Philippines – Page 49 – Goducate … Go And Educate!

2014-07-29

Hog raising project in Panay Philippines

True to its cause of helping needy Asians help themselves, Goducate Training Center which is based in Panay came up with another project that aims to aid needy families by providing them with a livelihood project.

The hog raising project is one of the livelihood projects of Goducate Training Center which started last January 2012. For the benefactors of the project, they are provided with a piglet or a litter of pigs that they will fatten as well as the feeds throughout the fattening period. The first benefactor of the project was Jyson Saclauso, one of the workers in Goducate.

At first he was only given 4 piglets to fatten and to sell with the expenses being shouldered by Goducate. Eventually the project grew and grew until two years from now, he was able to provide 10 piglets to another family to start their own hog raising project, renovate his home from the money he got, pay for his siblings’ school tuition fees and buy off 2 sows from Goducate to raise on his own. He is now selling and raising pigs all on his own.

“Dako gid ang nabulig sang (hog raising) project sa akon, sa panimalay and sa tuition sang mga manghod ko.” (The hog raising project really was a big help to my home and to pay off the tuition fees of my siblings.) says Jyson. Because of his dedication to the project, another family was also able to start the project in their own backyard. The Cag-ang family have recently 10 pigs ready to be sold and 1 sow ready to give birth my September of 2014 at their very own backyard.

Currently, Goducate has 4 families who are taking part in the hog raising project but according to Mr. Joel Dagon, the head of the project, Goducate is hoping to reach more families in need. “We’re expecting nga indi lang sila, kung maka produce kita sang damo nga piglets pwede naton ma scatter pa gid to the other families nga maging part sila sa livelihood program kag makabulig kita sa community.” (We’re expecting that it’s not just them whom we can help. If we can produce more piglets we can scatter them to the other families that they can also be a part of the livelihood program as well as we can help the community.) he stated.

The families that had received the project were families that Goducate identified to be the most in need within the community, trustworthy, as well as having the knowledge and understanding on how to care for the pigs.

Not only does Goducate the need of these people for a sustainable source of income, but the people in the community also begin to see how they can help their fellows. “Kung mag anak na ang baboy, pwede naman mahatag sa iban kay makabulig man ni sa ila.” (If the sow gives birth, we can also give these to others that this can also help them.) says Roberto Cag-ang, one of the benefactors. “Maayo gid ang project nga ini para sa pigado makabulig gid nga dako.” (This is a very good project for the poor because it can help them a lot.) he added.

Through this project, Goducate Training Center helps others in need not by directly giving money but by teaching them a trade that would be able to provide them their needs for the rest of their lives.

2014-07-182014-07-29

Typhoon Rammasun (Glenda) causes damage in Goducate Laguna

Living in northeast United States I have experienced my fair share of storms, or so I thought. We had planned our trip to Goducate Laguna several weeks earlier, so by the time we got word of Typhoon Rammasun (known locally as Typhoon Glenda), we were already committed.

Our flight was surprisingly smooth, and when we landed the sky was overcast, but the weather calm. Glenda was supposed to intensify overnight, so we were lulled into a sense of security throughout the day as we went about our pre-planned activities. A light rain fell as we pulled into Goducate Laguna and were greeted by the entire staff. We enjoyed a great time of food and fellowship until midnight, when the power suddenly went out. Everyone retired for the night, expecting the typhoon to roll in, but what I experienced next was like nothing I had ever seen. All night a howling wind blew, but by the early hours of the morning it had intensified to the point where trees were blowing almost horizontally. Every now and then we could hear the metallic sounds of large objects being flung about. A flashlight would susbsequently appear in the darkness as someone checked to see whether that clanging noise required attention.

When dawn broke the full extent of the devastation was visible. The ground was littered with coconuts, branches, debris, and fallen tree trunks. Several trees had found their way onto the roof of the building we were occupying. Fortunately, no one was injured. Across the courtyard, the children were happily retrieving the fallen coconuts. One of the staff skilfully hacked away at them and presented us with fresh coconut drinks. That was a pleasant surprise.

The multipurpose hall where we had been entertained a few hours earlier was a mess, and one of the Goducate vans was crushed in the middle by a fallen tree. Although the concrete buildings managed to survive intact, the other Goducate structures such as the farmhouse, vermi-house, hydroponics building, and a literacy center were badly damaged. The two couples living in the farmhouse are now homeless, and the homes of many other staff workers have been damaged and flooded. It will take anywhere from a week to a month for power to be restored. Without power, water does not flow since it arrives through pumps.
I was astounded to learn that the Philippines is hit by typhoons 15-20 times a year. If this took place anywhere else in the world, the populace would be permanently depressed, yet the Filipinos take it all in stride. Immediately after the storm has passed, people are out clearing debris, repairing their roofs, and removing fallen trees from the roads.

The road outside the Goducate Laguna centre was strewn with debris, yet within two to three hours, enough had been cleared for us to drive through and onwards toward Manila airport.

Apart from learning about the work at Goducate, one of the other reasons why I undertook this trip was to expose my 11-year-old daughter to the realities of life outside her sheltered existence, but this visit ended up being an eye opener for me as well.

Our guest writer is Tim, a Goducate sponsor.

Damage to Goducate literacy center in Mabacan.

2014-07-042014-07-04

Successful ALS candidate in Laguna admitted to university

On Feb 28, we reported that of the 19 candidates in the town of Bay, Laguna Province, who passed the examination held last November for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) examination at secondary level, 4 were Goducate students. These 4 were part of the 13 Goducate students who sat for that examination. Nationally, of the 221,598 candidates who took that examination, only 72,076 passed.

Jessica Iglesias, one of our 4 successful students has now been admitted to the Laguna State Polytechnic University, to take a 2-year diploma course in information technology. When she gets that diploma, she can continue working for another 2 years for her bachelor’s degree at the same university.

Jessica had only completed her 2nd year of education in a conventional high school, and has been working as a home help. She has now been awarded a 4-year scholarship under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s 4 Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) scheme, which aims to eradicate extreme poverty in the Philippines by investing in health and education,

The other 3 successful Goducate candidates are Goducate helpers. One of them, Jonathan Catedral is completing a TESDA course in pipe-fitting. Jenelyn Inopia is one of our Family Development Sessions facilitator, and Annaliza Espinola is a day-care teacher.

The successful Goducate candidates in Bay