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CAGAYAN de Oro City – Lumads in El Niño affected areas in Northern Mindanao will be receiving help from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and a number of Civil Society Organizations that have expressed their commitment to help the tribe during the onslaught of the said dry spell.

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Datu Jose Dia-on, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Matigsalug Tribe in Bukidnon, urges the government and civic society organizations to help the Lumads affected by the El Niño, this he pointed out during the Whole of Nation Initiative Development and Social Protection Cluster Consultation Meeting for the Lumads, February 6, 2016 at the Pryce Plaza Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City. Photo by Shaun Uy, DSWD

The DSWD Region 10 facilitated the Whole of Nation Initiative Development and Social Protection Cluster Consultation Meeting for the Lumads, February 6, 2016 at the Pryce Plaza Hotel, this city, to consult with different stakeholders in the facilitation and implementation of an emergency food relief program for Lumads in the El Niño affected areas of Bukidnon.

The consultation meeting was participated by different regional government agencies, DSWD regional staff, stakeholders and Lumad representatives from Bukidnon and is in partnership with Unifrutti Foundation Inc. and Hineleban Foundation.

According to Unifrutti Foundation Inc, Hineleban Foundation Technical Consultant Raoul Geollegue during his presentation on the emergency food relief project proposal dubbed as “Pantawid Lumad sa Tagtuyot” – “Millions of people are at risk of suffering from hunger and poverty this year as one of the most powerful El Niño climatic events in history threatens a major humanitarian emergency especially among upland dwellers, considered as the poorest of the poor, anticipated be the hardest hit.”

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Datu Salakup Saway of the Talaandig Tribe in Bukidnon stresses the importance of education and health care facilities that are culturally sensitive to the Lumads. DSWD Undersecretary for Promotive Services Camilo G. Gudmalin said that the immediate implementation of the construction of a total of 82 classrooms in different municipalities in Bukidnon for El Niño affected Lumads will kick off with Priority 1 areas, mobilizing available resources of the regional Kalahi-CIDSS program, in Region 10 the identified priority 1 area is San Fernando, Bukidnon. The area will have 22 classrooms distributed to 5 barangays and must be completed by June 2016 while the rest of the priority 2 and 3 areas will commence with the social preparations within the first quarter and 2nd semester (after elections) respectively. Photo by Shaun Uy, DSWD

DSWD 10 Regional Director Nestor B. Ramos stressed that a project of this magnitude should be properly coordinated with the different line agencies and stakeholders and must have a holistic approach in delivering social services.

Present during this meeting is DSWD Undersecretary for Promotive Services Camilo G. Gudmalin who presented the rationale of the said meeting. USEC Gudmalin urged the different stakeholders to iron out some details of this project for fast and efficient implementation.

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DSWD Undersecretary for Promotive Services Camilo G. Gudmalin said that the immediate implementation of the construction of a total of 82 classrooms in different municipalities in Bukidnon for El Niño affected Lumads will kick off with Priority 1 areas, mobilizing available resources of the regional Kalahi-CIDSS program, in Region 10 the identified priority 1 area is San Fernando, Bukidnon. The area will have 22 classrooms distributed to 5 barangays and must be completed by June 2016 while the rest of the priority 2 and 3 areas will commence with the social preparations within the first quarter and 2nd semester (after elections) respectively. Photo by Shaun Uy, DSWD

Gudmalin also presented that DSWD’s community-driven-development component, the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community Driven Development (Kalahi CIDSS-NCDDP), will be at the forefront of this endeavor.

Gudmalin also relayed the directives from DSWD Secretary Corazón “Dinky” Juliano Solíman to the regional staff which includes the immediate implementation of the construction of a total of 82 classrooms in different municipalities in Bukidnon for El Niño affected Lumads. This project will kick off with Priority 1 areas, mobilizing available resources of the regional Kalahi-CIDSS program, in Region 10 the identified priority area is San Fernando, Bukidnon. The area will have 22 classrooms distributed to 5 barangays and must be completed by June 2016 while the rest of the priority 2 and 3 areas will commence with the social preparations within the first quarter and 2nd semester (after elections) respectively.

While San Fernando will be of top priority, areas are also included in other parts of Bukidnon which include the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia, Impasugong, Kabanglasan, Kadingilan, Kitaotao, Lantapan, Malitbog, and Quezon. Iligan City of Lanao del Norte, Claveria and Gingoog City are also identified as key areas for the implementation of the project. This translates into a total of 28 barangays and 82 classrooms for Region 10 alone.

Regions 9, 11, 12, and 13 will also undertake this initiative and will give us an overview of a total of 605 classrooms in 251 sites.

Written by Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy, DSWD