ISABELA CITY, Basilan – Twenty-seven years since the EDSA People Power Revolution had proven that the
convergence of people from all walks of life - from the civilians, military,
religious, and business - could bring
about change and transform a country.
Commemorating the EDSA revolution
each year for most Filipinos is a special calendar so that the succeeding
generation of Filipinos shall appreciate the importance of freedom and
democracy that the country enjoys today.
This annual celebration and its
legacy of converging people of all sectors to topple a corrupt and oppressive
government continue to challenge the entire nation to help build our beloved
country, the Philippines.
The concept of convergence has long
been in existence since time immemorial - variously known as multi-stakeholder,
joint forces, public-private partnership, the idea of “unity in diversity,” and
the Filipino spirit of “bayanihan.”
Basilan may be thousands of miles
away from the EDSA revolution site in Manila, but this province had, at the
height of the revolution, watched the events unfold on television screens and, in
spirit and in prayer, joined the rest of the Filipinos in their aspiration for
freedom and democracy.
The annual commemoration of EDSA
revolution in the province, however, was bereft of inspiring activities that
would remind the people and the youth of that significant moment of our
history. But such inadequacy was somehow complemented by television coverage
and documentaries about that historic event. The schools have helped in
instilling in the young the significance of EDSA revolution, too.
Perhaps, remembering EDSA in this part
of the country may not be as grandiose as that in Metro Manila. But the people
of Basilan in particular and the people of Mindanao in general have their share
of fighting for freedom and democracy.
President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino
III’s vision of a “matuwid na daan” (straight path), which may have also conformed
to the vision of EDSA, has inspired many people to believe that change is
possible when people actively participate in attaining that goal.
Convergence efforts in Basilan
Forms of convergences evolved. Recently,
the military has adopted its Internal Peace and Security Program
(IPSP)-Bayanihan as its flagship project in winning peace in Mindanao. While the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), under the leadership of OIC
Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman also adopted the ARMM H.E.L.P.S. Convergence as
its flagship project to start the transformation of the region. ARMM HELPS
stands for Health, Education, Livelihood and Peace Synergy.
At the provincial level, the Provincial
Peace and Development Coordinating Committee also known as Team Basilan has
adopted the “Bayanihan Para sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran”(Convergence: Path to Peace and Development)
as its flagship project in bringing government closer to Basileños.
Together with ARMM HELPS, Team
Basilan’s convergence efforts took off in the farthest southern islands of
Basilan, a rare treat for this hard-to-reach group of islands, bringing
government services right at their community.
The marine-resource-rich but
underdeveloped islands of Tabuan-Lasa municipality is home to the fisher folks
of Sama-Badjao tribe - known to be peace-loving people with simple lifestyle as
they basically rely on what the nature has to offer.
Potable water supply is the main
problem of these island communities.
The poor state of the community was
worsened by a conflict stemming from a political rivalry between two parties in
barangays Sulloh in Tapiantana Island and Lanawan in Lanawan Island which
resulted to a number of families displaced and houses destroyed due to an armed
confrontation in August 2012.
With this, Team Basilan thought of
bringing together government agencies and non-government organizations to a
“bayanihan” to provide services to these communities.
Fortunately, Tabuan-Lasa was also
identified as one of the priority areas for the ARMM H.E.L.P.S. Convergence
Program flagship project of the regional government. HELPS brought together
regional and local government agencies, non-government organizations and the
civil society, the military and the police with their respective institutions’
services for social rehabilitation of the identified priority areas.
The other priority areas in Basilan
province for the ARMM Convergence include the towns of Al-Barka, Tipo-Tipo,
Sumisip, Lantawan, and Tuburan. The regional government gave priority to
communities underserved by the government with peace and order concerns.
Last Jan. 30 - 31, the people of Sulloh
and Lanawan were on a festive mood when the participating agencies brought
services to their respective communities. People swarmed at the services
offered by each participating agency, more particularly the joint medical and
dental services of the Provincial Health Office, the military and police, and
the municipal health office.
In an interview with S/Insp. Dr.
Jimmy Allan Bernardo of ARMM police regional office, he said that the patients
had common ailments such as the respiratory infections/diseases. He suspected
that certain cultural practices were a factor that caused the development of
these illnesses.
Bernardo said the children were vulnerable
to respiratory disease due to poor clothing, hygiene and food. “Changing certain cultural behavior
remains to be a challenge for local medical and health personnel to help
eradicate the disease,” the PNP physician added.
Although tired, Provincial Health
Officer Dr. Rhoda Delgado could still put a smile on her face as she expressed
her delight for being able to serve hundreds of people of Sulloh and Lanawan.
She also told the team during its exit conference that she’s happy that cases
of malaria had been drastically controlled if not eradicated.
Dr. Delgado and her PHO personnel
were in full force delivering medical and dental services to the communities,
together with the lone dentist Dr. Crisline Gazatan.
A medical team was also put up by
the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)-ARMM that provided veterinary
services for animals and livestock. DAF-ARMM Provincial Agricultural Officer,
veterinarian Rogelio Bahinting disclosed that in support of the convergence,
the agency’s frontline programs were conducted, like the provision of
agricultural and or vegetable seeds; veterinary services for livestock, such as
deworming, antibiotics, vitamin supplementation; sharing of agricultural
technologies for increased production; and promotion of organic farming, among
others.
Fifteen heads of cows were given
veterinary care in barangay Sulloh, 23 heads in Sampunah village and 20 heads
in Lanawan. He also reported said that some 110 packs of vegetable seeds were
also distributed to Tabuan-Lasa town.
The Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), led by its provincial director Myra Alih, brought its
equipment and paraphernalia to train a number of women in the community in
cooking banana chips, special spicy dilis, coconut candy, and fish ball as
alternative livelihood for the family.
The Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), with the support of the military, launched its 120 days
supplemental feeding program for some 1,795 children in Tabuan-Lasa town
starting with 400 kids in Barangay Lanawan. The agency also released
cash-for-work to 12 beneficiaries worth some P1,174.00 for a 10-day community
work. A total of 44 senior citizens also received their social pension of
P3,000.00 for the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2012. With the
PhilHealth, DSWD also released PhilHealth cards to Pantawid Pamilya
beneficiaries.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR)-ARMM released fishing gears to 35 families as initial
assistance to help these families rebuild themselves.
At least 37 families will receive a
new shelter as the military starts construction of core shelters for these
internally displaced families. The ARMM regional government and various donors
contributed to build the houses.
Non-government organizations also
had their share of bringing their services to the community. The Nagdilaab
Foundation Inc. (NFI) and the Basilan Advocates for Peace, Environment, and
Sustainable Development Association (BAPESDA) brought school supplies
and books for selected school children of Sulloh and Lanawan barangays. They
also conducted psycho-social debriefing sessions to elementary school children
in Sulloh. The Basilan Jaycees also donated 20 boxes of books to elementary
schools.
The same convergence efforts were
replicated in Bulanting, Lamitan City last Feb. 6, in Cambug in Al-Barka town
on Feb. 7, and more recently, and in Hadji Muhtamad town last Feb. 21.
The services brought by various
government agencies and institutions, the civil society, and the military and
police were overwhelmingly received by the beneficiaries. The impact of the
convergence efforts was evident by the smile and gratitude of the
beneficiaries. Inspired by the potentials that the convergence efforts would
bring to the communities, Team Basilan feels that there will be no let-up in
pushing through with the project in the days ahead.
This version of convergence in the province is Basilan’s way
of carrying on and living the vision of EDSA People Power Revolution by
bringing the government closer to the people to a new level, and that everyone
enjoys the fruits of what has been gained by Filipinos in the world-renowned,
non-violent revolt 27 years ago. (PIA9)