Bansalan is a second class municipality located some 72 kilometers south of Davao City. The most recent statistics pegged the population at 51,781 with 11,073 households. Aside from the stay-at-home population, Bansalan also has its share of residents who have moved out of the community. There are no data on the exact number of Bansaleños who migrated and the amount of remittances they send back home. Thus, it is not possible to measure the impact of their contributions to the development of Bansalan. Recently, Bansaleños from different parts of the globe and the Philippines formed the Association of Bansaleños Worldwide (ABW) to give something back to the hometown that nurtured us in our formative years.
The ABW is a virtual community composed of former residents of Bansalan, Davao del Sur now living in other countries or in other parts of the Philippines. ABW started in cyberspace with a simple website (http://www.bansalan.com), created by Edwin Bibera, a Bansaleño based in Fullerton, California. Little did he know that the site, which was created as an Internet class project, would attract the attention of Bansaleños worldwide. Word-of-mouth about the website's existence triggered a snowball effect, connecting Bansaleños based in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia. Classmates were reconnected, friends were reacquainted, and Bansaleños who used to be strangers to each other were introduced. These connections paved the way to rekindle kinship and camaraderie, which materialized into various reunions held in the US and Europe.
The Challenge of Community Building
Out of this loosely-knit bunch of Bansaleños scattered all over the world, the ABW was born. Through e-mail exchanges, they mapped-out their mission and vision, formulated strategies and activities, and set the association's vision, hopes, and dreams for a better Bansalan. ABW aims to unite Bansaleños around the world and support the advancement of the quality of lives of the people of Bansalan by initiating and supporting sustainable projects intended to spur a vibrant economy, to promote a healthy environment and ultimately, to foster social equity.
The ABW members have different professional backgrounds and are engaged in different types of jobs. ABW has about ninety members – http://www.bansalan.com/members.htm - who presently reside in different states in USA, Canada, Germany, UK, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Singapore, and different cities in the Philippines. The Board is composed of 6 people and 10 others representing geographical locations (Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Asia, Philippines, USA (East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, and Southwest). In the process of planning and implementing projects, they were able to discover untapped talents, hobbies and interests. They found out that they have excellent fund raisers and event organizers in their midst. All these skills proved to be useful in their campaigns.
Being a virtual community, coordinating with members residing in four continents is not easy, especially when projects are implemented from a distance. Face-to-face meetings are not possible, therefore all communications are done through e-mail messages. The elected officers, acting as a virtual team, are based in different countries and in different time zones. It was extremely difficult for them to decide where to register ABW as a foundation or a non-governmental organization. One solution was to add a discussion forum in the ABW website, where members can post messages and interact with each other. The group also realized that there was a need to have a local counterpart, which will manage their various projects and to have its own bank account where they can send their contributions to.
Faced with these constraints, ABW International decided in 2006 to register ABW Bansalan Chapter with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. The local chapter, thus, acts as the implementing arm of ABW International. The officers of ABW Bansalan identify and recommend poor but deserving pupils who will receive the educational fund, monitor the progress of the children, and send a report at every end of the school year to ABW International. After the report has been approved by the board, it is posted on the website to inform the general membership on how the funds were allocated.
The website and the Internet are extremely important for ABW to maintain close contacts with the members and to assume accountability for the projects. They do not only discuss about projects but they also share news they receive from home, and announce social events and life cycle transitions, such as births, weddings and deaths of family members. The website became the hub where transnational networks like ABW bridge distances to generate new ideas, support each other and strengthen their ties.
Helping the Local Economy
Long before the ABW launched its various "Give Back Campaigns," several members were already involved in various family and community projects. Through regular e-mail contacts, more stories about examples of migrant giving were gathered.
Those working abroad have been known to use a portion of their remittances to improve the economic condition of their families. Thanks to the "start-up capital" from relatives abroad, new small businesses (restaurants, photo services, small printing shops, bakeries, grocery stores, and transportations, among others) have been set up, which stimulated local economic activities and created jobs in the town. A case in point is a small enclave in Bansalan, where row of well-appointed houses was built from the money sent to their families by Bansaleños working in Japan. In building the houses, temporary jobs were created for local carpenters and laborers.
Beyond helping their families, there are also many examples of Bansaleños contributing to uplift the well-being of their townmates. Member Jean Metilla from Germany built from her own money a kindergarten school for poor children located in a piece of land she donated. She sends money regularly to pay for the salaries of the teachers and for the maintenance of the school. The pupils attend classes without paying any school fees. She also spearheads the ABW annual free clinic consultations and distributes medicines which she and her cousin Cherfield Metilla (now living in Australia) collect from various donors. Jean is also an investor. She just opened a store in Bansalan. Others like the Niques (Jane, Ann, and Jeffrey) and Florence Dacanay, all based in New York, pooled their resources together to support 20 pupils in their own barangay (village). Tune Sonza Inumerable made a yearly pledge to help the education of 15 pupils in the barangay where she came from. Migrants have also contributed to some renovation projects of community facilities. For instance, the list of donors who contributed to the renovation of the church in the capital includes many names of families who have relatives overseas.
The aforementioned examples suggest that Bansaleños are not different from African, Latino and other Asian migrants who form hometown associations to help their communities of origin. Although they have left, they are still very much part of the community. They also want to share the blessings they enjoy with those whom they left behind. Perhaps, some unconsciously give back because they might return to the place one day. Whatever their motives, Bansaleños are making a difference but not without reason. The formation of ABW was instrumental in moving towards more collective giving and more concerted efforts in supporting community projects.
The first ABW project was the "Give Back Campaign: Renovate ABC Gym Project" which was initiated in 2006. In less than a month, the group raised PHP155,212.00, which was almost eight times more than the amount originally proposed. The members agreed to embark on this project because the ABC Gym has a sentimental value for them. Before the project was implemented, ABW sought the cooperation of the municipal government unit by asking them to provide the labor while ABW members would provide the materials needed. A memorandum of agreement was signed and the project was successfully implemented.
Aside from renovating the gym, the ABW also decided to conduct an annual fund-raising drive to support the education of poor but deserving children in Bansalan. In 2007, its "Give Back: Literacy Project" raised almost PHP200,000, which supported the education of 73 elementary school pupils for school year 2007-2008. The ABW also succeeded in partnering with Damayan, a Filipino migrant organization based in the Netherlands, and together they raised funds for the literacy project which enabled them to secure matching funds from Wilde Ganzen, a Dutch development agency. Wilde Ganzen (Wild Geese Foundation) gives premium equivalent to 70% of the money raised by ABW after deducting 9 per cent of the gross amount raised as administration cost. This program started since last year. In school year 2008-2009, ABW was able to raise Euro 4,964.34 including the 70 per cent premium from the Wilde Ganzen.
Some Milestones and Future Plans
In December 2007, ABW organized its first Grand Reunion attended by about 50 Bansaleños and their families and friends from various countries. Aside from the reunion, they also organized free medical and dental clinics, distributed books, conducted ikebana and bonsai workshops, and sponsored Cebuano Christmas carols contest (to revive the traditional practice in Bansalan).
To raise funds for the literacy project, members sold raffle tickets, with the prizes donated by the ABW members. Suggestions on what activities would be conducted during the reunion were discussed through e-mail exchanges, but the actual work was only done two weeks before the event. Despite the short preparation, all of the activities were successfully conducted. This positive experience encouraged and motivated ABW members to continue with their work.
The reunion and other activities were fully supported by the town mayor, the members of Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Advisory Council), and the local volunteers. Edwin Reyes, the new town mayor, was quick to realize the vast potentials of Bansaleños in supporting the development of the town. He presented the development plan of Bansalan which includes the development and promotion of eco-tourism and marketing of locally-based products like organic coconut sugar. He believes that the Bansaleños can play an important role particularly in promoting Bansalan as an eco-tourism destination and as a center for marketing products. He also noted that during the brief period in December, revenues in the town noticeably increased and this contributed hugely to the town's economy.
Mayor Reyes encouraged the ABW to support the plans of the town and the ABW agreed to help spur development in the community. However, the ABW expects the local government will take the lead and show commitment to realize the goals. The ABW members are willing to support but they still believe that it is the primary task of the local government to initiate any development plan. Gradually, the ABW is starting to influence policy in the town, though not yet in a systematic manner nor targeting larger issues. Political discussions, such as during election time, are more limited to knowing who the candidates are, but campaigning openly for particular candidates has yet to happen. Bansalan is a small town and everybody knows everyone. The ABW members tend to be on the neutral side. Whether this position will change in due time remains to be seen.
Compared to Mexican hometown associations like the Federacion Zacatecanos del Sur de California, the ABW is relatively new. Due to diverse locations of its members and limitations to conduct face-to-face meetings, organizational issues and concerns are not thoroughly and openly discussed. Making choices of what project to support is not easy either and this often leads to choosing the easiest project to manage, like the financial literacy project. Embarking on larger projects such as income-generating projects are more complex and still need confidence-building among the members. There is also a lack of available responsible and qualified people on the ground who can manage these projects. Since all members of the ABW – both international and local – work on a voluntary basis, the idea of launching larger productive projects is not easy and will not be feasible on a short term basis.
However, it is possible to encourage individual enterprising Bansaleños to invest in Bansalan and to let these investments be managed by their families or other reliable and qualified people. Some have actually tried to support their families by financing livelihood activities, but not all became successful. The lack of skills and knowledge in managing business is the main cause of the failure. For instance, the ABW members have already discussed the possibility of pooling their resources to invest in Bansalan, such as building a lodging house since there is no hotel in the area, but it is difficult to reach into consensus. They also cannot find people who are qualified and capable to manage the project on their behalf. Moreover, the lodging house project is only viable if the identified eco-tourism destination is already developed and infrastructures are in place to ensure the success of the project. The mayor of the town is looking into opening a new trail to Mt. Apo - Bansalan is located at the rolling foothills of the country's highest peak.
The questions that the association are now grappling with touch on the challenges of how local, regional and national governments, as well as development organizations can help create an enabling environment for migrants and hometown associations to maximize the benefits of their remittances and philanthropic activities.
Harnessing the Development Potentials of Hometown Associations
Like millions of Filipinos in diaspora, Bansaleños also regularly send money to their families. According to the report, Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008 (World Bank, 2008), remittance flows to developing countries in 2007 were estimated at US$318 billion, of which US$240 billion went to developing countries. These flows, which do not include money sent through informal channels, are now estimated as twice as the foreign direct investment (FDI) and three times the official development aid (ODA), which stood at US$104 billion in 2006. The World Bank (2008) estimates that in 2007, remittances from overseas Filipinos to the Philippines reached about US$17 billion, making the Philippines the fourth top recipient of migrant remittances after India ($27 billion), China ($25.7 billion), and Mexico ($25 billion). Migrant remittances are now considered as a new form of development aid and the lifeline of millions of poor families, most of them living in the rural areas. However, despite the enormous potentials for development, remittances should not be taken as substitute to development aid.
Critics argue that 80 percent of the money sent by migrants to their families are spent on consumption such as food, clothing, and housing and therefore, they are unproductive. Furthermore, remittances do not contribute to the economy at the macro level. Critics also say that remittances hardly contribute to sustainable development. Again, this conclusion is based on a myopic analysis. Remittances are small amounts of money ranging from US$200-300 sent by migrants to their families every month. Considering the high costs of commodities and expensive education and the appreciation of the Philippine peso, surely it is not realistic to expect that families will still have money left over for direct large investments and productive activities.
However, since the money is spent on food, clothing, shelter and education, they contribute to the local and national economy. Food and garment industries thrive because migrants' families continue to buy their products. Building houses creates jobs for carpenters and provide business for construction companies. Schools continue to operate because children of overseas Filipinos can go to school.
These critics fail to see beyond the statistics to appreciate the considerable impact of remittances in improving the quality of life of the poor. There is also evidence to show that aside from direct financial support to their families, migrants also send remittances to support projects that fall into four main categories: charity, infrastructure, human development and investment.
In my view, remittances have a direct impact on the lives of Filipino families. For example, if the 8 million overseas Filipinos were to use part of their remittances to send children to school, at one each child, this translates to 8 million children attending school without relying on the government or development aid. Even if we cut the figure into half, at least 4 million children or young people are able to go to school in the Philippines with the help of remittances. Migrants' families spend a large chunk of the money they receive for food. Millions of families including those in rural areas have food on the table because of remittances. These examples are evidence that migration can contribute to the development of their countries of origin and in achieving the targets of Millennium Development Goals.
To maximize the benefits of remittances and to involve hometown associations in development, there is a need to reduce the high cost of remittance transfer, promote financial literacy, link remittances with microfinance, promote the capacity building of hometown associations, and encourage more productive or developmental uses of remittances such as partnering with microfinance institutions. Likewise, hometown associations must work in tandem with international organizations, governments and the private sector to increase the worth value of their development projects, and forge strategic trade alliances. These are recommendations which policy makers in the Philippines should seriously address with sound policy interventions.
Capturing a share of remittances for development needs transparent and coherent policies, relevant enabling environment, and full recognition and appreciation of the positive contributions of migrants to the development of their countries of origin. Non-government organizations, other development-oriented institutions and the Philippine government should act as environment enablers and should broaden their interest in emigrants beyond remittances by tapping the skills and knowledge of migrants in the field of development and treating them as equal partners. Donor organizations should consider providing seed money, technological assistance and logistical support to build and strengthen diaspora networks that have strong developmental potentials. Equally important is addressing the social costs of migration.
There is a need for hometown associations like the ABW to translate their genuine concern to strategic plans. Capacity building, awareness raising, financial literacy and financial inclusion of migrants and their families are needed. For the time being, raising the organizational capacities to a higher level will be a great challenge. How can the organization be strengthened with membership scattered in different continents and the only medium of communication is through the Internet?
Finally, I would like to conclude that looking back to one’s roots runs deep among overseas Filipinos. Bibera, who maintains the website of ABW during his free time, wrote: "So many memories and some of them pass to oblivion. But in retrospect, I didn't really regret living in Bansalan. In fact, I love it there. Like a tree which roots are firmly grounded in that old town, my travels were like branching out to reach new heights: to see more of the world. But it seems like I never left at all. I am always home." It is a sentiment that is shared by other Bansaleños; more importantly, it is a sentiment that has motivated them to give back. Some questions, however, are worth considering, especially if we think over the long term. How do we transform (and sustain) nostalgic sentiments into strategic development plans? How do we transform dreams into concrete actions? ABW has a long way to go in understanding that, in order to contribute to the development of their hometown, they need to broaden their development goals and collaborative support from other stakeholders.
----------
Leila Rispens-Noel is the president of the Association of Bansaleños Worldwide. Her services to the association are on a voluntary basis. She is based in the Netherlands and works as a program officer of Oxfam Novib, a Dutch development agency. Her interests are in the areas of microfinance, remittances, migration and development.
Reference
World Bank
2008 Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008. Compiled by Dilip Ratha and Zhimei
Xu. Washington, DC: World Bank Publications. Available also in http://www.worldbank.org /prospects/Migrationandremittances.
2007 Sending Money Home: Worldwide Remittance Flows to Developing Countries.
IFAD, 2007. Available also in http://www.ifad.org/events/remittances/maps/index.htm
Showing posts with label Hometown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hometown. Show all posts
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Saturday, 22 September 2007
Bansalan on my mind
A few years ago, a group of friends who planned to visit Bansalan told me that they had difficulties in finding my hometown on the Philippine map. I told them where the town is geographically located and assured them that one day Bansalan will be placed on the national map.
Bansalan, with a total land area of 20,770.1966 hectares, is subdivided into 25 barangays. The town is the boundary between the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. It is sandwiched by two cities: Kidapawan and Digos, probably the reason why progress in the town is so slow. Vehicles do not linger long enough in the town. Passengers from North Cotabato are eager to reach Digos or Davao City, while passengers bound for North Cotabato are raring to reach Kidapawan City and further to Cotabato City. It has never been a place where passengers stay longer for one reason or the other. Business activities remain in the hands of the local enterprising people. And so the town remains largely rural and agricultural and still waiting for a miracle for the local economy to pick up.
The tragic bombing incident last June 15, which claimed 10 lives, made headlines not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well. It was not exactly the idea I have in my mind for Bansalan to be known around the world. For all we know, the town could be listed by the Western countries as one of the dangerous places to visit in the Philippines.
After reading the news, my first reaction was a total disbelief. This incident should never happen in my hometown. But I was thankful that the bomb was not strong enough to hit the two nearby gasoline stations. After all, Bansalan is practically not prepared to deal with a disaster of this magnitude. The municipality has only one ambulance which is ill-equipped and does not even have simple first aid kit. Sometimes the driver is nowhere to be found. There is no para-medic team to attend to patients. In more instances, the ambulance has no gasoline.
The local people were generally calm after the incident. Randy Albores, chair of the Bansalan chapter of the Association of Bansaleños Worldwide (ABW), reported that the town's parish priest, Rev. Fr. Cristito Carmona, DCD, declared June 17, 2007 as mourning day in honor of the victims of the Weena bus bombing. During the 8 a.m. Mass, prayers were offered to the victims and peace for our town. After the Mass, a procession was held from the church to the bombing site. There was a short liturgical service. Prayers, flowers and candles were offered. A small white cross was erected at the site.
This bombing incident is regrettable since Bansaleños abroad have been trying their best to stimulate local tourism to enhance revenues for the town. As a matter of fact, Bansaleños abroad are preparing for their first grand reunion this coming December and planning to invite their families and friends to visit the town.
However, “out of sight, out of mind” may not aptly describe the attitude of ABW members. The longer they live abroad, the more they are drawn to this sleepy town like falling in love for the first time and falling in love all over again.
ABW members launched the “Give Back” campaign since two years ago to help the development of their hometown. They have finished the re-painting of the ABC Gym (check http://www.bansalan.com/giveback_abc_evolution.htm ) in cooperation with the municipal government.
They also support poor but deserving pupils in their hometown. This school year (2007-2008), they were able to raise enough funds to buy uniforms, school bags, school supplies, and pay school contributions of 84 pupils (please visit http://www.bansalan.com/literacy/abw_scholars.htm ).
They were able to raise almost P200,000 after conducting a fund-raising campaign from December 2006 – May 2007. A funding agency based in the Netherlands matched 70 percent of the net amount they actually raised.
ABW members have many dreams for their beloved town: they want to send books, set up a learning center, build waiting sheds, and improve the Rizal Park. Some are seriously thinking of investing to spur the local economy. One member based in Germany already built a nursery school, the Metilla Day Care center, and in fact shoulders the salaries of the teachers.
The bombing incident clouds a bit of these dreams. However, I know Bansaleños are resilient people. The incident may inspire them even more to work harder and support the development of their hometown.
Perhaps, ABW members could explore with the municipal government unit what measures to be taken to protect the lives of the local people. For instance, the municipal council can conduct disaster preparedness campaign to teach people to become more vigilant in dealing with terrorist attacks.
If they find a suspicious bag or box, the first thing they should do is not to touch or open it. They should vacate the area carefully but quickly without moving the object.
In developed countries, the first thing people do is to call a bomb demolition team. But in Bansalan, is there such a team or a person who knows? And if there is, do people know whom to contact? Anyhow, this is easier said than done. “Curiosity kills a cat,” so goes a saying and our tendency is to satisfy our curiosity first but the consequence can cause many innocent lives. Even if one calls a bomb squad, probably the instruction might be “open it first to be sure that it is a bomb!” For all we know, it is too late.
It is important that peace and order must be restored. Engagement of local government officials to the development of the town is equally important.
ABW members will explore possibilities in establishing such cooperation with the local officials in identifying projects that will improve the quality of life of the local people.
Now, where is Bansalan exactly located?
From the ABW website, I found this information:
“In the lowlands of Mt. Apo lies the rural town of Bansalan. Despite being considered an agricultural economy, it is one of the progressive municipalities in the province of Davao del Sur.
"Legend has it that Bansalan got its name from a Bagobo chieftain (datu) named 'Dansalan' whose tribal folks were the original inhabitants of the place. A so-called reporting error by the early surveyors transposed the name to Bansalan and somehow became the official name on record.
"Bansalan is also formerly called 'Miral' and some local folks still refer to this former name. Visitors to this rustic town would notice that in public transportation the signboard still says Miral instead of Bansalan.
"Bansalan is about 72 kilometers south of Davao City and is very accessible by land transportation mostly by buses going to Cotabato City, Kidapawan City, and Tacurong. Bansalan is about 12 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Digos. Her neighboring towns include Makilala, North Cotabato in the north; Magsaysay, Davao del Sur (formerly called Kialeg) in the west; Matanao, Davao del Sur in the south; Mt. Apo and parts of Digos City in the east.
"The town of Bansalan is a second class municipality which means its income level is between 27 million to 35 million pesos. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 51,781 people in 11,073 households.
"Agriculture is the major source of income for this town. Bansalenos grow rice, corn, banana, fruit trees, coconut, sugar cane in the lowlands. Coffee, vegetables and fruits are grown in the colder highlands of Mt. Apo.
"Bansalan is also keeping up with the times in terms of technology. It has access to cable television, computers, and cell phone sites. It may not be at par with the big cities but it's getting there. Gone are the days when radio was the only source of mass media communications.”
Bansalan, with a total land area of 20,770.1966 hectares, is subdivided into 25 barangays. The town is the boundary between the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. It is sandwiched by two cities: Kidapawan and Digos, probably the reason why progress in the town is so slow. Vehicles do not linger long enough in the town. Passengers from North Cotabato are eager to reach Digos or Davao City, while passengers bound for North Cotabato are raring to reach Kidapawan City and further to Cotabato City. It has never been a place where passengers stay longer for one reason or the other. Business activities remain in the hands of the local enterprising people. And so the town remains largely rural and agricultural and still waiting for a miracle for the local economy to pick up.
The tragic bombing incident last June 15, which claimed 10 lives, made headlines not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well. It was not exactly the idea I have in my mind for Bansalan to be known around the world. For all we know, the town could be listed by the Western countries as one of the dangerous places to visit in the Philippines.
After reading the news, my first reaction was a total disbelief. This incident should never happen in my hometown. But I was thankful that the bomb was not strong enough to hit the two nearby gasoline stations. After all, Bansalan is practically not prepared to deal with a disaster of this magnitude. The municipality has only one ambulance which is ill-equipped and does not even have simple first aid kit. Sometimes the driver is nowhere to be found. There is no para-medic team to attend to patients. In more instances, the ambulance has no gasoline.
The local people were generally calm after the incident. Randy Albores, chair of the Bansalan chapter of the Association of Bansaleños Worldwide (ABW), reported that the town's parish priest, Rev. Fr. Cristito Carmona, DCD, declared June 17, 2007 as mourning day in honor of the victims of the Weena bus bombing. During the 8 a.m. Mass, prayers were offered to the victims and peace for our town. After the Mass, a procession was held from the church to the bombing site. There was a short liturgical service. Prayers, flowers and candles were offered. A small white cross was erected at the site.
This bombing incident is regrettable since Bansaleños abroad have been trying their best to stimulate local tourism to enhance revenues for the town. As a matter of fact, Bansaleños abroad are preparing for their first grand reunion this coming December and planning to invite their families and friends to visit the town.
However, “out of sight, out of mind” may not aptly describe the attitude of ABW members. The longer they live abroad, the more they are drawn to this sleepy town like falling in love for the first time and falling in love all over again.
ABW members launched the “Give Back” campaign since two years ago to help the development of their hometown. They have finished the re-painting of the ABC Gym (check http://www.bansalan.com/giveback_abc_evolution.htm ) in cooperation with the municipal government.
They also support poor but deserving pupils in their hometown. This school year (2007-2008), they were able to raise enough funds to buy uniforms, school bags, school supplies, and pay school contributions of 84 pupils (please visit http://www.bansalan.com/literacy/abw_scholars.htm ).
They were able to raise almost P200,000 after conducting a fund-raising campaign from December 2006 – May 2007. A funding agency based in the Netherlands matched 70 percent of the net amount they actually raised.
ABW members have many dreams for their beloved town: they want to send books, set up a learning center, build waiting sheds, and improve the Rizal Park. Some are seriously thinking of investing to spur the local economy. One member based in Germany already built a nursery school, the Metilla Day Care center, and in fact shoulders the salaries of the teachers.
The bombing incident clouds a bit of these dreams. However, I know Bansaleños are resilient people. The incident may inspire them even more to work harder and support the development of their hometown.
Perhaps, ABW members could explore with the municipal government unit what measures to be taken to protect the lives of the local people. For instance, the municipal council can conduct disaster preparedness campaign to teach people to become more vigilant in dealing with terrorist attacks.
If they find a suspicious bag or box, the first thing they should do is not to touch or open it. They should vacate the area carefully but quickly without moving the object.
In developed countries, the first thing people do is to call a bomb demolition team. But in Bansalan, is there such a team or a person who knows? And if there is, do people know whom to contact? Anyhow, this is easier said than done. “Curiosity kills a cat,” so goes a saying and our tendency is to satisfy our curiosity first but the consequence can cause many innocent lives. Even if one calls a bomb squad, probably the instruction might be “open it first to be sure that it is a bomb!” For all we know, it is too late.
It is important that peace and order must be restored. Engagement of local government officials to the development of the town is equally important.
ABW members will explore possibilities in establishing such cooperation with the local officials in identifying projects that will improve the quality of life of the local people.
Now, where is Bansalan exactly located?
From the ABW website, I found this information:
“In the lowlands of Mt. Apo lies the rural town of Bansalan. Despite being considered an agricultural economy, it is one of the progressive municipalities in the province of Davao del Sur.
"Legend has it that Bansalan got its name from a Bagobo chieftain (datu) named 'Dansalan' whose tribal folks were the original inhabitants of the place. A so-called reporting error by the early surveyors transposed the name to Bansalan and somehow became the official name on record.
"Bansalan is also formerly called 'Miral' and some local folks still refer to this former name. Visitors to this rustic town would notice that in public transportation the signboard still says Miral instead of Bansalan.
"Bansalan is about 72 kilometers south of Davao City and is very accessible by land transportation mostly by buses going to Cotabato City, Kidapawan City, and Tacurong. Bansalan is about 12 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Digos. Her neighboring towns include Makilala, North Cotabato in the north; Magsaysay, Davao del Sur (formerly called Kialeg) in the west; Matanao, Davao del Sur in the south; Mt. Apo and parts of Digos City in the east.
"The town of Bansalan is a second class municipality which means its income level is between 27 million to 35 million pesos. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 51,781 people in 11,073 households.
"Agriculture is the major source of income for this town. Bansalenos grow rice, corn, banana, fruit trees, coconut, sugar cane in the lowlands. Coffee, vegetables and fruits are grown in the colder highlands of Mt. Apo.
"Bansalan is also keeping up with the times in terms of technology. It has access to cable television, computers, and cell phone sites. It may not be at par with the big cities but it's getting there. Gone are the days when radio was the only source of mass media communications.”
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
Bansalan on my mind
A few years ago, a group of friends who planned to visit Bansalan told me that they had difficulties in finding my hometown on the Philippine map. I told them where the town is geographically located and assured them that one day Bansalan will be placed on the national map. Bansalan, with a total land area of 20,770.1966 hectares, is subdivided into 25 barangays.
The town is the boundary between the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. It is sandwiched by two cities: Kidapawan City and Digos City, probably the reason why progress in the town is so slow. Vehicles do not linger long enough in the town. Passengers from North Cotabato are eager to reach Digos or Davao City, while passengers bound for North Cotabato are rearing to reach Kidapawan City and further to Cotabato City. It has never been a place where passengers stay longer for one reason or the other. Business activities remain in the hands of the local enterprising people. And so the town remains largely rural and agricultural and still waiting for a miracle for the local economy to pick up.
The tragic bombing incident last June 15, which claimed 10 lives, made headlines not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well. It was not exactly the idea I have in my mind for Bansalan to be known around the world. For all we know, the town could be listed by the Western countries as one of the dangerous places to visit in the Philippines.
After reading the news, my first reaction was a total disbelief. This incident should never happen in my hometown. But I was thankful that the bomb was not strong enough to hit the two nearby gasoline stations. After all, Bansalan is practically not prepared to deal with a disaster of this magnitude. The municipality has only one ambulance which is ill-equipped and does not even have simple first aid kit. Sometimes the driver is nowhere to be found. There is no para-medic team to attend to patients. In more instances, the ambulance has no gasoline.
The local people were generally calm after the incident happened. Randy Albores, chair of the Bansalan chapter of the Association of Bansalenos Worldwide (ABW) reported that the town's parish priest, Rev. Fr. Cristito Carmona, DCD, declared June 17, 2007 as mourning day in honor of the victims of the Weena bus bombing. During the 8 am mass, prayers were offered to the victims and peace for our town. After the mass, a procession was held from the church to the bombing site. There was a short liturgical service. Prayers, flowers and candles were offered. A small white cross was erected at the site.
This bombing incident is regrettable since Bansaleños abroad have been trying their best to stimulate local tourism to enhance revenues for the town. As a matter of fact, Bansaleños abroad are preparing for their First Grand Reunion this coming December and planning to invite their families and friends to visit the town.
However, “out of sight, out of mind” may not aptly describe the attitude of ABW members. The longer they live abroad, the more they are drawn to this sleepy town like falling in love for the first time and falling in love all over again.
ABW members launched the “Give Back” campaign since two years ago to help the development of their hometown. They have finished the re-painting of the ABC Gym (click http://www.bansalan.com/giveback_abc_evolution.htm) in cooperation with the municipal government.
They also support poor but deserving pupils in their hometown. This school year (2007-2008), they were able to raise enough funds to buy uniforms, school bags, school supplies, and pay school contributions of 84 pupils (please visit http://www.bansalan.com/literacy/abw_scholars.htm). They were able to raise almost Ph 200,000 after conducting a fund-raising campaign from December 2006 – May 2007. A funding agency based in the Netherlands matched 70% of the net amount they actually raised.
ABW members have many dreams for their beloved town: they want to send books, set up a learning center, build waiting sheds, and improve the Rizal Park. Some are seriously thinking of investing to spur local economy. One member based in Germany already built a nursery school, the Metilla Day Care center, and in fact shoulder the salaries of the teachers.
The bombing incident clouds a bit of these dreams. However, I know Bansaleños are resilient people. The incident may inspire them even more to work harder and support the development of their hometown.
Perhaps, ABW members could explore with the municipal government unit what measures to be taken to protect the lives of the local people. For instance, the municipal council can conduct disaster preparedness campaign to teach people to become more vigilant in dealing with terrorist attacks.
If they find a suspicious bag or box, the first thing they should do is not to touch or open it. They should vacate the area carefully but quickly without moving the object.
In developed countries, the first thing people do is to call a bomb demolition team. But in Bansalan, is there such a team or a person who knows? And if there is, do people know whom to contact? Anyhow, this is easier said than done. “Curiosity kills a cat,” so goes a saying and our tendency is to satisfy our curiosity first but the consequence can cause many innocent lives. Even if one calls a bomb squad, probably the instruction might be “open it first to be sure that it is a bomb!” For all we know, it is too late.
It is important that peace and order must be restored. Engagement of local government officials to the development of the town is equally important.
ABW members will explore possibilities in establishing such cooperation with the local officials in identifying projects that will improve the quality of life of the local people.
Now, where is Bansalan exactly located?
From the ABW website, I found this information:
“In the lowlands of Mt. Apo lies the rural town of Bansalan. Despite being considered an agricultural economy, it is one of the progressive municipalities in the province of Davao del Sur.
"Legend has it that Bansalan got its name from a Bagobo chieftain (datu) named 'Dansalan' whose tribal folks were the original inhabitants of the place. A so-called reporting error by the early surveyors transposed the name to Bansalan and somehow became the official name on record.
"Bansalan is also formerly called 'Miral' and some local folks still refer to this former name. Visitors to this rustic town would notice that in public transportation the signboard still says Miral instead of Bansalan.
"Bansalan is about 72 kilometers south of Davao City and is very accessible by land transportation mostly by buses going to Cotabato City, Kidapawan City, and Tacurong. Bansalan is about 12 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Digos. Her neighboring towns include Makilala, North Cotabato in the north, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur (formerly called
Kialeg) in the west, Matanao, Davao del Sur in the south, Mt. Apo and parts of Digos City in the east.
"The town of Bansalan is a second class municipality which means its income level is between 27 million to 35 million pesos. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 51,781 people in 11,073 households.
"Agriculture is the major source of income for this town. Bansalenos grow rice, corn, banana, fruit trees, coconut, sugar cane in the lowlands.
Coffee, vegetables and fruits are grown in the colder highlands of Mt.
Apo.
"Bansalan is also keeping up with the times in terms of technology. It has access to cable television, computers, and cell phone sites. It may not be at par with the big cities but it's getting there. Gone are the days when radio was the only source of mass media communications.” -- ###
June 2007
The town is the boundary between the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. It is sandwiched by two cities: Kidapawan City and Digos City, probably the reason why progress in the town is so slow. Vehicles do not linger long enough in the town. Passengers from North Cotabato are eager to reach Digos or Davao City, while passengers bound for North Cotabato are rearing to reach Kidapawan City and further to Cotabato City. It has never been a place where passengers stay longer for one reason or the other. Business activities remain in the hands of the local enterprising people. And so the town remains largely rural and agricultural and still waiting for a miracle for the local economy to pick up.
The tragic bombing incident last June 15, which claimed 10 lives, made headlines not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well. It was not exactly the idea I have in my mind for Bansalan to be known around the world. For all we know, the town could be listed by the Western countries as one of the dangerous places to visit in the Philippines.
After reading the news, my first reaction was a total disbelief. This incident should never happen in my hometown. But I was thankful that the bomb was not strong enough to hit the two nearby gasoline stations. After all, Bansalan is practically not prepared to deal with a disaster of this magnitude. The municipality has only one ambulance which is ill-equipped and does not even have simple first aid kit. Sometimes the driver is nowhere to be found. There is no para-medic team to attend to patients. In more instances, the ambulance has no gasoline.
The local people were generally calm after the incident happened. Randy Albores, chair of the Bansalan chapter of the Association of Bansalenos Worldwide (ABW) reported that the town's parish priest, Rev. Fr. Cristito Carmona, DCD, declared June 17, 2007 as mourning day in honor of the victims of the Weena bus bombing. During the 8 am mass, prayers were offered to the victims and peace for our town. After the mass, a procession was held from the church to the bombing site. There was a short liturgical service. Prayers, flowers and candles were offered. A small white cross was erected at the site.
This bombing incident is regrettable since Bansaleños abroad have been trying their best to stimulate local tourism to enhance revenues for the town. As a matter of fact, Bansaleños abroad are preparing for their First Grand Reunion this coming December and planning to invite their families and friends to visit the town.
However, “out of sight, out of mind” may not aptly describe the attitude of ABW members. The longer they live abroad, the more they are drawn to this sleepy town like falling in love for the first time and falling in love all over again.
ABW members launched the “Give Back” campaign since two years ago to help the development of their hometown. They have finished the re-painting of the ABC Gym (click http://www.bansalan.com/giveback_abc_evolution.htm) in cooperation with the municipal government.
They also support poor but deserving pupils in their hometown. This school year (2007-2008), they were able to raise enough funds to buy uniforms, school bags, school supplies, and pay school contributions of 84 pupils (please visit http://www.bansalan.com/literacy/abw_scholars.htm). They were able to raise almost Ph 200,000 after conducting a fund-raising campaign from December 2006 – May 2007. A funding agency based in the Netherlands matched 70% of the net amount they actually raised.
ABW members have many dreams for their beloved town: they want to send books, set up a learning center, build waiting sheds, and improve the Rizal Park. Some are seriously thinking of investing to spur local economy. One member based in Germany already built a nursery school, the Metilla Day Care center, and in fact shoulder the salaries of the teachers.
The bombing incident clouds a bit of these dreams. However, I know Bansaleños are resilient people. The incident may inspire them even more to work harder and support the development of their hometown.
Perhaps, ABW members could explore with the municipal government unit what measures to be taken to protect the lives of the local people. For instance, the municipal council can conduct disaster preparedness campaign to teach people to become more vigilant in dealing with terrorist attacks.
If they find a suspicious bag or box, the first thing they should do is not to touch or open it. They should vacate the area carefully but quickly without moving the object.
In developed countries, the first thing people do is to call a bomb demolition team. But in Bansalan, is there such a team or a person who knows? And if there is, do people know whom to contact? Anyhow, this is easier said than done. “Curiosity kills a cat,” so goes a saying and our tendency is to satisfy our curiosity first but the consequence can cause many innocent lives. Even if one calls a bomb squad, probably the instruction might be “open it first to be sure that it is a bomb!” For all we know, it is too late.
It is important that peace and order must be restored. Engagement of local government officials to the development of the town is equally important.
ABW members will explore possibilities in establishing such cooperation with the local officials in identifying projects that will improve the quality of life of the local people.
Now, where is Bansalan exactly located?
From the ABW website, I found this information:
“In the lowlands of Mt. Apo lies the rural town of Bansalan. Despite being considered an agricultural economy, it is one of the progressive municipalities in the province of Davao del Sur.
"Legend has it that Bansalan got its name from a Bagobo chieftain (datu) named 'Dansalan' whose tribal folks were the original inhabitants of the place. A so-called reporting error by the early surveyors transposed the name to Bansalan and somehow became the official name on record.
"Bansalan is also formerly called 'Miral' and some local folks still refer to this former name. Visitors to this rustic town would notice that in public transportation the signboard still says Miral instead of Bansalan.
"Bansalan is about 72 kilometers south of Davao City and is very accessible by land transportation mostly by buses going to Cotabato City, Kidapawan City, and Tacurong. Bansalan is about 12 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Digos. Her neighboring towns include Makilala, North Cotabato in the north, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur (formerly called
Kialeg) in the west, Matanao, Davao del Sur in the south, Mt. Apo and parts of Digos City in the east.
"The town of Bansalan is a second class municipality which means its income level is between 27 million to 35 million pesos. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 51,781 people in 11,073 households.
"Agriculture is the major source of income for this town. Bansalenos grow rice, corn, banana, fruit trees, coconut, sugar cane in the lowlands.
Coffee, vegetables and fruits are grown in the colder highlands of Mt.
Apo.
"Bansalan is also keeping up with the times in terms of technology. It has access to cable television, computers, and cell phone sites. It may not be at par with the big cities but it's getting there. Gone are the days when radio was the only source of mass media communications.” -- ###
June 2007
When ChristmasTrees Were Tall
“When I was small/ and Christmas trees were tall/ we used to love while others used to play/ don't ask me why/ but time has passed us by/ some one else moved in from far away,” so goes the first stanza of a song popularized by the Bee Gees. Listening to it brings me back to the many Christmases I celebrated in my hometown several years ago.
What was Christmas like in a little town called Bansalan in the ‘60s and ‘70s? Since Christmas is supposed for children, the season was a memorable event for me. I was born into a very poor family but despite this our house was loaded with Christmas decorations. My father and I had so much fun decorating our house during Christmas time.
As early as October, we would discuss the possible motif of our Christmas tree. After all, making the Christmas tree was a family tradition. We wanted to have a different motif each year. I could still remember the time when we wrapped a big branch of a coffee tree – cut from farm of my auntie who lived in Bulatukan, North Cotabato – with green crepe paper. Coffee? Yes, in those days, lots of farmers still managed small coffee plantations.
On another year, we made a big cone out from a hard cardboard and wrapped it with pastel-colored tissue papers. But the last one I could not forget was a Christmas tree made from a bunch of raw banana complete with fruits and heart (yes, the puso ng saging). It was an adorable sight to behold.
We also hanged on our windows multi-colored Christmas lanterns wrapped with Japanese paper. We lined our main door with colorful blinking Christmas lights. But there was a hitch: Christmas lights attracted carolers and we had problem giving them pinaskuhan.
Every Christmas, our father would wrap small presents for all of us. We opened these presents after taking eating our Noche Buena but only after we had attended the midnight mass. Though not expensive, the gifts – a dainty handmade bag for me, plastic dolls for my younger sisters, pairs of socks for my brothers, and bandanna or nice blouse for my mother – were splendid because we only received them once a year. We rarely received birthday gifts since money was for food.
Days before Christmas, particularly at 3:30 in the morning, the phonograph of the parish convento would start playing Christmas songs. In order for the people to hear the music, the priest installed a loud speaker outside the convento. Indeed, the songs were literally a wake up call. Once the third song, “The First Noel,” would be played, I would rise up and start dressing up for the Misa de Gallo. The song served as my cue.
Before that, however, the two Christmas songs being played were “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Hark the Herald the Angels Sing.” Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, has been – and still is – an arena of bitter political dispute. I learned all these years later.
I always told my father how pleased I was that our family name Noel because during the Nativity season everybody seemed to remember us. Since I am the eldest of the eight children, I usually teased and made my brothers and sisters green with envy that the song was actually meant for me. My father was the only son and as far as I knew we did not have cousins who have the same family name.
Dressed in my Sunday dress topped with a second-hand twin-set, which my mother bought from the market (it was called “relief clothes” then; now, it known as ukay-ukay), I walked spiritedly to the church together with my parents and siblings. We would come early to be sure that we have the best set in the church.
I was always fascinated with the Christmas decorations in the church. I felt sad every time the décors were taken down after the Feast of Epiphany. I had to wait for the next Christmas to see them again.
Every now and then, the church would show a “real” Nativity scene. Local players would essay the roles convincingly that sometimes I thought Joseph and Mary may ascended from heaven. I watched them with awe and deep reverence. In several occasions, I was chosen to portray as one of the angels and this would be the highlight of my Christmas. I thought I had the most beautiful wings among other angels. My father made the wings especially for me that in most instances, I wanted to sleep wearing them.
Going home was a pleasant walk since we usually stopped at a store to drink warm native chocolate and eat suman or bibingka. The aroma of the native tableya brewing in an old clay pot was enough to wake me up from daydreaming, which I usually did when I was still young. I daydreamed about anything or hummed a song on my mind even while walking that my mother thought I was going out of my mind. Even until today, I still do this childhood habit especially when I walk home after a busy day.
My father, at age 49, died in an accident in April 1975. The first Christmas without my father was unforgettable. Being the eldest, I tried as much as possible to continue the Christmas tradition we observed. With the help of my younger brothers and sisters, I tried to make the Christmas tree and the lanterns. Everything we did seemed to be a poor version of what we have done the previous Christmases. My mother was not a big help at all. “If your father is still alive, he could have made this and that,” she told us.
Unlike past Christmases, we prepared simple food. Our late father was the only bread winner of the family, and we did not have much then to buy special food. Although I had a job, my salary was miniscule and I supported my own studies as well as my siblings. Months before Christmas, I started buying gifts at the bargain shops for every member of the family and saved enough money for our Noche Buena, which consisted of spaghetti and hotcakes made from Hungry Jack flour.
When all of us were gathered around the table, we were surprised when my younger brother requested something. “Please place a plate for Papa since he will join us,” he urged. Hearing this, we looked at each other and did not do anything. We all went to bed and dreamed about Christmas when my father was still with us.
Well, those were the days.
Today, I have a real Christmas tree made of fresh pine tree adorned with beautiful golden colored Christmas balls, pine cones, and dainty tulle and organza ribbons. Christmas packages are now bigger compared to those I had when I was still in Bansalan.
Snowflakes are falling while I am writing this piece. Perhaps we will have a white Christmas this year which we always dream of in the Philippines when we sing Irving Berlin’s “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”. I didn’t know then that the song was written while American soldiers were fighting during the Second World War and for their families who were waiting for them to return home safely. Why is it that there is always a sad story behind a beautiful song?
Our Christmas tree here in the Netherlands is literally much taller and fancier than what we had before. Food and wine are aplenty, gifts are abundant but the Christmas in Bansalan continues to linger on my mind. My memories drift back to the time when I was small and Christmas trees were tall.
Malipayong Pasko kaninyong tanan ug bulahang Bag-ong Tuig!
Christmas 2005
What was Christmas like in a little town called Bansalan in the ‘60s and ‘70s? Since Christmas is supposed for children, the season was a memorable event for me. I was born into a very poor family but despite this our house was loaded with Christmas decorations. My father and I had so much fun decorating our house during Christmas time.
As early as October, we would discuss the possible motif of our Christmas tree. After all, making the Christmas tree was a family tradition. We wanted to have a different motif each year. I could still remember the time when we wrapped a big branch of a coffee tree – cut from farm of my auntie who lived in Bulatukan, North Cotabato – with green crepe paper. Coffee? Yes, in those days, lots of farmers still managed small coffee plantations.
On another year, we made a big cone out from a hard cardboard and wrapped it with pastel-colored tissue papers. But the last one I could not forget was a Christmas tree made from a bunch of raw banana complete with fruits and heart (yes, the puso ng saging). It was an adorable sight to behold.
We also hanged on our windows multi-colored Christmas lanterns wrapped with Japanese paper. We lined our main door with colorful blinking Christmas lights. But there was a hitch: Christmas lights attracted carolers and we had problem giving them pinaskuhan.
Every Christmas, our father would wrap small presents for all of us. We opened these presents after taking eating our Noche Buena but only after we had attended the midnight mass. Though not expensive, the gifts – a dainty handmade bag for me, plastic dolls for my younger sisters, pairs of socks for my brothers, and bandanna or nice blouse for my mother – were splendid because we only received them once a year. We rarely received birthday gifts since money was for food.
Days before Christmas, particularly at 3:30 in the morning, the phonograph of the parish convento would start playing Christmas songs. In order for the people to hear the music, the priest installed a loud speaker outside the convento. Indeed, the songs were literally a wake up call. Once the third song, “The First Noel,” would be played, I would rise up and start dressing up for the Misa de Gallo. The song served as my cue.
Before that, however, the two Christmas songs being played were “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Hark the Herald the Angels Sing.” Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, has been – and still is – an arena of bitter political dispute. I learned all these years later.
I always told my father how pleased I was that our family name Noel because during the Nativity season everybody seemed to remember us. Since I am the eldest of the eight children, I usually teased and made my brothers and sisters green with envy that the song was actually meant for me. My father was the only son and as far as I knew we did not have cousins who have the same family name.
Dressed in my Sunday dress topped with a second-hand twin-set, which my mother bought from the market (it was called “relief clothes” then; now, it known as ukay-ukay), I walked spiritedly to the church together with my parents and siblings. We would come early to be sure that we have the best set in the church.
I was always fascinated with the Christmas decorations in the church. I felt sad every time the décors were taken down after the Feast of Epiphany. I had to wait for the next Christmas to see them again.
Every now and then, the church would show a “real” Nativity scene. Local players would essay the roles convincingly that sometimes I thought Joseph and Mary may ascended from heaven. I watched them with awe and deep reverence. In several occasions, I was chosen to portray as one of the angels and this would be the highlight of my Christmas. I thought I had the most beautiful wings among other angels. My father made the wings especially for me that in most instances, I wanted to sleep wearing them.
Going home was a pleasant walk since we usually stopped at a store to drink warm native chocolate and eat suman or bibingka. The aroma of the native tableya brewing in an old clay pot was enough to wake me up from daydreaming, which I usually did when I was still young. I daydreamed about anything or hummed a song on my mind even while walking that my mother thought I was going out of my mind. Even until today, I still do this childhood habit especially when I walk home after a busy day.
My father, at age 49, died in an accident in April 1975. The first Christmas without my father was unforgettable. Being the eldest, I tried as much as possible to continue the Christmas tradition we observed. With the help of my younger brothers and sisters, I tried to make the Christmas tree and the lanterns. Everything we did seemed to be a poor version of what we have done the previous Christmases. My mother was not a big help at all. “If your father is still alive, he could have made this and that,” she told us.
Unlike past Christmases, we prepared simple food. Our late father was the only bread winner of the family, and we did not have much then to buy special food. Although I had a job, my salary was miniscule and I supported my own studies as well as my siblings. Months before Christmas, I started buying gifts at the bargain shops for every member of the family and saved enough money for our Noche Buena, which consisted of spaghetti and hotcakes made from Hungry Jack flour.
When all of us were gathered around the table, we were surprised when my younger brother requested something. “Please place a plate for Papa since he will join us,” he urged. Hearing this, we looked at each other and did not do anything. We all went to bed and dreamed about Christmas when my father was still with us.
Well, those were the days.
Today, I have a real Christmas tree made of fresh pine tree adorned with beautiful golden colored Christmas balls, pine cones, and dainty tulle and organza ribbons. Christmas packages are now bigger compared to those I had when I was still in Bansalan.
Snowflakes are falling while I am writing this piece. Perhaps we will have a white Christmas this year which we always dream of in the Philippines when we sing Irving Berlin’s “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”. I didn’t know then that the song was written while American soldiers were fighting during the Second World War and for their families who were waiting for them to return home safely. Why is it that there is always a sad story behind a beautiful song?
Our Christmas tree here in the Netherlands is literally much taller and fancier than what we had before. Food and wine are aplenty, gifts are abundant but the Christmas in Bansalan continues to linger on my mind. My memories drift back to the time when I was small and Christmas trees were tall.
Malipayong Pasko kaninyong tanan ug bulahang Bag-ong Tuig!
Christmas 2005
Making a Difference: Bansaleño Expats Give Back
GOUDA, The Netherlands – My present job provides me with rare opportunities to work with African, Asian and Latin migrant organizations which actively support small development projects in their countries of origin. Watching them how they help their own communities made me wonder whether my fellow Bansaleño expats have also inclinations to help our hometown. Beyond sending money to their direct families, are they also willing to contribute to the development of our hometown?
For several years now, I was mulling over linking Bansaleño expats with Kapatiran Philippines, Inc (KPI), a small non-governmental organization which I helped set up in Bansalan a few years ago. However, it was a daunting task to get their addresses until I came across the Bansalan website, which was constructed by Edwin Bibera, a fellow Bansaleño now living in Fullerton, California. After giving some comments about the website, I tried to ask him if he was willing to maintain – on a voluntary basis – the website of KPI. “No problem,” Edwin assured. “At least I can do something for our hometown.”
Great! Now, there were two of us doing something for our hometown. But the question is: Where are the rest?
Unknowingly, on the first week of November 2005, Edwin’s website was noticed by some Bansaleños and even those now living in other parts of the world. This was when Edwin posted new articles and pictures of popular places of our town. One particular picture – that of the ABC Gym – caught the attention of Imee Mabandos-Schneider of Frankfurt, Germany. Her compelling message urging Bansaleños to help renovate the dilapidated gym triggered off a series of e-mail exchanges.
In her e-mail message, Imee warm-heartedly recalled various events – such as basketball tournaments, dances, and large official functions and other activities of the various schools and community, among others – were held in the gym. “ABC had been a great part of our growing up years in Bansalan,” she wrote. “In the spirit of (forthcoming) Christmas, we can give back to our hometown by raising the amount of Ph20,000 to at least repaint the façade of the gym.”
The snowball effect of Imee’s initial posting was overwhelming. In no time, Bansaleños residing abroad – Toronto in Canada; Alaska, New York, California, Ohio, and Virginia in the United States; Rotterdam and Gouda in the Netherlands; and Frankfurt in Germany – and even those in Manila and Davao started sending their pledges.
The awe-inspiring response of the Bansaleños resulted to the formation of the virtual community called the Association of Bansaleños or www.Bansaleños.com with “Give Back Campaign: ABC Gym Project” as its initial project. In less than a month, our group raised the amount of Php155,212.00 - almost 8 times more than Imee’s original request.
Curiously enough, the members of Association of Bansaleños have different professional backgrounds and they are doing different types of jobs. While implementing the project, we were discovering our untapped talents, hobbies and interests. We found out we have excellent fund raisers and event organizers in our midst. All these proved to be useful in our campaign.
Aside from renovating the gym, some Bansaleños also decided to raise funds to support the education of poor children our hometown. As of this writing, the “Give Back: Literacy Project” received pledges amounting to Ph 50,000 – enough to support the education of 30-35 poor pupils next school year. In fact, some even committed themselves to support the children until they finish their elementary education.
While older folks are very much willing to help, younger generation is also involved. Jane Nique, who now lives in New York, related her conversation with her 17-year-old daughter Nikki: “Nikki shed a tear when she heard the story about the poor children in Bansalan. She offered to sponsor one child. I asked her how she would do it since she’s still a student and without an income. She replied that she can set aside some money from her weekly allowance. She also want to write to a child to encourage him or her to study hard because by the time the child would graduate from elementary, she would already be a nurse. By then, she could support the child’s college education.”
Nikki, however, is not alone. During our visit in Bansalan five years ago, my two sons – Michael and Richard – asked their uncle Joselito why there so many out-of school children in the neighborhood. My brother, a barangay captain, told my two sons that the parents of these children are too poor to send them to school. In fact, he was supporting some of them but had a hard time sustaining the support due to lack of funds.
My two sons offered to help and came up with an idea on where to get the money. “Richard and I just won’t go to McDonalds four times a year Mamma and the money we would save would be given to some children to help them go to school,” Michael volunteered. I told them that if they would do that, I would match what they would have saved. They did – and their initial donation actually started the basic literacy program of Bansalan’s KPI.
I am aware that my fellow Bansaleños have bigger plans for our hometown but they know their contribution is limited. They are willing to support any worthy community projects but they would like also to see local government officials to match what they would do. Hence, taking advantage of her recent Christmas vacation in Bansalan, Imee together with some Davao and Bansalan-based residents presented the plan to the town mayor and his council. Mayor Melchor Arches warmly welcomed the proposed initiative. Today, the renovation of the ABC Gym has become a joint project of the local government unit and the Bansaleño expats.
Through regular e-mail contacts, I learned several stories about their gift-giving practices. I heard that long before the “Give Back Campaign” was launched, a few were already involved in various family and community projects. For instance, the list of donors who contributed to the renovation of our church included many names of families who have relatives overseas. Thanks to the “start-up capital” from relatives abroad, new small businesses (restaurants, photo services, bakeries, grocery stores, transports, etc) have been set up which stimulate local economic activities and create jobs in the town.
Fact: Those who are working abroad are spending their remittances for the improvement of the economic condition of their families. A case in point is the “Japayuki village,” a small enclave in Bansalan where nice and well-appointed row of houses were built from the money sent to their families by Bansaleños working in Japan. In building the houses, temporary jobs are created for local carpenters and laborers.
Another example is the Nique family – with three siblings now living in New
York – who distributes Christmas gifts (cash money, rice, canned goods, T-shirts, bicycles) every year to indigent children and parents in their barangay.
More recently, I learned that a fellow Bansaleña, who married a German, is now busy developing her small farming village. After building her own house and that of her family, she also purchased a land and subdivided it into small parcels, which she sold to homeless families in our hometown at very low price. Likewise, she opened a grocery store and a bakery in her village and hired local people.
With the aforementioned examples, it finally dawned on me that the Bansaleños are not different from the African, Latinos and Asian migrants whom I worked with. They give back because they feel they still feel they are very much part of the community. They also want to share the blessings they enjoy with those whom they left behind. Perhaps, some unconsciously give back because one day they might return. Whatever their motives are, the Bansaleños are making a difference but not without reason.
In his recollection, Edwin wrote: “So many memories and some of them pass to oblivion. But in retrospect, I didn't really regret living in Bansalan. In fact, I love it there. Like a tree which roots are firmly grounded in that old town, my travels were like branching out to reach new heights: to see more of the world. But it seems like I never left at all. I am always home.”
Daday Amor-Cintron of New Jersey summed up the sentiments of most Bansaleño expats when she wrote: “Seriously, because of the choices we made (and choices we did not make) some of us have ‘wow’ lives and some just plain ‘blah’ lives. Some of our lives are glorious, and others not so glorious. But no matter where in the world we are, we have these experiences and all of God’s graciousness to be thankful for. When I am overwhelmed with the routine drudgery of the fast lane we call life, I think of all the simple things of our past, the humble beginnings of Bansalan. It is safe there.”
Note: The Give Back Campaign is an on-going project of Bansaleños. For more information, please visit: www.bansalan.com. -- ***
January 2006
For several years now, I was mulling over linking Bansaleño expats with Kapatiran Philippines, Inc (KPI), a small non-governmental organization which I helped set up in Bansalan a few years ago. However, it was a daunting task to get their addresses until I came across the Bansalan website, which was constructed by Edwin Bibera, a fellow Bansaleño now living in Fullerton, California. After giving some comments about the website, I tried to ask him if he was willing to maintain – on a voluntary basis – the website of KPI. “No problem,” Edwin assured. “At least I can do something for our hometown.”
Great! Now, there were two of us doing something for our hometown. But the question is: Where are the rest?
Unknowingly, on the first week of November 2005, Edwin’s website was noticed by some Bansaleños and even those now living in other parts of the world. This was when Edwin posted new articles and pictures of popular places of our town. One particular picture – that of the ABC Gym – caught the attention of Imee Mabandos-Schneider of Frankfurt, Germany. Her compelling message urging Bansaleños to help renovate the dilapidated gym triggered off a series of e-mail exchanges.
In her e-mail message, Imee warm-heartedly recalled various events – such as basketball tournaments, dances, and large official functions and other activities of the various schools and community, among others – were held in the gym. “ABC had been a great part of our growing up years in Bansalan,” she wrote. “In the spirit of (forthcoming) Christmas, we can give back to our hometown by raising the amount of Ph20,000 to at least repaint the façade of the gym.”
The snowball effect of Imee’s initial posting was overwhelming. In no time, Bansaleños residing abroad – Toronto in Canada; Alaska, New York, California, Ohio, and Virginia in the United States; Rotterdam and Gouda in the Netherlands; and Frankfurt in Germany – and even those in Manila and Davao started sending their pledges.
The awe-inspiring response of the Bansaleños resulted to the formation of the virtual community called the Association of Bansaleños or www.Bansaleños.com with “Give Back Campaign: ABC Gym Project” as its initial project. In less than a month, our group raised the amount of Php155,212.00 - almost 8 times more than Imee’s original request.
Curiously enough, the members of Association of Bansaleños have different professional backgrounds and they are doing different types of jobs. While implementing the project, we were discovering our untapped talents, hobbies and interests. We found out we have excellent fund raisers and event organizers in our midst. All these proved to be useful in our campaign.
Aside from renovating the gym, some Bansaleños also decided to raise funds to support the education of poor children our hometown. As of this writing, the “Give Back: Literacy Project” received pledges amounting to Ph 50,000 – enough to support the education of 30-35 poor pupils next school year. In fact, some even committed themselves to support the children until they finish their elementary education.
While older folks are very much willing to help, younger generation is also involved. Jane Nique, who now lives in New York, related her conversation with her 17-year-old daughter Nikki: “Nikki shed a tear when she heard the story about the poor children in Bansalan. She offered to sponsor one child. I asked her how she would do it since she’s still a student and without an income. She replied that she can set aside some money from her weekly allowance. She also want to write to a child to encourage him or her to study hard because by the time the child would graduate from elementary, she would already be a nurse. By then, she could support the child’s college education.”
Nikki, however, is not alone. During our visit in Bansalan five years ago, my two sons – Michael and Richard – asked their uncle Joselito why there so many out-of school children in the neighborhood. My brother, a barangay captain, told my two sons that the parents of these children are too poor to send them to school. In fact, he was supporting some of them but had a hard time sustaining the support due to lack of funds.
My two sons offered to help and came up with an idea on where to get the money. “Richard and I just won’t go to McDonalds four times a year Mamma and the money we would save would be given to some children to help them go to school,” Michael volunteered. I told them that if they would do that, I would match what they would have saved. They did – and their initial donation actually started the basic literacy program of Bansalan’s KPI.
I am aware that my fellow Bansaleños have bigger plans for our hometown but they know their contribution is limited. They are willing to support any worthy community projects but they would like also to see local government officials to match what they would do. Hence, taking advantage of her recent Christmas vacation in Bansalan, Imee together with some Davao and Bansalan-based residents presented the plan to the town mayor and his council. Mayor Melchor Arches warmly welcomed the proposed initiative. Today, the renovation of the ABC Gym has become a joint project of the local government unit and the Bansaleño expats.
Through regular e-mail contacts, I learned several stories about their gift-giving practices. I heard that long before the “Give Back Campaign” was launched, a few were already involved in various family and community projects. For instance, the list of donors who contributed to the renovation of our church included many names of families who have relatives overseas. Thanks to the “start-up capital” from relatives abroad, new small businesses (restaurants, photo services, bakeries, grocery stores, transports, etc) have been set up which stimulate local economic activities and create jobs in the town.
Fact: Those who are working abroad are spending their remittances for the improvement of the economic condition of their families. A case in point is the “Japayuki village,” a small enclave in Bansalan where nice and well-appointed row of houses were built from the money sent to their families by Bansaleños working in Japan. In building the houses, temporary jobs are created for local carpenters and laborers.
Another example is the Nique family – with three siblings now living in New
York – who distributes Christmas gifts (cash money, rice, canned goods, T-shirts, bicycles) every year to indigent children and parents in their barangay.
More recently, I learned that a fellow Bansaleña, who married a German, is now busy developing her small farming village. After building her own house and that of her family, she also purchased a land and subdivided it into small parcels, which she sold to homeless families in our hometown at very low price. Likewise, she opened a grocery store and a bakery in her village and hired local people.
With the aforementioned examples, it finally dawned on me that the Bansaleños are not different from the African, Latinos and Asian migrants whom I worked with. They give back because they feel they still feel they are very much part of the community. They also want to share the blessings they enjoy with those whom they left behind. Perhaps, some unconsciously give back because one day they might return. Whatever their motives are, the Bansaleños are making a difference but not without reason.
In his recollection, Edwin wrote: “So many memories and some of them pass to oblivion. But in retrospect, I didn't really regret living in Bansalan. In fact, I love it there. Like a tree which roots are firmly grounded in that old town, my travels were like branching out to reach new heights: to see more of the world. But it seems like I never left at all. I am always home.”
Daday Amor-Cintron of New Jersey summed up the sentiments of most Bansaleño expats when she wrote: “Seriously, because of the choices we made (and choices we did not make) some of us have ‘wow’ lives and some just plain ‘blah’ lives. Some of our lives are glorious, and others not so glorious. But no matter where in the world we are, we have these experiences and all of God’s graciousness to be thankful for. When I am overwhelmed with the routine drudgery of the fast lane we call life, I think of all the simple things of our past, the humble beginnings of Bansalan. It is safe there.”
Note: The Give Back Campaign is an on-going project of Bansaleños. For more information, please visit: www.bansalan.com. -- ***
January 2006
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