ERNIE MAIPID, JR.
For two decades now, Gawad Kalinga (GK) has sought to help the underprivileged in their struggle with poverty by building caring and sharing communities. Initially, it constructed homes, believing that homelessness and landlessness were urgent primary concerns. As relations with low-income people deepened, we learned that hunger, health, and basic education were more primary and pressing.
Today, GK has set its trajectory to respond to the more urgent survival concerns in its commitment to help the country’s poor, especially our farmers and fisher folk, out of this death pathway.
In GK, we believe that poverty is death and that raising the poor out of this circumstance opens them to life and brings them to experience the fullness of the dignity that God had endowed all with.
This inspiration led us to Rho and Jenny in the storm-beaten paths they once journeyed.
Rho Sic is a beneficiary of GK’s response to the victims of Typhoon Sendong, which hit Iligan City in 2011. The typhoon caused the river overflow on the banks of which Rho’s family had made home.
‘It was devastating!’ he recalls.’ Sendong’s gushing floodwaters carted away our meager savings, life memories, lahat ng mga pinaghirapan sa buhay – naubos!’ (everything we worked hard for was gone).
The Sics were among 1,600 families caught homeless after the storm and relocated to GK Sta. Elena.
Rho was trying to capture the right Tagalog word to describe the impact of the humble house that GK made possible for his young family. ‘Nabigyan kami ng dignidad sa pabahay na ito. Nagkaroon kami ng address, para bang may ‘title’ na kami, kabilang, kasama!’ (This house gave us dignity. We now have an address. We have become acknowledged, made a part of. We belong!)
Rho further cites the beginnings that the GK house meant to the Sendong survivors.’The residents of Sta. Elena seem to have all taken direction at improving their lives. People looked for jobs, something worth the value they were accorded.’
Jenny Cuyos is a housing beneficiary of GK’s response to Typhoon Yolanda as it battered Cebu in the Visayas in 2013.
Painfully remembering the scene of disaster, Jenny says, ‘Hindi na na namin makilala yung lugar namin, malapit sa dagat. Yung bahay, sira-sira at nakadapa sa lupa. Inalon yung aming maliit na bangka.’ (The place where we lived near the shore was hardly recognizable. Our shanty was floored down; our small fishing boat, washed out!)
‘It was time to rebuild. But from where?’ Jenny thought. ‘We only had ourselves to depend on. All needed help standing up from the tragedy. We needed to be strong!’
It was in early 2014 when Jenny and her family, together with 120 others rendered homeless by Yolanda, were awarded houses through GK and the Department of Social Welfare & Development in hilly DaanBantayan, Cebu.
Jenny says ‘Napakalaking tulong ng GK sa aming mga mahihirap. Dahil sa GK, nagkaroon kami ng bahay. Higit pa dito, tinutuan kami ng GK sa buhay. Hinikayat kami ng GK na magtulungan at magbigayan, habang sinisigurong walang maiiwanan.’ (GK is a big help to us poor! Because of GK, we have houses; but more than that, GK taught us how to live. GK encouraged us to help each other and share with one another, making sure no one is left behind!)
Continuing, Jenny adds, ‘Malaki ang pasasalamat namin na kinalinga kami ng GK. Paano na lang, kung walang nag-isip ng aming kalagayan, saan na sana kami? Kakaiba ang dinala ng GK sa aming buhay!’ (We are very thankful that GK cared. What if there was no such care, no concern, where would we be? GK made a difference in our lives.)
Today, GK is, among many community-building initiatives in villages around the country, working with farmers to address productivity and finding ways to upscale income and award people experiencing poverty a preferential value.
The same spirit moves as two farmers, Allan Socilan and Albert Austria of San Lorenzo, Camarines Norte sense in their sharings.
Albert meanwhile, says, ‘Nagtutulungan po kami ng GK sa paghahanap ng mga bibili ng aming mga pananim. Dahil dito ay nagkakaroon kami ng dagdag na kita at nababalanse ang panahon sa bukid at pamilya.’ Pinalalakas nito ang pag-asa ng kinabukasan. (GK helps us find buyers for our farm produce. Beyond additional income, this helps us balance our time for work and family. Our hope for a bright future is strengthened.)
Allan says, ‘Masigasig po ang GK sa pakikipag-usap at pagpapalakas ng aming loob. Binibigyan nila kami ng pag-asa na nasa pagsisikap at pagtutulungan namin ang ikatutupad ng aming mga pangarap para sa maayos na bukas ng aming mga anak.’ (GK is persistent in encouraging and giving us hope that by working hard and helping each other, we will be able to realize a good future for our children.)
God’s caring presence continues to stir!