MANILA, Philippines—Six barangays (village) throughout the country each won a grant for a community development project in a contest of numbers conducted recently by a telecom firm.
Talk ‘N Text awarded the grants to the six barangays that could turn out the biggest audiences when its 13th anniversary road show, “Anibersaya,” blew into their villages. The six barangays that assembled the biggest crowds won the grand prize—cash to improve their community.
The winners of the Barangay Hakot program were Maura in Aparri, Cagayan (north Luzon); Matatalaib, Tarlac City (Central Luzon); Bitano, Legaspi City (south Luzon); Tiza, Roxas City (Visayas); San Isidro, General Santos City (Mindanao), and Calumpang, Binangonan, Rizal (Mega Manila).
Barangay Tiza used its grant to buy medical equipment—new digital blood pressure monitors to check residents’ blood pressure at any time at the health center. If they need a nebulizer, they no longer have to borrow one from the city hospital, they now have their own.
On weekends, barangay health workers go house to house, weighing scales in hand, to monitor the progress of the children in the barangay feeding program.
Barangay Matatalaib installed street lights in Sitio (settlement) Suba, for the longest time the darkest section of the village.
“When we heard about the challenge, we rallied the villagers, and mobilized,” said Barangay Chairman Winston Torres. He said there has since been a marked improvement in law and order in the community.
While the projects were funded by Talk ‘N Text, it was the villagers who came together for a common cause that made change possible, said Jane Basas. “We wanted to foster the spirit of the ‘Araw-araw Panalo’ campaign of Talk ‘N Text, the value brand of Smart Communications Inc.
In Calumpang, the children now enjoy the new air conditioner in the day care center that was repainted, said Barangay Chairman Irineo Apostadero.
Barangay Bitano also used its grant to renovate its day-care center and install new sinks. Barangay Chairman Joel Balinis said parents also have proper cooking and serving areas for the feeding program.
Backyard tourism got a boost in the seaside barangay of Maura in Aparri. The villagers built beach-front cottages for visitors, said Barangay Chairman Larry Chan.
Barangay San Isidro in General Santos City used its grant for a livelihood project and on equipment to improve social services, particularly for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, women and children.
Barangay Chairman Jose Edmar Yumang said that in their desire to win, the village used trucks to transport residents to the Anibersaya venue. Now truckloads of villagers are benefiting from the grant, he said.