FOCAR_KALAHI-CIDSS_Compendium2016_final2

“Imbag man ta nakaumay kayo ditoy training tayo,” I
greeted her and she answered me casually in her
Abra Ilokano accent.
“Adu ti ubraek kuma idiay balay ngem siyak met ti
maysa nga nadutukan nga volunteer iti Kalahi-CIDSS sunga
inbaon da siyak nga umay makiseminar ditoy (There are
many household chores that I’m supposed to do
but since I was chosen as one of the volunteer,
they sent me to attend this seminar)”, she said.
Manang Mary is serving as a BSPMC Chair in
her barangay for the first time. She was elected
during their 5th barangay assembly.
IT ALL STARTS WITH A SACRIFICE
Trainings and seminars are among the many
activities that community volunteers have to
attend. This means that they have to temporarily
leave their families at home.
BSPMC Chairperson of Barit, Luba, Abra.
“Haanak kuma nga palubusan ni baket ko syak nga
makiseminar ta awan mangkita kadagidiay nuwang mi
ngem inmayak latta (My wife told me not to attend
seminar since no one will take care of our Carabao
but still I came to attend)”, Tatang Leo claimed
during a chat at Bangued when he attended the
Capability Building for BSPMC Chairpersons. When
asked why does he ends up attending trainings,
Tatang Leo happily answered “I learn a lot of things
especially when I attended the LGU forum where
we visited Kapangan, Benguet.
Tatang Leo observed that the success of Kalahi-
CIDSS program in Kapangan lied heavily on the
cooperation of volunteers as well as the support
of MLGU and BLGUs.
“It was my first time to attend such activity
outside Abra and I think I will treasure that
experience for the rest of my life,” he said.
KALAHISerye 2016|| 55
The volunteers would talk about their chores
they left back home but then during reflection
session, they would realize and appreciate the
importance of the trainings being organized for
them.
My community work also gave me the
opportunity to enter and leave Luba, Abra. The
people here are as warm as their love and care
for the environment. Their indigenous practices,
cultural values and their unwavering bayanihan
spirit are the things that sets them apart.
“Nagadu ti training ken seminar ti Kalahi ditoy
barangay, munisipyo ken daduma pay nga lugar kasla
kuma idiay Bangued ken Baguio sunga isakripisyo me ti
oras mi ken ibati mi pay ti pamilya ti manu nga aldaw
karkaro no idiay Baguio (There are a lot of trainings
and seminars in Kalahi-CIDSS conducted here in
the barangay and municipal center, in Bangued
and also in Baguio City so we need to sacrifice our
time and leave our family for a couple of days)”,
confirms Tatang Leonardo Ramos, 62 years old,
Like Langiden, the municipality of Luba is also
implementing one cycle of Kalahi-CIDSS NCDDP
after they finished three (3) cycles of the program
through the MCC grant.
Another municipality that I remember well is
the municipality of Lagayan. I find this place as
home to persevering people who are willing to
change the status of their community.
As Manang Jacqueline Tabas recounted, “A kas
maysa nga volunteer, adu met a ti naadal ko iti Kalahi-
CIDSS, naadal nu kasanu ti ag-implementar ti maysa a
proyekto, nu anya ti umuna nga maaramid ken daduma
pay (As a volunteer, I learned a lot from Kalahi-
CIDSS; I learned how to implement a project and
the steps in doing so)”.
Manang Jaqueline is the Project Implementation
Team Chairperson of her barangay. Her team is incharge
of the actual physial implementation of
their approved proposal. As the head of the PIT,
she ensures that the plan is followed properly