A total of 58 households from the Mangyan-Hanonoo tribe of Sitio Bambanay, Purnaga, Occidental Mindoro is now benefitting from the completion of a one-kilometer foot trail with six footbridges sub-project of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The foot trail, which eases the access to and from the indigenous people community, was officially handed over to the barangay local government unit of Purnaga in an Inauguration and Turn-Over ceremony held at the Barangay Covered Court September 23, Monday.
“Nung wala pa pong foot trail, ang mga guro namin ay hirap sa pag-akyat papunta sa amin. Sa mga pasyente rin po namin. Kapag halimbawa po, emergency, nahihirapan po kami kasi ang ginagawa po namin ay sinasakay sa duyan para maibaba ang pasyente,” said Maricel Fugoso, Kalahi-CIDSS volunteer and part of the Mangyan-Hanonoo tribe.
The one-kilometer foot trail was the community’s identified solution to their mobility and accessibility problem heightened during times of disasters and health emergencies. The entrance to Sitio Bambanay is separated from its neighboring sitio, Sitio Nawak, by about 2.7km mountainous terrain.
Magsaysay Vice-Mayor Edgardo Eliscupidez Sr. graced the event in behalf of Mayor Cesar M. Tria, Jr. DSWD- MIMAROPA OIC-Regional Director Floreceli Gunio, meanwhile, expressed her gratitude to the community and the local government units, from provincial to barangay level, for their commitment to the successful implementation of the program.
She likewise encouraged the community to ensure sustainability of the newly turned-over foot trail and to always remember the lessons they’ve learned as volunteers.
“Huwag na huwag po kayong papayag na basta-basta masira ito. Lahat po tayo ay may naiambag dito – oras at kakayahan. Ang proseso na natutunan ay gamitin natin. Ito ang progreso na nagmumula sa tao. Ang pagtukoy ng kanilang pangangailangan at pagtukoy ng tugon ay nagmumula sa tao,” Gunio said.
Kalahi-CIDSS is the largest program in the Philippines which uses Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach in its implementation. CDD ensures that the community members are in the forefront of development process by involving them in planning, identification, implementation, monitoring, and management of the development interventions brought to poor communities. ###
