“Aduna gihapoy pag-asa para sa mga komunidad nga anaay kagubot (there is still hope for armed-conflict communities),” says Malik Macabato, barangay chairman of Tingintingin, Kauswagan, this province.

In 2008, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front attacked the 4th class municipality that affected hundreds of families in various barangays, inclu ing Tingintingin, a community 12 kilometers away from the municipal proper  –  with an impossible terrain that public transportation is made avail able only once a day.

Malik – a husband and a father – is also a former rebel and known to be influential by his neighbours who also held defiance and dis trust against government interventions.

Malik and the rest of the community used to think that going against the government is the only solution to solving poverty, a belief assumed by their group for generations.

“Ang akong huna-huna sa una, sirado na gyud, nagtu-o ko nga ang pag gamit sa armas mao ra gyud ang rason nga mahimo kita nga gamhanan isip usa ka lider (I was closed-minded, and I believed that the use of arms or guns makes you a powerful leader),” Malik said.

People in the community think the same way as Malik. Sarah, one of the volunteers, says that many of them believed that there is no more chance for peace and development in their community.

However, this started to change when the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services Payapa at  Masaganang  Pamayanan (Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA) was introduced to their community.

Shifting Paradigms

When Malik was elected as the barangay chairman in Tingintingin, he was able to attend capability building trainings related to community development and genuine peace and development facilitated by the Department of Interior and Local Development (DILG). These sessions eventually gave him a different perspective

Malik recalled that he learned a lot about good governance and how a community can attain genuine peace and order. “Ug ang pinaka importante sa tanan, nahibaw-an nako nga ang gobyerno naglihok lang man diay para sa among kaayuhan (and most importantly, I realized that the government was only doing its job to the best interest of our welfare), he says.

Confidence in government

When Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA was presented to their community in 2013, Malik led the community by personally adopting and conveying to his neighbors the concepts and strategies of Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA, particularly in guiding the community to development.

Through the modality using the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach, the community started to participate in barangay activities and increased their knowledge in poverty alleviation in their society.

“Tungod sa Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA daghan mi nahimo nga mga proyekto sama nalang sa dalan gikan sa umahan paingon sa merkado, panubig, bularanan sa mga produkto, ug para pud sa lugar sa panglawas ug kahusay ug kalinaw (Because of Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA, we were able to construct several sub-projects such as Farm to Market Roads, Water Systems, Solar Driers, Health and Peace Centers),” according to one of the volunteers who work closely with Malik.

Further, Malik managed to convince his constituents to practice organic farming since he himself practice the same. And because his neighbours saw the positive side of the technology, the people willingly accepted the system.

“Nalipay gyud mi nga gitudlu-an ug gi ingganyo mi ni Kapitan mag tanom pina-agi sa maluntarong agrikultura, nga diin daghan ug mas dako among kita ug dili lang ana, labaw na gayud dili siya maka daut sa atong kinaiyahan (we are happy that Barangay Captain Malik taught and encouraged us to do organic farming. The technology has helped us to have better income. Not only that, it has a great impact to our environment),” shared by Noreen, one of the volunteers.

Malik says that the community is thankful to the government because their programs have made them realize that insurgency is not the solution to their community problems.  Instead, he added, they have learned that by just cooperating and involving themselves in community activities, peace and development is attainable.

“Gikan sa pakig batok paingon sa pagpalambo sa umahan (from arms to farms),” Malik added.

written by: Luis T. Arquiza, dswd