ALTHOUGH RESIDENTS of Brgy. 206 and 207 in Tondo, Manila recognized the long-term solutions of the “Kalinga sa Maynila'' project, some still voiced their desire to have a more “inclusive” space.
Kalinga is a service-oriented avenue for addressing issues and implementing initiatives for respective barangays in Tondo through a scheduled meeting with the Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan.
“First time ‘yon, ‘yong Kalinga, kasi dati ang binibigay dito ‘pag December lang, noong pandemic. Malaking tulong na rin kasi ‘yong bigas sa mga tao, lalo na sa amin mga daily lang ang income nila,” Maria Cecilia Cua, a resident of Brgy. 207, said.
(The Kalinga project is new, since before, they only give [assistance] during December and during the pandemic. So, free rice is already a big help to the people.)
Cua added how well-organized the barangay forum was last Jan. 31, but still wished for quarterly meetings, as City Hall has only scheduled one meeting for the entire program.
Romeo, who resides in Brgy. 206, emphasizes that key issues in the neighborhood should also be acknowledged and given priority.
“Gusto ng iba sa parking, maayos lang tulad ng mga nakaparada rito. Gusto nila malinis; ang ano naman ng tao, wala maparadahan,” he said.
(The others want proper parking, like the ones here. They [officials] want a clean [community]; but the people are concerned with having no parking lot.)
The outreach program, which include activities like giving free rice, is a collaborative effort between public officials. However, Ronald Manuel, the Brgy. 207 chairman, said that it is not “inclusive” enough as it could only accommodate 4,000 people per barangay due to time constraints.
“’Yon lang ang target nila eh kasi syempre ‘di naman pwede na mahaba 'yong oras kasi ang nangyari ay 2 p.m. tapos na. Nagsimula sila ng madaling araw pa lang—5 a.m. pa lang. Tuloy-tuloy hanggang alas dos nandoon pa rin po sila,” Barangay 207 chairman Manuel told Manila Pulse.
(That’s their only target since longer hours are no longer feasible because it ended by 2 p.m. They already began at dawn—at 5 a.m. They stayed there until 2 p.m.)
Manuel added that health services and financial aid for citizens experiencing severe sickness or illnesses also require more immediate supervision.
“[K]umbaga ‘di lang 10 [tao]. Binigyan nga kami ng financial assistance, [pero] kulang kasi kung maaari sana mga 20 kahit papaano. ‘Yong talagang may mga sakit pa ang maisama namin, meron pang kulang eh,” the chairman said.
(For instance, not just for 10 people. Although we were given financial assistance, it’s still inadequate. We are hoping that we could assist at least 20, or those people that are really sick since there’s still something missing.)
Despite the insufficiency in some sectors, the environment and marginalized sectors are prioritized and strictly followed by the barangay officials.
Although the secretary of the Brgy. 206 expressed her concerns on the animal’s feces in their neighborhood, she told the Manila Pulse that the forum had given complete guidelines regarding a clean community, spacious parking and disposing of dog waste.
“Effective kasi atleast nagkaroon ng kaalaman ‘yong mga constituent. Atleast na-inform sila na may mga karapatang penalties ‘yon,” Imelda Lumacad, the secretary of Brgy. 206, said.
(It is effective because at least, the constituent became knowledgeable on these things. At least they were informed that there are penalties.)
Aside from promoting sustainable development, one of the mayor’s platforms this year is the “Unang Abuloy” that will provide flowers and financial support to families of the deceased.
The Kalinga services also prioritize the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to address the needs of the country’s most vulnerable sectors.
“‘Yong katulad no’ng mga sa seniors [ay] pang matagalan. Buwan-buwan meron sila nakukuha kay mayora pati mga PWDs,” Romeo, a resident of Brgy. 206, said.
(Those aids for the seniors are long-lasting. Together with the PWDs, the senior citizens receive aid from the mayor every month.)
The Kalinga sa Maynila is an ongoing initiative that was introduced last year and resumed on Jan. 12 after the holiday season last December.
Meanwhile, the schedules for the next Kalinga event have not yet been discussed as of this writing. – Cali Asajar, Mharla Francesca Santiano, and Julianne Loreign Vicente/Manila Pulse
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