Metamorphosis_Kalahi-CIDSS Compendium 2015

ealization came vocally from a 46 years old woman, an attitude far from what
A she was before.
Lourdes Poclis of Barangay Besao West, Besao, Mt. Province said that she used to be a shytyped
person, a very quiet woman that she didn’t disclose much of her feelings even to her
husband.
Though she rarely talked about her aspiration, her hard work and determination for
her family say it all. “Uray no kasaanu ti kinarigat ti biag da, ni Lourdes ket naanus nga
agpanunot iti nadalus a pamusposan tapnu matulongan na ti asawa na nga agsapul para
iti pamilya da ken tapnu matungpal ti arapaap da a makaturpos dagiti dua nga annak da”
(Though they know how hard life is, Lourdes is patient to think of ways on how she can
help her husband on their family income in order to achieve their dream of having their two
children graduate in school) her sister-in-law remarked.
Aside from her household works, Lourdes also has field work. She joins her husband
in farming. This is her way in helping her husband for their children’s education. With
education, her children will have better future according to her, who once desired to finish
her studies but did not due to her family’s financial condition.
While working, though she kept mum on things she observed in their community, her
mind kept on thinking and hoping for possibilities. Some questions revolved on her head
such as why were women treated differently, why women workers in their barangay only
receive Php 150 a day compared to the Php 200 salary of men on the same labor they
did or why women seemed to have many duties in their everyday lives. She liked to raise
these concerns to their barangay or to her husband but she was afraid and did not have the
courage to discuss such matters.
When Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social
Services of DSWD came and started its implementation in their municipality, Lourdes was
one of the residents who became community volunteers. For Lourdes, being member of the
community volunteers’ group where she can participate, listen, talk sometimes and learn
were the only roles of a community volunteer. But as time progressed, she experienced how
a community volunteer worked on her own ways.
For the first cycle or year one of Kalahi-CIDSS’ Community Empowerment Activity Cycle
(CEAC), their proposed communal irrigation system was not granted or prioritized.
Just like other volunteers, Lourdes was upset but hopeful that there’s another cycle to be
implemented.
In 2011, fortunately, second cycle happened. “Diay cycle 2, nakita me no kasatnu dagiti 8