Gala: An empowered community at the top of Misamis Occidental by Shaun Alejandrae Y. Uy
MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL – The picturesque view around Barangay Gala, Municipality of Tudela in Misamis Occidental provides serenity for the Subanen tribe who reside there.
One would wonder why they live on top of a ravine, somehow, “when you get there, you’ll know why” says Bong Alcantar of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10. Sunset view over Barangay Gala The DSWD's Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community Driven Development (Kalahi CIDSS-NCDDP) takes people for a look-see on how the empowered community is well underway to development. The climb required traversing an open-trail; almost 80 degrees uphill climb starting from the river bank. “We wanted to see for ourselves the beauty of Gala and how the living conditions of the Subanen tribe who are there,” said Alcantar. “They’re 100% Subanen, the community is one of a kind – both sides are ravines but the view is beautiful, Gala has electricity and a school building, but they lack a working water system, their main source of income is farming – and still follow the traditional ways of farming” continues Alcantar. Gala used to have a working water system; however, the pipes were installed underground and due to kaingin (cutting down and burning of trees), these melted under extreme heat. “So now, the more common
thirst quencher there are softdrinks, if you want water, you’ll have to trek back to the river” says Alcantar. “Ang mga tawo dadto, wala'y footwear, mostly barefoot, kung naay footwear, pinikas kung dili – oversized (the people there have no footwear, most of them are barefoot, if they have a footwear it’s either mismatched or oversized),” says Alcantar. The community sub-project is a pathway from the river bank stretching two kilometers and will cost 2.08M; some parts of the pathway will be stair-type. In the barangay assembly, community volunteers of Gala were given instructions for the subproject implementation like documents required, request of fund release and completion of requirements for fund release. “Enthusiastic sila, nangutana sad sila what if kung dili mahuman ang project, akong tubag – with the guidance sa atong staff mahuman gyud na, so gi-assure nila nga paningkamutan gyud nila mataiwas nila ang sub-project ug magtinabangay sila (they are enthusiastic and are asking what if they cannot finish the project, I just told them that with the guidance of our staff, it will be done, so they assured me that they can finish the sub-project and they will help each other)” Alcantar enthused. The Subanens of Gala are hopeful that when the pathway will be
completed – more people would visit their place and “ang pathway mao gyud ni ang makahatag ug higayon para madala ilang mga produkto sa merkado (the pathway will give opportunity for them to bring their products to the market)” concludes Alcantar. Community-driven development (CDD) refers to an emerging approach
in community development practice where processes, principles, strategies and resources are applied to ensure community empowerment by giving the people authority and control over decisions and resources. In the Philippines, CDD is implemented through the DSWD Kalahi CIDSSNCDDP.
PNP Iligan joins nationwide simultaneous Earthquake Drill 2016
by Lorry V. Gabule
ILIGAN CITY – The Iligan City Police Office of the Philippine National Police (ICPO-PNP) participated in the conduct of nationwide earthquake drill at its headquarters in Camp Tomas TLl Cabili, April 21, 2016. PSSupt Edgar M Daniel Jr, ICPO acting city director, said this is in line with the first quarter nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill 2016 dubbed “Oplan Pagyanig.” The activity is in coordination with the Iligan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office/ Disaster Preparedness and Response Team (ICDRRMO). The drill ensures that essentials skills and knowledge are available for the accomplishment of non-routine tasks such as emergency response earthquake procedures of the PNP. Further, it is envisioned to serve as training tool to further develop
and maintain skill in certain basic operations or task, or to reinforce a skill or practice/review procedures of every PNP personnel. Alexander A. Racmat Jr. of ICDRRMO conducted briefing and demonstration of standard drill and evacuation using simple steps to inform ICPO personnel prior to the earthquake drill. Simultaneously, the Iligan City Police Station (ICPS) 3, in Tag-ibo, Barangay Dalipuga, participated the disaster preparedness and response activity for this drill. The activity synthesized the respective strategic plans of the
National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) through the ‘National Disaster Response Plan for Earthquake’ and observed the protocol as stipulated in Implan “Saklolo 2014” (Policing During Disaster).
Likewise, ICPS Command, participated in the earthquake drill, at their headquarters in Camague, Barangay Tubod, Iligan City. The activity was participated by 15 personnel coming from 1st and 2nd Platoon and the office personnel.
Police on full alert status CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Police troops in northern Mindanao is placed on full alert status, intensified target hardening measures and took extra security precaution to thwart possibilities of the CPP-NPA-NDF. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) celebrated on April 24 its 43rd Founding Anniversary. Per report, the NDF has initiated on April 22 a synchronized protest rallies in Mindanao in the form of “kampuhan” to consolidate all NDFaffiliated organizations throughout the region. It aims to drumbeat recent issues perpetuating the information environment to fuel up the final blow against the government to highlight their anniversary. These groups are courting violent reactions from the security forces by instigating and feeding information to attract security forces as their scheme of deception by confronting them head-on which will surely lead to the expected kind of violence they are laying before the government forces.
PCSupt Jose L Gentiles, regional director, Police Regional Office (PRO10) reiterates that the police force is on top of the situation. All police stations are implementing stringent security measures to pre-empt any eventuality that may arise during the synchronized protest rallies “kampuhan” initiated by the NDF. Meanwhile, PRO 10 solicits the cooperation of the community to be vigilant and deny the rebel group’s activities and encourages the public to report any suspicious persons, activities and unusual occurrences in public or any untoward incidents and crime situations to the nearest police station through its hotline 09176311813 and social media (Twitter-@RPCRDPRO10/@pnppro10 or Facebook @ Rpcrd Pro Ten) or through sms 2920. (RPIO/PRO10)