20041025
to REALLY give care
Gawad Kalinga (GK), translated in English means "to give care," and it is an alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty not just in the Philippines but the world. Its approach is integrated, holistic and sustainable – a concrete action plan to rebuild this nation by harnessing the best of the Filipino – our faith and our patriotism.
What started barely five years ago in the Philippines as a simple but daring initiative by Couples for Christ has now become a growing multi-sectoral partnership driven by a vision of a new Philippines with NO MORE SLUMS. Together with its partners, Gawad Kalinga is now in the process of transforming poverty-stricken areas, many of them now empowered to further improve their quality of life! And the heart-work of GK volunteers is evident in the beautiful colors of the GK homes that have been built for and with the poorest of the poor Filipino families nationwide.
The transformation is astounding. Slums are disappearing. Rich and poor, Muslims and Christians, government and the private sector are building communities together. The poor are re-discovering their dreams, and are being empowered to build a better future for their families. The stories of how not only the poor but also the donors have been transformed continue to grow.
Gawad Kalinga’s achievements are a reflection of the sharing among different classes in society, and the partnership involving all sectors of society – bridging the gaps that divide us as a people. We are also building International Villages, showing that poverty can be addressed if rich and poor nations learn to share resources to create a better world for all.
ulanmaya,
hoy, what's your take on the whole ANCOP/GK 777 thing?!
k wen
k wen,
i think it's imperialistic!!!! :-(
just thinking about it makes me depressed. i hate - HATE!!! - criticizing CFC coz who am i to say such things about people who only want to do good in this world?!!!
but the very good thing about it is that i think even tony meloto knows it. he said himself, here in chicago, that they're going to be dealing with almost 400 years of imperialism. that sucks!!! i told one of my UP friends here (and i think i shoulda just shaddaup coz it just confirmed to her that she's totally depressed coz she joined SFC), and she said that it just perpetuates a landownership-type system in the philippines that's derived from the old spanish feudal system.
this is how i understand it - CFC basically acquires land through donations, whether some rich dynasty gives up land or money for CFC to purchase land with. they then raze the land to the ground, rid it of the ever-present squatters, and then put them to work electing a leader and then building their houses. that's where a lot of us kids get called - when the building starts, they need all the help they can get, buying materials and pounding nails and whatnot.
CFC then owns the land the families build their houses on. but like every other subdivision, families are given titles to their lots and houses. they are prohibited from selling the house or the lot or both - they have to tell CFC first. only after CFC approval can they sell their property. i think they then undergo a CLP after the village gets built... coz now they have nice houses to show off. AHAHAHA. but that's really what tito tony said!!!
on the one very good hand, it's great because it allows people to practice the basics of community - gives them structure, in that early in the day kids are supposed to go to school (instead of run around beg or sell wares); if you get sick, go to his health center; if you have concerns, go to this government office. it teaches them loyalty and responsibility that it's up to them to keep the neighborhood liveable. there's always been government supplies, funding and volunteers for this type of thing, it's just that the many organizations that have tried going out into neighborhoods before failed, and no one seems to know why.
i think CFC's nailed it down - because even if people get educated and receive health care, they go home to cardboard, wood and steel nailed together to form... a box, instead of a house. CFC's also stumbled upon a very good trait - poor people are used to building things with their hands, with whatever materials they find through asking, scavenging or stealing. they still use their own hands to build ANCOP houses - except that now they have better materials. i think it softens a blow to their egoes and makes us look less like imperialists.
on the other hand, for us here who live in the states, europe and elsewhere, it's an opportunity to perpetuate the bonggahan attitude... ahahahaha! lavish parties? formal affairs? expensive lottery tickets? sheesh. but then, we already have big, yearly conferences. this should be a natural segway when conference season is out. ahahaha!
that's being cynical, of couse. i really liked it that some rich couples here in chicago have sold houses and mercedes benzes so they can donate to ANCOP. they have no use for big houses anyways - all their kids have moved out. ahahaha! sheesh.
so that's what i think. thanks for asking!!! ahahaha. i've been harboring this since shortly after the NAAFA conference here, when dylan wilk and tony meloto addressed CFC Illinois and other Filipino Chicago organizations. tito tony was like, "CFC is the one called, and yet baka maunahan tayo ng mga di taga-CFC." stuff like that. i didn't tell a soul - only that one SFC sister and those outside the community! - coz it'd take too much to explain! ahahaha. it'll just confirm suspicions that i am a freak!
so what do you think? and why do u keep on asking? u think it's freakish too, huh? like some surreal invention from a hitchcock movie. well! you're not alone! ahahahaha. do tell!
ulanmaya
WAIT!!!
i didn't answer your question. ahahahaha! GK777 itself? ambitious, but doable.
and and AND!!! they called it a "heart" work. awwww... a
work. *sigh.* issa must be really enjoying married life, now. ahahahaha! 
¶ 10/25/2004 04:49:00 PM 
What started barely five years ago in the Philippines as a simple but daring initiative by Couples for Christ has now become a growing multi-sectoral partnership driven by a vision of a new Philippines with NO MORE SLUMS. Together with its partners, Gawad Kalinga is now in the process of transforming poverty-stricken areas, many of them now empowered to further improve their quality of life! And the heart-work of GK volunteers is evident in the beautiful colors of the GK homes that have been built for and with the poorest of the poor Filipino families nationwide.
The transformation is astounding. Slums are disappearing. Rich and poor, Muslims and Christians, government and the private sector are building communities together. The poor are re-discovering their dreams, and are being empowered to build a better future for their families. The stories of how not only the poor but also the donors have been transformed continue to grow.
Gawad Kalinga’s achievements are a reflection of the sharing among different classes in society, and the partnership involving all sectors of society – bridging the gaps that divide us as a people. We are also building International Villages, showing that poverty can be addressed if rich and poor nations learn to share resources to create a better world for all.
ulanmaya,
hoy, what's your take on the whole ANCOP/GK 777 thing?!
k wen
k wen,
i think it's imperialistic!!!! :-(
just thinking about it makes me depressed. i hate - HATE!!! - criticizing CFC coz who am i to say such things about people who only want to do good in this world?!!!
but the very good thing about it is that i think even tony meloto knows it. he said himself, here in chicago, that they're going to be dealing with almost 400 years of imperialism. that sucks!!! i told one of my UP friends here (and i think i shoulda just shaddaup coz it just confirmed to her that she's totally depressed coz she joined SFC), and she said that it just perpetuates a landownership-type system in the philippines that's derived from the old spanish feudal system.
this is how i understand it - CFC basically acquires land through donations, whether some rich dynasty gives up land or money for CFC to purchase land with. they then raze the land to the ground, rid it of the ever-present squatters, and then put them to work electing a leader and then building their houses. that's where a lot of us kids get called - when the building starts, they need all the help they can get, buying materials and pounding nails and whatnot.
CFC then owns the land the families build their houses on. but like every other subdivision, families are given titles to their lots and houses. they are prohibited from selling the house or the lot or both - they have to tell CFC first. only after CFC approval can they sell their property. i think they then undergo a CLP after the village gets built... coz now they have nice houses to show off. AHAHAHA. but that's really what tito tony said!!!
on the one very good hand, it's great because it allows people to practice the basics of community - gives them structure, in that early in the day kids are supposed to go to school (instead of run around beg or sell wares); if you get sick, go to his health center; if you have concerns, go to this government office. it teaches them loyalty and responsibility that it's up to them to keep the neighborhood liveable. there's always been government supplies, funding and volunteers for this type of thing, it's just that the many organizations that have tried going out into neighborhoods before failed, and no one seems to know why.
i think CFC's nailed it down - because even if people get educated and receive health care, they go home to cardboard, wood and steel nailed together to form... a box, instead of a house. CFC's also stumbled upon a very good trait - poor people are used to building things with their hands, with whatever materials they find through asking, scavenging or stealing. they still use their own hands to build ANCOP houses - except that now they have better materials. i think it softens a blow to their egoes and makes us look less like imperialists.
on the other hand, for us here who live in the states, europe and elsewhere, it's an opportunity to perpetuate the bonggahan attitude... ahahahaha! lavish parties? formal affairs? expensive lottery tickets? sheesh. but then, we already have big, yearly conferences. this should be a natural segway when conference season is out. ahahaha!
that's being cynical, of couse. i really liked it that some rich couples here in chicago have sold houses and mercedes benzes so they can donate to ANCOP. they have no use for big houses anyways - all their kids have moved out. ahahaha! sheesh.
so that's what i think. thanks for asking!!! ahahaha. i've been harboring this since shortly after the NAAFA conference here, when dylan wilk and tony meloto addressed CFC Illinois and other Filipino Chicago organizations. tito tony was like, "CFC is the one called, and yet baka maunahan tayo ng mga di taga-CFC." stuff like that. i didn't tell a soul - only that one SFC sister and those outside the community! - coz it'd take too much to explain! ahahaha. it'll just confirm suspicions that i am a freak!
so what do you think? and why do u keep on asking? u think it's freakish too, huh? like some surreal invention from a hitchcock movie. well! you're not alone! ahahahaha. do tell!
ulanmaya
WAIT!!!
i didn't answer your question. ahahahaha! GK777 itself? ambitious, but doable.
and and AND!!! they called it a "heart" work. awwww... a
work. *sigh.* issa must be really enjoying married life, now. ahahahaha!
¶ 10/25/2004 04:49:00 PM
