It may have been 20 days of various challenges and sacrifices, but for the community residents of Brgy. Silongin, San Francisco, Quezon, these 20 days had started a big change in their daily lives moving forward.
Last May 2024, 60 residents started their engagement with the DSWD’s Risk Resiliency Program thru Project LAWA at BINHI (Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished). This program engages residents in building projects towards food insecurity and water access in response to the effects of climate change.
For 20 days, the residents underwent training and work for the completion of two projects–LAWA or their water harvesting system or deep well and BINHI or their community garden–in their barangay.
A more convenient group gardening
“Itong lugar na ito ay dating napakasukal, maraming damo. Talagang tinabas, nilinis naming mga miyembro,” shared Norma Rocafor, the president of the Rural Improvement Club, one of the two organizations handling the projects.
However, between the two projects, the LAWA has proven to be more of a challenge for the residents.
“Dito po sa lugar namin ay wala talagang tubig. Sa ilog po kami kumukuha, dun na kami naglalaba, naliligo. Bumibili rin kami araw-araw ng tubig, 20 pesos sa isang container,” shared Elena Aguila, a resident and 4Ps beneficiary from Brgy. Silongin.
Though they have all been positive about starting their community garden, they knew at that time that watering their crops would be a lot of struggle.
Initially, they were able to prepare 29 plots, which they planted with various crops such as ampalaya, sitaw, kalabasa, talong, okra, and patola.
“Dahil wala kaming tubig, mahirap nung nag-uumpisa kami. Bumibili kami ng tubig o ‘di kaya ay nagpapagasolina sa may tricycle para makapaghakot ng tubig dito,” shared Norma.
This challenge made the whole community more determined to finish their LAWA.
“Kulang ‘yung 20 days na paghuhukay. Kaya kami ay nag-ambag-ambag pa para sa pag-upa sa backhoe para mas lumalim pa ang hukay,” shared Norma.
Their hard work paid off. Now, their deep well is a more convenient source of water for their daily needs.
The Project beneficiaries are proud of their LAWA– a deep well, as this has been the main source of water for the vegetable garden but also the source of water for at least 50 household in their community.
Extending the help to the community
After the cash-for-training and work engagement under the Project LAWA at BINHI, around 30 residents, mostly residing near the location of the garden, continued to engage with the project.
“Okay lang kahit kami ay walang bayad dito. Tuluy-tuloy lang kami dahil malaki ang kapakinabangan namin dito,” shared Elena.
According to Elena, mothers like her also save a lot on their daily food expenses because of the garden.
“Imbes na bumili kami ng gulay, mayroon na kaming nakukuha dito,” shared Elena, who added that working on the garden has also been a stress reliever and a means to develop friendships with the other residents.
Other than their daily consumption, the group is also able to sell vegetables in the community and earn additional income. According to Norma, they will soon plan out what to do with the group’s income, but they are eyeing for the expansion of their garden and also the installation of a water pump.
Moreover, the residents are mostly proud of their LAWA–as this has been the main source of water in the neighborhood benefiting at least 50 households.
“Halos lahat ng kabahayan dito ay nakikinabang sa LAWA. Dito na kami kumukuha ng tubig, dito na kami naglalaba at naliligo,” shared Norma, who added that most of them do not need to go to the river nor pay for their daily water consumption.
Moving forward, the deep well and the community garden in Brgy. Silongin stands not just a testament of sacrifices and volunteerism among the residents. Their Project LAWA at BINHI has clearly been the key to a ‘new’ and ‘more convenient’ life for all of them.#
A ‘more convenient’ life through Project LAWA at BINHI
It may have been 20 days of various challenges and sacrifices, but for the community residents of Brgy. Silongin, San Francisco, Quezon, these 20 days had started a big change in their daily lives moving forward.
Last May 2024, 60 residents started their engagement with the DSWD’s Risk Resiliency Program thru Project LAWA at BINHI (Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished). This program engages residents in building projects towards food insecurity and water access in response to the effects of climate change.
For 20 days, the residents underwent training and work for the completion of two projects–LAWA or their water harvesting system or deep well and BINHI or their community garden–in their barangay.
At the start of the project, the beneficiaries prepared 29 plots and planted various crops such as ampalaya, sitaw, kalabasa, talong, okra, and patola.
A more convenient group gardening
“Itong lugar na ito ay dating napakasukal, maraming damo. Talagang tinabas, nilinis naming mga miyembro,” shared Norma Rocafor, the president of the Rural Improvement Club, one of the two organizations handling the projects.
However, between the two projects, the LAWA has proven to be more of a challenge for the residents.
“Dito po sa lugar namin ay wala talagang tubig. Sa ilog po kami kumukuha, dun na kami naglalaba, naliligo. Bumibili rin kami araw-araw ng tubig, 20 pesos sa isang container,” shared Elena Aguila, a resident and 4Ps beneficiary from Brgy. Silongin.
Though they have all been positive about starting their community garden, they knew at that time that watering their crops would be a lot of struggle.
Initially, they were able to prepare 29 plots, which they planted with various crops such as ampalaya, sitaw, kalabasa, talong, okra, and patola.
“Dahil wala kaming tubig, mahirap nung nag-uumpisa kami. Bumibili kami ng tubig o ‘di kaya ay nagpapagasolina sa may tricycle para makapaghakot ng tubig dito,” shared Norma.
This challenge made the whole community more determined to finish their LAWA.
“Kulang ‘yung 20 days na paghuhukay. Kaya kami ay nag-ambag-ambag pa para sa pag-upa sa backhoe para mas lumalim pa ang hukay,” shared Norma.
Their hard work paid off. Now, their deep well is a more convenient source of water for their daily needs.
Other than their families’ daily consumption, the group was also able to sell vegetables in the community and earned them additional income.
Extending the help to the community
After the cash-for-training and work engagement under the Project LAWA at BINHI, around 30 residents, mostly residing near the location of the garden, continued to engage with the project.
“Okay lang kahit kami ay walang bayad dito. Tuluy-tuloy lang kami dahil malaki ang kapakinabangan namin dito,” shared Elena.
According to Elena, mothers like her also save a lot on their daily food expenses because of the garden.
“Imbes na bumili kami ng gulay, mayroon na kaming nakukuha dito,” shared Elena, who added that working on the garden has also been a stress reliever and a means to develop friendships with the other residents.
Other than their daily consumption, the group is also able to sell vegetables in the community and earn additional income. According to Norma, they will soon plan out what to do with the group’s income, but they are eyeing for the expansion of their garden and also the installation of a water pump.
Moreover, the residents are mostly proud of their LAWA–as this has been the main source of water in the neighborhood benefiting at least 50 households.
“Halos lahat ng kabahayan dito ay nakikinabang sa LAWA. Dito na kami kumukuha ng tubig, dito na kami naglalaba at naliligo,” shared Norma, who added that most of them do not need to go to the river nor pay for their daily water consumption.
Moving forward, the deep well and the community garden in Brgy. Silongin stands not just a testament of sacrifices and volunteerism among the residents. Their Project LAWA at BINHI has clearly been the key to a ‘new’ and ‘more convenient’ life for all of them.#