Decades of armed conflict had passed, but it is still difficult for Sanny Sebio to forget the memories which he had always considered his biggest adversity.
“I remember the times when we had to run away from one place to another,” he recalled narrating how they went from Sitio Maringen in Barangay Datalpandan to the mountains of Mount Piris, all the way to South Upi and then back to Sitio Maringen. “All of our properties were left behind, because all we could carry were those which were light and handy.”
The adjustments were very hard for Sanny’s family. Aside from rebuilding their home and regaining their livelihood, they have to nourish their growing family especially when their children started attending school. “Life was really tough in rural and far-reach areas like ours. My heart always cries everytime my son shares how he finds it difficult to study without light,” he said. “So I work hard to provide for my children’s needs. I even sold my horse,” he added.
Sanny is a 36-year-old farmer who lives in the remote area of Sitio Maringen, Barangay Datalpandan in Guindulungan, Maguindanao, a two to three-hour uphill walk from center of the community. He is married to Mileta and they have six children.
With Sanny’s persistence, he managed to buy a mini Solar Panel. Although it was able to illuminate their humble abode for a few months, it didn’t last too long. But as the saying goes “For every dark night, there’s a brighter day,” a solution to their energy problem came at hand.
BRIGHTER DAYS
Due to his diligence and active participation in the Community, Sanny eventually assumed the position as President of the Indigenous People’s Organization of Barangay Datalpandan.
The Indigenous People households of the barangay were granted Solar Panels from the Mindanao Trust Fund- Reconstruction and Development Project Phase II (MTF-RDP/2). Sanny’s family is among the recipients.
After the project was formally turned-over to the community on February 11, 2019, the IP families are able to fully enjoy the privilege.
“No more silent and gloomy nights for my family and for our fellow IPs,” Sanny said. The moment that the Solar Panel was installed, he immediately purchased a television set for the first time in his life. “I watch news programs every night with my children, while my wife cooks for our dinner. I am now updated with current events in our country,” he gladly narrates.
Sanny’s children are now at ease when doing school works at home. He further added that his children also received portable solar lamps for study purposes from the Alternative Learning System (ALS), another sub-component of the project.
Barangay Datalpandan, being one of the areas situated within the six (6) previously acknowledged camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which is the Camp Badre, has been identified as an identified community for socio-economic projects under the MTF-RDP/2, together with Camp Abubakar as-Siddique, Camp Bilal, Camp Bushra, Camp Omar and Camp Rajamuda.
The MTF-RDP/2 is implemented through a project partnership agreement between the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) and the Community and Family Services International (CFSI). It is supported through the Mindanao Trust Fund and administered by the World Bank.
The MTFRDP/2 implementation is in accordance with the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB). Its objective is to empower communities in targeted conflict-affected areas to achieve improved access to socio-economic services and infrastructures.
The Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF) supports the program with the donors such as the European Union, the government of Sweden, Australia, Canada, United States, New Zealand and the World Bank. The World Bank also functions as Trust Fund Administrator and Secretariat.
In support to the objectives of the MTF-RDP/2, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) provided complementary assistance directly to CFSI through the project referred to as “Supporting Access to Basic Services and Building Institutional Capacity in Conflict Affected Areas in Mindanao.”