ChangingCommunities

The Philippines with its more than 7,000 beautiful islands is truly a paradise in the southeast. Boasting of powder sand beaches, breathtaking mountains and an array of exotic flora and fauna, it has become a popular tourist destination.

However, existing side by side with its exquisite natural beauty is the ugly face of poverty that has afflicted the country for the past 400 years. Pollution has turned our pristine lakes and rushing rivers into murky bodies of lifeless water, corruption has forced 70 percent of the country’s population to live in dismal conditions struggling to fight hunger, disease and despair everyday.

But there is hope! There is a rushing wind of change blowing throughout the country, transforming slum areas into flourishing communities vibrant with life and color. Now, in more than 200 sites all over the country, small clusters of brightly painted houses with landscaped yards and flower boxes are sprouting like wildflowers at the first blush of spring. And as one walks through the now cemented path walks of these communities, he will be greeted with warm smiles and proud faces of people who because of hope have started to regain their lost dignity and are now working to improve their lot. This is the miracle of Gawad Kalinga (or GK as it is now popularly known), a restorative and reformative program bent on eradicating poverty in the Third World.

The amazing transformation in these unusual communities is an attraction in itself. There are the quaint little houses of the GK English Village in Bulacan, the oriental inspired architecture in the GK Mulan Village in Caloocan City and the European influences in the GK Swedish Village in Quezon City. These communities are the fruits of landmark partnerships between First World countries and the Philippines, working models of a program with concrete results.

The splendor of the Philippines is not just in our beautiful islands. It is also in our cultural traits best exemplified by bayanihan, a uniquely Filipino spirit that means being a hero to each other. And this is exactly the spirit of GK. The model communities are the fruit of cooperation among all sectors of society to help eradicate poverty and bring back hope to the country.

After enjoying an idyllic holiday in the sandy beaches of Boracay, pack your bags and cross over to Bacolod City, a mere one-hour ferry ride to the island of Negros. Here you will find two GK areas, Magsungay and Mansilingan, model relocation communities for the rural poor. Magsungay used to be a garbage dump by the sea, its resident barely surviving on food scraps collected from the trash heap or the occasional fish caught in the polluted waters. Today, the garbage has been cleared and brightly painted houses have been built by the shoreline. Mansilingan is another site within the city unique for its quadruplex models–housing units built in clusters of four, an efficient low cost housing design incorporating fiesta colors and ornamental plants and vegetable plots.

Fly to Cagayan de Oro, the city of golden smiles, and go river rafting in the rapids of the mighty Cagayan River–Filipino style in giant inflatable tubes. After your thrilling water adventure, head off to GK sites in Pasil, Kauswagan and Trinitas in Bugo to build a house and meet hospitable local heroes who have transformed the slums to sparkling new communities. You may even choose to stay overnight in the model houses within the community that offer bed and breakfast and join the residents in the local entertainment of singing and dancing.

Get up bright and early for a one- hour road trip to Iligan City, home of Mayor Franklin Quijano’s impressive network of eight GK communities. After only three years of continuous cooperation and hard work between the local government, the military, the schools and the local citizens, the Iliganons are now working on building a whole community for families whose homes were razed by fire. To date, more than 100 houses have been built, and Mayor Franklin has committed his province towards achieving the GK 777 target by continuous support and active campaigning within his area and beyond.

These are only some of the newest tourist destinations that feature the natural beauty of our country, as well as the uniqueness of our culture. Together, we set our eyes on a beautiful, peaceful and prosperous Philippines for the world to see. The countdown has begun for the race to eradicate poverty in the Philippines and restore it to its beauty.

The GK 777 Movement will be launched on Oct. 4-5 at The Fort Open Field. Be one of our partners, hand in hand with the government, socio-civic organizations, corporations and concerned individuals, and help us build 700,000 beautiful homes in 7,000 peaceful communities in the next 7 years.