Sulu Garden Foundation highlights governance, conservation, and community impact in Philippine Council for NGO Certification evaluation visit
By Justin Lance Marcel Lavadia | Published August 13, 2026
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Full-day evaluation by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification validates SGF’s institutional governance, fiscal management, and science-backed community programs across Panay.
Sulu Garden Foundation, Inc. (SGF) hosted a three-member evaluation team from the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) on August 7, 2026, at its headquarters complex in Miag-ao, Iloilo, for a comprehensive on-site accreditation evaluation. The full-day assessment evaluated SGF’s organizational governance, financial management, administrative compliance, and programmatic impact across its environmental, heritage, and community healthcare initiatives. This evaluation marks a major milestone in SGF’s five-year strategic plan (2025–2030) to strengthen institutional transparency, secure formal NGO accreditation, and expand sustainable development projects across Panay Island.
The PCNC Evaluation Team (PET), comprising of Dr. Tita Evasco-Branzuela, Dr. Lolita P. Tang, CPA, and Ms. Michelle P. Tuazon, was received by SGF executive leadership, board members, department heads, and project partners. The visit opened with SGF Executive Director Jonathan Matias, delivering an organizational overview in the SGF Hall. The briefing detailed the foundation’s history since its formal establishment in 2020, its operational structure, recent project accomplishments, and strategic budget framework. SGF leadership presented progress on key programs, including the Re-greening of Panay reforestation technology, Project Sibukaw biocultural agroforestry, urban flying fox monitoring, historical diorama exhibitions, and free cleft lip and palate surgical missions.
Following the pre-evaluation meeting, SGF executive leadership gave an orientation tour of the SGF complex, showcasing the foundation’s administrative offices, research laboratories, heritage exhibits, and natural setting along Sapa Creek and the historic 1873 Spanish colonial bridge.
During the governance review session in the SGF Conference Room, PCNC evaluators conducted an in-depth interview and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with members of the SGF Board of Trustees. Board Chairman Araceli Matias, Corporate Secretary Allanah Jaleel Lorella, Treasurer Sharon Joy Alibio, and Independent Trustee Richie Laine Gelvoleo discussed organizational alignment, board oversight, risk management protocols, and internal policies, including SGF’s Code of Conduct and Ethics.
Parallel breakout sessions were held throughout the afternoon to review operational management and statutory compliance:
- Program & Operations Management: Evaluators reviewed program design, monitoring mechanisms, and scientific methodology with department representatives, including Kim Alunan (Biosciences/Research), Julious Nieles (Chief Artist, Arts Dept.), Salvador Jun Acsay Jr. (History Director, Heritage & History Dept.), Pepito Miagao (Medical Missions), Justin Luis Tiu (Technology & IT), and Justin Lance Marcel Lavadia (Communications & Marketing).
- Financial Management & Administration: Dr. Lolita P. Tang, CPA, conducted an audit of SGF’s accounting systems, internal financial controls, tax compliance, and statutory filings with SGF Treasurer Sharon Joy Alibio.
“In all my years with PCNC, this is the first time I’ve encountered a foundation with such a wide array of programs and remarkably diverse fields of work,” said Dr. Tita Evasco-Branzuela, commending SGF’s multidisciplinary approach to community development and conservation.
To validate program outcomes and community collaboration, the evaluation team conducted direct interviews with key stakeholders and project beneficiaries. Participants included local patients served by SGF’s free cleft surgery program, partner officers from the Philippine Army, and Barangay Captain Hon. Gloria Mariano of Barangay Sibucao, a primary partner in Project Sibukaw’s sappanwood dye and crop farming initiative.
“There is still much to be done, but this marks the first step toward achieving our goal of securing donee institution status for the foundation,” remarked Dr. Lolita P. Tang, CPA, reflecting on SGF’s progress and commitment to continuous improvement.
The evaluation concluded with a peer-appraisal rating session using the SAPAT framework and an exit meeting. The PCNC evaluation team summarized preliminary findings, highlighted institutional strengths in community engagement and research, identified potential partnerships, and outlined immediate compliance steps for official certification review.
“We’re truly grateful for SGF’s warm welcome. We enjoyed the tour, the food, and most of all, the meaningful and fruitful discussions,” shared Ms. Michelle P. Tuazon, expressing appreciation for the team’s engaging visit and collaborative exchange.
Attaining PCNC accreditation serves as a core pillar of SGF’s institutional capacity-building strategy. Certification confirms compliance with national standards for non-profit governance, reinforces donor trust, and positions the foundation to secure multi-year conservation and social development grants. SGF remains committed to advancing science-driven research, heritage preservation, and community empowerment across Western Visayas.
About SGF
Sulu Garden Foundation, Inc. (SGF) is a non-governmental organization based in Miag-ao, Iloilo, Philippines. Established to link ecological stewardship with cultural heritage preservation and community action, SGF conducts science-based research, re-greening initiatives, historical diorama creation, traditional craft documentation, and multidisciplinary medical missions across the Visayas and Mindanao.
