I did it!

event 2014-08-06   local_offer Testimony , Training   edit Ernesto Fuentes Bulayog

My participation in this training course was neither spur-of-the-moment nor planned. The announcement about the course through our shared Google groups’ cross-posting came at the time of the school year when final exams, grades and research manuscripts of students were primary priorities; in short, graduation time for my student advisees. Yes, the announcement immediately caught my attention, but I was also drawn away from it by the multiple tasks at hand. But as destiny would have it, several repeat announcements on application deadline had finally prodded me to go through the announcement information once more. At this time, I had the gut feeling that I must participate in order for me to enrich my knowledge, hence build up my capacity to engage in my advocacy on the extractive industries. So apply, I did!

First requirement was the submission of an essay, explaining my purpose of participation, what it means to me and my work, my responsibilities thereafter, as well as my abilities to process the myriad (indeed!) information within an 11-day training course. In a nutshell, my reflection of the whole experience in Yogya is outlined in my submitted essay.

And I proved me right; I learned immeasurably! More than that, I have collected great lecture materials for the Resource Economics course for our Undergraduate Economics degree program. I am a vector of the multiplier effect of knowledge acquisition and transmission!

To sum it up, the following are the highlights of my learning and sharing experiences at UGM; while I am familiar with EIA and CBA, I have got deeper appreciation of FPIC. The session on SIA was an eye-opener! Social accountability had been in my radar vis-a-vis impact assessment of any extractive projects but had never been as clear and as lucid methodology-wise. I had a lot of aha! Moments in this session, particularly on the participatory or collective approach versus experts-based method of assessment. I find the former more community-empowering than the latter.

The session on fiscal and legal systems in the oil and gas industry was refreshing. I admit I was more comfortable understanding the fiscal system but I found the legal system so addictive! The spirit of an activist in me was so challenged! I wanted to study the relevant laws all at once! The importance of EITI can be well-appreciated in this session; more so in the macroeconomic perspective of managing the resource revenue.

The exercises (simulations) were very effective, particularly the role-playing. I saw myself impassioned in engaging negotiations with the government and the extractive industry players.

And, of course, the trip to Bojonegoro was one of the highlights. It was my first time to actually see an oil field, with a “burning” shaft in the middle of rice farms! There’s no doubt about the relative effectivity of the Mayor’s good governance, but there was veiled doubts, hesitations and a “crave for more benefits” on the part of the residents we talked to. Empowered as they may are, there are some realities that they also must know. They must be honestly told of the eventual depletion of oil in the area and the resulting loss of employment. What is disheartening is when we talked to the kids whose only dream was to work for the oil company, never knowing the social and environmental costs the extractive industry entails or the possibilities of more opportunities for them in other sectors of the economy. The youth, being the hope of the country, must be provided with the right information and education for a sustainable economic development in OUR part of this WORLD – Asia.

-------------------------------------------

Ernesto Fuentes Bulayog - Bantay Kita – Leyte Islands, The Philippines