{"id":2722,"date":"2014-05-02T01:53:00","date_gmt":"2014-05-01T17:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/balaymindanawgroup.wordpress.com\/?p=341"},"modified":"2014-05-02T01:53:00","modified_gmt":"2014-05-01T17:53:00","slug":"kaloy-on-bm18-balay-mindanaws-founding-chair-ibing-sylvia-okinlay-paraguya-and-vice-chair-the-late-rey-magno-teves-during-our-first-strategic-planning-session-in-1996","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/balaymindanaw.org\/main\/2014\/05\/02\/kaloy-on-bm18-balay-mindanaws-founding-chair-ibing-sylvia-okinlay-paraguya-and-vice-chair-the-late-rey-magno-teves-during-our-first-strategic-planning-session-in-1996\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaloy on BM@18: Balay Mindanaw’s founding Chair, Ibing Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya, and Vice Chair, the late Rey Magno Teves during our first strategic planning session in 1996."},"content":{"rendered":"

Five Days Before Balay Mindanaw’s 18th<\/em><\/p>\n

Today’s space of this reflection series gives way to a piece written by Lina Sagaral-Reyes for our 5th Anniversary. This now appears in our website.<\/p>\n

Laying down the Foundation(s) of an NGO as Mindanaoan \u201cHome\u201d<\/h1>\n

(A short and still incomplete history of the beginnings of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.)<\/em><\/p>\n

On May 8, 1996, Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc. (BMFI) was incorporated with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and thus began to assume a legal personality.<\/p>\n

But the beginnings of BMFI, then and now more popularly known as Balay Mindanaw, began much earlier — in the slow but sharp visioning of a few like-minded people, mostly development workers who believed together not only in the need to nourish Mindanao-based developmental work but also believed that developmental work at that time, in the last half of the 90s and at the end of the millennium, can still be improved in ways more effective and nurturing for beneficiaries and development workers alike.<\/p>\n

It began way back in 1994-95, as Charlito \u201cKaloy\u201d Manlupig, its prime moving force and executive director, was toying with concepts and coining what later became its succinct vision-statement of enduring relevance: \u201cKaangayan, Kalambuan, Kalinaw\u2026 sa Mindanao, sa Pilipinas, sa Kalibutan! (Equality, Development, Peace \u2026 in Mindanao, the Philippines, the World!)<\/p>\n

Kaloy then was into a three-year hiatus –out of a short, controversy-ridden government administrative stint — after 24 years of continuous service in the field of development work and, despite the unexpected tough luck, suddenly had plenty of time to heal and re-energize, to reflect and dream. It was this moment of crisis-turned-inspiration, which became the kernel of the dream for a \u201cbalay that is a house, a home, a family but also more than just an ordinary house, home and family.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was this deep sense of the need to re-craft development work in Mindanao, even the courage of turning the ageing paradigms of NGO-based work, that enabled Manlupig and company (a few \u201cgolden\u201d friends, he (re)calls them now) over coffee and beer, and many shared meals, to imagine and conjure the collective dream of \u201can authentic developmental non-government organization that would embody the essence of \u2018Home\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n

In articulating and realizing the many-layered meanings of the concept \u201chome,\u201d the pioneers of BMFI would always use two numinous words in the Cebuano language: \u201cbanay\u201d and \u201cbalay\u201d.<\/p>\n

Banay, meaning family. Balay, meaning the structure. BMFI was keenly aware that for Mindanawans, in particular, and Filipinos, in general, family and house are culturally valuable and essential to living fulfilled and progressive lives.<\/p>\n

But also, most importantly, the Balay that they were re-visioning is actually more than just the NGO itself, more than just the family of NGO workers or the community of NGOs alone.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, the BMFI people from the very beginning, in their daily tasks, had striven to contribute and be active participants in the (re-) building of the entire island so that Mindanao will truly be an authentic home for its inhabitants: the Moros, the Lumads and the settlers.<\/p>\n

The BMFI\u2019s first Board of Trustees were: Sylvia \u201cIbing\u201d Okinlay-Paraguya, chairperson; Rey Magno Teves, vice-chairperson; Victor Gerardo \u201cGerry\u201d Bulatao, Estrella \u201cTrel\u201d Borja, Teodorico \u201cTeddy\u201d Pe\u00f1a, Luzviminda Do\u00f1a-Villasanta and Kaloy, members.<\/p>\n

The BMFI began to base its operations in an old building along J. R. Borja and Capistrano Sts. in Cagayan de Oro City. Here, the Balay Mindanao Formation House hosted BMFI\u2019s trainings and other activities. It had an original staff of three, including Rogelio Bautista (alias Bugoy), Myraflor \u201cTata\u201d Otero, and Luzviminda Do\u00f1a-Villasanta.<\/p>\n

Within the year, the staff became nine (9) \u2013 \u201csharing one computer (bought with borrowed money) and a narrow strip of workspace (the hallway between the Formation House\u2019s kitchen and the session room) as well as tasks ranging from janitorial and culinary to administrative, finance and training facilitation and documentation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other pioneering staff who joined within 1996 included: Charmaine Mae \u201cEks-eks\u201d Dagapioso, who became the first \u2018walk-in\u2019 applicant, looking for a job in community organizing (joined in July 1) and Totong Navidad, a trainor (also July 1), Gesibelle \u201cBelle\u201d Garcia (July 15), in search of work focusing in developmental communications (July 15), Arlene \u201cKaka\u201d Bag-ao, a young lawyer, and Melissa Robante and Mabel “Kotoy\u201d Loyola (two of Manlupig\u2019s former colleagues at the Department of Agrarian Reform who were \u201cpart-time volunteers but full-time supporters\u201d).<\/p>\n

Notwithstanding, the fledgling organization thrived with too little resources but with much commitment, camaraderie and hopes.<\/p>\n

For the first year, the fledgling organization received support funds from Christian Aid and Ford Foundation, amounting to a little over P3-million. Most of these funds were used to spearhead nine (9) training events involving more than a thousand participants.<\/p>\n

In its first Annual Report in 1998, published on the second anniversary of its establishment, Chairperson Ibing stressed in her message \u201c the challenge to Balay Mindanaw is to remain true to its name\u2026 a home for every Mindanawan.\u201d<\/p>\n

She further explained what she meant: \u201ca home for the farmer raring to own a piece of land through agrarian reform program, for a barangay official who feels necessary the formulation of a barangay development plan where people have maximized their participation, for a development worker weary after a day\u2019s walk in hinterland barangays, for a government official who finds meaning working in partnership with the people, for working mothers who need to know how work can be combined with mothering.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the same report, Kaloy, for his part, wrote with gratefulness about \u201cthe peoples and communities in Mindanao, particularly those which became BMFI\u2019s grassroots partners in Barangays Patrocinio, Kalawitan and Hinaplanan in Claveria, Misamis Oriental; Barangays Kalipay and Punong in Gingoog City, the town of Loreto in Surigao del Norte, and the towns of Hagonoy, Kiblawan and Matan-ao in Davao del Sur, among others.<\/p>\n

Rather than \u201c a cold presentation of accomplishments and plans,\u201d the report, according to him, \u201cwas a tribute and thanksgiving to those who made things happen meaningfully\u201d and further dedicated the first report of BMFI\u2019s contribution to the work of authentic development to the people in the communities cited above.<\/p>\n

Kaloy also took time to acknowledge partner NGOs, government and funding agencies: Kaisahan, Quidan-Kaisahan, MINCON, WARRIORS, Kusog Mindanaw, MPAC, DAR, NEDA, Ford Foundation, Christian Aid-UK and the Philippine Development Assistance Programme (PDAP).<\/p>\n

He would also acknowledge and give the brave MAPALAD farmers who were catapulted to national consciousness as they went on a hunger strike in 1997. He noted that the farmers gave a human face to the struggle for genuine agrarian reform implementation. In all humility, Manlupig thanked the farmers for giving space for BMFI workers to help the farmers\u2019 cause.<\/p>\n

He would also acknowledge the deaths of two BMFI friends, Roberto Gana and Caloy Ollado, two young lawyers who were on their way to Cagayan de Oro when the plane they rode in crashed.<\/p>\n

Three years later, recalling this initial phase of BMFI in the 1999 Annual Report, Kaloy would emphasize: \u201cwhen we began three years ago, one significant innovation we made was to give the BMFI frontliners the title of sustainable integrated area development organizers or SIADOs (also pronounced as the word, \u201cshadow\u201d).\u201d<\/p>\n

He would continue to explain more about the deliberateness of the paradoxical term, SIADO, saying, \u201cthis (acronym) was not only meant to give them a clear job description. We also wanted to emphasize the essence of what a development worker should be \u2013 a shadow, almost invisible, both an empowering and a liberating presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a way of marking another milestone and reminding everyone, most probably also himself, of why BMFI was formed, Manlupig then wrote: \u201cIndeed, this has been BMFI\u2019s mission: helping build empowered sustainable communities in Mindanao \u2013 quietly, unobtrusively, almost invisibly.\u201d<\/p>\n

(To be continued, as the re-building is, as BMFI would say, still a continuing journey of a small group of development workers and their partner-communities, organizations, agencies and sectors. )<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Five Days Before Balay Mindanaw’s 18th Today’s space of this reflection series gives way to a piece written by Lina Sagaral-Reyes for our 5th Anniversary. This now appears in our website. Laying down the Foundation(s) of an NGO as Mindanaoan \u201cHome\u201d (A short and still incomplete history of the beginnings of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.)… Read More »Kaloy on BM@18: Balay Mindanaw’s founding Chair, Ibing Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya, and Vice Chair, the late Rey Magno Teves during our first strategic planning session in 1996.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[25],"series":[],"speaker":[],"class_list":["post-2722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bmfi","tag-reflections"],"episode_featured_image":false,"episode_player_image":"https:\/\/balaymindanaw.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/BM-Podcast-Logo.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"acast":{"key":"acast","url":"","label":"Acast","class":"acast","icon":"acast.png"},"amazon":{"key":"amazon","url":"","label":"Amazon","class":"amazon","icon":"amazon.png"},"anchor":{"key":"anchor","url":"","label":"Anchor","class":"anchor","icon":"anchor.png"},"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple 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Kaloy on BM@18: Balay Mindanaw’s founding Chair, Ibing Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya, and Vice Chair, the late Rey Magno Teves during our first strategic planning session in 1996.<\/a><\/blockquote>