20 sites served by Gawad Kalinga – Bayan Anihan project
by admin on Jul.19, 2010, under Community Building, Volunteer Support
PIA Press Release
2010/07/19
original link : http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p100719.htm&no=22
Pagadian City (19 July) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has assisted 20 sites for the Gawad Kalinga – Bayan Anihan or GK-BA project. The assistance of 16 bags of organic fertilizer, assorted vegetable seeds, seedling trays, weighing scale, fruit trees, and medicinal/culinary plants were provided through the DA High Value Commercial Crops program (HVCC).
During the delivery of services in Barangay Sumagdang in Isabela City last month, Ms Ana S. Aying, the DA GK-BA Focal person, said that the delivery of services in all 20 sites in region IX started in February this year after launching of the Gawad Kalinga housing project last year.
“The GK Villages are now established and as support to the relocated families, the DA will be the lead agency to provide a sustainable livelihood to feed their families. We have completed the delivery of seeds in all 20 sites this month,” she said.
The GK Bayan Anihan farm sites are located in Labuan, Mampang, Tulungatung in Zamboanga City; Titay, Buug, Ipil, Malangas in Zamboanga Sibugay; Pagadian, Aurora, Mahayag, Molave in Zamboanga del Sur; Dapitan, Mutia, Godod, Liloy in Zamboanga del Norte; and Sumagdang in Isabela City.
According to DA Regional HVCC banner Coordinator Marcial B. Fantone, there is a target of establishing 2,500 BA farms for the next three years that can feed half million Filipinos for life. He said the required area of 10 sq.m. plot per family can yield up to 10kgs of vegetables per month. “We hope that the families will sustain the BA farms and expect around 70% of those who planted to continue planting in the years to come. They will become self-sufficient enough to be able to grow their own seeds/ seedlings and produce their own organic fertilizer,” said Fantone.
The Bayan Anihan, translated in English as “Community Harvest” is a project in partnership between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Gawad Kalinga (GK) to address the growing issues of hunger. It is powered by multi-sectors including local government units, the Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (ACAP), non-government organizations (NGOs), corporations and Couples for Christ. It aims to address hunger of one family at a time by setting up sustainable food programs in impoverish communities, with the battlecry “Goodbye Gutom!” (Goodbye Hunger). It also intends to raise awareness on the hunger issue and encourage everyone to help in the fight against hunger.
The Gawad Kalinga was founded on December 26, 1995 when the Couples For Christ (CFC) Youth for Christ, the youth ministry of CFC, held a Youth Camp for the out-of-school youth of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City in Metro Manila. In 1999, the first GK house was built for the Adduro family, also in Bagong Silang. “Gawad Kalinga,” which translates in Filipino language to “Give Care.”
On February 25, 2006, GK launched the “One Million Builders”, also known as GK1MB campaign. It was an advocacy for intensified volunteerism in GK sites, with the goal of mobilizing at least one million GK volunteers. That year also started the GK1MB Bayani Challenge, a one-week national immersion. The Bayani Challenge was held in Aurora Province, and Quezon province (2006); Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Marinduque and Samar (2007); Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur (2008) and Sulu and Zamboanga City (2009).
