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DECEMBER 05

WELCOME BACK LOWELL TO PALAWAN

TAYTAY BRANCH MISS YOU

Sacrifices of the Staff

WOMEN'S POWER

“SILENT REVOLUTION”

By: Lowell G. Traiso

Noble, dignified and righteous, there are some of the virtues of people working in non governmental organizations whose mission are either to save lives, promote education, control deceases, ending wars and uplifting lives or helping people getting out of poverty.

This is the lives and stories of people working for a foundation that aims to lessen poverty thru microfinance. Microfinance thru using the methods of Grameen Bank from Bangladesh is one of the most successful lending method for poor women who intend to get out from poverty. It is a silent revolution that slowly but a certain technique in empowering women. Making them responsible for the destiny of their families. The success of Grameen Bank and its replicators can be felt all over the world. From Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia .

But making a successful microfinance institution unit is never easy. It takes a lot of focus, wisdom and a lot of hard work and even a lot of tears. And these were the qualities of the Staffs of PD – Roxas. The sustainability of the Branch is the product of the utmost dedications and unwavering loyalty of the staffs.

Alvin, the branch manager seems to have the body of a machine, it never get tired. Waking up early and making sure that his XRM Honda motorcycle is in condition, before eight struck he is already on the road braving bad roads and the heat of the sun, visiting centers and clients and making sure that the program is going fine. Once, we had been together, waking as early as 3 AM, and were already at the road 30 minutes after, fearlessly traversing the dark roads from Roxas to Taytay and then from Taytay to Brgy Teresita and then by boat, praying all the way that the boat will not capsized as it struggled against the waves on our way to the municipality of Dumaran. We don’t know how many miles we traveled but we can feel the distance. On our way home, we are again confronted with unfamiliar roads, cold, darkness and the feeling that some strange creatures will suddenly appear on the roads blocking our way and scaring us to death. These are the familiar situations Alvin faces every day and in spite of it, Alvin is still in charge of his branch, making sure that its branch is on its way on reducing more poverty.

Geraldine , the branch cashier, I don’t know where she gets her energy, she’s almost working 20 hours a day, maybe sleeping only because the human body needs sleep to survive. I wonder how she managed her work going to Taytay and Roxas, making sure that the cash were properly accounted. It keeps me thinking that despite of her enormous work she can still manage to grin and always have the hand to help for the success of the project.

There’s Maricar, the branch encoder, always smart and always on time with her work. A woman who gets bored when there is nothing to do. She is a woman of perfection and, always devoted with her work. She never sleeps, always willing to extend her time until the last bit of her work is completed.

And of course there is, Maureen, Irish, Karen, Rolando, Hart, Nelson, Ariel and Eric, unsung heroes, the main force of the project. In their work there is no bad weather, there is no rainy season, there is no scorching heat of the sun, all is good weather because what ever happens to the weather they have to be with their clients. There is neither near nor far, there is no bad roads, whatever, whenever, where ever they have to fulfilled their duties, there are no dangerous roads or dangerous place, it will not hinder them, because even lives are to be sacrificed when necessary, they are more than soldiers because they never carry guns nor wear any armor, their only weapon is their genuine faith and responsibility to reduce poverty and to be of great help to their respective families.

Working with an NGO to reduce poverty sometimes has its moment of feeling alone, away from their families, from people dearest to them, for sure the feeling have become a force in forging deeper friendship within the staffs, there is much time of togetherness as well as there are also times of loneliness, and it cannot be avoided to shed tears once in a while knowing that in every tear hundreds of women were given a chance to rise up from poverty, every tear gives engine to the silent revolution that is taking place, and Alvin, Geraldine, Maricar, Maureen, Irish, Karen, Rolando, Hart, Nelson, Ariel and Eric is part of that revolution. A revolution that comes with their heart, a commitment to end poverty.

Microfinance had gone a long way. Grameen Foundation and Prof. Mohammad Yunus already win the Nobel Peace Prize, there many more awards and recognition that are waiting, many more poor women will rise from the ruins of poverty, and PD – Roxas will always be there to make its noble contribution.

( PD – Roxas Branch is one of the most successful microfinance institution in Palawan, covering the Municipality of Roxas, San Vicente, Taytay and the picturesque Municipality of El Nido )

“SAN VICENTE, HIDDEN PARADISE ”

By: Lowell G. Traiso

Sometimes along the way, as you are traveling, you can discover places that were indeed very extraordinary. Extraordinary in the sense that it is different from the others.

The case of the Municipality of San Vicente , Palawan is one. I never thought I can see places like the one I see in San Vicente. It is home to one of the longest stretch of white sand in the world with never ending forest of almost different kind of tropical plants and trees. The white beach of San Vicente is one of the longest in the world with almost 14 kms. of white sand. Much longer than the white sands of World Famous Boracay and any where in the Philippines .

It is thru our work with a microfinance foundation that we discovered San Vicente. Together with Mr. Alvin Lumaban, (Branch Manager), one August morning, we went to San Vicente for the purpose of securing the municipality’s permit, what we found is a hidden paradise that is about to be conquered. Its really been a great opportunity that along your work, you will also have the chance to be thrown away from places like San Vicente.

A new international airport is now under construction and a number of 5 stars resorts are now being developed. The long beach area has 14-kilometer stretch of white beach sand considered as extension of Boracay. Sand Quality is very similar with that of Boracay beaches.

No wonder that 5 years from now, San Vicente will be at the forefront of any tourist magazines. I’m sure its glory will surpass any major tourist destination in the Philippines and even the white beaches of Thailand , Indonesia and Malaysia , (I’ve heard that investors from Boracay are already burning their money in San Vicente ) and were very lucky that before the glory, we are there. We had seen the longest white beach before the rest of the world will knew about San Vicente.

Another great thing in San Vicente is its people. The hospitality and cheerfulness of the residents are everywhere. Every person we meet every time we asked for information are all willing to stick by and eager to answer. From the motorcycle driver, the owner of an eatery, the grocery store owner where we buy the motorcycle gasoline and even the staffs of the office of the municipal permits and licenses division. It seems that they are all willing to lend a hand for us of whatever our intentions with their much-loved municipality.

I know time will come when I can proudly say to my friends and colleagues that I already been in San Vicente and I can show them the picture of their Municipal Hall that is constructed up on a hill and look a lot like a beach house waiting for those who wants to experience paradise on earth.

(Special Thanks to Mr. Rolly and all the staff of Municipal License and Permit Department of San Vicente for the hospitality that they have shown us, to the unknown woman who have shown us her palawan bear cat, its my first time to see it on the road between Brgy. Alimanguan to San Vicente Poblacion, also to the family of a woman from Brgy Alimanguan, who discovered my Cebu Pacific pouch that contains valuable papers and to Mr. Alvin Lumaban , my Branch Manager who untiringly steer his motorcycle from Roxas to San Vicente between never ending forest and for snapping pictures for our souvenirs .)

Roxas Branch Staff-On the Other Side

Serious. Happy. Naughty. Shy type….those are some of the characteristics of the people here in Roxas Branch. Do I need to enumerate everything? Okey, let’s start to our “poging” Branch Manager…hehe..He’s simply claimed that he’s cute (?)…well, even if we try to disagree, we never did because in a soft voice, he will say, “sige, kumontra ka, kundi patay ka”. Hehehe…war freak boss? No, he’s not, it’s just his expression. But, in terms of company policy, or any related to work matter, he’s so serious. Just like our cashier, I don’t know if this is the correct term to describe her-“workaholic”-because even if it’s 2 or 3 in the morning, she’s still working-oh, I forgot, maybe, she’s superwoman or wonder woman instead because of her travel every Tuesday afternoon going to our sub-branch then back here in Roxas Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning, then to Puerto on Friday to deposit….whooah!! What a schedule! Next? Our boys, Lando, Nelson, Aye, Hark…they have one thing in common, guess what? Everything about girls…hehehe…well, not surprising. But when it comes to their attitude towards work, they’re good. How about the girls? Well, we are simply beautiful..hehe..Aice, Karen, Mau and of course me, Marie…we are beautiful, no matter what they say, words can’t bring us down….
A little bit curious to know more about us?

By: Maricar Valenzuela

Getting Permit to the Local Government to fight 2

I have wake up early in the morning and lowell do the same thing. We wake up early to travel going to the municipality of Dumaran. Going their is not very easy because of the danger that we may encounter, Because we dont know anything about the place. By asking the people that we encouter during travel we arrive in Sta. Teresita Dumaran one of the Barangay of the Municipality of Dumaran, we have arrive there at exactly 11:15 noon. Going the Municipalality proper of Dumaran you must travel by boat on that time is not already available. We try to hire a boat but the boatman offer us Php 1,000.00 for only one way of travel going to Dumaran proper. Lowell try to lessen the price of the fare to the boatman and after a long argument Lowell and the boatman agreed to Pay Php 600.00 for Dumaran proper and going back to Sta. Teresita. When we arrived to Dumaran Proper, Family Castillo offer us to eat on their house for Dinner. This family is very kind and nice. After 1:30 we go to the Municipality of Dumaran, when we are inside the municipal hall we search for the Municipal Mayor and on that time is now available. We wait for the Municipal Mayor up to 3:45 but we wait for nothing, after that we search for the municipal registrar on that time is not available because she is on leave. We just leave our letter to the Secretary of the mayor hoping for some action. We returned to Sta. Teresita at exactly 5:24 p.m. We travel back going to our sub-branch in taytay, we arrived in our sub-branch at exactly 9:23 p.m. We rest for a while and eat after we eat we sleep to ready our self for another battle.

Getting Permit to the Local Government to fight

Me and Lowell Go to the municipality of San Vicente, Dumaran and El Nido to extend our services to the Poor. Going to San Vicente is not very easy because you will travel almost 2 1/2 hours to go there. We travel with an XRM 110 motorcycle with a very rocky road and almost no people around during our travel. Because the surroundings is covered by old trees and plants there are some landslide and there are history of hold-up in the area. But for the poor we will fight our fear to travel and uplift the life of the poor people of San Vicente.

We have a dream when We are a little child. To help the poor to stand with their own. To become more stable in life. To provide food and shelter to their children. Not to be a slave but to be a master of their own business. We do not want to have poor people in our country, But We want Businessman and Businesswomen.