News Blog by James Palomo (GK Youth Australia Correspondent in the Philippines)
Hey guys,
I’ve been pretty busy so I haven’t been able to do an update for a while, but I have some time now, so I thought I’d better do one while I can! There are so many things that I’ve experienced and been a part of in GK, that I’ve lost track of what I’ve done. At least I have pictures to jog my memory, so here are a few of the things that I’ve done in the past few months.
Compostela Valley Bayani Challenge and Highway of Peace (H.O.PE) Caravan 2010
About a week and a half after the GK1MB Bayani Challenge in Palawan, that I set off for a local Bayani Challenge to be held in the province of Compostela Valley (Comval) in Mindanao, along with a delegation from Davao City, consisting of GK Kapitbahayan (beneficiaries living in the GK sites) from GK sites in Davao City and a few GK volunteers and workers. Again, having the same goal of trying to finish building a house within the span of 5 days.
It was very different from Palawan because it was a totally new site, and our accommodation was in tents, and it was wet most of the time. I’d have to say I don’t really enjoy camping in the rain, but that’s what it came to. But I guess it had its own element of fun. The house we had to build there was from about window level and we were able to finish it! I was there mainly in a supportive capacity and to be able to help when I can, since we were a fairly big team and had more than enough people to help out. It was really great to see everyone working together – from the LGU, different companies and religious organizations building a whole village together.
The other part of the experience at Comval was the Highway of Peace. We had a caravan of cars going from both northern and southern parts of Comval to head to the build site where we were building, to spread the movement of peace and GK’s support of it. Comval used to be known as a NPA (New People’s Army) area, but they have subsided mostly (from what I know), especially because living conditions for them are improving, and I think it’s partly to do with Comval Governor Ernesto Uy and his full support of GK in Comval. He wants to have at least one GK village in every municipality in the province by the end of the year, so it’s helping a lot for those that need the extra help.
Combuild Workshops
From time to time when available (or even when I’m not), I’ve been asked to accompany the Combuild (Community Building) team to assist in their workshops around Mindanao, including Davao City (catering for Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley), Iligan in Lanao del Norte and Surallah in South Cotabato (catering for South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat).
Formerly, Combuild used to be known as GK Kapitbahayan (KB), where they focused on just the values formation of the beneficiaries and ensuring they take on the values of GK. Now, the program has been restructured as Combuild, as GK is taking a new direction for their GK communities, in that GK is not just building homes, but really building communities, and that the answers for GK lie with the KB of the communities, and that the work should be focused more on them rather than the houses.
The workshops are conducted usually over a weekend for a day and a half and are a series of sessions and activities about the GK way, an understanding of Combuild and its direction, building the relationships between the participants and also important tools and practices the caretaker teams and KB can use together in working on building the community in their respective GK sites and even the region.
During the workshops, I would either be helping to set up for the games or sessions, and even at times, they would ask me to present one of the sessions. For me, that is something that is an honour, and a challenge at the same time. Since, for one, the people I’m presenting to know more about GK than what I could ever know since they work closer to the GK sites than I do, and most of them speak Bisaya and aren’t too comfortable with English, which means I have to try and find a way to make sure they feel comfortable and comprehend whatever I’m presenting to them. The times when I’m presenting, I would usually have the main points translated into Bisaya so that they will at least understand the main points and remember them.
Overall, the experiences with Combuild have been very overwhelming and so fulfilling at the same time. To be able to meet the people that make the GK communities happen and coordinate all the people involved, and to be able to help them develop at the same time makes the experience even greater.
