Monday, October 13, 2008
Building a haven in Canduman
By Roxanne M. Catalan
UP Mass Communication
“BARANGAY Canduman transformed itself from a typical Filipino urban poor community to a best practice model for urban development,” said Rowena Alensonorin, Cebu Integrated Area Development (CIAD) executive director.
In 1990, the National Housing Authority (NHA) picked Zone 3 in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City as the resettlement site for families displaced by the development of the Cebu City Pier and the North Reclamation Area.
Since then, new settlers from surrounding barangays like Subangdaku, Mantuyong and Guizo as well as the rapid urbanization of Barangay Canduman kept the population rising.
That’s one reason the City Government recommended Zone 3 when the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi), through the CIAD, searched in 2004 for the site of a project to help the poor.
Before the program, there was “a significant rise in problems like poverty and drug addiction. Roads and drainage, especially those shared by urban poor communities near the resettlement area, were in decline,” said Alensonorin.
632 families
Canduman became the site of a project supported by the World Bank-Japan Social Development Fund and the Partnership for Philippine Support Service Agencies. Naga in Bicol, Quezon, San Fernando in La Union and Iligan also availed themselves of the project.
An “integrated and holistic approach” to community development was employed for the Barangay Canduman Upscaling and Empowerment (BCUE) project, which benefited 611 households or 632 families, said Alensonorin.
“One-on-one and focus group discussions with barangay officials and community residents further validated the needs and priorities of the community residents and
became a venue for sharing the same vision for the their community,” she said.
Road and drainage reconstruction formed part of the project. Renewed, the place is now called the Canduman Haven Homeowners Association Inc. or Canduman Housing.
“Bati man kayo ang dalan sa una, lapok kayo, karon kay nindot na kaayong laktan (The road was muddy before but now it is comfortable to walk on),” said Casthene Cuba, a resident of Canduman Housing.
Irenea Abao, 44, another resident, described the place before the project took place as muddy, with many areas covered with overgrown grass. “Our situation is better now.”
Leo Jabas, Canduman barangay captain, said that as part of the project, residents were taught about values, self-awareness, team-building and leadership.
A peace dividend
Abao said one of the major changes the project brought in the area was peace and order. “Before, people didn’t even recognize each other. Now, fewer misunderstandings require the barangay’s intervention.”
After the BCUE was implemented, another project—the Urban Partnership for Sustainable Upliftment, Renewal, Governance and Empowerment (Upsurge)—will be put into action at the Kobe Resettlement site, which is adjacent to the Canduman project.
“The agreement signed during the BCUE project stated that if ever there will be another project to be implemented, it should be located near the first one. It is now the Upsurge project,” said Abao.
Kobe was named after the Japanese city that gave Mandaue some housing assistance. Kobe in Mandaue can accommodate 150 house lots, at 30 square meters per lot.
Amid all the hard work, Jabas said the project was a big opportunity for them. “Just think of the fact that in all of Cebu, Mandaue was chosen, and out of 27 barangays, Canduman was the focus.”
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (October 13, 2008 issue)
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