When Typhoons Tino and Uwan battered Bohol in November 2025, Barangay Panas in the town of Candijay no longer relied on shouted warnings or frantic house-to-house visits.
Instead, a clear, hourly announcement echoed across the hills, giving families time to evacuate and resulting in zero casualties.
The life-saving alerts were powered by a community-built public address system funded under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Barangay Panas is home to a close-knit community of farmers and laborers living in a beautiful but disaster-prone area. Their houses are scattered across hilly terrain, and local officials have difficulty reaching households quickly. The community’s limited access to information poses significant dangers, especially during emergencies.
For a barangay long exposed to climate risks and limited connectivity, Barangay Panas proved that when communities design their own solutions, resilience becomes possible.
Sub-project to signal for safety
According to Rosie H. Nituda, a community volunteer turned Punong Barangay, residents once relied entirely on “recorrida” or roving megaphone announcements and exhausting house-to-house visits.
“We used to run from house-to-house even when the winds were already howling,” Rosie said in an interview with DSWD personnel.
Adding to their struggle was the severely limited access to mobile signals and the internet. At the time, connectivity was a luxury reserved for households with private Wi-Fi.
The ordinary residents without such access were forced to trek up nearby mountains to catch a signal, desperate to communicate with their families and friends.
Panas residents experienced these hardships, particularly during Typhoon Odette, which underscored the urgent need for intervention through the sub-project.
Driven by a collective need for safety and a reliable communication system, the community proposed a solution through the KALAHI-CIDSS National Community-Driven Development Program–Additional Financing (NCDDP-AF).
Through the community empowerment activity cycle (CEAC), residents led the planning, procurement, and installation of four information, education, and communication devices in Puroks 2, 4, 5, and 6.
With a total project cost of Php659,843, the initiative was funded through a Php524,603.79 KALAHI-CIDSS grant, complemented by Php130,394.21 from the Municipal Local Government Unit (MLGU) of Candijay and a Php4,845 in-kind contribution from the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) of Panas.
“This initiative reflects President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s directive to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to help small communities solve their small problems. Through community-driven development (CDD) projects like the PSA system in Candijay, Bohol, we are seeing how grassroots solutions create lasting impact,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, the DSWD spokesperson, said on Friday (February 13).
Community’s collective voice
While the technical assembly was vital, the true heart of the project was the bayanihan spirit that brought it to life. Local volunteers set aside their daily tasks to participate in intensive workshops on financial management and system maintenance.
This investment in people ensured that the 461 households did not merely receive a government project; they assumed shared ownership of a system they understood and could sustain.
When typhoons Tino and Uwan struck Bohol province, the dangerous silence that once accompanied such storms was replaced by a steady stream of information; previously a mere concept, it transformed into a vital lifeline.
The steady flow of immediate, unmistakable instructions provided to the community enabled the evacuation of families in high-risk coastal areas hours before the peak winds arrived.
Ultimately, the project’s success was measured not in decibels or pesos, but in what mattered most — the quiet relief of a community that recorded zero casualty and peace of mind restored.
Sayon, Pas-Pas, and Klaro
Today, the system has streamlined the residents’ daily life. It provides accurate information regarding barangay assemblies and aid distribution, effectively eliminating the “fake news” that once sparked confusion.
Residents now describe their new reality in three words: “SAYON” (Easy), “PAS-PAS” (Fast), and “KLARO” (Clear).
For Nicko M. Molaan, a purok leader, the 10:00 p.m siren from the public announcement system has become a vital tool for enforcing curfews and helping students manage their study schedules.
Similarly, Mildred C. Galupi, a fisherman’s wife, relies on the daily siren blasts at 7:00 a.m, 12:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. to schedule work and household chores. “It ensures we receive clear information regarding upcoming activities,” she said.
Beyond disasters, the system now announces health mission schedules, assemblies, and other reminders, preventing misinformation within the community.
To ensure its longevity, the Barangay Development Council has allocated a dedicated maintenance fund in partnership with the Panas-Cambuyao Fisherfolk Association as the operation and maintenance group.
The transformation brought by the KALAHI-CIDSS demonstrates that infrastructure becomes a most powerful tool when shaped by the hands and hearts of the people it serves.
By embracing participatory planning, the residents have empowered themselves. They no longer sit in the shadows waiting for help to arrive.
“The DSWD will continue funding more CDD projects in line with the Marcos Administration’s commitment to streamline development efforts in geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas. We believe that empowering communities to identify and implement their own solutions ensures that no barangay is left behind,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
The people of Panas are no longer at the mercy of the storm. They are now informed, better prepared, and most importantly, their voices are finally being heard above the wind.
Today, the PSA system continues to serve as Barangay Plana’s clear, reliable voice which can be heard even as the howling wind of a typhoon begins to emerge over the hills of Candijay. (KB)
