Bantay Bata 163 Davao together with volunteers, the Task Force Davao, and Barangay Health Workers journeyed to reach out to the remote area of Tamayong, Calinan.
This is the community's story.
Purok 7, Barangay Tamayong is situated at one of the hills of the Tamayong mountain range. Its beautiful scenery overlooking the entire Calinan district conceals the desolate poverty of the area.
Up until today, the residents of the purok-- comprising of various tribes of the indigenous people of Mindanao-- suffer from having no electricity and paved roads, as well as the lack of proper water pumps and drainage systems. It was only because of the combined effort of the residents that they were able to manage and form the community with the small homes, vegetable patches and the communal comfort room.
At first glance it seems like the area is a quaint green paradise, but there is still the gnawing problem of not being able to find jobs, money and food. According to one resident, Kristel Linog, she and her children came down from the more remote part of the highlands to escape the isolation and to live closer to the city. But she confessed that it was as difficult as it had been before.
Poverty has driven the residents to find the most nearby banana and pinapple plantations to sustain each of their family's daily needs. 24-year-old Lenny Oboy, also a resident of Purok 7 has endured the hardships that have plagued the community, "Nagatrabaho akong bana ug harvester, dili pa jud maigo ang pagkaon namo"
As much as the people of Tamayong need the help from the City Government, assistance has been slimmed down from little to none, and the local govenment units can only do so much. Purok 7 is approximately an hour farther from all the other purok in Tamayong, and it is considered a very remote area. The families are left to fend off for themselves and make do with what little they have. Because of the lack of facilities like medical clinics, and scarcity of resources such as medical supplies, the people of the community rely on alternatives.
The vegetable patch, aside from providing them with food from time to time, is one of their sources of medicine. They rely on herbs and fruits to cure ailments of the body. From simple colds and fever, to dengue cases, they depend on traditional medicine. But if worse comes to worst, in a situation when a resident is afflicted with a fatal sickness or disease, some only wait until their imminent demise.
Datu Ernesto Sikaw, the village chief of Purok 7, laments on this . "kung kritikal, dayungan namo padulong didto. Ang problema lang wala pa gyud mi exsisting nga dalan... Wala jud mi mahimo, usahay dili na makaabot sa hospital..."
Even the children of the village suffer from this lack of proper attention. Coughs and recurring fever are abound, and there is no resident doctor to identify the cause and give out remedy.
During the Community Outreach Program in Tamayong, more than 115 families and 300 individuals were given the services that they needed. 8-year-old Giovito Canuto and his sister, 11-year-old Jovelyn availed the medical and dental services, while another sibling, 7-year-old Gio was circumcised.
73-year-old Basilia Matalam had high blood aand she was grateful for the opportunity for a blood pressure check-up, "Dili na ko kailangan nga munaog ug layo sa ospital...", adding that her fragile health could not anymore make the trip down to the city.
With sponsors, donors, competent and compassionate volunteer doctors , and the backing of the City Government of Davao, the Community Outreach proved to be a success. The residents availed of the medicine they needed, especially cough syrups, paracetamols, and antacid for the children.
Barangay Captain Cesario Barbadillo thanked the Bantay Bata 163 Davao for their support and effort in extending help to the community, "Diri sa Purok 7, kas-a lang sila makaapil ug mga kalihokan nga makahata ug kalipay ug abang sa mga taga diri."
