What started as a out-of-school youth intervention program in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City about a decade ago is now a worldwide humanitarian movement of building communities for the poorest of the poor. In an attempt to rehabilitate gang members of Bagong Silang -- a squatter relocation site of more than 100,000 families -- members of the Couples for Christ (CFC) led by Tony Meloto started youth camps for the gang members. Although the program was successful, once the gang members were out of the youth camps, they were back to their old ways. It was evident then that for the youth program to succeed, the program had to be implemented where the youths lived -- in their homes.
In 1999, Tony and his CFC team built a house for a family with troubled children. From this one house, the first Gawad Kalinga community was born. With the financial support of Filipino-Americans from Northern California, this first Gawad Kalinga (GK) community expanded to 2,000 homes in 18 villages in Bagong Silang. Gawad Kalinga has changed the lives of 10,000 people in Bagong Silang. Today, there are 21,759 homes in 1,253 GK villages throughout the Philippines and several other countries including Papua New Guinea, Cambodia and Indonesia.
Behind this phenomenal undertaking is Tony Meloto, a tireless self-made man of 57, who was born poor in Bacolod where some of the richest families in the country live. His father and mother were public school teachers. They lived in a small rented house on the hacienda of a rich relative. Your browser may not support display of this image.
Tony excelled in his student days. In 1967, in his senior year in high school, he became an American Field Exchange Scholar at the De Anza High School in Richmond, California. Upon his return home he won a scholarship at the Ateneo de Manila. He graduated in 1971with a BA degree in Economics. He worked his way up in the corporate world to become the purchasing manager of a multinational corporation. Eventually he started his own business.
In 1985, Tony and his wife, the former Lyn Dizon, became involved with CFC. It changed their lives forever. By 1995, Tony realized that his calling was to work with the poor. It was no coincidence then that his first work for the poor was in Bagong Silang, which literally means “New Born.” At Bagong Silang, Tony Meloto, the visionary, was born.
As the founder and Executive Director of Gawad Kalinga, Tony's vision of building communities was a ray of hope for the poorest of the poor and an inspiration to all Filipinos -- rich and poor, Christians and Muslims -- to rebuild the country. Indeed, within a decade, what started as a youth camp project for gang members in Bagong Silang, Gawad Kalinga became an international humanitarian movement that attracted people of all colors.
Last May 19, 2007, at the Second Gawad Kalinga Summit held in Burlingame, California, Tony spoke of what Gawad Kalinga is all about: igniting hope in the people; inspiring change in ourselves and in others; and the power of “We.” Hope... Change... We... Three powerful words that have brought people together to accomplish what has never been done before. And this is just the beginning.
Tony spoke of the 300 Spartans who sacrificed their lives fighting the Persian invaders in the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Vastly outnumbered, the 300 Spartans held back the Persians for several days giving the rest of Greece time to prepare for battle against the Persians. And they won. Tony likened the 300 Spartans to the 300 Filipino-American “GK Builders” who have spearheaded the building of GK villages. I am proud to be one of the GK Builders along with the numerous Sacramento Fil-Am donors who made GK Sacramento Village in Fairview, Quezon City a reality. Construction began in April 2006. Today, 27 homes have been built and four are under construction. Upon completion, the village will consist of 50 homes. Your browser may not support display of this image.
Tony spoke of how Gawad Kalinga united the Christians and Muslims in Mindanao. Camp Abubakar in the province of Maguindanao -- which was one of the original training camps of al Qaida -- is now a peaceful Gawad Kalinga community where Christians and Muslims live side by side and helping one another in the true spirit of “bayanihan.”
It is interesting to note that for the third year last April, Gawad Kalinga caretaker teams and beneficiaries from all over Mindanao journeyed together in solidarity with other Christians, Muslims, and the indigenous Lumads to “heal the wounds of the past.” The journey was called “Highway of Peace.” Groups came from different parts of Mindanao -- Butuan, Surigao, Bukidnon, Zamboanga, North Cotabato, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City -- and joined the caravan which converged in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte. Others traveled all the way from the Visayas and Manila.
Last September, 2006, Tony Meloto was awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award. He was recognized for “inspiring Filipinos to believe with pride that theirs can be a nation without slums.” The Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, which Meloto heads, also received a Magsaysay Award for “harnessing the faith and generosity of Filipinos the world over to confront poverty in the Philippines and provide every family the dignity of a decent home and neighborhood.” These two awards manifest Tony's vision of transforming the Philippines into a First World country and First Class people.
A friend reminded me the other day of what the late Senator Jose Diokno told the students at Silliman University before Martial Law was declared in 1972: “When it gets dark enough, you will begin to see the stars.” Indeed, the stars of Gawad Kalinga are brightly shining on the Filipino people. An 80-year old man said after being given a Gawad Kalinga home, “I never thought that I would ever see this day in my life. Thanks to Gawad Kalinga.” Yes, indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment