My husband didn't really want to take me to Manito, Albay. It was a far drive through some rough roads because of recent landslides. But he took me just the same.We picked up Tito Bogs (the new GK Head of Albay) in Legazpi and we took two vehicles up. Along with us in the Pajero was Tito Johnny. Eric rode with Tito Bogs and his wife. From Legazpi, we took the Taysan road which went winding up,up, up. The road was cemented the entire way. Apparently, at the end of this long road is a geo-thermal plant from which a number of energy
companies benefit including PNOC and Petron, our partners for this GK village. But because of previous weeks' heavy raining, multiple landslides have covered the road -- just recently it has been cleared away of debris... heavy soil, huge rocks and spattering of tree logs. One part of the road has collapsed, the heavy downpour of rocks destroyed the concrete and broke it apart. In its place is a small concrete bridge. There is a gaping hole from the mountain and the landslide thundered down just about missing a crowd of shanties by the road. I think there may have been a house or two that have been bull-dozed down, but am not quite sure...The soon-to-be-residents of the Manito GK Village are families from Brgy. Malobago who live along a cliff-side prone to landslides, already identified by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) as a permanent danger zone. 100 families will be relocated to the 2.178 hectare GK village in Brgy. Manumbalay.
Getting there
This Manito site is in partnership with Petron and PNOC (and other energy companies) and the LGU of Manito, Albay (who provided the land). When we get to the side entrance to the site there is a billboard that calls it the Energy Village and a whole list of energy companies listed down in two columns. The road going into the site is very narrow (it's as if it's just been made to gain access to the site) with thin stick fences on both sides - impassable to trucks that would need to deliver the construction materials. The team has been counting on the LGU to establish a wider road.
Just as we arrive, a truck is waiting outside by the main highway. It was there to deliver bags of cement. The truck might be able to force its way through only to a certain distance. From there, people would have to form a bayanihan chain to bring the contents of the truck into the site -- or able-bodied men could just carry the bags on their shoulders, one bag at a time.
A Beautiful Vision
At this point, there are four duplexes on its way up -- almost done with all four walls up. The site faces the sea and at the far left,
without the hazy cloud cover, should be a beautiful view of Mount Mayon. It promises to be quite a beautiful and peaceful place to live in. Jay and the boys, on a second visit, walked straight down into the shore and said that beach cottages could be put up for
visitors. There are great plans for this GK village. Petron will likewise fund a 500 sqm reed-bed system for better wastewater management. The GK Manito Site is poised to becoming the first eco-tourism village in Bicol.
Some Challenges
The GK Manito village has a tight timeline to follow. 100 houses up by June is the target. There is an urgent need for the team to step up. It has faced a lot of challenges in the first two months of this year - a long wait for the right of way to be established for delivery trucks to come in, some internal issues in the team and in processes and the most major thing... the heavy rains in February that caused major landslides making the site unreachable for a couple of weeks. But things have started to look up this March - especially once the roads were cleared.
Two representatives from the partner's side visited the site last February and they are aware of the difficulties. Because of the timeline given by the partners, they have provided budget for skilled workers to augment the usual bayanihan component from the would-be GK residents. When we got there last March 6, there were a handful of Kapitbahayans, a handful of CFC caretakers and a handful of skilled workers. Most of the KB around were women. We chided them to encourage more men in their community to take part. We pointed out the amount and quality of work needed. Definitely, at this stage -- this ain't a woman's job.
The GK Miracle
There is a lot to do - and GREAT CHALLENGES can only be taken on with GREAT FAITH. The new team in Albay is definitely up to it. They will be our miracle makers, having to bring out the best of the Filipino spirit from the Kapitbahayan and the LGU partners -- the necessary stakeholders on the ground to making this work in the most dramatic way you can only imagine. But that's what makes great and inspiring GK stories -- the extraordinary rising up from the ordinary.
When that happens, the beauty and magic of this GK village would be the pot of gold waiting at the very end of the rainbow.
