First of the 251 schools for lumads to be built in Mindanao inaugurated in AgSur town

Posted on November 25, 2016

AGUSAN DEL SUR–Underscoring the government’s commitment to promote inclusive development, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) Classroom Construction for Lumads (CCL) program in partnership with Department of Education (DepEd), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) , successfully conducted the turn-over and inauguration ceremony of the one unit-two classroom school building for lumads sub-project at Sitio Durian, Barangay Lucac, San Francisco in this province last November 18, 2016.

Shower of Blessings. Community volunteers of Sitio Durian, Brgy. Lucac, San Francisco, AdS started the inauguration of their primary school building sub-project with a ritual called “Panawagtawag”. The “Panatawag” is one of the many traditional rituals of Manobos performed in any endeavours to call upon the spirits of nature for guidance and blessings.

DSWD Caraga General Administration & Support Services Division (GASSD) Chief Ramel Jamen and DepEd’s Indigenous People’s Education Office (IPsEO) Coordinator Rozzano Rufino along with NCIP representatives and Tribal Councils led the ceremonial ribbon-cutting and unveiling of the sub-project marker. The said sub-project amounting to Php1, 680, 333 is the first of the 251 schools for lumads awarded in the different regions of Mindanao which was completed and turned over.

The tribal school building was officially received by the local government and education officials, community volunteers, as well as parents and beneficiary students of the project. The Regional and Sub-Regional Program Management Office (R/SRPMO) staff of Kalahi-CIDSS Caraga along with the Area Coordinating Team (ACT) of San Francisco for CCL witnessed the ceremonial rites.

Before the school was built, students of the area had to walk 1.5 kilometers of rugged path just to reach the nearest barangay school.

Brighter Future. DSWD Caraga GASSD Chief Ramel Jamen (right) and DepEd IPsEO Coordinator Rozanno Rufino (left) lead the ribbon-cutting rites during the turn-over and inauguration ceremony of the 1 unit and 2 classroom sub-project of Sitio Durian. The sub-project is the first of the 251 schools for lumads granted to the regions of Mindanao which was built and completed to accommodate and address the needs of lumad children in the area.

One of the community volunteers in Lucac, Mercedita España is full of gratitude and appreciation as she shared her experience during the implementation of the sub-project.

“Nagpasalamat ako sa tanan nagpaluyo sa malampusong pag implementar sa proyekto. Nalipay kami kay ang among estudyante, among mga anak, dili na magbagtas ug ingani ka lisud para lang mu eskwela. Ug kini among nakuha pinaagi sa tabang sa gobyerno sa amo mga IP (I thank everyone who is behind the successful implementation of the project. I am happy because our students, our children, will no longer have to hike along a difficult terrain just to go to school. And we attained this through the government’s help for us IPs),” España said.

Datu Danny Bando, a community volunteer and purok leader of Sitio Durian, came out of the hospital just so he could not miss the inauguration ceremony of their sub-project.

“Akong gidasig akong kaugalingun para makatambong aning importanteng okasyon sa atong komunidad. Kay kini katumanan na sa dugay natong mga damgo (I encouraged myself just so I could attend this important event in our community. Because this is the fulfilment of our long-time dreams), “Bando shared.

DepEd’s IPsEO Coordinator Rozzano Rufino emphasized that the main objective of the project is to provide accessible and culture-based education for the IPs.

“Bahagi po ito ng pagpupursige ng programa hindi lang upang masiguro na walang bata ang maiiwan kundi na yung pag-aaral mismo na nakaugat sa kultura ay kailangan nating ipagdiwang at palakasin (This is part of the efforts of the program not only to ensure that no child will be left behind but also to celebrate and strengthen the education rooted in culture), “ Rufino said.

Culture-Based Education. The school building implemented in Sitio Durian was designed conforming to the cultural preference of the tribe and built through the collaborative efforts of the community.

DSWD Caraga GASSD Chief Ramel Jamen commended everyone who has been a part of the project’s completion and encouraged continued cooperation from the community to ensure sustainability of the project.

“Sa kinatibuk-an dako ang among kalipay na natapos na kini nga proyekto. Angay natong pakpakan ang tanan na nalimbigit ani nga proyekto (As a whole, we are happy that this project has been completed. We applaud everyone who has been part of this project), “Jamen said.

“Kini na napamatud-an na dako atong mabuhat ubos sa pagtinabangay. Busa naghinaot kami na ang pag-amuma niining pasilidad angkonon kini susama sa inyong balay para kini mulahotay sa dugay na panahon ( This is a proof that we can do great things if we work together. That is why we hope that you will take care of this facility just like how you would with your homes so this will be sustained for a long period of time), “ he added.