Pundasyon ng kaunlaran ang edukasyon. Ang halaga nito’y kailanman ay hindi matutumbasan. Ito ang tanging kayamanan na pamana ng magulang sa kanyang anak. Ngunit, sadyang may mga balakid na sadyang sumusukat sa katatagan at sumusubok sa pagsisikap ng mga taong gustong  mag-aral.

Kadalasang balakid sa pag-aaral ay ang kakulangan ng pantustos ng mga magulang sa lahat ng pangangailangan ng kanilang mga anak. Ang mga harang na ito’y tila madaling mahawi para sa mga taong patuloy na tinatahak ang piniling daan kahit na  maraming unos at bagyo ang kanilang madadaanan. Sila ang nagsisilbing representasyon na walang imposible na bagay sa mundo. Lahat ay posible. 

Pangatlo sa pitong magkakapatid si Alejandrino Yator Jr. o Jun kung tawagin sa kanyang pamilya’t kaibigan. Maagang namulat sa kahirapan ng buhay.  Ang kanilang pamilya ay larawan ng isang tipikal na uri ng pamilya sa lipunan na tanging ang bumubuhay ay ang padre de pamilya.

Nagsasaka ang kanyang ama sa lupaing hindi naman sa kanila. Ito ang pinagkukunan nila ng ikabubuhay para lamang makatawid sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan.  Salat man sa karangyaan, hindi ito nagpapahina sa kalooban ng kanilang mga magulang na papag-aralin at supurtahan ang kanilang mga anak.

Nasa elementarya pa lamang si Jun nang natutong magtanim ng palay. Lahat silang magkakapatid ay katuwang ng kanilang ama sa pagsasaka. Kailangan nilang magtutulungan upang magapi ang lakas ng kahirapan.  Naging playground niya ang sakahan. Ang mga palay at kuhol, ang kanyang naging mga laruan at kalaro.

Nag-aaral siya sa Labo National High School noon nang sinubok ng kapalaran ang kanilang pamilya. Talagang kulang para sa kanilang pagkain ang kita ng kanilang ama kaya napilitan siyang huminto sa pag-aaral. Gustuhin man niyang tapusin ang haiskul ngunit kailangan muna niyang unahin ang kumakalam nilang sikmura. Dahil sa hirap ng buhay, dalawang beses siyang huminto sa pag-aaral. Umabot sa anim na taon ang kanyang ginugol para lamang makapagtapos ng haiskul.

Pagkatapos niyang makuha ang diploma sa haiskul, isinantabi muna niya ang kanyang mga pangarap. Pamilya ang kanyang inuuna.  “Mas pinili kong magtanim ng palay kaysa mag- aral. Buong araw akong nakabilad sa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ni haring araw, sa pagtulo ng aking pawis  kasabay din ang pagtulo ng aking mga luha. Walang araw na dumaan na hindi ko sinasabi sa sarili ko na hindi ako tatandang ganito”

 Sa oras ng pamamahinga, palaging sumagi sa kanyang isip ang natutulog niyang pangarap. Tinitimbang kung hahayaan na lamang matulog habambuhay o kailangan na niya itong pukawin. Buong lakas siyang nagpasyang gumising mula sa mahabang pagkahimbing. Bitbit ang lakas ng loob at determinasyon, iniwan niya ang buhay pagsasaka.

Batid niyang hindi maging madali ang daan patungo sa kanyang pangarap. Mga daan na katulad ng karamihang kalsada sa Pilipinas, maraming lubak-lubak at liko ngunit may mahaba pa rin at matuwid na pwedeng pagpipilian. 

Nagsisimula siyang mag-ipon upang maipagpatuloy ang kaniyang pag-aaral. Namasukan siya bilang isang taga- hugas ng sasakyan sa Route 88 Auto Spa. Tumagal siya ng isang taon sa pagtatrabaho doon hanggang sa nakilala niya ang isang Pari ng simbahang katoliko- si Fr. Sandy Cometa. Hinikayat siya nito na pumasok sa Seminaryo.

“Pahirapan daw ang buhay bilang isang Seminarista. Kailangan mong sundin lahat ng batas ng Seminaryo para hindi ka matanggal”. Sa Semnaryo siya nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na makapag-aral sa pribadong paaralan ng La Salle University. Minabuti niyang manirahan at mananatili dito kahit nahihirapan dahil nakikita niyang mas okey sa seminary kaysa nasa palayan siya,- maghapong nakayuko at maililibing nalang sa limot ang kanyang pangarap.

Tumagal ng apat na taon ang paninirahan niya sa seminary. Sa hindi niya maipaliwanag na dahilan, pinalabas siya ng mga pari. Walang paliwanag, walang paglilinaw. Basta na lamang siyang pinauwi sa kanila. Nakaramdam siya ng pagkabahala para sa kanyang pangarap. Naitanong niya sa kanyan sarili, Paano nalang ang mga pangarap ko? Babalik na naman ba ako sa pagtatanim ng palay?

Hindi niya sinukuan ang kanyang pangarap. Naging magulo man ito ng mga pangyayari ngunit hindi ito nakapagpatinag sa kanyang hangarin na maabot ang nag-iisang mithi ng buhay bagkus lalong nagpapatibay ito sa kanyang pagkatao.

Miyembro ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program o 4P’S ang pamilya ni Alejandro kaya ni refer namin  siya sa aming partner na Pribadong Ahensiya (Jolly Management Solutions).

Nakapasok siya bilang service crew sa Jollibe Ozamiz. Minamabuti niyang ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral. Pinagsabay ang pag-aaral at trabaho. Ang kikitain niya dito ay para sa kanyang pag-aaral. Napakahirap! Puyat, pagod, galit mula sa boss, pagmumura mula sa mga customer,Lahat nang iyan ay buong puso niyang tiniis at hinarap. Tanging ang bumubuhay lamang sa kanya ay ang matinding damdamin na makatapos sa kolehiyo. Lahat ng disesyon, pokus ay para lamang sa pangarap. Hanggang sa natapos niya ang kursong Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy sa isang kilalang unibersidad ng Ozamiz.

Ngayon, isa na siyang ganap na guro at kasalukuyang nagtuturo sa Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology sa syudad ng Tangub.                   

Ang mga karanasan niya sa buhay ang humuhubog sa kanyang buhay ngayon. Itinuturing na lamang niya itong sahog na nagpadagdag sa lasa ng niluluto niyang buhay. Isa lang ang nais niyang iparting sa kanyang kwento, ang ibahaging huwag sukuan ang pangarap dahil kung magkaganoon ikaw ang talo.

Kwento at retrato mula ni Mark Mangubat, Project Development Officer II

Many establishments are greatly affected with the ongoing health pandemic. Small enterprises are among the badly hit as they have exhausted reserved resources during the lockdown. After the lift of the lockdown, many stores were not able to operate again.

But for All Rice SLPA at Brgy. Kalagangan, San Fernando, Bukidnon, their Community Store has to work through the lockdown and face many challenges like restrictions as they serve their Indigenous People (IP) community situated in a Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA).

The SLPA adapted the health protocols for COVID – 19 pandemic prevention such as wearing of face masks and physical distancing, but one notable initiative they did was installation of a wash area outside of their store where the customers could wash their hands; and plastic cellophanes were placed within their vicinity. The need for balance with economic needs and health safety would depend on the precautions set by local authorities and compliance of establishments. The association officers have taken these initiatives into themselves so that they can continue operating and serving their community.

Their project has been operational for almost two (2) years already and have been growing ever since they opened up. It was originally a rice retailing store which was then expanded into a community store.

Composed of 40 members from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, 21 of the association members are members of the Matsulog tribe. The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 has always been prioritizing the marginalized and vulnerable in its programs and services. These identified groups, especially if they belong to poor households, are provided with opportunities to increase their earning capacities in becoming self-sufficient families. Their adaptation to new technologies and health safety measures ensures that IP communities continue to thrive in the modern world.

This Global Handwashing Day, we put great emphasis on the general public the importance to wash their hands with soap properly (at least 20 seconds) and frequently, especially during this pandemic. We can only end this with the cooperation of every individual. More important so the proper wearing of face masks, observance of physical distancing, and to stay at home except for essential errands.

May All Rice SLPA serve as a good example for all other SLP projects when it comes to hygiene promotion and disaster responsiveness.

Story and photos contributed by Ivanne Jay Zafra, Project Development Officer II

Bubong, Lanao del Sur – Noronisa Mama cuddles her eight-month old baby for checking by local health officials, who visited her house in this second class municipality in Lanao del Sur.

It was a house-to-house visit of the team from Bangsamoro Umpungan sa Nutrisyon (BangUn) Project in coordination with the barangay and the town’s health officials.

Noronisa’s daughter, Janima Monaim, looks moderately thin in her Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), a manifestation that the child is malnourished.

MUAC is the circumference of the left upper arm, measured at the mid-point between the tip of the shoulder and the tip of the elbow (olecranon process and the acromion). It is used for the assessment of nutritional status.

Also, it is a good predictor of mortality and in many studies.

Norosa regularly breastfeed Janima.

Similar situations like Janima’s are reportedly prevalent among children in this municipality of Lanao del Sur, the very reason why BangUn Project was conceptualized during the 5th Cabinet Meeting in August 2016. 

The DSWD Field Office 10 workers conducts home visits to families with undernourished children daily.

Despite the province of Lanao del Sur belongs to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao; DSWD Field Office 10 manages the implementation of BangUn Project in this town.

The project aims to reduce the vulnerabilities of the children from hunger and malnutrition in this town.

The feeding program provides two hot meals for 180 feeding days. The target beneficiaries are 5,000 children 0-12 years old and pregnant/lactating women (PLW).

This second week of September, the BangUn staff start the identification of the baseline nutrition assessment of each child aged four years and below. They also assess the PLW using the MUAC Tape. Meanwhile, the staff measure the height and weight of the children aged 5-12 years old.

Mayor Usoph B. Munder of this municipality is happy to see the target families doing its share by following the advice of the nutritionist and dietitians.

Mayor Munder hopes the project will improve the nutritional status of malnourished children here.

“We fully support this project for the benefit of our children,” he said.

The feeding will start in the second week of October.

In consideration to the existing health protocols such as social distancing and mass gathering, the staff decide to prepare the food in a community kitchen and pack the meal for house-to-house distribution.

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The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10, through the Sustainable Livelihood Program, strives to reach the marginalized and vulnerable especially the Indigenous People in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA). Purok-Nangka, Barangay Stimson Abordo in Ozamiz City is said to be GIDA and is inhabited by a small community of Subanen tribe members. Marginalized and vulnerable as they are, most of them are beneficiaries of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Indigenous People (MCCT-IP).

In 2019, 30 household members of the MCCT-IP in Barangay Stimson Abordo were organized into a livelihood association, Stimson IP Kalambuan SLPA, who opened their motor parts and vulcanizing shop with a simple ceremonial blessing attended by SLP staff and Local Government Unit officials by September 2020.

Despite the threat of COVID 19, the association members worked in implementing their proposed livelihood project while observing health protocols after receiving their seed capital fund. This is very timely for the association members so as to have a source of income in recovering from income loss during the lockdown. With the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) status of Region 10, this allowed the SLP participants to work on their livelihood project. SLP staff will continue guiding and mentoring the association to ensure sustainability of the micro-enterprise and long-term functionality of the association.

We wish the association a prosperous enterprising for many years to come.

Story and photos by Arlyn S. Gania, Project Development Officer II