Broader horizons for the barrio people

Title

Creator

[Putong, Cecilio]

Language

English

Source

Volume XX (Issue No. 4) April 1968

Year

1968

Subject

Barrio Charter Act

Republic Act 2370

Community organization

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

BROADER HORIZONS FOR THE BARRIO PEOPLE The approval of Republic Act No. 2370, otherwise known as the Barrio Charter, has given the people of the barrios wider opportunities for active participation in the affairs of their respective communities. As a result of this legislation, the barrio may now be said to have be come a good training ground for democracy. The law has created the barrio assembly and the barrio council, which are charged with the task of governing the barrio. Among the powers and duties of the barrio assembly are (1) to adopt measures for the rais ing of funds for the barrio by taxation and by voluntary contributions and (2) to adopt measures for the good of the barrio. Among the powers and du ties of the barrio council are the following: (a) To promulgate barrio ordinances not contrary to law or municipal ordinances. Any violation of barrio ordi nances shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred pesos or imprison ment of not more than fif teen days, or both such fine and imprisonment. (b) To construct and/or maintain the following: bar rio roads, bridges, viaducts, sidewalks, playgrounds and parks, school buildings, wa ter supply, drainage, irriga tion, sewerage, public toilet facilities, and other public works and facilities. (c) To sponsor cooperative projects that will improve the economic condition and well-being of the barrio resi dents. Such projects may in clude stores for the sale or purchase of commodities and/or produce, and ware houses. It may also sponsor activities relating to agricul tural and livestock produc tion and marketing, fishing, and home and barrio indus tries. It may also sponsor 10 Panorama other activities which may promote the welfare of the barrio inhabitants. (d) To accept, in all or any of the foregoing public works and cooperative enter prises, such cooperation as is made available by municipal, provincial, and national gov ernmental agencies establish ed by law to render financial, technical, and advisory as sistance to barrios and to bar rio residents. However, in accepting such cooperation, the barrio council may not pledge sums of money for ex penditure in excess of amounts currently in the bar rio treasury or obligated for other purposes. (e) To initiate and submit to the Barrio Assembly com munity programs of econo mic and social benefit to in habitants of the barrio. (f) To employ or contri bute to the expenses of em ploying community develop ment workers. (g) To submit to the Mu nicipal Council suggestions or recommendations for the improvement of its barrio and/or for the welfare of the inhabitants. (h) To hold benefits in their respective barrios with out having to secure permits from the Social Welfare Ad ministration. The proceeds from such benefits shall be tax-exempt and shall go to the barrio general fund, un less previously set aside for a specific purpose. (i) To organize at least twice a month lectures, pro grams, or community assem blies that may serve to edu cate and enlighten the peo ple. (j) To organize annually committees composed of men and women of high moral standing and integrity in the barrio to take care of the pro blems of juvenile delin quency if there is any. (k) To appropriate barrio funds to implement the pro jects of the barrio assembly. It will be seen that these powers, duties, and the responsibilities are broad enough to enable the barrio to undertake a variety of pro jects for its own improve ment. For one thing, it may start a literacy project. Based on figures takeui from the Census of 1960, it has been estimated that we have today more than five million illite rates in our country. Since about 65 per cent of our po April 1968 11 pulation are living in the ru ral areas where educational facilities are not any too good, it stands to reason that a large portion, if not the majority of these illiterates are found in the rural com munities. Consequently, if every barrio would under take a literacy project and carry it out consistently for years, we would go a long way toward eradicating illi teracy in our country. Of course, suitable reading ma terials would have to be pro vided those who have learned to read; otherwise, they are likely to lapse into illiteracy. But this is only one aspect of the solution to the problem of illiteracy. The other as pect is the accommodation in school of all children of school age. But very often the chief hindrance to the accommodation of children is the lack of a suitable build ing. For this reason, the bar rio, under the leadership of its officials, would do well to use its initiative and its re sources in building a school house so that it can ask for an extension teacher or a number of extension teachers, depending upon the number of children applying for ad mission. In fact, as we have seen, the construction of school buildings is one of the powers and responsibilities of the barrio council. Educating both children and adults is the most effec tive way to eradicate illite racy. We cannot overempha size the importance of a high percentage of literacy, for studies have shown that coun tries with the highest per centages of literacy, like the United States, England, and the Scandinavian countries, are also the most progressive. On the other hand, those with low percentages of lite racy are generally backward. Only recently, the Unesco reported its finding to the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East as follows: “From the viewpoint of economic development, literacy train ing appears to be the best means of increasing produc tivity.” (Unesco Chronicle, September, 1966, pp. 338341). The barrio can also initiate a number of home industries. First, it can send some of its talented young people to the Nacida for training on condi tion that upon their return 12 Panorama they will devote their time and energies to the making of salable articles out of raw materials that are available locally. The agreement could contain a proviso to the effect that the amount spent in training should be paid back to the barrio in easy install ments. A few years ago we visited the barrio of Alabang in Muntinlupa, Rizal. Here we noted many families engaged in the poultry raising indus try. They produced eggs for sale. In this way, they were able to add a considerable amount to their other sources of income. We were inform ed that this industry was started with the encourage ment of the teachers. In the same way, the officials of any barrio would do well to en courage tlje people to engage in similar or other suitable projects, depending upon lo cal conditions. If the barrio does not have a good road connecting it to the main highway, it can build a feeder road with the help of the Presidential Arm on Community Development. Needless to say, good roads are essential in order that the farmers may be able to market their products and the people can travel to the poblacion and other commu nities with ease and comfort. It will be readily admitted that one cause of the back wardness of a barrio is the lack of effective communica tion with the more progres sive communities. The barrio can also im prove itself with the coopera tion of all its residents. One good example of how a bar rio has improved itself is what has been done in the barrio of Aguining on the island of Lapinig, within the jurisdiction of Ul?ay, Bohol. We saw this fishing barrio some years ago. Its streets were well laid out and each one had its name indicated on a post at the corners. In the middle of the barrio the people had erected a recrea tion center with galvanized iron roofing and a concrete floor. This building was used tor holding meetings, pro grams, and dances. For the last activity, a small string rondalla had been organized under the leadership of the barrio lieutenant. A small portion of the building was set aside for a library. The achievement of this barrio April 1968 13 was so outstanding that it was included among the six community schools which were described in a pamphlet issued by the Unesco Na tional Commission of the Philippines. Another thing the barrio leaders can do in a farming community is to improve the methods of work of the far mers. In most cases, they are merely following the prac tices they have inherited from their ancestors. They do not plow the soil thoroughly. They do not select the seed for planting. They do not use fertilizer even when that is needed. They do not know how to fight and control plant pests and diseases. In cases like these, the barrio captain should seek the help of the agricultural extension worker to demonstrate to the farmers 'the modern and scientific methods of farming. Ony in this way may we ex pect improvement in the yield of the farmers. If there is a suitable stream that can be used for irriga tion purposes, the people can start a community irrigation project so that they will not have to depend upon the rainfall, which more often than not, is irregular. With such irrigation the rice far mers can have two harvests each year. Still another project which the barrio may undertake is the improvement of the health of the people. For this purpose, it can dig an artesian well that can supply the community with clean and safe water. The council can pass ordinances calculat ed to improve the sanitary condition of the barrio. For example, it can require every household to provide itself with a sanitary toilet, prefer ably the water-sealed type. It can also require every home owner to keep its sur roundings clean and sanitary. Furthermore, it can encou rage the pepple to beautify their respective premises. Lastly, of great significance is the duty imposed upon the council to have lectures given twice a month on topics that are of vital interest to the barrio people, such as those that refer to sanitation, mar keting, better methods of farming, food selection and food preparation, and the like. Enough has been said, it is believed, to show the op 14 Panorama portunities that have been opened to the barrios as a re sult of the approval of the Barrio Charter. No longer do they have to depend upon the municipality since they are provided with the instru ments for their own improve ments. Consequently, whe ther the barrio will move for ward or lag behind other similar communities will de pend largely upon the resi dents themselves and their leaders. — By Dr. Cecilio Putong, Former Secretary of Education, Freemasons’ Edu cational Bulletin, Feb., 1967. THREE REMARKABLE BROTHERS A Scotsman met an American, and both began to relate and boast about their respective countries, adventurers, and relations. The American said: “I have three brothers. One’s a baker, one’s a bucket-raker, and the other’s a thief. That is, one bakes, one rakes, and one takes.” Sandy replied: “I, too, have three brothers. One’s in a coal mine, one’s unemployed, and the other’s in the asylum. That is, one brings up coal, one’s on the dole, and the other’s up the pole.” — Parade. April 1968 15

pages

10-15

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