Monday, August 16, 2004

Panaghugpong Mindanaw Regional Assembly News

by Jayapal


It had been scheduled earlier on June this year but postponed as it was taken over by events and pushed to November 15 to 16 of 2003 instead.

The overview of this Regional Samaj Assembly was given by Atalbihari and Dada Devapriyananda.
According to Brother Atalbihari that Dada Devapriyananda had discussed with him the need for massive organizing of the local samaj movement Mindanao.In short, we organized the Regional Samaj advisory council where we conducted an election and as a result, the following elected official of the regional samaj council are: ATALBIHARI, chairman, MANOHAR of BFI as the vice-chairman, KESHAVA was elected as treasurer and DHANAVIIR was the auditor.

The composition of committees and the chairmen assigned are as follows: Finance and Logistics Committee chaired by BASUDEVA, Training and Education Committee chaired by RAVI, Grievance Committee chaired by ARPAN, Relief and Disaster Committee chaired by MAHIPAL, Internal and Security Committee chaired by NARAYAN, Cultural and Indigenous Affairs Committee chaired by PREM, Project Development Technology and Infrastructure Committee chaired by MIRA, Public Information and Mass Media Committee chaired by JAYAPAL, Protection and Benefits Committee chaired by sister RAINJITA, Public Affairs Committee –vacant position.

After the election and assigning of position in different committees, the newly elected officers of the RS underwent the SWOT analysis which was facilitated by Ravi and Jayapal.

Ravi and Jayapal used the visual process to be sure of empowering each of the member of the group that the vision, mission, goal and objectives would emphasize real ownership on the part of their enhancement.

Finally, we came up with this:

Vision:
Panaghugpong-Mindanaw will become established organization of self-reliance and self-sustaining
communities in the region.

Goals:
To achieve a just, peaceful and compassionate society where members of the Panaghugpong-Mindanaw are economically and socially uplifted through the sustainable utilization of resources.

Mission:
To improve the quality of life especially of the poor and the marginalized disadvantaged community

Objectives:
To educate members of the community through the application of
PROUT's Sustainable Self-Reliant Community Development. After the 2-day meeting, the group made the finishing touches of the samaj at the house of Atalbihari where we took our lunch after a candle ceremonial rites which emphasized spiritual unity among the new elected regional samaj officers on the date of history (November 15-16, 2003 ) in Lingig, Surigao del Sur.

The Mindanao samaj in the near future will cover the whole region of North, East, West, and South or "NEWS SAMAJ-MINDANAW".

Onward to victory for the Maharlikans samaj—Mabuhary ang Maharlikans sa lupang Maharlika.

On November 22-23 of 2003, the Atong Maharlika have convened almost 55 students for a 2-day samaj orientation and organizing which were facilitated by Jayapal (Jerry N. Adlaw) who was newly elected as the secretary general of the Panaghugpong-Mindanaw regional samaj and Prem ( Freddie Duce), the secretary general of KAUBAN –Mindanaw.

All the members of the student federation have been initiated by Dada Devapriyananda and underwent the orientation on the local samaj movement.

Yama and Niyama and the 16 points were the tools of the youth to stand as the real cadres of the student federation where we already established the Maharlika Student Organization or "MASO" for short.

The next plan was to organized the farmers and the youth federation and follows the professionals or intellectuals and the labor federation to cover the whole northern, easthern, western and southern part in Mindanao region.

PANAGHUGPONG-MINDANAW is the regional umbrella of the KUNTAK-MINDANAW, an acronym of the Kultura sa Nagkahiusang Tingog Alang sa Kalambuan sa Mindanaw in the southern part while the KAUBAN-MINDANAW an acronym of the Kaghugpungan Uban sa Minsanaw is in the northern part and the KATIG-MINDANAW an acronym of the Kalihukan Alang sa Tanang Igsoon sa Mindanaw which is in the central part in mindanao.

The organizing of the movement was spearheaded by Dada Devepriyananda, who is the national coordinator of the Ang KaSaMa Inc., with the humble effort of Jayapal, Prem, Dhanaviir and Narayan.

This is just a gradual process of organizing to complete the backbone of the organization of samaj where we are mobilizing with a limited funds and because of our determined spirit to achieve the dreams of the millions of empty kitchens all over the world (poverty), we dared to massively organized these objectives for " Self-Sustaining and Self-Reliant Community" anchored on the "Culture of Peace and Development".

Our convergence of mechanism is definitely community based approach where we implementing already the Social Community Development strategy as it is the implementing mechanism.

Leadership trainings and various enhancement programs are the tools for every beneficiaries of the projects if funds already available but for the meantime, we are on the stage of massive organizing through the application of the COMPLAN process or Comprehensive Management Planning on Local Advocacy Network.

Abante Maharlika Radio Program

By Keshava

Abante Maharlika! was launched as a Radio Program over
Station DXOW in the City of Davao last Nov. 24,
2003 broadcasting with radio broadcaster Rod Delfino
and Abante Maharlika Secretary for Information J.ZIGGY
TAGLE ( Keshav). MAHARLIKA...a very subtle but
powerful soundwave which is proving to be really
infused with forceful vibration is starting to
reverberate in people's minds with natural queries as
to who first used the name in this part of the
globe..Were they Muslims or Aetas? Now...we
are forced to go back into our past..it's history,
culture and peoples. This is turning to be very
exciting...as people are begining to link with their
roots and identity and its timely relevance to current
events and the sense of being lost as questions arise:
"Why and how have we come to this very low ebb of our
existence as a people and a nation? Is there
really such thing as a Filpino?..Bakit ganito tayo
mag-isip at gumalaw bilang mga mamamayan? PINOY
PURDOY. . .KAILANGAN ng GUMISING ang naka tulog o
pinatulog na mga Maharlika! These are the thoughts
that begin to stir as these initial drops of ABANTE
MAHARLIKA stirs over the airwaves!!!

Bileg Kailian Prexy Bats for Culture Advocacy

by Charisma Love "Chandra devii" Gado

"The call of reforms will never be realized unless it will come from non-political side," stressed Shermon "Shiva" Cruz, the newly elected Bileg-Kailian Samaj chairman, during the founding of said organization on Nov.28-30 at Shalom Beach House, Puyupuyan, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte.

Other elected officers were: Richard "Rupesh" Ortega, vice-chairman and political affairs chairman; Alaric Magno "Ananta" Yanos, secretary general; Joey "Jayapal" Salvador, treasurer; and Teddy "Trilokesh" Manto; auditor. Meanwhile, the committee chairpersons were: Ver "Satish" Alviento, membership; Noli "Narendra" Sta. Maria, financial resources; Charisma Love "Chandra Devii" Gado, press relations and mass media; Hilario "Hari Deva" Espiritu, project development; and Gladys "Garima" Bugarin, cultural and education.

According to Cruz, also a political science instructor at North Western University, our society needs society leaders rather than political leaders. "Today's society does not need political leaders. They (political leaders) have lost their moral ascendancy and the confidence of public trust as evidenced by political deceptions. Hence, we need society leaders," he said. Cruz said that "society leaders have the deeper desire to advance holistic development by focusing on the society's culture."

"If we are to observe other nations like Taiwan, China, Vietnam, and India, these countries have relied on their culture as the baseline for reformation, which our country failed to uphold because of too much politicking," he said.
Cruz assumed that the possibility of a genuine social progress is elusive if our cultural backbone remains broken.
"If we were to surpass the crises that impede our progress, we must remember that culture is our strength," Cruz said.
Cruz added that culture could be strengthened by advancing awareness on the importance of culture in social progress, ensuring the needs of people who practice the culture, and promoting the use of local language as a means of communication.
The founding of Bileg-Kailian has the theme "Reviving and Uniting the Ilocano Spirit for Social and Cultural Progress."
Their incoming projects, meanwhile, involve the adoption of a depressed barangay in Ilocos Norte.
Dada Chitos “Citosananda” Catolico served as the facilitator and lecturer on Samaj and Spirituality while Dada Deo “Deva” Palma and Rashmi Sianchongco were the election moderators.

KABATAK News

By Jayastri

KABATAK is a childrens cooperative meaning Kooperatiba ng
mga Bata sa Tanke. That consist of 50 members, the birth name gave by
Ang Kasama, Inc. last January 27, 2001. The project got started after an
Ang KaSaMa clean-up project in the esteros squatter community area where
they live.

The childrens ages between 5 yrs old to 12 yrs. old, give five pesos
a day every after school days and the money is given back to the
children every 20th of December.

They can also borrowed the money for
their emergency needs. They also utilize the money to start small
livelihood like making handicrafts made of plastic etc.
Some of the profit is given to the children who had no money to buy
for the school materials. If any one is interested to know more about
us please contact us in the samaj mailing list.

Mindanaw Samaj News

By Prem

Ang PANAGHUGPONG-MINDANAW ay may tatlong sangang organisasyon: KUNTAK sa southern part ng mindanaw, KATIG sa sentrong bahagi ng MINDANAW at KAUBAN sa northern na bahagi ng MINDANAW. Sa nakaraang buwan ng Nov.24 ay nabuo ang PANAGHUGPONG MINDANAW sa lugar ni Bro. Atalvihari na sa ngayon ay siyang chairman ng PANAGHUGPONG-MINDANAW sa Barangay Haguimitan,Lingig,Surigao del Sur.

Pagkatapos ng activities umuwi kami kasama si Dada Devapriyananda papunta ng Brgy.Ampawid, Laak, COMVAL PROVINCE kung saan naroroon ang Master Unit at linisan namin ang dalawang ektarya na lupa na kung saan mayroon ng mga tanim na mga manga, lanzones, rambutan, banana, niyog at iba pang mga prutas at pagkatapos nag tanim kami ng 50 ka puno na lubi ang lupang ito ay katabi lang ng limang ektarya na idinonate ng mga x-dadas sa samaj.

Matapos ang dalawang araw na pagtatrabaho ay umalis kami patungo sa southern part ng Mindanaw para sa pag organized ng MAHARLIKA STUDENT ORGANIZATION (MASO) at naging matagumpay ang lahat at nagkaroon ng eleksiyon.mayroong 50 student members ang (MASO) . Ang chairman ng PANAGHUGPONG-MINDANAW ay nag donate ng 20 thousand pesos para sa pamasahe ng mga pupunta sa National Assembly sa Guimaras Island this coming January at Bro. Keshava 5 thousand.

Brothers and sisters the time is ripe for us to work, the situation and circumstances is favoring us for the acceleration of the movement.we only need positive attitude and sincerity for the attainment of our goal.

Latest ILF Samaj News

by Lapu-lapu

The Igorot Liberartion Front Samaj in Cordillera
Region is in full preparation to join the rally march protest today
at 1pm with other cause oriented groups such as KADAMAY, ANAK PAWIS,
ORMUS OR UNITY and various religious groups.

The protest is directly against the casino operators (gambling) in
Cordellera particularly in Baguio City and the fight against demolition of
ancestral homes in their ancestral land.

Main Slogans: "CASINO PESTE SA KAIGUROTAN", Drugs is worse than Casino,
Casino is worse than drugs, Moralists Unite. The ILF is well equipped with
banners and streamers.

Latest Ang KaSaMa leaflets was distributed to the activists,
militants and as well to the moderate groups.

Kasaru Samaj News

Oofficers of KaSaRu Peoples Movement alreadyfinished signing their signatures for the Registrationof KaSaRu in the Security and Exchange Commission. After a long legal battle the KASARU Samaj in BicolRegion is now a registered NGO in the Security andExchange Commission (SEC) under the name KaSaRu PeoplesMovement Inc.
Our 2nd school is already erected with roof made ofgalvanized iron...thanks to our supporters andsympathizers. We are planning now to construct thecomfort room of the children and improved the pathwayto the kindergarten school.The officials of (LGU) DSWD (Department of SocialWelfare and Development already agreed that we willput up the signboard: A Project of Barangay Counciland KaSaRu in cooperation with Ang KaSaMa Inc.I also heard that Brother Atman agreed that we willutilised his two kilometeers huge hose to supply thewater for the community. Thanks a lot to this brother asthis is the starting point of our Water System Cooperative. Ang KaSaMa representatives also came to follow up the projects in the six hectares land on Oct. 19, 2003.Recently, there was an election for the new PurokChairman in my locality located in Tumbaga, San Rafael,Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte.At least the opponent got 5 votes and the majority of thevotes went to Sister Ishvarii, my beloved wife. I wasthe former Purok Chairman of 70 families. But now I'mgoing to Thailand to assist the Didis Neo-HumanistFoundation and Master Unit. I will be there for oneyear and I will come back to Maharlika to run asbarangay captain in our area.Presently the local people are very happy with oursamaj school project in the heart of the village. Weare also conducting a one year mass feeding programand Ang Kasama recieved a Certificate of Appreciationfrom the Municipal Mayor and the Federation of SocialWorkers and the Department of Social Welfare andDevelopment.Sister Ishvarii stand now as the new leader of ourPurok. She called a meeting and at least 40 peopleattended and plan for the progress and development ofour village.Kasaru is now officially acredited by the Barangay.

By Abhijiit