bulbs,
panels and set them up in each and every home there is. This is for a better lifestyle and

to protect them from the hideous dangers from the dark at night.

Impact Identification
Positive- There are a lot of positive environmental impacts that this project may have on the
environment, and those positive impact has been said earlier.
Negative- TUCAD has made it possible because the mayor of Goa is a part of this
Organization. There aren’t any negative impact or future negative impact that has been
known

Mitigation Measures
Mitigation measures are not necessary because there aren’t any negative impact.

I may have a suggestion in mind but these suggestions are not because TUCAD is not doing
their job well, but as a youth and as a student, I suggest they start to teach children as well as
uneducated adults too. It would be better to give upland people the education they should
have earned while they were young.

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IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT

A team of workers from the municipal government trekked to highland areas and set foot on
distant sitios identified with high poverty incidence, poor road conditions, high incidence of

school dropouts and malnutrition, and residents suffering from inadequate health care
services. The team conducts its countryside visit every Friday.

As of now, the team has already registered engagements with residents in 74 sitios of 34
barangays. In the course of these visits, necessary interventions were promptly made to the
great benefit of the residents in sitios which include the initiatives done on housing, solar
lights, solar-operated water supply, health sustaining programs, tree planting and other
environment sustaining activities, livelihood and infrastructure projects and scholarship grants
and many more that have impacted and made a difference to the life of marginal residents.

But more than those achievements, Mayor Pan acknowledges what TUCAD has done to the
governance of the municipality. The good mayor said that it has revolutionized and improved
the delivery of basic services in the municipality of Goa. In effect, the spirit of Bottoms Up
budgeting is achieved. More importantly, the taxes paid are well spent to the actual needs of
the residents and not on what the government officials’ desire.

The residents of Upland Goa felt so much joy because of TUCAD. Now they wouldn’t have to

worry about how they would light their houses up at night. They wouldn’t need to worry about
their life because jobs were given to the man of the house, and foods were given every friday.

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PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Since the Mayor of Goa, Camarines Sur is already part of TUCAD, here are the list of
suggestions and recommendations I think will help to improve the TUCAD activities and to
gain more achievements for the next incoming years.

Solutions/ Recommendations
For clogged sewers, I think it is best for the government decide to add more holes going
down in order to support all those rain that has come down today. Here also inserts in water

pollution. We should sll learn that every move counts. Providing a mesh net for the holes
can prevent trash into going in the canals.

When it comes to family planning, each barangay should conduct a house to house and

determine the total number of pregnant women atleast once a month. That way they can
recommend the pregnant women to a consultant about family planning. Better if you have
provide them. It is also essential to conduct a gathering or a talk with all the women in each
barangay regarding on family planning, especially on when to have another baby after your
last.

Improper waste disposal had always been the cause of every problem. Why can’t they
understand that by just throwing one butt of cigarette can cause damage to their
environment. With this I come up with a community clean up drive, where cars are not
allowed to be used. Atleast every 2-3 months. While cars are inside their homes or parked
out. People should get into the streets and start sweeping away every last bit of trash they
can see. Putting up trash bins in every corner of the streets can also be of great help.

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It is not that hard to just walk a few stes more to find a trash bin isn’t it? In line with this
solution we could also include trash bags to every ayuda pack that each family gets. That
way they won’t be able to come up with any other reason on why their trash aren’t

separated. Always have three bins for trash this way it will be much easier for the garbage
workers to dispose each trash into their rightful places. We can also but a fine for those
people who gets caught throwing trash on the ground.

As for those family who doesn’t live on their own property. It might be a good idea to build a
housing project for them. A simple square house with roof and maybe just 1 room will do. It
must be from the government itself. Yet of course the at least one of the family members
should be registered in the municipality, if ever they are not from Goa then maybe its better
for them to go to their rightful municipality. If they are from other places far from Goa then

maybe they can file to move as a resident in Goa.

Decision-Making
__________________________ _______________________
ATTY. ALBERTO B. SIPACO JR. MR. REX GATCHALIAN

________________________ _____________________
MAYOR MARCEL S. PAN KONS. MICHAEL S. PAN
___________________

MR. LOU AN ROMERO

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Implementation

Goa, Camarines Sur is a second class municipality 52 kilometers away from Naga
City. While it is considered as a commercial center due to its strategic location and presence
of businesses in the area, there are members of its community that need more assistance.
The municipality is subdivided into 34 barangays where 10 are located within the poblacion
area and the remaining 24 are considered rural barangays.
With this in mind, the local government decided to upscale its efforts in delivering basic
services especially in geographically isolated areas. They used a simple guiding principle in
what they do: Let the people feel that the government cares for them.

Through the TUCAD or Trekking to Unlock Community Ailments and Difficulties

program, the local government is able to listen, understand, and address issues and
problems of their most vulnerable communities. The Bicol word “tucad” which means “to
climb” in English is very fitting as the name of the initiative since officials of the LGUs, its
donors and volunteers need to trek or climb up the mountainous areas to visit rural
barangays and sitios.

What started as a way to address health concerns in the sitios further expanded to
equipping upland communities on tourism, community service, poverty alleviation, and
emergency and disaster preparedness. Started in February 2020, this initiative became
more handy as community lockdowns started due to COVID-19 outbreak.
Every Friday, the local government will trek and visit sitios from an identified location and
will conduct dialogues with families from the community. After each visit, an after-trek
processing session is also conducted with the local government representatives, the
residents of the community, volunteers and partners to discuss solutions and interventions.

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Now what may sound as a simple visit to the rural barangays and sitios actually
demonstrates strong people’s participation since constituents are given the opportunity to
communicate their challenges and propose solutions. This also gives the people a sense of
responsibility to own and give value to the assistance they receive which transforms their
role from recipients to implementers since they have been part of the process.

The initiative also provided a space for the local government to be creative and adaptive on
their solutions based on the needs and proposed interventions by the constituents. They
have created a classification of projects based on nature and amount vis-a-vis where they
will get funding for the implementation. This also led them to expand their network as they
tapped the national government and the private sector for their additional funding.
Through TUCAD, the local government also understood that existing initiatives may not be
enough and need to be reevaluated. For instance, instead of having health workers cover
barangaywide concerns, the LGU saw the need to increase their work force and assign
health workers to sitios or smaller geographic scope to ensure that they are able to reach all
constituents that need help.

Barangays were also recognized and empowered through the initiative - the LGU gave
additional funding to barangays which they can use in cofunding the interventions to be
implemented under TUCAD. This is another example of making other entities serve as
active partners and ensuring that responsibility and accountability are shared.
Numerous initiatives have been implemented already and the treks and dialogues are
continuously being conducted. Some notable initiatives under TUCAD include the crafting of
a 10-year education masterplan, the establishment of the Goa Community College, waste to
energy project in Barangay San Isidro West, and solar lighting systems for off-grid
households, to name a few..

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While TUCAD’s main objectives were to consult with their constituents and deliver basic
services, it achieved innovative milestones that are beyond impressive. They were able to
promote trekking tourism and manage a tree planting program. They were able to mobilize
constituents and other people to donate and volunteer. And they were able to identify
potential tourism sites for future development of their tourism industry.

The approach taken by the local government of Goa, trekking through the mountains to
deliver services and reach out to families in isolated areas, is a proactive way to address the
constituents’ needs. Bringing government services right at their constituents’ doorstep gives
hope to families in Goa that their local government gives importance to them and
understands their situation. With TUCAD, the local government showed that an all inclusive
approach to development is possible.

Authorities and Stakeholders Involved

(DENR) Department of Environmental and Natural Resources

Mayor of the Municipality of Goa
Counselors of the Municipality of Goa
Youth Volunteers of the Municipality of Goa
(DSWD) Department of Social Welfare and Development
Citizens of the Municipality of Goa

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References

https://www.galingpook.org/what-we-do/awards/awardees/trekking-to-unlock-
community-ailments-and-difficulties-tucad/
https://pia.gov.ph/news/2022/10/09/edmero-field-geologist-almost-half-of-camsur-
classified-as-risk-areas
https://lipad-fmc.dream.upd.edu.ph/layers/geonode%3Aph051715000_fh25yr_10m
https://www.facebook.com/TUCAD2020/posts/pfbid02y3FfPftxn2fPPVGr2Qe6AxUbZMe
XTt4YAtAYiTpaf25HkRBRWAXFJG6efRidfDBGl
https://www.facebook.com/TUCAD2020/videos/2808571862802061/

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