In the agricultural fields of Ramos town in Tarlac lies Sitio Paoay, a small community in Barangay Guiteb full of dreams for their children’s future.
For the community members, the simple task of letting their children go to school becomes both a hopeful and difficult journey.
In an interview with DSWD’s #Kwento ng Pag-asa at Pagbabago (#KPAP) team, Monaliza Lising, a day care child’s mother, vividly remembers those days they had to walk up to 4 kilometers, under the scorching sun or pouring rain, just to reach the nearest school in another town.
“Sobrang napakahirap po, kasi ang layo po ng eskwelahan kaya Grade 1 pa lang po yung anak ko, kasi noon po nung buntis pa po ako, hindi po siya nakapasok ng kinder,” Monaliza told #KPAP.
The children of Sitio Paoay were used to daily treks that consumed not only time but energy. After walking to school, they return home at noon for lunch, only to walk back again.
During the rainy season, the journey becomes more perilous because of the flood and inclement weather. For some townsfolk, the lack of food and money also meant skipping school altogether.
Despite these challenges, the parents and children of Sitio Paoay endured – believing that education was the bridge toward a better life.
It was in 2024 when the community’s situation changed for the better.
A group of public servants from the Career Executive Service Board’s (CESB) Integrated Salamin-Diwa (SALDIWA) ng Paglilingkod Training Course Batch 53 visited the community for an immersion.
Director Bernadette Mapue-Joaquin of the DSWD’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) National Program Management Office (NPMO), who is also a member of the SALDIWA Batch 53, recalled that they did not immediately introduce themselves as government officials because they wanted to understand first the condition of the community.
When the team found out that the pressing need of the community is about children risking their safety in order to learn, the SALDIWA members’ initial idea was to provide bicycles, but they knew that it was only a temporary fix.
“Dahil wala namang budget ang aming klase ang naisip naming solusyon na makakaya ng aming bulsa bigyan sila ng bike para madala nila ‘yong mga bata sa eskwelahan. Pero alam namin na band aid solution yan, dahil hindi siya sustainable. Nakipag-ugnayan po kami sa regional director ng DSWD na sa kabutihang palad CESO rin po siya. Nilatag namin ‘yong problema,” Judge Carlo Jolette Fajardo, CESB SALDIWA Batch 53 President, told #KPAP.
With the help of DSWD’s Field Office 3-Central Luzon and the KALAHI-CIDSS program, the CESB team was able to facilitate the construction of a multi-purpose building which serves as a day care center and evacuation site, giving the children of Sitio Paoay a safe space to learn and shelter during calamities.
The KALAHI-CIDSS utilizes the community-driven development (CDD) approach which enables community members to take control over decisions and resources for their local development.
Through the program, community members of Sitio Paoay actively participated in identifying and prioritizing their community’s concerns and allow them to design, implement, and manage solutions to their priority problems.
On October 1, 2024, the construction of the Php1.3 million multi-purpose building began.
“Ang unang-unang pong nakatulong sa amin ‘yong KALAHI-CIDSS, DSWD tapos kami pong community volunteers dito, sina kapitan, mga councilor ng barangay. Ang ginawa namin nagtulong-tulong kami kung may mga dumating na materyales ‘yong gagawin paaralan nililista namin lahat, lahat po para walang problema,” Sitio Paoay Vice Chairperson Marissa Tagaliculud narrated on how the whole community helped in the subproject.
By working hand-in-hand, the new facility was immediately completed 2 months later on December 5.
“Hindi po maibsan ‘yong saya namin kasi naranasan na naming may eskwelahan dito sa maliit na barrio na ito para sa mga bata na malaking tulong sa kanila,” a beaming Marissa said.
Teachers, too, have noticed a positive change in the attitude of students after the subproject was finished.
“Na-lessen po yung pag-absent nila sa paaralan. Iyon po yung unang-una kong nakita na pagbabago sa kanila. Since napalapit po yung paaralan sa kanila, nasa community na po nila yung eskwelahan so hindi na po nila kailangan maglakad ng malayo, and hindi na rin po naging hindrance yung kawalan nila ng baon sa araw-araw,” said Teacher Lerissa Caberto from Guiteb Elementary School Annex.
Aside from the multi-purpose facility, the CESB members also helped facilitate the installation of a water facility in Sitio Paoay through a partnership with the Ramos Water District.
With continued help, the hope sparked by a single building grew even stronger as the community now dreams of additional classrooms and more teachers to help in their children’s education.
The success in Sitio Paoay serves as an evidence on how long-term solutions through collaboration between the government and community members can make dreams into a reality.
The #KPAP is the award-winning online documentary program of the DSWD aired every Tuesday over the agency’s social media accounts. It is hosted by Information Officer Bianca Piedad-Tamondong of the Digital Media Service (DMS) under the Strategic Communications. (AKDL)
