Lanao del Norte — “Community Driven Development is the key that brings change and hope to our people in the Barangay, says Fermin P. Buray Chairman of Barangay Darumawang Bucana, Lala, this province.
Being one of the most populous barangay in the Municipality, most of the residents are engaged in fishing and trading. Because the entire barangay is an island, majority of the villagers are fishermen. “Sauna wala pa ang Kalahi CIDSS DFAT giabot sa among barangay, ang among mga anak kung mag eskewela, mo sakay pa sila ug bangka para lang maka abot didto sa mainland nga mga eskwelehan. In ani kalisud among kahimtang sauna (Before Kalahi-CIDSS DFAT was introduced to our community, all of the children ride a motorboat just to be able to arrive at the mainland schools. That is how difficult our life is)”, says community volunteer Divina.
The Coming of New Hope
In 2014 the Kalahi-CIDSS DFAT program was introduced to their community conveying the idea, method and approach. The barangay chairman was positive and abides to the concept towards the project. “Sa dihang gi presentar kanamo ang programa sa Kalahi-CIDSS DFAT, nalipay gayud mi ug dako kay nagatoo gayud kami nga mao kini ang tubag sa problema sa among komunidad (When Kalahi-CIDSS DFAT was presented to our Barangay, we were all glad, because we believed that these would be the solution of our community problems)”, Barangay Sub-Project Management Chairman Marlito Canton said.
Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – (Kalahi-CIDSS) is a flagship anti-poverty program of the national government that empowers communities to be involved in development through community-driven development approach (CDD).
Spirit of Volunteerism
The program persuades individuals to be proactive in community sub projects implementation. “Nag pasalamat gayud mi nga naa mi kauban nga volunteer sama kang Marlito nga diin nahimo namo siya nga modelo sa among komunidad tungod sa iyang gipakita nga maayong buhat. Sama nalang sa pag sakripisyo niya sa among barangay, naghatag gayud siya ug taas nga oras ug panahon sa pag serbisyo (We are thankful that we had a fellow volunteer like Marlito, he is a good example in our society, because of his good deeds. He did some sacrifices, he gave enough time for community service), says Danilo Begontes, a fellow volunteer.
Marlito C. Canton was one of the active volunteers and became a role model to the other community volunteers. He was the regional finalist of Bayani Ka Awards in the category of Volunteerism.
Building Connection and Education
Today, Barangay Darumawang Bucana completed the School Building Classrooms with the project cost of P 1,572,252.00 and construction of concrete elevated foot path amounting to P 2,906,970.85. “Tungod sa Community Driven Development kami mga volunteers gitagaan ug dako nga katungod mo plano ug mo mopadagan sa kaugalingong financial. Masigarbuhon ug nalipay gayud kami nga dinhi sa among Barangay, napa semento na gayud namo ang among mga dalan-tulay nga sauna hinimo lang ug kawayan, Ug nalipay pud kaayo mi karon, labi na gayud kaming mga benepesaryo sa Pantawid Pamilya kay ang among mga anak dili na kailangan motabok ug mogasto ug mahal nga pamasahe aron lang makasakay ug bangka para mo eskwela, kay karon aduna na kami kaugalingon nga eskwelehan. Naka tawid na gayod kami sa kalisud sa pag eskwela (Because of the Community Driven Development Program, we volunteers were empowered to plan and to run on our own finances. We are so proud and overjoyed that in our Barangay, we already concreted the footbridge, that before it was only made of bamboo. And we are so happy, especially we the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries our children will no longer pay a high or expensive fare to ride a motorboat in going to school, because now, we already have our own school buildings. We surpass the burden in sending our children in school”, says, Barangay Kagawad Mary Jane Marata ” we are empowered now”, she added.
Written by: Luis T. Arquiza, DSWD X