As part of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) project of Negros Occidental, the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) along with the 94th IB of the Philippine Army, Hope Builders Organization Negros Island Inc., and CPSU Radyo Muscovado Sweet FM continue to extend aid for the community of Sitio Madaja, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City on September 10.
The thriving sitio is situated in the northern part of Brgy. Buenavista, a community that deserves to be supported and acknowledged by the government.
The community’s access to primary education is one of the concerns since pupils and students have to endure long distances on foot and deal with heartrending difficulties in climbing hills, wading across brooks, or crossing rivers to get to school daily in sweltering heat or pounding rain.
“As debossed to our minds as teachers, education is a great equalizer and the only key towards achieving one’s goal in life. Nevertheless, the support of all sectors must be done with sustainability for a community like Sitio Madaja that communes with hopeful children yearning to learn”, Riza Carasaquit, a volunteer teacher, said in a statement.
“During the learning session, I saw how non-reader parents and adults are eager to learn how to read and write. With that, I find it necessary that our education department will try to look into this matter and give them venue as an intervention to bridge the education gap,” Carasaquit added.
Reymund Titong, HBONI’s head for external affairs, said, “education for the youth must be given with due attention because deception comes after illiteracy which puts the youth prone to the recruitment of the rebel groups if education is being hampered.”
In addition to education, access to quality health care services is also a struggle. The government must consider the community’s problems with malnutrition, early-teenage pregnancy, hygiene and sanitation, dental consultation, and other health-related problems.
Meanwhile, the LGU of Himamaylan continues to exert effort to extend medical help to the community. They already handed in boxes of vitamins, medicines, and sanitary equipment to Brgy. Buenavista.
During this month’s team visit, weavers were encouraged to craft new designs of tikog products to be displayed and showcased at the Association of Negros Producer’s Hub in Bacolod City. This will unlock new opportunities for the weavers to capacitate themselves in creating new products that would help alleviate their standard of living and give them public exposure to market their products further.
“I am more than happy for the skills and creativity showed by the “tikog” weavers of Sitio Madaja. Who would have thought that through the design thinking skills of the weavers, they can create more products out of tikog material, such as coin purses, hats, fans, and table runners” ANP’s external affairs manager Sybel Nobleza said.
After ANP showcased its products at the ANP Hub, bulk orders got in, and they increased their gross sales significantly.
Tikog weavers of the community have already sold almost P45, 000 in gross sales since the PPOC project started two months ago.
Weavers’ tikog products are now ready to be showcased for the 36th Negros Trade Fair in Glorietta 2, Activity Center in Makati City.*