In Alimodian, Iloilo, six neighboring barangays, called
the Hugpong BUMMBADA or the United Bulod, Uboda, Mambawi,
Manuyog, Ban-ag, and Bagumbayan District Association, would
often compete against each other and have disagreements,
resulting to brawls and even deaths during fiestas and other
social events. Moreover, residents of the barangays are
also deprived of basic services. As a result, crimes are
prominent and low income among farming households and lack
of alternative sources of income area are not unusual. The
women and the youth in the community have no voice as well.
This scene weathered a complete turnaround when the
municipal government initialized community organizing.
This program divided clustered the 6 barangays to
establish unity and cooperation. As a result, the process
of development, such as the creation of the BUMMBADDA Health
Station in one of the six barangays, has been started. As
the lack of basic services contributed to the civil unrest
in the area, motions were made to provide or improve on
the existing basic services. Safe and potable water is now
available for the people of the barangays. Day care centers
and public elementary schools were established for the youth
of the community. Barangay Tanods organized into a district
federation and cooperated with the Alimodian Philippine
National Police (PNP) to establish the Kabayan center, which
is monitored by the PNP to prevent crimes. Women and the
youth now participate in the delivery of health care services.
People learned the importance of cooperation and used this
to work towards a better future.
