The municipality of Tinglayan in Kalinga province entered into an agreement with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) for the implementation of the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services National Community Driven Development Program-Additional Financing (KALAHI-CIDSS NCDDP-AF).

KALAHI-CIDSS NCDDP-AF is a community-driven development program that is geared on empowering communities through participation and inclusivity in the planning, implementation and sustainability of development projects. The program empowers the poor, marginalized and vulnerable communities to partake in their own progress.

Barangay Butbut, home to the Butbut Tribe, became one of the beneficiaries of the program in Tinglayan.

Undertaking the KALAHI-CIDSS process, the community of Barangay Butbut Proper identified the “Construction of Slope Protection” as their priority. The slope protection project aims to keep the school building and nearby houses safe in the community from possible soil erosion.

Presently, 78 community sub-projects have been completed in Tinglayan since the Kalahi-CIDSS program started in the municipality in 2016. These projects are now considered treasures of the town: small scale irrigation systems, flood/river control infrastructures, water systems, footpath/ foot trail/ access trails, roads, multi-purpose building, bridges, school-buildings, and health stations.

Overcoming challenges

Before the construction of the project, several capability building activities were conducted by KALAHI-CIDSS for the community volunteers of Barangay Butbut to ensure that they were capable of managing and implementing their identified project.

Awarded to the most eligible bidder, the construction of the project was set to start by June 16, 2022.

As the project was about to start, rain poured consecutively for days in the municipality of Tinglayan causing several landslides in the area, which resulted in muddy and slippery road, hindering the delivery of construction materials.

Despite the constant coordination of the community members with the contractor, delivery of the construction materials remained impossible since the roads going to the village were still unpassable.

The locals were determined to start the project, even shelling out more than a thousand pesos for transportation expenses to go to the Kalahi-CIDSS office in another barangay, which is 1-hour away to follow-up with the service provider but to no avail.

Spirit of volunteerism

Aside from the road problems, another concern raised by the contractor was the unavailability of his workers to get to the area. With this, Wonie Sangngangao, a community volunteer, together with the members of the Onga’ Ababwhujug Association, re-organized a work group within the community to help implement the project.

With this development, the contractor agreed to hire the work group to implement the project. In addition, six members of the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) and two beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program also joined the group.

Despite the challenges, the community did not waver. While waiting for the delivery of the materials, the community came up with strategies to fast-track the construction so they could still finish before the deadline. They then agreed that once the materials were delivered, they would do a bayanihan, a cultural practice whereby the community members would work hand-in-hand to finish the project.

Butbut Bayanihan- the longest line

By the second week of August 2022, the materials were finally delivered to Butbut Proper. With the newly created group, the implementation immediately started. Workers and volunteers, alike, lined up to make a human chain for handing over the construction materials, as there was no other means to transport them to the actual project site.

“Maaramid ti maaramid uray awan sahod, dayta ti Bayanihan” (The work will be done even without compensation- that is what Bayanihan is all about), shared Lorenza Baccoy, Barangay Development Council-Technical Working Group (BDC-TWG) Chairperson and a KALIPI member.

With the spirit of bayanihan, they were able to complete the project in September 2022. Six months later, a Sustainability Evaluation Test was conducted to check its functionality.

“Mayat ta diyay bayanihan nga naaramid idi ket kasla naitultuloy itadta iti panag aywan idiyay project, mayat gamin iti bayanihan nga nainsigudan nga aramid iti umili, ipatibker na iti urnos iti agtutubo. Makita iti willingness ti bawat tao kasi banuren da ti sakripisyo ken iti umunay una ket diyay masagrap da nga ited diyay nga project” (The bayanihan that was done has contributed to the way the community takes care of the project. It is a really great practice of the indigenous peoples because it strengthens the order of the community. The willingness of the people to take care of it is ignited because they value their sacrifices for its success and the benefit they get from the project), Wonnie pointed out.

Instituting a heart for community development

It was not an easy journey for the community and the barangay officials of barangay Butbut Proper. But the challenges they had faced in the implementation of the KALAHI-CIDSS project led them to awaken the spirit of bayanihan in their hearts.

Through the KALAHI-CIDSS program, members of the Butbut Tribe showed that community development is attainable, especially if there is solidarity and volunteerism

Aside from the Slope Protection Project, other projects in Barangay Butbut completed by the community since 2016 through KALAHI-CIDSS included a school building and a drainage canal, with a flood control project still to be implemented. #