Gawad Kalinga

By Marjorie Ann Duterte

BICOL region – Bayan-Anihan, GK’s food sufficiency program, held a successful Goodbye Gutom day on July 24, 2010 at GK Bongliw, Puro Obias Hernandez village in San Jose, Camarines Sur. The event brought together Bayan-Anihan’ s multi-sectoral partners from the government, corporations, academe, the private sector and the GK kapitbahayan (community).

Mayor Antonio Chavez welcomed the hunger warriors to his town while Pilipinas Shell Foundation program manager Pam Castro affirmed their partnership with BA as one of the programs that Shell greatly believes in, for providing the sustainable solution to hunger in the Philippines.

Ronnel Lucero from the GK Bongliw community shared how having his own farm-plot augmented the needs of his family. He said that he no longer had to borrow to buy food since his family can already harvest vegetables from their own farm. Whatever expenses he saves on food, Kuya Ronnel uses for the education of his children and to pay for the motorcycle he uses for his work as a door-to-door salesman.

Department of Agriculture chief field operations OIC Rose Imperial also graced the event. “Being mandated to produce more food, we cannot do this without our partnership with Bayan-Anihan, ” she said. GK Bayan-Anihan and the Agriculture Department were able to build 400 farms in 2009 which yielded 65,000 metric tons of vegetables. They are now targeting to build 1,000 farms in 2011 to feed 500,000 people for life.

“With Bayan-Anihan, we are able to set higher targets, for a hunger-free CamSur, of the 45 GK Shell farms in the Bicol Region, 23 can be found here,” shared Ms. Imperial.

“The war against hunger has begun. We are marching towards a hunger-free Philippines, ” she said. The Agriculture Department provides the GK communities with seedlings, fruit-bearing trees, medicinal plans and fertilizers.

The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture represented by Professor Jess Oses related how their students lived for 6 weeks in the GK communities as part of their course to share and apply their knowledge with the GK kapitbahayan. He rleated that faculty members and their students felt the relief that GK families expressed in having their own Bayan-Anihan farms.

Delia Hernandez Aladin, shared on behalf of the Obias family who donated the 1.3 hectares land to the GK community encouraging the residents to take care of their farms, so that they will not be hungry again.

Gawad Kalinga father Tony Meloto noted that we are now preparing for the next generation. “Ang pagbabago ng Pilipinas ay nasa pamamagitan ng pagmamahal, tiwala at pagkakaisa.” (Change in the Philippines will come through love, trust and unity).

“Ito po ay pagmamahal sa Diyos, pagmamahal sa bayan. Pangarap natin hanggang 2024, in 6 years we will end hunger,” he said. (This is love for God, love for country. Our dream is until until 2024, in 6 years we will end hunger).

“This is now the season of hope, we will bring the country out of hunger, out of endlessness, and out poverty,” Meloto declared.

Goodbye Gutom day which happened simultaneously in 4 sites namely Camarines Sur, Tarlac, Davao and Bacolod, ended with a symbolic soil ceremony where the people grabbed soil with their hands and made the oath of commitment to carry on the movement’s ideals and aspirations by serving as sources of inspiration, encouraging more and more people to join in the country’s fight against hunger.

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).

PIA Press Release
2010/07/15

original link : http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p100715.htm&no=15

Iloilo City (15 July) — To some women in Sooc, Arevalo, Iloilo City, there is indeed money in trash after they were given an opportunity to earn out of the used tarpaulins which could have gone to waste.
About 11 women residents of the PLDT-Smart Amazing Gawad Kalinga Village in Sooc are now actively involved in recycling used tarpaulins into colorful bags, envelopes and other cases. These women are recipients of trainings related to bag making organized by Smart Communications, Inc. as part of its tarpaulin recycling project in the community to augment the resident’s income.

“We are grateful for the project because we were given the chance to make a living in a decent way,” said Hermina Pineda, Vice President of GK Sooc Kapitbahayan Team.
Pineda’s family, who used to live in the Calajunan dumpsite, is now one of the 68 poorest families in the city that reside in the village. Her family then earned their living through scavenging.
“Some of the beneficiaries have already enrolled their children to school through their earnings from the tarpaulin bags,” added Pineda.

Women beneficiaries earn as much as P35.00 per bag from the used tarpaulins donated by Smart.
Ella Gelvero, Couple of Christ’s caretaker in the village, said the project is a big help to the women in the village especially those whose husbands have no work, saying “Nakabulig gid ang project sa ila bisan sa galastuhon nila sa adlaw-adlaw kay wala man sila income”.

The finished products of the women such as tote bags, backpacks, travelling bags, and grocery bags are on display in one of the model houses in the village which they use as their center. However, due to limited space some women bring the materials to their homes to work on them. Their first client was Smart which ordered from them 1,200 pieces of bags.
To sustain the livelihood initiative, Gelvero encouraged other organizations and individuals to support the project, particularly in helping market the product, so that the women can get more orders for their products.
“This will also give more opportunities to other members in the community to earn and support their families,” Gelvero said.

By MADEL R. SABATER
July 16, 2010, 1:17pm

original link : http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/267194/binay-appointed-hudcc-chairman

After rejecting several other posts offered to him, Vice President Jejomar Binay has accepted the position of Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

In announcing on Thursday his acceptance of the HUDCC chairmanship from President Aquino, Binay said, “After a discussion with the President, I am following his request to take charge of the housing sector as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).”

“I have always maintained that I am ready to be of assistance to our President Benigno Aquino III, in attaining his vision for our country and our people,” he said in a statement.

“I look forward to implementing the President’s objectives for housing and shelter and working with volunteer organizations like the Gawad Kalinga (GK), with whom I share a common dream of building not just homes but sustainable communities for our people,” he said.

The HUDCC chairmanship was among the four posts earlier offered by Aquino which Binay initially refused after the President declined to give him his preferred appointment as head of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Binay said he didn’t want to be an additional burden to the President after reactions to his DILG preference were “blown out of proportion.”

The Vice President said he stated his preference only as a candid answer to a question from reporters because the DILG post would fit his core competency, having served as Makati City mayor for six terms.

As the new HUDCC chairman, a post vacated by his predecessor, former Vice President Noli de Castro, Binay said among programs he would pursue is “Kalinga sa Bayan” project with Gawad Kalinga (GK) which seeks to provide housing and livelihood to five million families by 2024.

GK founder Tony Meloto and executive director Luis Oquinena met with the Vice President yesterday to present the Kalinga sa Bayan program.

“The meeting was very positive. In fact, he [Binay] wants to champion it… We’re very happy of the outcome,” Oquinena said in a phone interview.

by Fr. Savio

“REJOICE THAT YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN”
(2nd Gawad Kalinga in Singapore June 25 – 27, 2010)

I thought I’d share with you a powerful experience I had when I attended the 2nd Gawad Kalinga Global Summit last June 25 – 27, 2010 in Singapore . We were hosted by two schools – Ngee Ann Polytechnic and the National University of Singapore. I had the good fortune of being invited for the summit because I and Bishop Honesto Pacana S.J. serve as spiritual directors for Gawad Kalinga in the province of Bukidnon . My fascination with Gawad Kalinga has grown since that very first day I was introduced to a Gawad Kalinga village in Natid-asan, Malaybalay. It was then that I saw very accomplished people, local and foreign, literally dirtied their hands and carried bricks to build houses for the poor of Malaybalay. What thay did is simply brilliance in the eyes of God! Gawad Kalinga, the movement, has as its goal the eradication of poverty in our country not just by building houses for the homeless but also by providing them education, values formation and livelihood(to mention a few of their programs) so that each village may be self-sustaining and thus provide leadership and example for other villages. It was because of Gawad Kalinga that its founder, Mr. Tony Meloto, received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership.

In the spiritual classic “The Imitation of Christ” we read that “It is not deep words that make a man holy and upright. It is a good life that makes a man dear to God. I’d rather feel contrition than know the definition thereof. I may know all the books of the Bible and all the sayings of the philopsophers but all these won’t profit me if I do not have the love of God.” It is not hifaluting words that endear us to God. It is faith in practice. It is love in the concrete. This is what I’ve always seen in Gawad Kalinga! One of the speakers in the summit workshops is an Englishman – Dylan Wilk. He is known to have been the 9th rrichest man in Britain when he was just 25 years of age. This was possible because of the computer games he sold through the internet or direct mail. But that business and his lavish way of life was not meant to last. He was introduced to Gawad Kalinga in the Philippines and the great work it is doing for the poor of the land. Dylan realized that even though he was filthy reach he never really did something significant for his own people. In fact, he thought of his business as pointless and useless. He sold his BMW and used the money to build 80 homes for Gawad Kalinga. What he is telling all of us is that there is no deep satisfaction and fulfillment from all the riches this world offers. Jesus did say, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” This has been the constant refrain of the speakers during the summit in Singapore . You have a Tony del Rosario who is CEO of Coca-Cola in Singapore , Malaysia and Brunei who found the missing piece in his heart when he was introduced to Gawad Kalinga. Or a Tony Olaes who is a veteran in the apparel industry in the US and who supplies imprinted shirts to Walmart, Target and Kohl’s but who realized that even though he can buy anything he wants there was something lacking in his life. Gawad Kalinga was the answer and now he serves as chairperson of Gawad Kalinga USA .

The summit began June 25 which happens to be the 16th jubilee of my ordination to the priesthood. The opening program was at 6:00 pm. Since it was my ordination anniversary I thought I would not attend the opening night but just go for Mass in a church nearby. And yet I came to the conclusion that it was God’s will that I attend the opening ceremony because that was the reason why I came to Singapore . It was God’s will that I join the summit all the way. And I most grateful for having attended that evening’s ceremony because the talks alone blew me away. Moreover, the summit as whole taught me another way of looking at the Mass. In the Mass, we are reminded of Jesus’words. “This is My Body which will be given up for you. This is My Blood which will be shed for you and for all men. Do this in memory of Me.” That is what I saw in Gawad Kalinga- all those volunteers from all over the world giving literally their body, blood, careers and their whole life in the service of the poor. Theirs is the Eucharist in the concrete. And they are most happy with this divesting of their lives because Jesus said, “Greater love no man has than that he lay down his life for his brothers.”

Gawad Kalinga speaks of love of God and love of nation. Just when so many of us have become cynical of our country and a great number leave the country for greater opportunities abroad, Gawad Kalinga haunts us of our love and responsibility towards our motherland. Why not stay and rally behind a nation ravaged by poverty in the so many forms it surrounds us. What can we do for our country? What can we do for our fellowmen in need?

Jesus in today’s Gospel cautions us not to rejoice even though the evil spirits are subject to us but to rejoice rather that our names are written in heaven. Our names will only be inscribed in Heaven if we reach out to the poor around us because that is what it means to truly love God. As the monk and philosopher St Basil the Great said,

“The bread you do not use is the bread of the hungry.
The garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of the person who is naked.
The shoes you do not wear are the shoes of one who is barefoot.
The money you keep locked away is the money of the poor.
The acts of charity you do not perform are the injustices you commit.”