The story happened in Barangay Barubuhan, municipality of Sominot in Zamboanga del Norte CIRCA 2011-2012. I, Chona Gorda was then a Deputy Area Coordinator (DAC) in the said area. Currently I am working as the Regional Infrastructure Assistant of Kalahi-CIDSS.
I was then the new replacement of an outgoing DAC for the second cycle implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS in Sominot. During the validation phase, wherein I was able to talk to the Barangay Chairman and other members of the community, they showed no interest at all in participating. I wondered why they seemed to shut me out when I was yet trying to discuss to them a Kalahi-CIDSS opportunity for their community. Later, I came to know that their community was not prioritized during the 1st cycle implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS. That instance disheartened everyone in their community and made them feel that there will never be any assurance that their proposed sub-project will be realized by KC after all.
Right then I realized that communities which were not prioritized in the previous cycles should really be given a special attention when dealing with. Since then, I gave this municipality my extra time to make them understand the whole process, why their proposed project was not prioritized in the previous cycle and how we can get a sure spot in the priority list this time when the Municipal Inter Barangay Forum comes.
Their proposed sub-project was a Spillway, a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a river which used to be the cause of their hardships in terms of accessing basic social services. The village chairman shared how the residents in Barubuhan had been faced with gruesome happenstances whenever hard rain would pour and they’d be left isolated as no one could cross the said river with strong current and high water level. This had caused children not being able to attend school, men couldn’t continue with their livelihood, affecting too the transporting of agricultural products and even pregnant women and sick persons could hardly access health services.
Because of this, they still wanted it for the 2nd cycle, and so we pushed it harder. Upon sight validation, I saw that there was a need of an additional project aside from the spillway. I suggested that they have to include the construction of sectional concreted pathway and 2 drainage canals. I’m happy to note that I was already seeing their interest and willingness to help out. They were even receptive of all the recommendations by the technical staff on the ground.
Eventually, their proposal was included in the priority list. However problems came our way. One of which was that the lot where the sub-project was supposed to be constructed was privately owned. This means that the Barangay and the volunteers had to secure the lot donation documents. It was another opportunity where I saw how the changes in the volunteers and the whole community took place. I personally saw the transformation of the community member from being resistant and passive to being enthusiastic and active in gathering all pertinent documents and joining the Kalahi-CIDSS undertakings.
Submission of all these documents even caused a near-death experience to the Barangay Sub Project management Committee (BSPMC) Chairperson’s wife. Floro Ahat rushed to Kalahi-CIDSS office to submit the remaining documents. Since he was rushing, he forgot to inform his wife about the fired pit kiln that he left covered with a metal piece. Unaware, his wife stepped on it and fell off. She sustained 2nd degree burns on her legs and some parts of her body. She was immediately rushed to the hospital and was fortunately cured in due course.
The sub-project was completed in no time, with the help and the power of cooperation among the people of Barubuhan. Everytime I get to visit the barangay to monitor the progress, the residents would gladly share how their situation has changed. ###by Chona Gorda
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