RAFI sustains program for Badjaos

Ten months since it was created, the Badjao Integrated Area Development Project (BIAD-P) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) continues to contribute to the development of a self-reliant, self-sustaining and self-progressive Badjao community with a sense of pride and belongingness.

BIAD-P is a project of RAFI and the Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in partnership with the Cebu city government and the University of San Carlos-College of Architecture and Fine Arts.

It started to establish a Badjao model community in sitio Puntod, Alaska, Mambaling, Cebu City.

“Some of the program interventions include educating the Badjaos on the importance of proper hygiene. We already conducted program orientation and community mind-setting, as well as formed and capacitated Badjao youth and adult leaders. BIAD-P directly answers the immediate needs of the community through a safe, durable and culturally-accepted housing project,” said Rowena Bandola-Alensonorin, executive director of the Integrated Development unit of RAFI.

Alensonorin said parents underwent responsible parenthood seminar to become better parents in rearing their children. Families were trained and established backyard gardens to respond to the high malnutrition rate among the Badjao children.

Last Aug. 1, BIAD-P proponents broke ground on the 140-hectare Badjao site in sitio Puntod, wherein concrete, socialized houses are being built to house the 140 Badjao families.

To date, two quad housing units were completed and will  be turned over to eight families. The project will build 33 more quads.

Aside from housing, the project includes site development, which consists of provision of perimeter fence, access to water and electricity, community health clinic, livelihood center and multi-purpose center.

Other organizations and private companies have contributed to the positive development of the Badjao community, such as the Committee of German Doctors for Developing Countries that conducts once-a-month medical mission at the Bajau community; IBM donated a KidSmart computer set for the Nano Nagle Pre-school and a donation of $3,000 intended for the procurement of educational materials for the learning center; and Misean Cara, an Irish institution, granted the Presentation Sister P6 million to address the needs of the Badjao community.

Various donors have also shared their resources during the medical missions, and the Badjao Children’s Month and Solidarity Day.

“It is also worthy to note that in  2011, a Badjao named Paulita Aliodin, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education passed the Teacher licensure exam and was immediately employed in a private school,” Alensonorin said.

All program undertakings were delivered with the collective effort and continuous community participation and strong partnership with the Cebu city government and local and international groups.

For more information about BIAD-P, contact Anton Fuentes at 418-7234 local 515 or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.