Elias Salazar, Area Technical Assistant of ACT for Peace Programme – StRIDE Mindanao, joint by Kapayapaan Kapatid Council (KKC) convenor Fr. Gillarme Joy Pileno, Deputy Governor of Sarangani Jojo Lopez, Lt. Nestor Valenzuela of 73rd Infantry Batallaion, Kag. Jaime Fado of Locial Government Unit of Kiamba, Brgy. Captain Mariano Fado of Barangay Gasi and Mirame Elarde of Kalinaw Sarangani led the ceremonial turn-over of 20 core shelter units to internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Sitio Kapanal, Barangay Gasi, Municipality of Kiamba, Sarangani Province on August 17, 2010.
The core shelter project cost P1.2 million. It was funded by ACT for Peace Programme – StRIDE Mindanao and counterparts from partners: an NGO partner – Kapayapaan Kapatid Council, Local Government Units – Sarangani Province, Municipality of Kiamba, and Barangay Gasi.
“Long before, we were scattered around the mountains of Gasi. We were nomadic and not united. With this project we began to understand the true meaning of bayanihan. I’m glad that for the first time, the heart of Tboli’s here in Kapanal are unified” said Kag. Jaime Fado.
The convergence efforts were commended by Deputy Governor Jojo Lopez, “This is a good sign and a blessing as well seeing armies, youth volunteers, government staffs, professionals and community folks working together, hand on hand to build the entire community of Gasi”. He promised to visit the community soon and will address some specific concerns on roads, education, food security and livelihood.
"We're very glad that the project is now over especially on the construction of the Core Shelter. Among the 13 rehabilitation sites, the Core Shelter of Barangay Gasi is the most beautiful in Mindanao. With this project we observed the convergence of various stakeholders striving for a common goal - the peace and development of Mindanao.It is a great experience and an exemplar to other communities.", Salazar commented.
Fr. Joy (and Fr. Angelo Buenavides, former convenor of KKC) expressed their gratitude to all the partners of the “seemed impossible” housing projects in the remote area of Brgy. Gasi, 12 kilometers from the highway – hauling manually the construction materials (sand, gravel, iron bars, cement, etc. from General Santos City) and passing several streams and mountains to reach Sitio Kapanal.
“Ang mga proyekto dili ang labing importante sa mga atong gihimo. Bisan ang mga program dili usab. kini mga pamaagi lamang aron ang tinuod nga panaghigalaay, pagsinabtanay, pagpakabana ug pag-amoma sa usag-usa, sa atong silingan, katilingban mamahimong tinuod nga diwa diri sa atong lugar.” (The most important things that we really emphasized aside from implementing the project are our GOOD RELATIONSHIP and UNDERSTANDING with each other in the community. ) KKC convenors emphasized.
73rd IB had been there not for war but to help build a community. Army trucks and the soldiers were there since August. Their long communion with the community gained the respect of the people and shifted their previous images of armies in war. "Your arm forces before is not a the same as today. If before you think of us as a war freak dudes, today you should think of us as your friendly and caring fellow. Before we said that we better to be afraid by people rather to be respected but today we are now saying that it is better to be respected than to be afraid by many.”, Lt. Rio Gamad remarked.
Hearts and Brains, Inc. (led by Dr. Roel Cagape, 2009 Most Outstanding Physician in the Philippines), and the Tri-youth volunteers had been augmenting the construction activities through medical missions, community organizing and psychosocial activities for the people of Gasi.
Barangay Gasi is one of the conflict vulnerable communities in Sarangani Province. At the fore, its remote location and open terrain is ideal traversing point of armed groups from one nesting ground to another, as such, left the community susceptible to attacks or conducive to being a battleground between State and Non-state groups.
In October 2008, displacement occurred when the Barangay Center of Gasi was burned down by traversing armed groups and brought to ashes 4 (four) of its essential social structures, to include, its barangay hall, day-care center, barangay stage, barangay waiting shed, and its “tindahan sa kalinaw”. The only structure within the compound that was spared from the fire was the barangay health station.
While majority of those displaced already resettled in their respective places of origin, the incident caused real trauma to the community folks and further compounded the already economically, socially, and politically marginalized situation therein. The need for livelihood assistance is at the fore of priorities that needs urgent attention. Appropriate technical inputs on agriculture and farming is also most wanting as existing farming malpractices therein caused erosion and constant flooding, thus the call for the formulation of community-based disaster management plan. Access to health and medical services is also a problem in the area as its existing Health Center has no medical facilities and equipments to be used by the health workers. Installation of water system is also an immediate concern as constant flooding eroded the foundations of its existing water system causing contaminants to leach through the source.
Barangay Gasi is one of the interior barangays of the Municipality of Kiamba, Province of Sarangani. The road leading to the barangay poblacion is accessible to all forms of land transportation but only motorcycles (“habal-habel”) are plying the route. Some of its interior sitios are less accessible and can only be reached by foot or by horse. It has a population of 323 households or 1,736 individuals, and is composed of seven (7) sitios, namely: Macao, Sog, Kawayan, Lehek, Salvan, Lao, and Kapanal. Majority of the residents are T’boli (85%) while the rest are of mixed ethnicity such as Cebuano, B’laan, and Maguindanaon. Farming is the main source of livelihood and most of the farm lots are apportioned to corn, coconut, abaca, nipa, and other cash crops.
Interventions had been given to the community such as social preparation and community organizing, provision of quick livelihood, community based disaster management, barangay health station, level 2 water system, psychosocial interventions, integrated health and nutrition program for children and women, and community enterprise for women.
Tommy Bisan, one of the 20 beneficiaries of the core shelters, received they keys and the certificate of ownership from Deputy Governor Lopez, Area Technical Assistant of ACT for Peace Programme – StRIDe Minadanao and KKC Convenor Rev. Fr. Gillarme Joy Pilleno
Rev. Fr. Gillarme Joy Pileno bless the 20 core shelters.
Turn-over ceremony at Sitio Kapanal, Brgy Gasi, Kiamba, SP
View from the top: Sitio Kapanal, Brgy Gasi with 20 core shelters added in their infrastructures.
Cultural presentations on the night before the turn-over
Visitors walk for almost 3 kilometers to Sitio Kapanal
Area Technical Assistant of ACT for Peace Programme – StRIDe Minadanao Elias Salazar led the cutting of ribbon for the 20 core shelters.
Partner-representatives during the turn-over ceremony.
Fr. Angel's message was translated in T'boli language and read by Bea:
Malipayon nga adlaw kaninyong tanan. kanus-a lang kita nag-umpisa sa atong panaghigalaay, kanus-a lang tungod sa pagpahangsi, pagpanghadlok ug kalamidad nagtinabangay kita aron sa paghatag ug paglaum sa atong katilingban.
Dili sayon ang mga niaging pagnag-uban nato tungod kay daghang pod mga kakulian apn kini tanan mga proseso aron maglig-on ang atong pagkilala ug pagsabot sa atong kaugalingon ug usab sa aton kauban ug katilingban.
Ang mga proyekto dili ang labing importante sa mga atong gihimo. Bisan ang mga program dili usab. kini mga pamaagi lamang aron ang tinuod nga panaghigalaay, pagsinabtanay, pagpakabana ug pag-amoma sa usag-usa, sa atong silingan, katilingban mamahimong tinuod nga diwa diri sa atong lugar.
Busa nalipay ako persona sa akong nakit-an nga pagbag-o dili lamang sa hulagway sa atong katilingban apan sa pag-bag-o sa atong mga kinaiya. tinuod me mga panahon usahay masulko ako tungod kay naay uban nga dili motabang, mahiubos tungod murag walay pagbag-o kaniadto nga akong makit-an apan nakit-an nako nga sa tiunay natong panag-istoryahanay hinay hinay apan kanunay nga dunay maayong kabag-ohan. salamat sa Diyos niining gasa.
Bisan pa ang mga kabataan nato, dako ang akong kalipay tungod kay nitaas ang ilang mga damgo sa kinabuhi. Dunay usa dinhi nga misulti kanako nga gusto gyud niya mag eskwela sa kolehiyo aron makatabang sa komunidad. kini nagpasabot nga halapad na ang atong naabot. apan dili kita mag-undang sa pagpalambo niining atong komunidad. kanunay unahan nato ang kaayohan sa tanan dili ang atong kaugalingon.
usbon nako ang mga proyekto ug programa dili mao ang sentro sa atong paglihok kini mga tabang lamang aron ang diwa sa katilingbanon panaghiusa og pagtinabangay kanunay mulontad dinhi kanato. hinaot ang tanan nalipay tungod dunay 20 ka pamilya ang natagaan sa balay buot ipasabot 20 ang mag biyaya. ug kamo nga mga 20 ka pamilya hinumdumi kining gasa mamahimong tinuod nga gasa ug inyo kining ipaambit
Salamat sa atong mga opisyales
1. sa LGU kiamba, sa niaging mayor Falgui ug sa mga kaubanan nga mihatag ug dakong suporta sa atong programa.
2. sa 73rd IB nga sa sukad na sukad mao ang atong partner. salamat kaayo
3. sa atong provincial government nga naa usab sa partnership nato
4. sa atong mga tri youth volunteers nga mihatag sa ilang kaugalingon aron sa paghatag panahon sa pagpakig-uban kanato
5. sa atong mga panday sa pagpanguna ni Alvin
6. Kay Dr. Cagape / Hearts and Brains, Inc. para sa mga medical missions
7. sa inyong tanan hinaut magpadayon kini sa pagtambayong aron ang usa ka malangkubon ug malinawon nga katilingban mamugna ug mapalig-on natong tanan.
SALAMAT - fr.angel
(Angelo Ruyeras (8/4/2010 8:52:28 AM))
