Bayanihan, now a widely used word again alongside fiscal crisis, has earlier ignited the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) leading to the burning of hearts and building of homes.
Long before the government's formal acknowledgment of a national financial trouble and the setting up of the Bayanihan Fund, BPRE employees have already rendered concrete acts of volunteer service, or more appropriately, giving care through a program called Gawad Kalinga (GK) in collaboration with the Couples for Christ (CFC), National Food Authority (NFA) volunteers and the local government unit of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.
BPRE hasn't only raised some money, the volunteer employees have also spent time with the beneficiaries and literally drenched their clothes with sweat through shared manual labor. As one of the major culminating activities of the BPRE 26th Anniversary, the community service was held last June 2 at the GK Village, Sitio Borakay, Sta. Rita, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.
Engr. Ricardo L. Cachuela, BPRE Executive Director, handed over a symbolic, enlarged check worth P50,000.00 to GK Cabiao through Mayor Gloria C. Congco. He later led 50 volunteers in the construction work, painting and gardening. The children in the community were also treated with meals, film showing and school supplies.
Earlier, Jose B. Santos and Digna Monica B. Samaniego, Deputy Executive Director and Director II of the Finance and Administration Department, respectively, turned over another P50,000.00 check to the GK Village in Laura, Diliman, Quezon City through the then NFA Administrator Artchur C. Yap. That GK Village has been receiving various forms of assistance from NFA volunteers. It was actually NFA which introduced the GK Program to BPRE.
"One unit of concrete GK shelter has a material cost of P50,000.00 exclusive of labor," according to Mr. Bebot Bolisay, Provincial Head of GK Nueva Ecija. "When volunteers and recipients come in to provide the labor, the shelter rises from the labor of love," he adds.
Today, BPRE has, at the very least, contributed two homes for both GK Cabiao and Laura. The recipients of the shelter will still be identified.
BPRE as a government agency
Before requests for housing assistance flood to BPRE, this agency is actually a government office which is officially concerned, not with housing and other social services, but with loss prevention and value-adding activities for agriculture and fishery products. In short, BPRE is legally mandated to act on food, not shelter concerns.
However, the employees of BPRE have just acted collectively on their personal capacity to voluntarily share money and labor to the GK program which is a similar way through which, to cite examples, Bureau of Customs (BOC) and NFA volunteers have embraced the cause.
Truly, the spirit of bayanihan transcends boundaries.
Legally, BPRE was created on May 14, 1978 to spearhead the development of the postharvest industry covering various agricultural, livestock and fishery commodities. It used to be a subsidiary of National Grains Authority (NGA), now called NFA with the name National Postharvest Institute for Research and Extension (NAPHIRE) until it became a regular bureau, thus named Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), in 1991 under the Department of Agriculture (DA).
"Our vision is a profitable and globally competitive farming and fishing communities characterized by dynamic and responsive postharvest systems," says Engr. Cachuela.
"Our mission, on the other hand, is to empower farmers and fisherfolks by preserving and adding value to their produce," he adds.
BPRE's research, development and extension programs have given birth to an array of technologies on harvesting, threshing, shelling, drying, upland hauling, refrigerated handling and storage, pest control as well as other processing operations and by-products utilization.
The Gawad Kalinga Program
The Gawad Kalinga Program is a holistic, non-sectarian, non-profit, multi-sectoral initiative from the Philippines that has spread to several nations worldwide through the leading efforts of the CFC since five years ago. CFC, a catholic renewal community founded 23 years ago, is also established in 117 countries across the globe.
GK addresses not only the shelter but also the health, education, livelihood and community empowerment concerns.
The GK model showcases communities that have transformed into a productivity center, environmentally healthy community, peace zone, tourist spot and faith community where people respect each other's religious beliefs.
As a concrete rallying point, the GK target, called GK777, was launched to build 700,000 homes in 7,000 communities in 7 years. To date, GK has established 7318 homes in 308 communities. The two shelters from BPRE will be added to this figure soon upon completion.
The recipients of the shelter are screened through a committee including a representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
In the GK bayanihan system, the construction of the shelters is accomplished through the shared physical labor of both the recipient and donor with the supervision of an expert foreman or engineer. Among GK volunteers, this practice is called 'padugo' (bloodletting) to dramatize the deeper meaning of 'bayanihan' or volunteerism and yoke-sharing.
"It is important that we see our materially poor brethren equal with us in worth and dignity regardless of their religious affiliation and state in life. Seeing them deserving of the same dreams that we desire for a better life, the same food that we love to eat, the same dress or comfort that we want, we can give what we have out of love not out of pity," explains Tony Meloto, a leading figure of CFC and GK. In a strict sense, he prefers 'partners' over the term 'beneficiaries' to illustrate that his belief that the poor can also contribute a lot in various forms.
"In Cabiao, GK has breezed through religious beliefs. We have, for instance, Iglesia Ni Crsito members here in a Catholic-led community building program. The BPRE volunteers themselves were a group coming from diverse denominations," reveals Lito Saturnino, CFC Coordinator of GK Cabiao. "Working as one, the volunteers have also forgotten their organizational ranks," he added.
Lilia Tama, 39, beamed with joy as she presented her children, Darwin, Analyn, Johnbert and Jaycris whose age ranges from 6-14. "GK has transformed not only our nine-year shaky shanty in Nabao Lake into this concrete, colorful home but it has also significantly refined the character of my children. They are more courteous and friendly now," she said in Tagalog.
"From our experience, the transformation is equally remarkable in the lives of the donors. Their attitudes and lifestyle change," according to Hermie Cabalang, CFC Singles for Christ (SFC) Provincial Coordinator who has also worked extensively with GK and young professionals.
Kristine Samoy, a BPRE volunteer, affirms this. "Bayanihan can make each one feel and look great, much better than surgery, diet and pills combined," she concludes.
Bayanihan, as it sets the heart aflame, can make this place better than yesterday. As we know now, a burning heart can build a home. And more.