THE best practices of the Barangay Canduman Upscaling and Empowerment (BCUE) project of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.-Center for Integrated Area Development (Rafi-CIAD) were recently presented in separate conferences of the league of municipalities and cities organized by World Bank (WB) and to the local government officials of Bali, Indonesia.
Rafi-CIAD executive director Ruth Rowena Alensonorin was the one who presented the project upon the invitation of WB and the World Bank Institute.
BCUE is a subproject of the Upscaling Urban Poor Community Renewal Scheme (UUPCRS) of World Bank-Japan Social Development Fund and the Partnership for Philippine Support Service Agencies.
Among the partners of the project were the Canduman Haven Homeowners Association Inc., the local government officials of Mandaue and barangay officials of Canduman.
The Canduman New Settlement Site is among the site of resettlement of families displaced by the development of Cebu City Pier and the north reclamation area.
Placido Jerusalem, community organizer of the BCUE project, said that “it was difficult to comprehend the conditions prevailing at that time. It was a sorry state.”
According to the presentation, “The UUPCRS-BCUE project pilot experience illustrates the significance of an integrated and holistic approach to urban upscaling projects.”
Participation
Furthermore, she stated that much of UUPCRS-BCUE’s success was due to the thorough community participation and partnership development strategies adopted by Rafi for the project.”
Rafi continues to assist the barangay through participation and empowerment.
“Because we believe that by changing the attitudes, behaviors and mindsets and shifting the paradigms of every individual in the community, we will be able to achieve progressive, self-reliant and self-sustaining communities,” Alensonorin said. (Rachelle Donoso Sindo, UP Mass Comm)
