Washing Away Old Behavior After Yolanda

Barangay Plaridel, a remote village in the municipality of Dagami in Leyte, has moved on from super typhoon Yolanda.  The survivors there now focus on the opportunities rather than their losses.

“Typhoon Yolanda changed our lives. It changed our way of farming and how we do things everyday.  We are still adjusting to the changes, among them our village’s improved hygiene practices,” said Barangay Captain Benedicta Gabrieles.  Plaridel was one of the hardest-hit remote upland villages.


Coconut farming used to be the main source of income. The villagers admitted that before typhoon Haiyan struck, their community did not practice environmental and personal sanitation.

“Before the typhoon, only 33 households out of 126 have toilets. Everyone in the community disposed feces and defecated in the field, bushes and open spaces or under banana and coconut trees," Gabrieles shared while villagers beside her laugh with disgust and shame.
Gabrieles and her constituents admitted that owning toilets was never a top priority in their community.

“I have been in this village for three decades but I never owned a toilet. If we buy a latrine, our family will be hungry for weeks,” added Roselyn Tulfo, a mother of 5.
A latrine costs about $100 or P4,400 in Philippine pesos.

Doing it ‘Anywhere’
Tulfo used to allow her children to defecate anywhere. “If they want to, I told them to go to the bush but I always reminded them to be careful of snakes and other insects. If the little children are afraid to go to the bush, their playmates accompany them,”Tulfo said.

Often, the children consider defecating as part of their playtime and they would do it in open spaces that also serve as their playground. “At first, you will notice the children playing around the open spaces and when someone wants to defecate, everyone follows. They normally will do it beside a banana trunk or uprooted trees where they can sit down and hide from everyone’s view,” Tulfo narrated.

The adults admit they too defecate in the open.

This behavior changed when World Vision, in partnership with UNICEF, introduced a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) strategy that included a Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) program.
 
The campaign aims to eliminate open defecation. It also teaches households to use their toilets to ensure a clean environment and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases such as diarrhea and parasitic infections.

Many families here don't have toilets at home nor find them important.

Big change
“World Vision provided us with relief goods but what made us very happy was when they taught us on the importance of clean environment. They also provided us with latrines. The lessons they taught us will never be gone because it became our new routine,” Tulfo said.

Before World Vision distributed the latrines to beneficiaries, the World Vision WASH team carried out sanitation behavior activities in the community.

The team educated the whole village on how important hygiene and sanitation were in ensuring the health of the family and the whole community. Since then, the villagers observed the big difference from the day they did not defecate in the open.
“Now, we do not see so many flies around us since we started using our own toilets,” Gabrieles said.

But the community said it took them awhile to adjust, especially the children. “The children are not used to use toilets. My child Jeamae, 13, was afraid to use the toilet thinking she will fall down in the hole,” Tulfo said.

The hygiene and sanitation practice in the community has since become a barangay ordinance. Families who do not use their toilets will be penalized.

“The areas used for defecating were converted to vegetable gardens. We are happy that our community has become cleaner and everyone is doing gardening while we wait for our coconuts to re-grow,” Gabrieles says.

Barangay Plaridel is now one of the villages certified as a Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) barangay and is recognized as a role model for other barangays. – Source of Report: Maryann Zamora/Rappler.com

 Maryann Zamora is a Communications Officer of World Vision, an international non-profit organization that focuses on the protection of women and children. World Vision is a Project Agos partner.  Photo by World Vision.

Barangay Calls for Help in Saving Turtle Nests

Residents and fisherfolks in Barangay Candiis in Magsaysay town in Misamis Oriental are pushing for more support from the government and non-government organizations for the protection of the barangay’s nesting site of the critically-endangered hawksbill turtle.

According to barangay records, almost every month they witness several large marine turtles make it to shore to lay eggs.

Last September, the volunteers identified another nesting site and fenced the area to protect the eggs from predators and warn off beachgoers not to trample on the nesting area.

 “Several of our fishermen would report to us sightings of the turtles near the shoreline and then our fisherfolks will observe them lay their eggs and identify those nesting site for us to fence and put extra protection. Unfortunately, sometimes we will get reports of dead turtle along the coastline and even on nearby barangays and towns,” said Venerando Cabresos, barangay chairman of Candiis, Magsaysay town.
Cabresos recalls that since his childhood their barangay has been the spot where large hawksbill turtles lay their eggs.

“This barangay has been identified as an area where the turtles have been laying their eggs, and the barangay has a huge three-kilometer shoreline that should be kept safe from those who have other intentions for the turtles,” said Cabresos.

Close up view of the Hawksbill turtle.  Photo Credit:  Wikipedia.

Rolando Pagara, in-charge of the area’s Pawikan Conservation, said the effort in protecting the nesting site started back in 1999.

“Since 1999, so much had been done for the protection and preservation of the nesting sites here in Magsaysay. Unfortunately, most of our volunteers also need additional support for their livelihood for them to also sustain their families. Monitoring these areas requires a huge amount of time and effort, this takes away valuable quality time for most of our volunteers who are also fishermen,” said Pagara.

Pagara explained the need for protecting the marine turtles that lay their eggs in the area.
“Our town, Magsaysay is a very unique case since from study most hawksbill turtle lay egg on white sand beaches, here you see brown sand yet they still come back year after year to lay their eggs. As far as I know, this town has the most numerous record of hawksbill turtle nesting in the Philippines. And the amazing part, is that we also have in several occasion other marine turtles such as the Olive Ridley and Green turtle nesting along our coastline,” he said.

Pagara added that even though most of the fishermen know that it is illegal to hunt and catch the turtles he gets reports of dead turtles washed out in the shoreline without Carapace or the turtles shell; a sought commodity in the black market.

“Hawksbill shells are the primary source of tortoiseshell material used for decorative and medicinal purposes. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species outlaws the capture and trade of hawksbill sea turtles and products derived from them,” Pagara said.

Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act aims to protect all wildlife, including the marine turtles. Hunting, killing, gathering, their eggs, destroying their nests, selling, transporting and mere possession of any part or derivatives is punishable with a fine of P100,000 to P1,000,000 and/or imprisonment of 16 to 12 years. (Original Post, Villagers Call for Renewed Support on Turtle Nesting by Erwin M. Mascarinas, SunStar Cagayan de Oro, Oct. 3, 2014)

A Barangay Should Be a Bastion of Our Democracy

By: Manny Valdehuesa

If a person’s home is said to be his castle, a citizen’s community is the bastion of his freedom and way of living; in both cases, one must be solicitous and protective.

Given the infirmities of our political system, the least we citizens can do is secure the arrangements in our respective communities and try to influence events and processes in constructive ways in order to exemplify civilized and harmonious living.

We should foster a sense of community by relating to one another in neighborly ways, holding more meetings of the Barangay Assembly, addressing more thoroughly our local concerns, and work to promote harmony and solidarity.

The Barangay Assembly, composed as it is of all adult residents, can be a powerful forum for reforms and a culture medium for orderly change. It involves the entire community, so it is the ideal venue for bringing its diverse sectors together.

As an all-inclusive forum and decision-making body, it can also serve to process issues and expand understanding in the minds and hearts of everyone.
*****

But very rarely do barangays engage in open, candid, or free discussions; so there is no leveling of attitudes, values, or opinions; no cross-fertilization of insights or ideas about policies, priorities, or programs. There ought to be wide understanding, broad agreement, or express cooperation among neighbors.

Citizen participation in community-wide deliberations should condition local governing approaches and styles. Such social and political participation render people less susceptible to the wiles of traditional politics and its corrupting influences.

It is also in the course of participatory processes that people influence one another, leading to mutual agreement, understanding, and cooperation. Such processes are especially important in a community that is home to multi-sectoral, multi-ethnic citizens.

We need not convert or persuade one another; but we do need to open our eyes to our different views and lifestyles. Persuasion need not be an overt purpose; but it can just happen in indirect or subtle means. Even simply voicing an opinion carries influence. One’s presence alone can be a positive influence.
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Expressing a positive opinion about someone is an indirect way of endorsing him or her for serious consideration, while complaining about the policies or principles of another is a subtle way of discouraging others from endorsing or supporting him.

There ought to be frequent discussions on policies and public affairs in our community. Democracy would mature faster if people are used to open discussions, group petitions, and shared resolutions on matters of mutual interest.

Such petitions and resolution have great impact on the upper levels of the political system in ways that few are aware of, in unseen or even devastating ways.

It’s important to keep in mind that it is unlawful for barangay officials to engage in partisan politics. As the ground-level implementers of the strategy of political party campaigns, it is they who make it possible for party candidates, regardless of background or competence, to win the community’s votes. To engage them in conversation, to monitor possible violations in thought or conduct, is healthy for social interaction and community development.
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Absence of interaction within the community renders its members susceptible to manipulation and external influence. It is why party-sponsored candidates generally have an edge in winning a community’s vote, especially if no significant contrary voices are raised from the neighborhoods. That’s why it is important to attend community meetings, to prevent untoward influences to dominate.

As the basic unit of our Republic, its building block, it is important for the barangay government to conduct itself in accordance with law.

Wayward barangays and badly-performing barangay leaders are bad for our Republic’s stability and integrity. They are easily infiltrated by insurgents, their officials easily fooled into supporting Communists who pretend to champion the causes of the poor.

Today, according to intelligence estimates, as much as one-fourth of our barangays are influenced by the Communist New People’s Army, with no data on others under the sway of terrorist enclaves in Mindanao.
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It’s what happens when barangay officials are readily manipulated by people with dubious loyalty to the Republic or when big traditional politicians (trapos!) bribe local officials to do their bidding.
Just like any foundation—for an edifice, an institution, or any social structure—the base is an essential determinant of stability and endurance. A building with an unsteady base cannot withstand earthquakes or gale-storms. An institution—like a school with a weak curriculum and mediocre faculty—won’t endure for long.

So is it with a democratic republic; it needs a durable base consisting of a citizenry with unshakeable political will.

By this is meant a constituency consisting of caring, engaged, and informed citizens: caring about its wellbeing, engaged in its governing processes, informed of its affairs, and alert in protecting it against negative influences. Tend to your barangay! Attend your Barangay Assembly On October 12! (Source: MindaNews, Oct. 1, 2014.)

Manny is former UNESCO regional director for Asia-Pacific; secretary-general, Southeast Asia Publishers Association; director, development academy of Philippines; vice chair, Local Government Academy; member, Cory Govt’s Peace Panel; and PPI-UNICEF awardee, most outstanding columnist. Today he is President, Gising Barangay Movement Inc valdehuesa@gmail.com

How Do Barangays Handle Cases of Violence Against Women

Sunstar Davao recently reported that every other day, a woman would seek for a barangay protection order in Davao City to protect them from abusive husbands. 

This is happening in just one barangay alone in this city of more than 180 barangays. 

What about in scores of other barangays, way up from Batanes down to Tawi-Tawi?

In the barangay where I served as a member of its Lupon Tagapamayapa, I handled and mediated such cases too with regularity, though our village is relatively small.

In these cases, I’ve encountered several instances of women asking for protection orders from their husbands for maltreatment.

What is a protection order?  How can it help women from further abuse by their husbands? 

Image Credit: Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia

According to the UP-based Family and Community Healing Center, a Barangay Protection Order is an order issued for the purpose of preventing further acts of violence against a woman or her child such as physical, sexual, and psychological violence, as well as economic abuse as specified by R.A. 9262.  

Its purpose is to safeguard the victim from further harm, minimize any disruption in the victim’s daily life, help the victim to independently regain control over her life.

The site is one valuable source of information for abused women to learn from and to protect them from cruel and abusive husbands.  It’ll guide them every step of the way on what to do in case they encounter such a situation, including how and where to file for a protection order. 

When mediating, I was not supposed to get involved personally and should always maintain a very objective attitude when settling family disputes.  However, in many instances, I can’t help from being biased in favor of the abused wife and their children.

It’s good that there’s a law for these women and children and we have the barangay government as the first line of defense to protect them.

It is a must for all barangay councils in the country to abide by the Magna Carta for Women and put up a desk dedicated to handling cases of violence against women. These councils are supposed to set aside a budget for the purpose.

The desk is tasked to give assistance and psycho-social support to women and to draft plans on women protection.

Most of the cases filed in the barangays are psychological abuse by partners, extramarital affairs of husbands, and physical abuse.  There are also cases of prostituting women and minors, inhumane condition for domestic helpers, and forced organ donation.

To minimize the incidents of women being victims of violence, the barangays need to have a program for empowering these women through community discussions and lectures on how to deal with abusive husbands.  They should also be taught on how to fend for themselves so that they’re not totally dependent on the income of their spouses and partners.

Otherwise, the barangay halls will always be full of abused women and children and the scarce resources of the barangays stretched to the limits.

Why Do PDEA Agents Distrust Barangay Officials

This happened in a city in the Visayas but I guess it’s happening in many barangays elsewhere given our country’s widespread drug trafficking problem.

Panay News reported that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) had been pressuring barangay officials to cooperate in the campaign against drug trafficking.  

But in a recent sting operation, its operatives appeared to be distrustful of local leaders.

The council of a barangay in the city where a buy-bust operation was staged passed a resolution condemning PDEA agents.  The village officials complained that “the raiding team did not coordinate, inform or invite any member of the council” about their operations.

An agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (right) leads 

a provincial board member out of the PDEA headquarters to a 

court to face charges for alleged illegal drug trade. GMA News.

But a PDEA regional director said that there was nothing illegal or irregular with what his men did.  He cited previous experiences that made his agents less trusting of barangay officials in anti-drug operations.      

Officially witnessing actual anti-drug operations or simply having authority over any government operations in a barangay is within the powers of barangay officials.  

This could be the reason why these officials accused PDEA of “knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully” not observing and following the prescribed rules and procedures in buy-bust operations.

But another set of laws seems to be in favor of PDEA in a way.  Section 21 of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) did not require witnesses in anti-illegal drug operations to be from a subject barangay.

The experience of the agency showed many instances when barangay officials who witnessed buy-bust operations would deny having signed the inventory sheet of items recovered from drug suspects.  Some of them even claimed that their signatures were forged.

These incidents often led to dismissal of many cases filed against drug suspects.

Confidentiality of the drug operation is a prime consideration, according to the drug agency.

When staging sting operations, PDEA agents take into consideration several factors. This includes the possibility of barangay officials protecting the drug suspects.

According to one of its officials, “there should be no leaks as to when or where the PDEA agents would operate so as to deny drug suspects the chance of fleeing", reported Panay News.