A Letter from Lilian de Vera (wife and mother of the father and daughter killed in the PNP "operations ")

A friend sent me this email, which I am re-printing here because I believe in her cause. Please take time to read and pass this on to your friends.

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Two months ago I considered myself as one of those blessed and happiest people on earth. Why not? I married a guy who was an epitome of kindness. A guy who worshipped even the footsteps I made. More importantly, our union blessed us with a daughter who not only became the main source of our happiness….more so; she was the center of our lives.

We're simple folks who led a simple life. We felt the happiest even about mundane things and inconsequential ones that most people would only take for granted. Our joy mostly revolved on simple pleasures like a sudden trip to Jollibee or a late night marauding of the fridge for any leftovers. A perfect family with simple delights, dreams and aspirations………until that fateful night on December 5, 2008.The day my husband and daughter were taken away from me in a very violent way. That Friday night on December 5, 2008 marked the beginning of all the terror, anguish and misery in my life.

In keeping with my ritual or "panata" on every first Friday of every month, I went to Quiapo Church on the above mentioned date to pay homage and respect to the Almighty One. My husband and daughter were supposed to pick me up in Pasay City after which we planned on giving our daughter a treat to Jollibee. While riding the jeep, I tried to call my husband to tell him that I was on my way to our meeting place. But despite all the calls I made, my husband remained silent. A very unusual occurrence inasmuch as he seldom missed my calls. Despite my trepidation and wonder, I took the next jeep going home and prayed that everything was alright. I even promised to myself that I would forgive my husband for not answering my calls and for forgetting to pick me up.

I felt relieved when near our place my phone rung. Such relief was somehow only momentary….in fact the phone call I got was the bearer of the worst news in my entire life. My helper called, only to tell me that my husband and daughter were shot to death by "men in uniform". The same men who were sworn to protect innocent people from bad guys brutally slew the two most important persons in my life. They were the same men whose sacred duty was to preserve the lives of the public against all harm and danger. Yet…….they were the same men who murdered my loved ones in the most cruel, savage and inhuman way.

My husband's face was unrecognizable because he was shot in the head at close range while he was kneeling with his head bowed down. My daughter's young body was riddled with bullets, one hit her head, blowing her brains out.., all from too powerful guns and ammunitions fired by the "men in uniform" on two innocent and defenseless persons.

The "men in uniform" were allegedly on a mission to take some gang of robbers victimizing people at large. The police shot the crosswind van my husband and daughter were riding Based on some witnesses' narration, the police sprayed bullets into the van despite the lack of provocation or shots coming from the van. In his last effort to save their lives, my husband grabbed my bloodied daughter and shielded her with his body while trying to run away from the police and tried to get cover from a parked jeepney My husband and daughter were so defenseless. How can you mistake a child for a robber? How can you shoot at someone who was already kneeling with head bowed, an indication of helplessness.

My husband and daughter are gone…….forever. The pain I feel for their loss is too much too bear. And the only thing that motivates me to go on with life is the mission to seek justice for their senseless killing. If the people who are responsible for their death will be punished, if I could bring them the justice they so richly deserve, my pain would be alleviated. The misery I will live by will be lessened. My husband and daughter will be vindicated and I will learn to live the remaining years of my life in peace..

Thus: I'm asking and begging everyone who will come across this letter/e-mail to forward the same to all your relatives, friends, and acquaintances. . Help me bring my cause to the eyes of the people capable of steering the wheel of justice to the right direction. Help me make the loudest cry worthy of attention by those people in-charge in rendering justice to those who deserve it.

Strength comes in numbers; it is where the impossible becomes possible. It is also where the unattainable becomes achievable.

My heartfelt gratitude for everyone who will take a moment in their too busy lives and forward this letter/e-mail to everyone they know. May God always protect you and your love ones from all harm.


Lilian de Vera

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An Urgent Appeal For Help for the Flood Victims of Misamis Oriental

Our NGO (CAPP-SIAD) received an urgent appeal from our partner NGO - Balay Mindanaw Foundation, for help for the flood victims in our project sites.

Below is a situation report. For those who are interested to give support, financial or otherwise, please send email to either of the following addresses:

dps-class67@googlegroups.com
gold50@gmail.com
kmanlupig@yahoo.com

or visit www.balaymindanaw.org

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Hi ... Nabigla din kami...last Sunday evening, we had to "rescue" Balay Mindanaw staff living in Iponan...grabeng bilis ang pagtaas ng tubig...sa ngayon, napakadilim pa rin dito...

Ayi was able to get some funds from LWR kaya busy ang mga kasama mag-repack ng mga goods (food and non-food) for distribution...

I have sent requests to Parfund, Pacap, CordAid and Misereor... nag-SOS na rin kasi ang mga LGUs na nauubusan na sila ng supply ng pagkain...

Salamat...

kaloy
Balay Mindanaw
International Center for Peace in Mindanaw (ICPeace in Mindanaw)
53A, 12th Street, Zone 2, Upper Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City
Mindanao, Philippines
www.balaymindanaw.org
Mobile Numbers: +639188877111 and +639177176000

Kaangayan, Kalambuan, Kalinaw...
Equity, Development, Peace...




Flashflood in Misamis Oriental: Not Only Once, But Twice at the Start of the Year
Balay Mindanaw International Center for Peace in Mindanaw (ICPeace)
Kab-ot Gahum: Resource Center for Empowerment and Development (RCED)

Introduction

A Victim’s Ordeal

“Nagkurog ko sa katugnaw, ug nakaingon ko nga mao ra ni akong kamatyan, ang katugnaw! (I was shivering from the cold, and I thought I would die because of coldness)” This was the statement of Mrs. Fortunata “Mommy Tats” Dugaduga, a resident of Molugan, El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, who is one of the victims of the flashflood on January 11, 2009 in Misamis Oriental.

Around lunch time on a rainy Sunday, Mommy Tats fled from their house in Molugan, El Slavador together with her grand daughter to seek refuge in the house of her daughter in law, Gia Fatima O. Dugaduga. They were fetched by her daughter in law on board a family owned jeepney and proceeded to Brgy Tabok, Opol but to no avail, the area was already flooded. They proceeded to the house of the Mr. and Mrs. Godo Obsioma, parents of Gia at Gordo, Barra, Opol. They thought that the place was already safe for them to seek shelter. Early in the evening, they were already on the top of the jeepney they rode earlier, hoping to be spared from the flood. It was not later than 10:00 in the evening that they were fetched by a rubber boat and brought to safer place by the 4ID rescue team. So were Gia, who is 7 months pregnant, and her 5 year old son. Left on top of the jeepney were Gia’s parents and brother. It was only at 6 in the morning of January 12 that all of them were reunited and were brought back to Gia’s house, safe but weary from the ordeal.

This is only one of the many thousand stories of the many victims affected of the flashflood.
The Province of Misamis Oriental

Misamis Oriental is located in the northern coast of Mindanao. As presented in the website of the province, it is bounded by the Macajalar Bay on the North; Provinces of Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte on the South and Southwest; Agusan del Norte on the East; and Iligan Bay on the West. It has a total population of 664, 338 that belongs to the 132, 042 households with an average household size of 5 according to the 2000 census report.

The province covers a total land area of 357, 010 has that is divided by 23 municipalities and three cities. Generally, the province is composed of rugged and punctuated mountain ranges with coastal plains, rivers, and valleys. The eastern part of the province consists of sharp angular hills cut by streams in deep gorges while the coastline is irregular with bays and bordered by sloping lowlands and river valleys between canyons. The coastal lowlands are also narrow and many streams are crossing between the areas. The western part is composed of rough upland hils rising abruptly from the sea level.


The Flashfloods

The year began with two flashfloods a week and a day interval affecting the province of Misamis Oriental. As described topographically, it is comprised of coastline areas with bays and streams and rivers that made the whole province a flashflood prone area. Although, dikes and flashflood protection mechanisms have been established, the province was not spared from being affected by the worst flashfloods ever in the province’s history.

As published on Sunstar CDO on the January 11, 2009 flashflood, “Three cities and 12 towns in Misamis Oriental were flooded Sunday after hours of heavy rainfall. The Misamis Oriental Disaster Coordinating Council (MODCC) said at least 1,552 families or 7,760 persons were evacuated to higher grounds when waters rose near the riverbanks.”

The data above was updated as reported by the Disaster and Coordinating Councils of the Province of Misamis Oriental and the City of Cagayan de Oro. To date, there are 11, 878 families affected coming from 100 barangays covering the 13 municipalites and three cities in the province of Misamis Oriental.

Last January 3, 2009, a total of 4,459 families (17, 525 individuals) have been affected by the flashflood only in the city of Cagayan de Oro, the capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental as reported by the provincial and city disaster coordinating councils. The areas affected in this incident were 13 barangays, and were again affected and more barangays were included in the most recent flashfloods last January 11, 2009.

With the most recent flashfloods, various agencies from the government and the private sector and civil society have come together and provided support. Rescue teams coming from different rescue volunteer groups have taken actions including the military. Relief operations have been established in different LGUs and churches also helped in the relief and became evacuation centers both from the Protestants and Roman Catholics groups.

So far, only a few goods have been delivered as reported to the PDCC and these were 23 sacks of rice, seven boxes of canned sardines, seven boxes of noodles were delivered in the muncipalities of Opol, El Salvador, and Alubijid, and also at the Cagayan de Oro College Phinma Evacuation Center in Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.


The Immediate and Long-Term Response Needed

To date, there are more than 10, 000 families that need immediate shelter, clothing, food, medicines, safe potable water spread in the whole province. These are the immediate needs of the residents who are tired and weary of what they have experienced as a families and as individuals. Resources for relief both in goods and monetary forms are encouraged to be raised in support to the families affected.

For the medium and long term response to the communities and areas affected is to provide human resource assistance in assessment, rescue and relief operations in affected communities. According to Felino P. Lansingan of the University of the Philippines, “Factors that influence the occurrence of floods are anthropogenic in nature. Thus, humans can eliminate or reduce vulnerability to flooding. Resilience to floods may be enhanced if appropriate strategies and measures can be implemented. Effective strategy and implementation plan require a suite of combination of mitigation, coping and adaptation measures. Response strategies must be developed at different levels of government, and must involve mitigation, preparedness program, response, and recovery. This requires collective LGUs’ plans of actions and concerted efforts.”

In all these areas, the most common feature of these municipalities and cities is the presence of major rivers and location are in mostly in the coasts, with residents on the riverside and in the coastal areas. Major flood controls are not established in these areas, and the most of the residentes are living in the disaster prone locations. Residents cannot be relocated in other safer areas for they are mostly homeless, landless, and livelihood activities are in these areas.

Hence, the call for a concerted effort in addressing the present situation is needed. But the greatest call is the call decades ago which is protection of the environment, securing safety of the people, strengthening community awareness and joint community action.

Below is the updated and consolidated disaster report as of January 12, 2009.



Areas Affected/ Barangays / Municipalities/ Total Families Affected/ Remarks

Gingoog City

6 barangays
1,412 people affected
• 1 casualty; 1 missing
• 1 house totally damaged
• 5 houses partially damaged
• Evacuation centers are the barangay halls of the affected barangays and the central school

El Salvador City
4 barangays
500 people affected
• No report of damages yet, for assessment as of reporting period
• Phil Rescue 2000 has been deployed at 11 am due to unpassable highways and only buses are able to pass through the flooded road (January 11)

Cagayan de Oro City
35 barangays
6,953 households (33, 770 individuals)
• There are seven barangas with no data as of reporting time but was reported to have been affected.
• To date, there are 71 partially damaged houses while there are 98 totally damaged houses
• Three of these barangays are already, meaning the evacuees have returned to their respective homes.
• The barangays located in the riverbanks are not yet cleared as safe

Misamis Oriental
13 municipalities (Balingasag, Medina, Lagonglong, Alubijid, Opol, Naawan, Manticao, Tagoloan, Balingoan, Initao, Jasaan, Talisayan, and Salay)

55 barangays
3, 013 people affected
• Subdivisions namely Vamenta and Johndorff in Barangay Barra, Opol main entrance have been closed for safety purposes for the road is still heavily flooded and is still not safe. It is still being assessed at present
• Damaged (concrete and steel) bridges and spillways in the municipalities of Opol, Balingasag, Naawan
• Potable water systems were damaged
• Difficulty in access to safe water, thus residents are forced to buy processed and bottled water
• 1 casualty and 1 missing person in the municipality of Talisayan

Total 13 municipalities
3 cities
100 barangays
11, 878 people

Source: Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council of Misamis Oriental, City Disaster Coordinating Council of Cagayan de Oro City, January 12, 2009 report.

References

Lansingan, Felino P. “Assessing Vulnerability of Urban Areas to Floods for Effective Disaster and Risk Management in Local Government Units.” University of the Philippines Los Banos (Downloaded January 13, 2009, http://www.sea-user.org/download_pubdoc.php?doc=3370)

Provincial Profile of the Province of Misamis Oriental (Downloaded Janaury 13, 2009, http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ecommunity/misamisoriental/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=4 )

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MV Princess of the Stars and the Church of the Poor

I watched the replay of Probe, the weekly investigative show of veteran journalist, Che-Che Lazaro. The episode was about the sinking of MV Princess of Stars. It's difficult not to get affected listening to the pleas of the victims' relatives. You can feel their pain, frustration, fatigue, and anger from endlessly waiting for news about their relatives. Many have been resigned to the fact that their parents, children, husbands, wives, grandchildren, grandparents, etc. must already be dead, days after the disaster. But at least, they wanted to find their bodies. Some, would want to believe or to convince themselves that they believe that their loved ones are still alive, waiting for rescuers somewhere in one of the islands surrounding Sibuyan.

Once again, the response of the government was very slow, unlike the government's swift action in China in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. (I would have long wanted to post the slide show on this, unfortunately, Google does not have the capability yet to allow the attachment of powerpoint presentations in the blog. I'll just attach it to my email in the egroup). Here, government prioritized the investigation to pin the blame on Sulpicio Lines, which in turn, blamed Pag-Asa for its wrong weather forecast. There was not enough coordination and instruction to local government units on what to do with the floating bodies that they find in their seas and shores. For days the Mayor of San Fernando, Romblon in Sibuyan Island was appearing on TV calling on the coast guards or Sulpicio to get the dead bodies, which they already put in coffins. In Burias Island in Masbate, they had to bury the bodies for fear that this would affect the health of the residents. Other bodies appeared in Mulanay, Quezon and in Pasacao, Camarines Sur. In the first few days, relatives flocked to the Office of Sulpicio Lines but no responsible person was there to give them updates. Government also did not immediately advice them to go home first and look for ID cards, and medical and dental records of their missing relatives, which would be useful when identifying the dead bodies.

Those who responded to the queries of the relatives were volunteers from the Red Cross and social workers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Conspicuously absent were the church people who could have comforted those in pain and sorrow. According to Ceres Doyo of the Inquirer, hindi “nagkandarapa” ang mga taga-simbahan para tulungan iyong pamilya ng mga biktima. We did hear Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales saying that the disaster was not an act of God and blamed Sulpicio for it. Archbishop Oscar Cruz, in turn, said that Sulpicio should be in mortuary business.

This morning, I went to Church early, maybe 45 minutes ahead of the schedule of the first mass. Dakul kaya akong gustong hagadon. Pagdakol na an taong nagdadasal, baka maribong na an Diyos kun si isay an i-inutong dangug-on, kaya marhay na an ma-enot. On a serious note, I'm a bit bothered by the request of our parish priest. He said that in spite of the crisis that we are experiencing today, he hopes that the parishioners would still fully support the project to renovate the third floor and basement of the office, as well as to improve the altar.

Our Lady of Fatima Parish is a small parish here in Barangay Hills, Mandaluyong. The church is small and modest but nowhere being run-down or dilapidated. The altar is also okay as it is. Kaya lang, gustong gawing granite ba o buong marmol. So, the parish is selling raffle tickets. (Bako bagang gambling pa din ini?). Yet, it did not call on the parishioners to contribute resources for the relief and rehabilitation of the people in areas stricken by typhoon Frank.

If we can ask God, do you think He would prefer the beautification of His house at this time instead of attending to the needs of those suffering from disasters and the present economic crisis? This reminds me also of the announcement of the healing priest, Fr. Suarez, that a big, big Church and statue of the Virgin Mary will be built in one of the hills in Batangas, which would become his base. I think he's already coming home from Canada to stay in the Philippines for good. He said, this would even be bigger than one of the new wonders of the world – the image of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro. Wow! Will he be doing this for the benefit of the poor? Or is it because of pride?

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Development Game

This was posted by Ed Canela in our e-group. I am posting this here for the benefit of other viewers/readers. As Ed says, this is very engaging, so please play the game and contribute to the UN's efforts to fight hunger.

http://www.freerice.com

I would have wanted to post here too, Bert's latest contributions - the Awesome Photos and Why men (not our friend Men) need clothes, which are.. yes, awesome and the other, hilarious but it would take time to post the individual pictures and I don't have the time right now. When I'm free, I'll go back to these and post them for the others to enjoy.

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Extreme Poverty drives Mariannet Amper to commit suicide

In death, Mariannet Amper has succeeded in getting the attention of the whole nation to their plight and those of the poor. Ironically, the news came at the time that the President was announcing the allocation of a billion pesos for hunger mitigation programs.

I was truly disturbed and had to hold back the tears as I read the account of Mariannet’s suicide, especially when I read portions of the little girl’s letter to Vicky Morales of GMA-7’s Wish Ko Lang, but which she was not able to send. I was really touched when she wrote ….. that after long absence from class, she said “hindi ko namalayan malapit na pala ang Pasko”.

Some people blame the poor for their condition. They say it’s because they are lazy or they just don’t exert as much effort. This is not always so. I know of some people who, no matter what they seem to do can not get out of the poverty trap. Precisely because they are poor, they lack the opportunity which is available to others. They are unable to invest in the education of their children, they have limited or no access to credit which can provide them some capital for livelihood projects. Labor is the only available asset that they have but they lack the productive skills needed in the market.

I hope we can consider these things when we discuss the Scholarship Project proposed by some of us.



Girl who killed self lamented family’s poverty in diary

By Nico Alconaba
Inquirer
Last updated 10:00pm (Mla time) 11/07/2007
DAVAO CITY, Philippines --

A 12-year-old girl, who became despondent over her family’s poverty, hanged herself inside their makeshift house a day after her father told her he could not give her the P100 she needed for a school project.

Using a thin nylon rope, 12-year-old Mariannet Amper hanged herself in the afternoon of November 2. She was a sixth grader at the Maa Central Elementary School.

Her father, Isabelo, 49, who was out of job as a construction worker, said Mariannet asked him for P100 which she needed for school projects, on the night of November 1. He told his daughter that he did not have the money yet but he would ask his wife if she could get some money for her. The morning after, however, he was able to get a P1,000 cash advance for a construction work on a downtown chapel.

By the time he got home, Mariannet already lay dead.

"Duda nako nga tungod ni sa kalisod namo (I suspect that she did it because of our situation)," Isabelo said.

Going through Mariannet's things, her parents saw her school "talaarawan" or diary.

In her October 5 entry, Mariannet wrote: "Parang isang buwan na kaming absent. Hindi na kasi nakin (sic) binibilang ang absent ko. Hindi ko namalayan na malapit na pala ang Pasko." [It feels as if we’ve been absent for a month. They’re not counting my absences anymore. I just realized that Christmas is just around the corner.]

Isabelo recalled that in that week, Mariannet skipped school as they did not have money for her food and transportation allowance.

"We did not have any money and I didn't want Mariannet and her younger brother (Reynald) to walk to school," he said in Bisaya.

But Isabelo clarified that Mariannet was absent for only three days. "For her, three days was like one month," he said.

On October 14, Mariannet wrote in her diary: "Hindi kami nakapagsimba dahil wala kaming pamasahe at nilalagnat pa ang aking tatay kaya nanglaba na lang kami ng aking nanay." [We were not able to hear mass because we did not have fare money and my dad was sick with fever. So, my mom and I just washed clothes.]

Along with her diary, the Ampers also discovered a letter Mariannet wrote for the GMA 7 television program "Wish Ko Lang [I just Wish]."

"Gusto ko po sana magkaroon ng bagong sapatos at bag at hanapbuhay para sa nanay at tatay ko. Wala kasing hanapbuhay ang tatay at nagpa-extra extra lamang ang aking nanay sa paglalaba," she said in her "Wish Ko Lang" letter. [I wish for new shoes, a bag and jobs for my mother and father. My dad does not have a job and my mom just gets laundry jobs.]

"Gusto ko na makatapos ako sa pag-aaral at gustong-gusto ko na makabili ng bagong bike," she added. [I would like to finish my schooling and I would like very much to buy a new bike.]
That letter, apparently written while Mariannet was still 11 years old, was never sent to "Wish Ko Lang."

"We never knew that our daughter had dreams for us," Isabelo said.
Isabelo's wife, Magdalena, works part-time "repacking" odong and misua in a nearby factory, earning at least P50 a day. She also does laundry jobs on the side, receiving P100 to P150.
Isabelo, on the other hand, is in and out of work.

"I'm already old, no one would want to hire me," he said.

The Ampers live in a hillside community at the back of the Yñiguez Subdivision in Maa District. They do not have electricity and water supply.

Of the seven children, only Mariannet and Reynald are left with their parents as most are grown up and have families of their own.

Even with only two children left to feed, the Ampers still have a hard time surviving.

A neighbor said that even in this "mostly poor" neighborhood, the Ampers were being discriminated against.

"Ayaw makipaglaro ng ibang bata sa kanila dahil madudungis daw sila," the neighbor said. [The other kids do not want to play with them because they’re dirty.]"Mahirap na nga sila, ni-reject pa ng ibang kapitbahay," she added. [They’re poor and they’re rejected by their neighbors.]

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GK Transforms Poor Camarines Village

As our Lord admonished us in the parable of the talents, “To whom much has been given, much, will also be required.”

The following is an excerpt from a news article that appeared on the front page of the Philippine Star last Sunday, July 29, 2007. Until I read it, I didn't know that there are already several Gawad Kalinga Villages in Camarines Norte, many funded by Filipino expatriates working and living abroad. This particular GK Village is in Barangay Bibiran (anybody knows where it is?) and is funded by Filipino expats in Vietnam.

GK Transforms Poor Camarines Village
By Patricia Esteves

For nine years Susan Lara and her nine children have been living hand-to-mouth existence in Barangay Bibiran in Daet, Camarines Norte.

Bibiran is one of the poorest barangays in Daet, where residents earn an average of only P2,00-P3,000 per month for a family of 7-10 members as dumpsite scavengers or casual laborers in coconut, rice and vegetable farms.

But what compounds the residents’ difficult situation is that they have to contend with the filth and smell of garbage every day since Barangay Bibiran has been a dumpsite for 25 years.

When the local government announced plans to make Bibiran an extension of a nearby garbage dumpsite last year, Susan knew the situation would get worse and cause more health problems, especially for the children.

They appealed to newly elected Daet Mayor Tito Sarion to reconsider.

Little did they know that God would grant not one but two of their prayers for not only did Mayor Sarion reject plans to make Barangay Bibiran an extended dumpsite, but Gawad Kalinga chose the location for the GK Pinyasan Vietnam Village.

Susan and 260 other families are beneficiaries of the GK homes that were donated by a group of Vietnam expatriates.

Last July 21, the Vietnam delegation helped in the construction of an initial 30 homes in Brgy Bibiran.

Renan Danganan, President of Ho Chi Minh’s Samahan ng Pinoy (SAPI) spoke on behalf of the Filipino expatriates in Vietnam, saying that the contributions for the 30 homes came from Filipinos working in all levels and various professions, but united in one mission to contribute in uplifting the lives of the poorest of the poor in the country.

The local government pledged to provide electrification, an access road, a sewage system and deep well water. Mayor Sarion said that the old dumpsite will be closed and transformed into a seedling bank, while the new dumpsite will be opened outside the municipal boundaries and will feature a Waste Material Recycling Facility in August.

The beneficiaries in turn will send their children to GK’s SAGIP, SIBOL & SIGA educational programs; participate actively in the livelihood projects involving planting of the sweet Formosa pineapple variety, pili nut and cocoa trees; and most importantly, attend the value formation programs that are under the auspices of the local chapter of the Couples for Christ.

Of the five hectares, two will be used for housing and the rest set aside for livelihood activities.

GK Pinyasan represents the 11th GK Village in the province of Camarines Norte.

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Fil-Ams raise funds for GK

by Patricia Esteves
From the Philippine Star
April 8, 2007

On weekends, a group of Filipino-Americans in California build homes for the poor in the Philippines "the Santa Clarita way".

Santa Clarita, California residents and Gawad Kalinga (GK) advocates Tony and Marietta Pascua, Nerwin and Cherry Du, Cynthia and Noel Barrios, Danny and Marilou Manalastas, Federico Vale and others, repaid and remodel the homes of their friends during Saturdays and donate the proceeds to GK to help build more homes for the poor.


Nerwin Du and Noel Barrios conceptualized the fund-raising project called the Gawad Kalinga Bayanihan Builders (GKBB) sometimes in 2006.

D said they thought of the project while they were painting a portion of a friend's house. They eventually suggested fixing other friends' homes on weekends as a fund-raising project for GK. They've heard friends' experiences as GK volunteers in the Philippines and were thinking of how they could also help raise $75,000 to build a new village in Bukindon, to be named Santa Clarita 2.

"I suggested this to our household leaders and one of the members needed to paint their guest room that same weekend. We started painting houses and in one day we raised $300", said Du.

Du, a contractor, said that since they started the GKBB project in Santa Clarita, they have already raised almost $55,000 in pledges to build another GK village in Bukidnon.

Noel and Cynthia Barrios said they simply painted one bedroom for a client friend but word got around that they were good and soon they were receiving requests to remodel more homes.

"We ask them to buy the materials and the cost of labor is paid through check payable to ANCOP USA (Answer the cry of the Poor), the foundation of Gawad Kalinga. Through this, our clients get a good contractor-quality job and at the same time make donations for our less fortunate countrymen, not to mention it's a tax write-off at the end of the year," Barrios said.

Another GK Bayanihan Builder, Tony pascua said that this is their way of showing their fellow Filipinos of their concern even if they are far away. It also brings volunteers closer to each other. Husbands in the community help Du in changing the flooring, putting crown moldings, replacing the windows and doors, installing recessed lights, changing kitchen cabinets, while the wives help in painting the homes. "The Bayanihan Build in the US does not only help the poor but has also strengthened the relationships among the volunteers." Other members of the GK Bayanihan Build said they have not stopped loving their motherland and would always work or donate their time, energy to help the poor in the Philippines.

For the egroup: Visit http://dps-class67.blogspot.com/

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