Ex-Customs official embraces GK vision

What started out as former Customs Commissioner Antonio “Tony” Bernardo’s social responsibility project at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in 2004 eventually became his permanent passion and advocacy. This is the Gawad Kalinga (GK) program.

The public image of the BOC as a corrupt agency was something that Bernardo wanted to change and GK became a perfect vehicle that helped him change it.

“People approached me to do a workshop on values so we can change the image of our bureau. But instead of workshop, I said why not social responsibility projects and there came the GK as a perfect vehicle,” Bernardo says.

Under his leadership, Customs employees participated in building 256 homes for the poor in 16 different sites in the country including Metro Manila, Mindanao and Luzon.

“I got into GK by accident and I’ll be staying doing GK work by choice. Once you’ve been bitten by GK, you stay there. My philosophy has always been, to whom much is given, much is required. My dream is to see and make the communities the very best they can be. Everyone has a right to a decent home,” Bernardo told The STAR.

Bernardo swears no other project has moved him as deeply as the GK movement.

Personally, he and his relatives built in 2005 a GK village for 24 families in Busilak street in Mandaluyong. They named it the Pinong Sisang Bernardo Gawad Kalinga village after Bernardo’s grandfather Pinong, a carpenter in his lifetime,  and grandmother, a plantsadora (a person who is paid to iron clothes).

Three years after he resigned from the BoC, Bernardo is loving every minute of his work for GK. He is excited to share many developments in GK these coming days.

Bernardo, a lawyer, says his fraternity, Utopia, will construct around 50 houses in a GK village in Barangay Marcelo Green in Paranaque and the groundbreaking is set on Aug. 18.

“Part of the initiation rites for the new members (of the fraternity) is that we will require neophytes and freshmen to take social responsibility orientation and let them build homes in GK sites,” he says.

Bernardo will also spearhead the “Gawad Katarungan at Kapayapaan” justice and peace centers in GK Communities that will be manned by lawyers who are tasked to educate the residents of their basic rights and legal matters.

The Gawad Katarungan and Kapayapaan (GKK) justice and peace centers will be launched in October 2007.

“We have the Gawad Kalusugan health centers in GK communities and now we are trying to introduce the GK Katarungan and Kapayapaan centers that will help and orient the GK residents about their rights, of resolving matters in the lowest level and other legal topics,” he says.

Bernardo has also been invited by GK leader Tony Meloto to be a member of the core group of the GK Builders’ Institute.