Aksyon Gawang Paaralan project cited — Philippine Daily Inquirer
TIWI, ALBAY - Situated in the northernmost part of Albay is Tiwi, a small town known for its fine ceramic products, well preserved Spanish era churches, and sumptuous halo-halo. It made the headlines two years ago along with images of the devastation brought by Typhoon “Reming.” The tragedy was a major setback to this quaint town which from the onset already suffers from a high incidence of poverty, malnutrition among children, and significant presence of makeshift houses.
The people of Tiwi, assisted by concerned partners, conceptualized a project called “Aksyon Gawang Paaralan: Galing Mamamayan” (Citizen’s Governance Schools).
The project was recognized in the recently concluded project grant competition “Panibagong Paraan 2008″ when out of the more than 500 entries, it was chosen as a finalist. It received the Panibagong Paraan sa Puerto Princesa Award from the city government of Puerto Princesa. As on eof the 11 awardees, the project proponents were invited by Mayor Edward Hagedorn to their city in order for them to share their project ideas with development practitioners.
The Aksyon Gawang Paaralan project aims to establish galing mamamayan schools in every barangay as a viable and sustainable means of organizing, capacitating, and mobilizing the critical mass of citizen-leaders who would bring about good governance in a municipal scale. The schools are governance schools for ordinary citizens. They have no walls or boundaries; they are in the workplaces, in the communities, in the hearts and minds of citizens who will be at the forefront of the struggle for good governance and development.
Through the galing mamamayan school, the project aims to generate 100 advocates or catalysts of change in the first six months of its implementation. The number will be doubled every six months. These advocates are expected to complement existing people’s councils created by law, thus ensuring greater participation by the community in effecting development changes for the community and by the community. The project forms part of Tiwi’s strategic program and is led by the Aquinas University Foundation, Inc. with support from the Tiwi local government unit, Community Building and Reform Partners (CBERP), and steam field operator Chevron Geothermal Philippine Holdings, Inc. (CGPHI).
A pioneer in geothermal operations and renewable energy in Albay and the Philippines, CGPHI’s more than 30 years of valued partnerships with the Tiwi LGU and various NGOs and POs in the conduct of community programs on capacity and institutional building have brought about development changes in the municipality.
The Panibagong Paraan 2008 competition is a World Bank-led project and is a unique bazaar of innovative ideas that provide solutions to the most pressing social and economic concerns of our country. Winners received funding from specific donor agencies.
Originally published: June 13, 2008, Philippine Daily Inquirer page B2-2
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