COCOVILLE: A Response in Nation Building ....for our small coconut farmers and farm workers
Another Mission
At the very first hour of September 23, 2005, armed with my handy cam, some notes, pen and abled body, I took the first trip aboard a non-air-conditioned bus going to Quezon Province. I took no noticed of my way to Quezon since I was asleep all throughout the travel. It was already 6AM when I arrived in Gumaca, Quezon. And met there officers and colleagues from UCPB-CIIF Foundation who arrived Gumaca the day before (our President, Edgardo Amistad, our Community Development Department Head, Neury Chan).
It took us another three full hours of travel from Gumaca to Mulanay and finally reached our destination at around 9AM where we met the local GK Team of Mulanay, the GK Team from Lucena and Manila (Ortigas) and the town’s Mayor.
We were welcomed warmly by Mayor Prudencio “Den” Maximo in his modest and properly maintained ancestral home.
A Glimpse of Mulanay
Mulanay is a coastal town in the southern side of the province of Quezon. It is bounded in the north by the municipality of Catanauan, on the east by the municipality of San Narciso, on the south by the municipality of San Francisco and on the west by Tayabas Bay.
Legend relates that Mulanay derived its name from the tagalog word Malunay which means "Plenty of Lunay". "Lunay" is the vernacular term for Pili wax which were abundant in the area.
The evangelization of Mulanay under the Franciscan Missionaries was in the 1600. However, its civil foundation as a municipality effected only in 1745 thru the approval of the King of Spain as contained in his royal decree. This town at that time, encompasses the municipal territories of San Narciso, San Francisco, Catanauan and which if measured will be as big as the province of Bataan. The original town of Mulanay was composed of only six barangays.
At present, Mulanay is composed of a total twenty eight barangays, four of which comprised the Poblacion. The municipality is an agricultural as well as an industrial town. From her rich soil, farm crops, like coconut, garlic, abundantly harvested. Fish, fresh and dried are sold by tons to big towns and cities during peak season.
In 1996, a film was shot entirely in this town. Entitled as “Mulanay”, starred by Jaclyn Jose, this movie is about the Doctor to the Barrio Program of the early 90’s.
And because of this movie, the town became known somehow and was properly affirmed of its own place in the map of the Philippines
(Trivia: Did you know that the house of Mayor Den was converted and used as municipal building during the filming of this movie?)
A piece of paradise
The warm hospitality of the town’s mayor was prominently felt. After the breakfast con-mid-morning snacks, we then toured the future site of GK Cocoville.
Together with the local GK Team, the town Mayor and the GK Team from Manila, we went to Barangay Butanyog. It’s a five-minute drive from the town proper going up south. Just beside the SOLCOM Grade School and the Oil Mill is an unpaved road leading up-hill. A short walk barely 50 to 100 meters from the road and the elementary school, there lies a leveled ground, overlooking Tayabas Bay and another much larger open field in much lower altitude. This sums up the 2.5 hectares of land that will soon bear clusters of brightly painted houses.
The inclined wall of earth in the upper leveled ground can be seen from the sea. The GK signage and name will be placed here so from afar; those in the sea vessels passing the Tayabas Bay can see it. It functions like a lighthouse but this time a large wall bearing the name of the village, heralding a village which is a community that lives in bliss of harmony and unity.
The first cluster of 40 houses will be constructed in the lower ground level which has its own path going to the beach front, barely 200 meters away.
They say that this site is majestic in its location. And believe to be the best so far in any other GK sites because of its super-imposing nature bounded by within, the mountain and the over-looking sea. Not to mention the aroma of coconut product (latik scent) from the neighboring Southern Luzon Coconut Oil Mill.
Situationer: Our Beneficiaries
One third of the country's arable agricultural land or about 3.31 million hectares is planted to coconut sprawling in sixty four (64) out of total seventy eight (78) provinces, and 1,195 out of the 1,554 municipalities in the country. Of these coconut areas, the Philippine Coconut Authority said there are 1.6 million coconut farming families with landholdings of five hectares and below who deserve livelihood assistance. The small coconut producers which constitute a large segment of the marginalized sector in the society need to be uplifted.
And pursuant to the purpose of implementing and maintaining socio-economic programs for the upliftment, development and advancement of the life and living standards of coconut farmers through community development as well as through equitable distribution of wealth and other economic values, the UCPB-CIIF Foundation, Inc., one of the two social development arms of the UCPB Group had inked with Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc. to undertake a housing exclusively for coconut farmers, farm workers and their families.
Among those small coconut farm owner and farm workers/tenant can be found in this town. They are those who work and deliver services to the Coconut Farmers Agri-Business Center, situated across Southern Luzon Coconut Oil Mill, Inc. (SOLCOM), the first coconut oil milling plant in this town. Such service may include sale of whole coconut, twining of coconut coir, making if geo-textiles and other coco-based activities for the Center.
The Vision, Dreams and its Reality
The work has started already, grounds were already leveled, electric line has already penetrated the site, water source was already drilled in, roads are getting flattened, and construction of “The Wall” that will bear the name of the village has started too.
Even the local GK Team (composed mainly of local Couples for Christ member, by the way, the Mayor and his wife is both now member of CFC) already mapped out their plan in profiling the future beneficiaries. Likewise, the enthusiasm and vigor of the Local Government Unit headed by their Mayor is getting its own heights.
More than this, the bayanihan spirit will soon be reflected again in this site, common in every GK sites in the country. Altogether, people who believes to the call of nation building and GK Volunteers will soon trooped to this side of the town and start to excavate foundations, build walls of the house, pass hollow blocks and bricks, paint the house with lively bright colors that reflect new hopes, landscape and beautify the surrounding with fences and ornamental plants.
Much more, after work has done, the GK beneficiaries, the underprivileged coconut farm workers, will have their own “beautiful, humane and quality but inexpensive houses where their family can make it a place to call home, living in a community having decent shelter that restores their dignity and uplifts their quality of life”.
Challenge
More works have to be done for us to truly build communities for our coconut farmers that will shield them from poverty and injustices. And we are then challenge to uphold the work that we have started. To realized that the impoverished Filipino coconut farm workers and their families comprises the larger population of agricultural areas in our country, we still have more works to accomplished to truly sustain and permanently uplift the living conditions of our small coconut farmers.
It has started. The UCPB-CIIF GK Cocoville will be the seed of transformation for our small coconut farmers. This partnership with Gawad Kalinga is an alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty, whose approach is integrated, holistic and sustainable – a concrete action plan to rebuild this nation by harnessing the best of the Filipino – our faith and our patriotism.
More to come
After our tour in the site, the whole group proceeded in the municipal building and a presentation was made by the Quezon GK Team showing Mulanay as the 7th GK Site to rise in Quezon Province, and more to come such as Catanauan, Padre Burgos and Lopez.
We left Mulanay after lunch with much hope and excitement for things to come and be done. As for me, I’m more than eager to be back again with spades and hoe, hammers and pails, and with deep conviction of helping our small coconut farmers, after all, I was born in Quezon and my roots are coconut farmers likewise.
At the very first hour of September 23, 2005, armed with my handy cam, some notes, pen and abled body, I took the first trip aboard a non-air-conditioned bus going to Quezon Province. I took no noticed of my way to Quezon since I was asleep all throughout the travel. It was already 6AM when I arrived in Gumaca, Quezon. And met there officers and colleagues from UCPB-CIIF Foundation who arrived Gumaca the day before (our President, Edgardo Amistad, our Community Development Department Head, Neury Chan).
It took us another three full hours of travel from Gumaca to Mulanay and finally reached our destination at around 9AM where we met the local GK Team of Mulanay, the GK Team from Lucena and Manila (Ortigas) and the town’s Mayor.
We were welcomed warmly by Mayor Prudencio “Den” Maximo in his modest and properly maintained ancestral home.
A Glimpse of Mulanay
Mulanay is a coastal town in the southern side of the province of Quezon. It is bounded in the north by the municipality of Catanauan, on the east by the municipality of San Narciso, on the south by the municipality of San Francisco and on the west by Tayabas Bay.
Legend relates that Mulanay derived its name from the tagalog word Malunay which means "Plenty of Lunay". "Lunay" is the vernacular term for Pili wax which were abundant in the area.
The evangelization of Mulanay under the Franciscan Missionaries was in the 1600. However, its civil foundation as a municipality effected only in 1745 thru the approval of the King of Spain as contained in his royal decree. This town at that time, encompasses the municipal territories of San Narciso, San Francisco, Catanauan and which if measured will be as big as the province of Bataan. The original town of Mulanay was composed of only six barangays.
At present, Mulanay is composed of a total twenty eight barangays, four of which comprised the Poblacion. The municipality is an agricultural as well as an industrial town. From her rich soil, farm crops, like coconut, garlic, abundantly harvested. Fish, fresh and dried are sold by tons to big towns and cities during peak season.
In 1996, a film was shot entirely in this town. Entitled as “Mulanay”, starred by Jaclyn Jose, this movie is about the Doctor to the Barrio Program of the early 90’s.
And because of this movie, the town became known somehow and was properly affirmed of its own place in the map of the Philippines
(Trivia: Did you know that the house of Mayor Den was converted and used as municipal building during the filming of this movie?)
A piece of paradise
The warm hospitality of the town’s mayor was prominently felt. After the breakfast con-mid-morning snacks, we then toured the future site of GK Cocoville.
Together with the local GK Team, the town Mayor and the GK Team from Manila, we went to Barangay Butanyog. It’s a five-minute drive from the town proper going up south. Just beside the SOLCOM Grade School and the Oil Mill is an unpaved road leading up-hill. A short walk barely 50 to 100 meters from the road and the elementary school, there lies a leveled ground, overlooking Tayabas Bay and another much larger open field in much lower altitude. This sums up the 2.5 hectares of land that will soon bear clusters of brightly painted houses.
The inclined wall of earth in the upper leveled ground can be seen from the sea. The GK signage and name will be placed here so from afar; those in the sea vessels passing the Tayabas Bay can see it. It functions like a lighthouse but this time a large wall bearing the name of the village, heralding a village which is a community that lives in bliss of harmony and unity.
The first cluster of 40 houses will be constructed in the lower ground level which has its own path going to the beach front, barely 200 meters away.
They say that this site is majestic in its location. And believe to be the best so far in any other GK sites because of its super-imposing nature bounded by within, the mountain and the over-looking sea. Not to mention the aroma of coconut product (latik scent) from the neighboring Southern Luzon Coconut Oil Mill.
Situationer: Our Beneficiaries
One third of the country's arable agricultural land or about 3.31 million hectares is planted to coconut sprawling in sixty four (64) out of total seventy eight (78) provinces, and 1,195 out of the 1,554 municipalities in the country. Of these coconut areas, the Philippine Coconut Authority said there are 1.6 million coconut farming families with landholdings of five hectares and below who deserve livelihood assistance. The small coconut producers which constitute a large segment of the marginalized sector in the society need to be uplifted.
And pursuant to the purpose of implementing and maintaining socio-economic programs for the upliftment, development and advancement of the life and living standards of coconut farmers through community development as well as through equitable distribution of wealth and other economic values, the UCPB-CIIF Foundation, Inc., one of the two social development arms of the UCPB Group had inked with Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc. to undertake a housing exclusively for coconut farmers, farm workers and their families.
Among those small coconut farm owner and farm workers/tenant can be found in this town. They are those who work and deliver services to the Coconut Farmers Agri-Business Center, situated across Southern Luzon Coconut Oil Mill, Inc. (SOLCOM), the first coconut oil milling plant in this town. Such service may include sale of whole coconut, twining of coconut coir, making if geo-textiles and other coco-based activities for the Center.
The Vision, Dreams and its Reality
The work has started already, grounds were already leveled, electric line has already penetrated the site, water source was already drilled in, roads are getting flattened, and construction of “The Wall” that will bear the name of the village has started too.
Even the local GK Team (composed mainly of local Couples for Christ member, by the way, the Mayor and his wife is both now member of CFC) already mapped out their plan in profiling the future beneficiaries. Likewise, the enthusiasm and vigor of the Local Government Unit headed by their Mayor is getting its own heights.
More than this, the bayanihan spirit will soon be reflected again in this site, common in every GK sites in the country. Altogether, people who believes to the call of nation building and GK Volunteers will soon trooped to this side of the town and start to excavate foundations, build walls of the house, pass hollow blocks and bricks, paint the house with lively bright colors that reflect new hopes, landscape and beautify the surrounding with fences and ornamental plants.
Much more, after work has done, the GK beneficiaries, the underprivileged coconut farm workers, will have their own “beautiful, humane and quality but inexpensive houses where their family can make it a place to call home, living in a community having decent shelter that restores their dignity and uplifts their quality of life”.
Challenge
More works have to be done for us to truly build communities for our coconut farmers that will shield them from poverty and injustices. And we are then challenge to uphold the work that we have started. To realized that the impoverished Filipino coconut farm workers and their families comprises the larger population of agricultural areas in our country, we still have more works to accomplished to truly sustain and permanently uplift the living conditions of our small coconut farmers.
It has started. The UCPB-CIIF GK Cocoville will be the seed of transformation for our small coconut farmers. This partnership with Gawad Kalinga is an alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty, whose approach is integrated, holistic and sustainable – a concrete action plan to rebuild this nation by harnessing the best of the Filipino – our faith and our patriotism.
More to come
After our tour in the site, the whole group proceeded in the municipal building and a presentation was made by the Quezon GK Team showing Mulanay as the 7th GK Site to rise in Quezon Province, and more to come such as Catanauan, Padre Burgos and Lopez.
We left Mulanay after lunch with much hope and excitement for things to come and be done. As for me, I’m more than eager to be back again with spades and hoe, hammers and pails, and with deep conviction of helping our small coconut farmers, after all, I was born in Quezon and my roots are coconut farmers likewise.
posted by The Chronicler at 12:20 AM
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