Life in the mountainous barangay of Caanibongan, Cabucgayan, Biliran was simple and ordinary: the heads of the family work in the farm everyday to earn a living for their families, mothers tend their homes and attend to their kids; and children who go to school walk almost a kilometer during school-days in pursue of education. What makes them far from being ordinary is how the “banig” affects their lives.

A hand-woven mat made of “buri” (palm leaves) or “tikog” the “banig” is usually used for sleeping or sitting. For the residents of barangay Caanibongan, “banig” was more than a sleep mat for them where they can rest their tired bodies. It also played a role in their livelihood.

Delia Ilagan, 43 years old, is a Kagawad in the said barangay. She shared why the native mat was central to the lives of the residents of the barangay.

“Sa gagmay pa mi hantod nidaku mi, pukawon mi sa amo parents kay gamiton ang banig. Maski katugon pa mi, kinahanglan gud na mobangon mi aron motabang pag-buwad sa amo mga abot gikan sa uma. Ang banig maoy among gamiton na buwaran sa mais ug kopras sa adlaw. Palpagan ra namo ug silhig nya mao na sad among higdaan pagka-gabii (From the time we were kids until we grew up, we got used to our parents waking us up early in the morning because they needed to use the mat. We used the mat to dry corn and coconut meat or copra during daytime. Even if we were still sleepy, we had to get up to help dry our farm products. We use the mat to dry corn and coconut meat or copra during daytime. In the evening, we slept on the same mat. We just clean it using a broomstick.

“Lisod gud kayo para namo ang pagbuwad sa among produkto sa una. Kanang lanot sa abaca bisan asa ra namo isagbay, pataka ra lagi kay wala man mi kabuwaran. Nya hugaw tan-awon sa barangay (It was difficult for us to dry our farm products. We dry the abac fiber wherever we could hang these because we don’t have a place to dry these. It makes our barangay messy)”.

“Malooy gud ko sa mga bata kay ang uban katolon tungod sa gir-hang sa banig. Ang mais kay katol man na sa panit. Ang kopras kay modukot ang baho sa amo, inig mata sa buntag kay manimaho na ug kopras (I pity the kids because they get skin rashes and irritation. Corn causes skin irritation. The smell of the coconut clings on our clothes so we smell like copra when we wake up in the morning)”.

Things changed with the construction of the 450 square meter solar dryer in the barangay, one of the sub-projects of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS).

Even if the solar dryer was only inaugurated last June 21, 2012, the residents of Caanibongan have already started experiencing the benefits of having the structure in their barangay. With a smile on her face, Delia said “Nagpasalamat mi sa Kalahi-CIDSS ug nianing Makamasang Tugon na Project. Nalipay gud mi pag-ayo sa dihang na-prioritized ang solar dryer dinhi sa among barangay. Nitabang mi sukad sa pagsugod hantod sa mahoman ang construction niana (We are thankful to Kalahi-CIDSS and this Makamasang Tugon Project. We are really happy that the solar dryer was prioritized in our barangay. We helped in the construction of that project).

While the banig will remain an essential part of their lives, it no longer has to play the dual role for the people of Caanibongan because of the solar dryer. “Karon naa na gud mi kabuwaran sa among mga produkto na dili mogamit ug banig. Amo ra na silhigan ang dryer unya mabutang na dayon namo ang amo mga produkto. Sayon nalang para namo ang pagbuwad sa mais ug kopras. Karon dili na mi manimaho ug mais ug kopras inig mata sa buntag. Makatulog na sad mi pag-ayo na dili mangatol. Ang banig pantulog nalang gud namo (Now we can easily dry our farm products without using banig. We just sweep the dryer and then we can easily put our products there without hassle. We will no longer smell of corn or copra when we wake up in the morning. We can also rest well without feeling itchy. We can finally use our banig wholly for sleeping).

Kalahi-CIDSS is a community-driven development (CDD), anti-poverty project of the government of the Philippines. It is spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It aims to improve local governance, empower the community and reduce poverty.