Living in Laoang
Laoang has always been an important part of Philippines’ history. According to early writings, the Christianization of Laoang was as early as the evangelization of the whole archipelago since the municipality is an old settlement that dates back during the Pre-Hispanic era. Geographically speaking, the town which is composed of barangays from the mainland and two islands facing the Pacific, is located at the eastern side of the province of Northern Samar that makes the area vulnerable to typhoons and strong monsoons.
But Laoang is not just a constant target of storms. Like any other towns in the Philippines, it is also stormed by unvarying poverty. This is the main reason why Laoang is one of the early recipients of the Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapit-Bisig sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services; a poverty alleviation program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas.
Kalahi-CIDSS in the Island
Laoang started its Kalahi-CIDSS implementation in November 12, 2006 completing three cycles as a partner implementer of Kalahi-CIDSS: Kapangyaihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay until 2010. This was followed by Kalahi-CIDSS Makamasang Tugon Community-Driven Development (CDD) Local Policy Planning and Harmonization Project from 2010 until 2012. The Makamasang Tugon is another Kalahi-CIDSS modality wherein good performing LGUs implementing the said program were given incentives to institutionalize the CDD mechanism and were granted additional funds for the purpose.
An additional grant project was also given to Laoang from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid) now dubbed as the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) grant in 2013 up to 2015.
With the implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS, sub-projects like farm-to-market roads, bridges, water supply systems, drainage canals, school buildings, and day care centers were successfully constructed in the municipality, answering the most pressing needs of its residents.
Carmelita Notarte, a Day care worker in Brgy. Sto. Nino describes the program as a champion. Because of the grant received from the Australian Agency for International Development, the community has already a center for little kids ready for pre-elementary learning. “Yana mas madali na mahabaro an mga bata kay mas conducive na an ira classroom. Mas dumamo an mga kabataan na gusto mag day care kay kumpleto man gud ini hin facilities [Now, learning with children is a lot easier because of the more conducive classroom. The enrollment rate is higher than the usual because more kids want a day care center with complete facilities]”.
CDD as a Way of Living
LGU Laoang has developed and institutionalized the framework of the Municipal Implementation Plan of Kalahi-CIDSS through Municipal Ordinance no. 130 in 2010 creating the Community-Driven Development Center under the Office of the Municipal Mayor. It is competently managed by the Municipal Coordinating Team.
According to Mayor Madeleine Ong, the CDD institutionalization is their way of bridging leadership for citizen’s meaningful participation in local governance and development. “For us, this means strengthening the roles and functions of the municipal and barangay officials in tandem with civil society organizations (NGOs, People’s and Community-based organizations) in applying the principles of broader participation, greater transparency and public accountability in local development planning, budgeting, implementation and performance monitoring and evaluation.”
With the CDD institutionalization, the local government of Laoang has also reconstituted the Expanded Municipal Development Council (E-MDC), making the Kalahi-CIDSS’ Barangay Project Management Committee Chairpersons as voting members along with their Punong Barangays. Likewise, the Expanded Barangay Development Councils (E-BDCs) was reconstructed designating the Kalahi-CIDSS’ BSPMC Chairpersons as Vice Chairpersons of the Brgy. Captains.
The municipality has also reformed the Expanded Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) with voting representations from the Kalahi-CIDSS’ BSPMC, Parent-leaders of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Basic Sector Organizations and Civil Society Organizations. “The trajectory of Laoang’s governance and development work is towards building self-reliant and self-propelling families and communities.” Mayor Ong highlighted.
Unity amidst Calamity
Cahayagan, an island barangay of Laoang, is a proof that CDD could be a tool against catastrophes. If there is one thing that the community is happy amidst Glenda, Ruby and Yolanda, it was the solidarity among the residents that flourished even during the hardest times.
“Dahil sanay na sa assembleya an mga tawo, hindi naging mahirap na ipatawag sila noong mag-meeting bago dumating ang bagyo. Pag nagsiring na bakwet kayo, ma-bakwet an mga tawo dayon. Waray na diskusyon [Since people are already used to assemblies, it was not difficult to convene them for an urgent meeting before the typhoon hits. When you tell them to evacuate, they will evacuate immediately, no more arguments]”, BSPMC Chairperson Vivian Serbito explained.
Through the Kalahi-CIDSS, Brgy. Cahayagan was able to construct a two-unit school building and a day care center which still stand proud after the coming of super typhoons.
When asked if they were afraid that their project would get destroyed during the onslaught of the series of typhoons that hit Eastern Visayas, Vivian proudly answered, “Confident gud kami nga diri maguba an eskwelahan kay kami gud ito an nag-ayad ngan bumulig kami siton pag-plano. Ngan ito nga school building gin-tindog hiya nga natalikod san hangin kun panahon hin bagyo. Salit waray gud ito kalabti. [We were very confident that the school would not get destroyed because we constructed it. We all helped during the planning stage. In fact, the school building was designed not to face the strong winds during rainy seasons. That is why it is unharmed]”.
Brgy. Cahayagan’s sub-project is a national awardee in 2012 on Best Practice in Social and Environment Safeguard under the grant of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Sheryl Adora Eramia, former Barangay Sub-Project Mgt. Committee Chairperson of Brgy. San Antonio bares her experience as a CDD implementer. “Diri na problema pagpatawag ha mga residente kay naka-intindi na hira hit Community-Driven. Waray na na-iba ha mga tawo ngan mas nag-upay an ira pagburublig han panahon han kalamidad [It is no longer a problem when we call the residents because they already understand the essence of Community-Driven. There were no more differences among people. They helped each other especially during calamities]”.
Today, Sheryl is already part of the Municipal Coordinating Team as Community Empowerment Facilitator in the municipality.
Lessons Learned
In her speech during the awarding ceremony of the 1st Bayani Ka! Awards, Mayor Ong emphasized that the Local Government Unit of Laoang has always been directed by the time-honored dictum that Public Office is a Public Trust. “The people of Laoang has been guided by this primordial leadership principle which is anchored on the servant-leadership notion inspired by Jesus Christ’s declaration I come to serve and not to be served.”
The Bayani Ka! Award is a recognition given by the DSWD through Kalahi-CIDSS for the hard work and dedication done by program supporters including Local Government Units for their active role in promoting CDD. LGU Laoang bagged the award for Improved Local Governance besting other LGUs across the county.
According to the Local Chief Executive of the town, if there is one lesson the people of Laoang learned, it is the power of community-spirit and solidarity among different people that can weather any storm or tragedy. Clearly, any circumstance is bearable when people work together and this has always been instilled in the hearts and minds of the locals.
“As a servant-leader, we have crafted a catchy banner called ‘Magburublig Kita!’ or Let us work together! This has been an inspiring and encompassing covenant in reaching out to our people. This is our own way of mobilizing our people into sharing whatever they have to the least, the last and the lost”, Mayor Ong gloriously declared.
With the scaling up of Kalahi-CIDSS into NCDDP or National Community-Driven and Development Program, the program is covering 136 municipalities in Eastern Visayas with a target of 2, 176 sub-projects focusing on rehabilitation to be implemented this year. In 2014 alone, Laoang received Php 23.4 million for community infrastructure that will provide basic social services to the public. DFAT and Kalahi-CIDSS on the other hand, is currently implementing 24 sub-projects in Northern Samar which are mostly day care centers and school buildings.