The following summarizes chronologically the strategies and the essential activities from start of field implementation to system/ facility operation. It is important to note that the process is structured under three major phases: the Formation, Development, and Consolidation of Organization.

Phase I - Formation of Organization

It is in this phase that entry strategies were planned and decided, actual beneficiaries and leaders were identified, and informal community organization was formed.

Community Entry. A courtesy call by the municipal level implementors to the local (municipal and barangay) officials and oriented them on the project concept, features, history, stakeholder, community organizing process, and capability-building program. The people who are going to be involved in the project were also introduced to them.

As soon as the Community Organizer (CO) was installed, the prospective beneficiaries were gathered and oriented on the proposed project. Volunteers from the community were encouraged to enlist and participate in the conduct of the profiling and spot mapping. It was the first Community Meeting held for the project.

Conduct Community Profiling and Spot Mapping. The CO and the community volunteers started gathering primary and secondary information to enrich and validate the project data. They were able to produce a consolidated community profile and a reliable project site spot map.

To further validate and enrich the gathered data, and to solicit thoughts and ideas on the project, a second community meeting was set. The CO invited the local leaders (farmer, church, civic, business, school, elders, youth) or the key informants for the meeting. The objective was to present the community profile and the spot map. The meeting had helped determine the potential leaders for core membership. Potential leaders are usually those that are well liked and respected, know local conditions and needs, successful in their field of activity, and willing to be of service in improving conditions in the community.

Formation of Core Group. The importance of the core group (CG) rests on the need to bring together local leaders and community members to exchange and share knowledge, insights, skills, and strategies towards the realization of a community water and sanitation project. It lays the foundation of a strong RWSA.

The long listed potential core group members were invited in the third Community Meeting set by the CO. In the meeting, the criteria for selection of core group was developed, members were selected, committees were created, and the respective tasks and responsibilities were formulated.

Requisition of Technical Assistance. Various offices (i.e., Department of Public Works and Highways, PPDO) were visited by the CO and the Chairman of the CG Committee on Coordination and Manpower to request technical assistance in the water site selection and other technical data gathering. Ocular survey was conducted, potential water sources were identified, and various technical information were gathered.

Presentation of Feasibility Study Initial Findings. The survey initial findings are presented by the technical team in the first Core Group Meeting to solicit reactions to the presented tentative recommendations for technology options. Confirmation of the recommendations and decisions were made by the Core Group during a series of meetings.

Training on Human Resource Development. The core group members and barangay officials were given a capability enhancement training to give them the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude on value formation, team building, and leadership.

Presentation of Draft Technical Design. In the fourth Community Meeting, the following information were presented to the community: a) role of the technical team, b) contents of the water system layout and plan, c) the design specifications, plans and drawings in layman’s terms, and d) schedule of works, bill of materials and cost estimates. The community was made to comment, and ideas and preferences were solicited, thus data used in the designing were further validated.

Sites were visited by the core group and the community, with the technical team, for field validation of locations of proposed major facilities.

Facilitation on Legal Works and Documents. The CO, CG Committee on Documentation, and the Barangay Council joined hands in the preparation and/or securing legal documents required in the implementation of water and sanitation project, such as building permit from the local government unit, rights-of-way and/or deeds-of-donation from the private land owners, certificate of water quality from the Department of Health, water right and permit from National Water Resources Board, among others.

Training on Sanitation and Hygiene Education. A third capability enhancement training was conducted for the Core Group, the Barangay Council, and the community. The Rural Health Unit Officer, Rural Sanitary Inspector, and the Barangay health workers were among the invited resource speakers. This was to give the entire community the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude on proper sanitation and hygiene, giving emphasis on excreta disposal technology options, and personal, household and community hygiene.

Presentation of Final Technical Water System Design. The final technical water system design, with its implementation design and schedule, was presented by the Technical Team during a meeting with the Core Group. The objective was to obtain the approval of the project beneficiaries, and the agreement from community on their final counterpart (kinds, quality and time of availability). Site visit was again made by the Core Group with the Technical Team to familiarize and stake out final locations of proposed major facility components and tapstands.

Formation of Tapstand Groups. Homes of possible project beneficiaries were visited by the CO and the CG Committee on Education and Recruitment to conduct membership campaign and facilitate listing of formal membership by tapstand.

To confirm its membership, the first Tapstand Meeting was set. The tapstand members, after being oriented on the importance of tapstand groupings, grouped and selected their respective representative or leader. Points were discussed, and under the facilitation of the new leaders and the CO, tapstand policies were formulated.

Phase II - Development of Organization

Within six months, the formation of the organization was formalized, and more trainings (formal and informal) were conducted for the Core Group, Tapstand leaders and the Barangay Council. It is important to note the participation of the organization in the technical activities - design validation, pre-construction conference, and in the construction stage of the project. It should also be noted that the Community Organizer facilitated all the activities in this phase.

Training on System Management and Operation, and Organizational Management. To familiarize the Core Group, Tapstand leaders, and the Barangay Council with the different types of water systems/facilities and expose them to different types of system management and operations, visits to existing sustainable water and sanitation projects with self-reliant associations were arranged. During each visit, they learned and discussed system management, policies and procedures, and problems. The Core Group was encouraged to establish a good relationship with these self-reliant associations for support.

Another capability enhancement training was conducted for the Core Group members, Tapstand leaders, and Barangay Council to develop their managerial and facilitation skills. Management policies, operation procedures, constitution and by-laws, and duties and responsibilities of officers were formulated after the training.

Pre-Construction Conference. The Technical Team presented to the Core Group, Barangay Council representatives, and the construction crew the water system engineering drawings. The team briefed the construction crew on the construction activities and their sequence, duration, and manpower and material requirements. The CG Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation and Control was briefed on material dispensing. Procedures for purchasing and release of materials were developed and installed. Other concerned committees were also mobilized.

Execution of Preliminary Construction Activities. The construction of the water system facilities commenced. Its activities include: a) the water source site clearing, b) excavation of structure foundation, c) pipeline trenching, and d) hauling local materials, such as sand, gravel, stones and lumber.

The Core Group Chairman called on a meeting to develop an action plan to the physical system construction activities. Together with the Technical Team, action plans were developed on all activities related to construction, monitoring and documentation of construction, progress reporting and evaluation, mobilization of core group committees and community work force.

Facility Construction Monitoring and Evaluation. The Core Group conducted regular meetings and field works to monitor and document the construction activities, to evaluate its progress, and to develop a plan of action (controlling the release of construction materials, scheduling of dispatching of manpower for different work places).

Formulation and Ratification of Management Policies, Operating Procedures, and Constitution and By-Laws. The Core Group met the Tapstand leaders/representatives to present and discuss the formulated set of policies per tapstand, and decide which policies are for adoption and incorporation to the association policies and procedures. Consequently, the Tapstand leaders/representatives called in the members for a meeting to finalize and approve the revised formulated tapstand policies per group. The approved sets of Tapstand policies were then submitted to the Core Group for final adoption/consideration into the overall system management policies and operating procedures.

A second meeting between the Core Group and the Tapstand leaders/representatives was set to identify practical management policies and operating procedures, and discuss the ready-made waterworks management constitution and by-laws. The draft policies, procedures, and constitution and by-laws were distributed to tapstand leaders for discussion to their members.

Finally, a Community Meeting was called to discuss the draft management policies and operating procedures, and the constitution and its by-laws. With the Core Group Chairman and the CO facilitating, the draft policies, procedures, and constitution and by-laws were approved. The management officers were then voted and selected.

Phase III - Consolidation

With the completion of the physical construction of major facilities, test run and adjustment for operation, repair and maintenance were done in this phase. As the Association increased its self-management and problem-solving capacities, the Community Organizer gradually exited, and the Association’s vision and future directions started to take shape.

Unlike the traditional organization, the election of officers in this process came in last. As soon as the Core Group was organized, a chairman was appointed to chair all the discussions and preside in all the meetings. This eliminated biases in the formulation of policies, constitution and by-laws.

Facility/System Test Run and Operational Demonstration. The community participated in inspecting the newly constructed water system, and observed the test run/demonstration on the operation of facility. Also present as participants were the newly appointed/hired technical management staff. The field trip served as their hands-on training, and oriented them on the routine operations of the water system.

First water samples from the facility were collected for testing at the Department of Health for its potability.

Turnover and Blessing of Water System Facilities. A program was set to celebrate the blessing of the new water system, and to swear-in the elected officers or Board of Directors. Highlighting the event was the turn over of water system facilities to the organization.

The newly installed Board of Directors, the Technical Management Staff, the Technical Team and the CO met to develop an action plan relative to the management and operation of the water system.

The association was registered in the Local Water Utility Authority. Once registered, applications for accreditation with the respective local government units were also processed.

Trainings on Operational and Financial Management. The Technical Management Staff and the Board of Directors were given two more trainings to give them the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude in the operational and financial management of the water system.

Commencement of the Facility Operation and Management. Now equipped with all the knowledge, skills, and attitude that they acquired during the process, the technical management staff and the Board of Directors started the daily operation and management of the water system.

The CO and the Technical Team also assisted the Association in facilitating the formulation of organizational, managerial, and operational monitoring and evaluation system of the association shortly before project completion and eventual pull out.

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