Emergency Response in Cagayan

Through solar-powered lights, the Department of Education (DepEd) hopes to improve the learning conditions for an indigenous Agta village in Cagayan Province. DepEd stressed it’s commitment to leave no child behind in education, as the DepEd teamed up with the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Philippines to improve the studying conditions of students in a remote Agta community.

The All-Lights Village (ALV) program of the GPF, aims to build model communities by providing solar-powered lamps to villages without electricity enabling school children to have enough time to study and to be productive citizens contributing to the community’s development. 

The GlobalGiving partnered with GPF Philippines to address the gaps in education and literacy of Agta school children in an IP community of Sanchez Mira, Cagayan.

GPF Philippines and GlobalGiving in collaboration with LGU Sanchez Mira and DepEd would like to journey with IP (indigenous peoples) communities in building the foundations of culturally-rooted education.  Aligned to the vision of Global Peace Foundation, our doors should not be the only ones which should be open for our IP brothers and sisters. Our hearts and minds must also stay open, because we will learn a lot from them.”

A 68 years old, widow, living with her four (4) grandchildren. Commonly referred to as Negritos, Agtas do belong to the Negrito ethnolinguistic group. Agtas are characteristically small, dark-skinned, curly-haired, and small-nosed. Their traditional clothing is skirt for women and breechcloth for men. Breastfeeding mothers wear uban, a piece of fabric slung from the shoulders. Most men scar their bodies, using various designs that have been passed down to them by their ancestors. Today, most Agtas have abandoned their tribal attire for “civilized” clothes. Many Agtas take on seasonal jobs, such as copra and charcoal making, and gold panning. Education, and literacy needs of the Agtas are a big challenge. 

Because of this need, LGU Sanchez Mira and DepEd partnered with the Global Peace Foundation Philippines and GlobalGiving. The partnership has adopted Purok 3-4 of Barangay Langaman, Sanchez Mira, Cagayan where solar lighting was provided to 100 Agta families. 

A Grade 8 student of Sanchez Mira School of Arts and Trade (SMSAT), the eldest grand-daughter became more enthusiastic in her studies, with the help of solar lamp she can do her written works and performance task even at night, therefore, she excelled in the school and she could leverage her academic performance from a regular student now with honors.

 As a family having schooling children, the solar lamp helped them a lot and brought hope to their studies,  they could breathe fresh air and could save P300 from not buying kerosene, they could come together and enjoy eating  in a bright dining table, helped them do some household chores at night and make a plan for the rest of the days or week to come. This was possible with the support of Global Peace Foundation Philippines and GlobalGiving.