15 Maayusin Street, UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City

Dear Msgr. Gabriel,

Greetings in the Risen Lord!

I am writing to you in relation to your article on the search for a shared framework for BEC’s nationwide. I would like to present for your consideration the Buhay at Kalinga Development Program (BaK Program) which could serve the purpose.

I understand that it is important to “surface” the projects from the participant / beneficiaries themselves, just as NASSA affiliate organizations do for community building. However, the required immersion program for facilitators entails too much time before any concrete implementation can take place.

It is to expedite implementation that I am presenting the `BaK Program’ — a framework template that has evolved from a parish youth development program. It is both holistic and flexible enough to serve most communities. It engages all stakeholders and is sensitive to the community environment.

For all intent and purpose, the BaK Program framework template is not averse to receiving inputs from community members. On the contrary, it will encourage greater participation — like a ladder that we are offering them to climb.

Below is an Executive Summary of the BaK Program framework:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In order to define a methodology applicable for developing any community in the Philippines, personal objectives of and the interaction among residents must be considered. Such are felt needs common to residents of different communities, as established in a 1997 consultative study of communities ranging in economic strata B to E.

The study showed a common consensus on addressing the following needs with all the communities consulted of which are:

1. Effective Waste Management
2. Cleanliness of the Communities
3. The Esthetical Improvement of the Communities’ Surroundings
4. Improving the Communities’ Social Interaction
5. Livelihood Projects for the Unemployed and Underemployed
6. Skills Development
7. Assistance in the Moral and Other Good Values, especially and more importantly of the Youths

These felt needs formed the basis for developing a universal community development program applicable nationwide. Said program shall have a general framework flexible enough for participants to select specific details from a categorized base program index, thereby, facilitating the defining and implementation of a tailor-made program.

The holistic Buhay at Kalinga Development Program (BaK Program) is such a general framework that will facilitate the above-mentioned universal community development program.

It is a compilation of many different developed programs in response to the common felt needs common among all communities.

Integration of the common felt need with group dynamics among neighbors and within families of its members are all embedded in the overall BaK Program concept. This is to assure the acceptance and cooperation of target participants to succeed.

The BaK Program has five major areas of operations covering practically all aspects of community life:

1) Physical Environment Upgrade,
2) Human Resources Development,
3) Livelihood Development,
4) Community Social Interaction
5) Values Formation

The Buhay at Kalinga Development Program (BaK Program) has five major areas of operation presented below in roman numerals. The major sub-programs of the five major areas of concern are self-explanatory titled module in which two crucial specific sub-sub programs in III.C are presented as follows:

I. Physical Environment Upgrade Program
A. Zero Waste Management Program
B. Community Cleanliness Program
C. Community Aesthetics Improvement Program
D. Community Amenities Development Program

II. Human Resources Development Program
A. Personal Skills Development (sectored) Program
B. Work Skills Development Program/Vocational Training Program

III. Livelihood Development (Cooperatives) Program
(Technological support from government agencies and/or other NGO’s related expertise)
A. Consumer Marketing Livelihood Program
B. Waste Management Livelihood Program
C. Food Production and Processing Livelihood Enhancement Program
1. Rice Farmers’ Income Maximization Program
2. Coconut Industry Rationalization Program
D. Construction Materials Manufacturing Using Indigenous Virgin
Raw Materials Project
E. Metal Craft Fabrication Livelihood Program
F. Wood Craft Manufacturing Livelihood Program
G. Backyard Farming Program
H. Small Automotive Industry Rehabilitation Program

IV. Community Social Interaction Program
A. Cultural Development Program
B. Sports Development Program
C. Community Communications Program

V. Values Formation Program
A. Community Social Service
B. Youth Skills and Values Education Enhancement
C. Spiritual Formation Program (sub-programs integrated with that of Parish and/or Diocesan Formation Programs)
D. Family day
E. Christmas Party
F. Lenten community Recollection
G. Easter Celebration
H. May Flower Offering
I. Santa Cruzan
J. Fiesta Community Banquet

The BaK Program with its five major areas of operations would serve as universal framework for all BEC’s nationwide.

Reading of the developments of the BEC’s with the link, as well as developments with different DSAC’s with NASSA, the Buhay at Kalinga Community Development Association Inc. (BaKCDA) of which was organized to implement the BaK Program practically has the same objectives and activities.

The little differences with the activities with the BaK having more specific livelihood projects and integration of the livelihood network system is practically insignificant as with the similarities of the present activities of the BEC’s and the DSAC’s.

The question is whether the BEC can be a ’People’s Organization’ which members are the community residents/participants/beneficiaries of the BEC’s.

BaKCDA, a People’s Organization (PO) was officially registered with the SEC December of 2010 but still cannot legally operate since the DSWD endorsement we were given requires that we first must be accredited by the DSWD as a social work and development agency after having been approved by the SEC as a charitable organization.

The DSWD requirement of a detailed Manual of Operations to comply for accreditation is work in progress with three remaining articles to be written down.

The delay of now a year and a quarter apparently maybe a sign from our Lord that the BaK Program should be handed over to the CBCP BEC Committee since the objectives and activities are the same as those of BaKCDA.

The question of the principle of separation of church and state is the crucial factor of whether it is possible for the BEC’s to be the People’s Organization to take over the role of the BaKCDA in implementing the BaK Program.

Is it possible that the BaK Program can be such a shared framework that all BEC’s may adopt?

I am praying that you may give a response to the query. I am available at any time and date of your convenience for a personal meeting whereupon we would be presenting the Manual of Operations and credentials of the present members of the board of directors.

Sincerely in Christ,

Kit Canillas