Background: The Program

The Gawad Kalinga (GK) is a product of the initiative of the non-government organization "Couples for Christ". It began in the year 1995 with a rehabilitation project for out-of-school youths and eventually grew into a nation-building program. Its vision now includes the uplifting of poverty-stricken areas by building self-help homes for the "poorest of the poor".
Specific GK Programs that are relative to this particular vision include (as taken from the Gawad Kalinga website [URL: http://www.GawagKalinga.org]):

“(1) The Shelter & Site Development or GK TATAG,
With GK TATAG, GAwad Kalinga assists the building of colorful, durable and secure homes for the poorest of the poor. TATAG in the Filipino language means “to build” or “to establish.” The program also provides other physical structures such as path walks and drainage systems, water and toilet facilities, a school, a livelihood center, a multi-purpose hall and a clinic. In some areas, other structures such as basketball courts and libraries are also constructed once basic infrastructure needs are set up.

“(2) Productivity
Through GAWAD KABUHAYAN (translated to “to give livelihood” in Filipino), GK conducts livelihood and skills training, provides start up capital and materials for microfinance and micro-enterprise, and assists in the marketing of the GK communities’ products. Food self sufficiency is highly encouraged by teaching technology for backyard farming, urban agriculture and poultry-raising.

“(3) Values Formation/Community Empowerment
Every GK community is organized into a KAPITBAHAYAN Neighborhood Association, which is established to inculcate stewardship and ensure accountability, cooperation and unity. Guidelines for community living are decided upon by the members, and new leaders who espouse the values of the association start to emerge.

“(4) Mabuhay
Our [GK] communities showcase the best of the Filipino--warmth, hospitality, and the many colors and dimensions of our rich culture. We aim to make every GK Village a tourist spot showcasing the inherent charm and uniqueness of each community. The beauty of the Philippines lies not only in its natural resources but in the triumph of our people against poverty and oppression. Inspiring stories are well told in the vibrant smiles and shining eyes of our residents in our GK communities.”

The Gawad Kalinga strongly adheres to the concept-of nation building, which they believe is achievable through uplifting these poverty-stricken communities not only with programs that are for rebuilding homes but also with programs that aim to change the outlook of the residents of these affected areas. The GK proudly speaks of successful GK Villages with happy residents. GK communities help residents become “proud of their homes, grateful for their blessings and hopeful for the future“ so that in even the very act of building homes, additional perspectives are given like bayanihan. Not only that, the GK also provides training services in masonry and carpentry skills since “the poor ‘pay’ for their homes through ‘sweat equity’ or by building their neighbor’s house side by side with the GK volunteers”i which is believed to “not only build community spirit but also contribute(s) to greater peace. After all, how can a GK Homeowner fight the neighbor who helped him build his house? Peace is achieved not by force, but by mutual adherence to an agreed set of values. This new culture is the key to the community’s sustainability, and sets the community on the road to self reliance.”ii
However, are all GK Villages truly successful projects? Given that there are a multitude of factors that could affect nation-building, can the above-mentioned programs be the answer to the eradication of poverty? With these questions in mind, this paper explores one particular Gawad Kalinga Village (GK Waterlily) and evaluates the success rate of the project. This paper aims to present the actual condition of this Gawad Kalinga village and discuss the relative issues affecting it in order to synthesize the effectivity of self-help housing building programs.

i www.Gawag Kalinga.org

ii www.Gawag Kalinga.org