Gawad Kalinga communities: On to greener pastures

A barren field with few cows grazing it, set aside by the local government due to lack of ideas on how to start a housing project for the poor, is now land host to a flourishing community. Thanks to the initiative likewise known as Gawad Kalinga (GK), the country’s alternative solution to poverty.

The two-hectare land, which is enough to accommodate about 135 housing units, is currently producing gross sales rocketing to huge amounts. Dubbed as GK Robin Hood, this place in Valencia now has an open space for parks and playgrounds, a multi-purpose hall, a SIBOL school, and more than enough livelihood opportunities for its beneficiaries.

Building a thriving community, however, was not as easy as ABC. The people behind the program had to deal with several obstacles just to make this ambitious project possible; relocating its beneficiaries 10 kilometers away from the city where they are being offered easy income because of various means and making them live in a place that can only be reached by a single motorbike, privately owned vehicles or a motorized "sikad," were big factors that had to be considered.

Further, although the site offered the people a safe and healthy environment, it held a promise of a setback: people were to be far from their children’s schools and their work place. Soon, the initial 20 families, which were closely screened, became alarmed with the thought that they were slowly losing their means of livelihood.

However, since GK is a wholistic community development program with an ultimate goal of sustainability, the group spearheaded by Ramon Magsaysay awardee Tony Meloto studied the situation and came out with opportunities that are geared toward making the beneficiaries productive.

With the help of the beneficiaries themselves, they were able to set up farms and probiotic plants in the area, offering more than enough means of livelihood for the families residing there.

To make the land fertile, they asked the help of the piggery owner near the site to provide them with pig waste that will serve as compost for the land that used to be barren.

Not too long after, vegetable plants bustling with tomatoes, sweet pepper, eggplant, ampalaya and lowland cabbage nearing harvest could already be seen elsewhere in the area. Due to such developments, the improvements in the lives of the Kapitbahayan are very evident. The hard work of the labor force is now bearing fruit, providing enough income for the family as well as funds for the Kapitbahayan Association.

More improvements like the SIBOL school, parks and deep well pumps were also added, which made the lives of the townsfolk much better.

Knowing that everything was proceeding well with the GK Robin Hood, Valencia Mayor Jose M. Galario shelled out funds to help set up the native chicken and other livestock breeding plant, realizing the concept of integrated farming in the neighborhood.

Because of the undaunted progress posed by GK Robin Hood, it will be recognized as one of the inspiring entrepreneurial communities by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE), an organization actively promoting entrepreneurship in the country. The award will be handed out by PCE founding trustee and Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III and GK Executive Director Tony Meloto during the Gawad Kalinga’s global expo on Oct. 6-8 at the SM Mall of Asia.

Proving that God helps those who help themselves, GK Robin Hood Village has generated a total of P1.4 million in gross sales in just nine months of operation. Truly, this work of nation building is for real.