MALUNGON, Sarangani – Parent Aidalyn Burlado (left), president of the Parents-Teachers and –Community Association at San Roque National High School, receives from Gov. Migs Dominguez the chain of keys for the new school building inaugurated on Thursday (Mar. 30). Looking on (from left) are San Roque Barangay chair Pitong Tumadail, Mayor Teody Padernilla and DSWD regional director Bai Zorahayda Taha (hidden). The four-classroom school building, described by the governor as benchmark for all construction of school buildings in the province, has a project cost of P1.8 million and funded by the World Bank through the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services: Kaunlaran at Kapangyarihan sa Barangay (KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB) of DSWD. Counterpart funds were given by the provincial, municipal and barangay government units and the community. The school has new armchairs, comfort rooms and a computer set. The KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB, President Arroyo's flagship socio-economic program, has been credited by the World Bank as one of the best ongoing poverty reduction initiatives in the world. It was primarily designed to empower the communities by providing them the basic support services that would enhance their socio-economic development. (Photo by SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/JR)

SAN ROQUE, Malungon, Sarangani – For four months, villagers and teachers in this hinterland barangay took up the job of bookkeepers and engineers to build a school house to replace their rundown classrooms.

“We were challenged not to lose hope. We really need a school building,” parent Lorna Boron said.

On Thursday (Mar. 30), the villagers unveiled their new school building at San Roque National High School before their project partners.

“We built this school with faith. It was not easy,” said Boron, a member of the project preparation team.

“The project coordinators turned us into budget officers, bookkeepers, and engineers,” Boron disclosed.

A teacher said ordinary folk were taught how to draft a program-of-work and how to read a floor plan.

The community assembly evaluated the village’s needs and submitted a project proposal to the municipal inter-barangay forum.

The approved project proposal was then endorsed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for funding.

In the implementation, the community was involved in conducting the bidding, purchase of materials and construction of the project.

The San Roque school building was one of at least 25 self-help projects in Malungon funded by the World Bank through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services: Kaunlaran at Kapangyarihan sa Barangay (KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB) of DSWD.

The school building, described by Governor Migs Dominguez as benchmark for all construction of school buildings in the province, cost P1.8 million.

The provincial, municipal and barangay government units and the community provided about 50% counterpart funds.

“What you’re seeing now is so far the best school built in Sarangani. Quality work because we all partnered together,” Dominguez said during the inauguration rites.
He said the counterpart funds did not go to waste.

The governor said he would bring Department of Education and Department of Public Works and Highways officials to barangay San Roque to take a look at the new school as “benchmark for all construction activities.”

The school has four classrooms with comfort rooms each for boys and girls, new armchairs and blackboards. A computer set was provided by Vice Governor Bridget Chiongbian-Huang.

DSWD regional director Bai Zorahayda Taha said KALAHI-CIDSS is the government’s flagship socio-economic program for poverty eradication.

The World Bank has recognized KALAHI-CIDSS as one of the best ongoing poverty reduction initiatives in the world.

“President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is closely monitoring our KALAHI special projects. We submit our reports not only within the department but to Malacañang for all our projects that are meant to eradicate poverty in the country,” Taha added.

According to a report by Teresita Guylan, KALAHI-CIDSS area coordinator, people have become aware of various stakeholders and resources within the vicinity.

“The people (now) exercise and assert rights in accepting government projects. People gained trust and confidence in government projects,” Guylan said.

Guylan noted that bayanihan was strengthened in the barangays with KALAHI-CIDSS sub-projects.

“There was unity and cooperation, giving them a strong sense of pride and ownership of the projects,” she added.

The KALAHI-CIDSS was primarily designed to empower communities by providing them the basic support services that would enhance their socio-economic development.

The program first took off in the town of Malapatan with at least P3.6 million worth of projects already done. These are three classrooms in barangay Sapu Masla, day care center in Lun Padidu, spring development project in Sapu Padidu and water system in Lun Masla.

The next batch of projects in Malapatan were a 9-km. road opening in barangay Kihan, a hanging bridge in Daan Suyan, two classrooms in Kinam, a training center in Lun Padidu, a 2-km. road opening in Poblacion, and two classrooms in Tuyan. Total project cost was pegged at P8 million.

Guylan said her team was “really impressed by the full involvement and active participation of all the stakeholders.”

As of March 2006, the total project cost for Malungon was P9.8 million. These include the completed school building in San Roque and a water system in Malalag Cogon. Nine projects – five water systems, three road rehabilitations and a school building – were ongoing implementation.

Earlier completed in Malungon were 14 projects – six water systems, four roads, two school buildings, a foot bridge and a solar drier with warehouse – with total cost of P16.5 million.

“Parents told me they were so happy,” Boron told KALAHI CIDSS project partners in San Roque. “Tinood kapoy man gyud.”

She said her learning experience with the program was unforgettable.

“We will never forget the knowledge that KALAHI CIDSS imparted to the community,” Boron added. “Dili unta mawala ang KALAHI na lang. Dili nalang unta mahuman ang KALAHI program para nga dili lang school building ang ma-avail namo.” (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)