Mamas know best

MODELS OF EMPOWERMENT Members of the Women’s Association of Barangay Bitoon (WABB) tend to their community garden in Del Carmen, Siargao. These mothers have transformed their small weekly savings and their garden into a source of livelihood, confidence and mutual support, with backing from the government. PNA PHOTO BY MARITA MOAJE

“Kami-kami lang talaga. Hindi kami lumalapit sa gobyerno noong una. Sabi ko, kahit tag-P50 lang, simulan natin.” “Kami-kami lang talaga. Hindi kami lumalapit sa gobyerno noong una. Sabi ko, kahit tag-P50 lang, simulan natin.”

IN a small village on Siargao Island, a group of mothers proved that women empowerment can stem from helping and supporting one another through the simplest of deeds, a “paluwagan” of P50 per week, a shared dream that also offers moral support and some help from the government.

Starting with about 20 mothers of daycare students in Barangay Bitoon, Del Carmen, on Siargao Island, they have now grown to over 50 members and transformed into a thriving community organization, united with one goal: to build a savings fund to help ease financial hardships faced by families in the community.

“Kami-kami lang talaga. Hindi kami lumalapit sa gobyerno noong una. Sabi ko, kahit tag-P50 lang, simulan natin (It’s just us. We didn’t approach the government at first. I said, even if it’s just P50, let’s start),” Meralyn Tesiorna, the founding member and president of the Women’s Association of Barangay Bitoon (WABB), who was also the daycare teacher, told the Philippine News Agency.

From the initial seed, the mothers built a savings-and-loan scheme that doubled as a lifeline during crises.

She said that she saw the everyday difficulties being faced by her fellow mothers in getting through their daily needs, from getting short on the budget for the food of the family, to buying school needs, and most especially, in cases when a family member gets sick.

Because of this, Tesiorna thought of starting the traditional savings scheme to pool money to help one another.

“Meron kaming social fund. Kapag nagkasakit ang anak, pwede makakuha kahit P500 para sa gamot. Nakakatulong din ’yun (We had a sort of a social fund. If a child gets sick, the mother can get a loan of even P500 for medicine. That’s already a big help),” she added.

Over time, the pooled savings eventually grew and helped families fund home renovations, weddings, children’s schooling, and even community fiestas.

To further help one another set aside an amount for their savings, another mother allowed other members to use her family’s idle land, and soon, the group ventured into a community garden, planting vegetables like okra, pumpkin and bottle gourd on borrowed land.

The produce not only provided food security but also extra income.

“Yung kita namin dito, ‘yun na ’yung panghulog namin sa kada week, ‘yung sobra naibebenta pa namin (The income we earn here was used for our weekly savings, and then we sell the excess),” Tesiorna explained, adding that eventually, resorts and local businesses became their buyers, turning the mothers into legitimate suppliers.

Tesiorna noted that the initiative boosted not just their personal finances but also their dignity.

She said that beyond the money, the group gave women a newfound confidence.

“Karamihan sa mga nanay dito, walang trabaho. Stress lang sa bahay, takot pang magsalita sa barangay assembly. Kaya sabi ko, gawa tayo ng ganito. Ngayon, na-empower na ang mga nanay (Most of the mothers here are unemployed. They are stressed at home, and they are even afraid to speak up in the barangay assembly. But now, the mothers here are empowered),” she added.

As their savings grew, so did their impact, and slowly, the group’s activities and efforts got noticed by the local government unit, and even by concerned government offices like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Tesiorna said the DSWD already provided them with a livelihood cash aid of P7,700 per member, boosting their garden project.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) also donated seeds and extended technical help, validating the mothers’ initiative.

And now, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is considering to include the group under its Project Transform, or “Transdisciplinary Approach for Resilience and Environmental Sustainability through Multi-Stakeholder Engagement.”

Project Transform aims to break silos and push for collaborative, science-informed, locally grounded solutions that build both community resilience and environmental sustainability.

Through the initiative, the DENR engages companies, nongovernment organizations and grassroots organizations for funding, capacity-building and technical expertise.

Its goal is to transform local communities into models of resilience and sustainability by addressing environmental issues while at the same time uplifting lives through jobs, training and livelihood projects linked to environmental conservation.

“Nakita namin kung ano ang naging storya ng WABB, so doon namin nakita na may magandang aral na pwedeng maibahagi sa iba ang kanilang sinimulan na grupo. So doon namin napag-isipan na ilakad o tulungan ang WABB in our capacity under Transform na baka pwede silang masali dun sa gender and development program ng DENR (We saw what the WABB story was, so we saw that the group they started had good lessons that could be shared with others. So we thought that we could help WABB in our capacity under Transform, so that maybe they could join the gender and development program of the DENR),” Maricel Indico, Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape planning officer of the DENR Caraga, said.

The DENR Caraga is also working to link the WABB with other stakeholders who can also help the group.

From supporting and standing side by side, these women of Siargao have not only saved up. They have also cultivated empowerment, resilience and pride, showing that with unity and timely support, even the smallest seeds can bear the biggest fruit. PNA

***

WHAT IS PROJECT TRANSFORM?

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Project Transform — short for Transdisciplinary Approach for Resilience and Environmental Sustainability through Multi-Stakeholder Engagement — is a flagship program designed to modernize disaster and climate risk management in the Philippines. It shifts the focus from simple compliance to a collaborative, science-driven effort led by local governments.

Project Transform aims to create a national model for convergence, bringing together national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), the private sector, academe and civil society to build resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable communities.

Project Transform is the DENR’s holistic response to the accelerating climate crisis, especially since the Philippines consistently ranks as one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. It operates on the principle that no single sector can solve complex environmental and climate challenges alone; solutions require a “whole-of-society” and “transdisciplinary” approach.

The project utilizes science, technology and traditional knowledge to enhance local governance, making decision-making more evidence-based and context-driven.

CORE OBJECTIVES

Enhance LGU capacity: Strengthen the capacity of local government units in environmental and natural resources governance, and climate risk management.

Integrate planning: Ensure that climate change and resilience are integrated into local development planning, policy formulation and implementation.

Promote multi-sectoral partnership: Foster meaningful, long-term collaboration among all stakeholders to pool resources and expertise.

Sustain ecosystems: Contribute to the preservation of ecosystem integrity to support food, water, and energy security and public health.

A-to-Z resilience: Address the full chain of interconnected risks and vulnerabilities from ridge to reef (managing forests, waterways, land use and coastal habitats).

KEY COMPONENTS AND ACTION AREAS

Project Transform provides LGUs with a flexible, five-module framework to strengthen their existing programs and address unique local challenges. The programs are developed based on thorough assessments, vulnerability analyses and local needs.

THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The most distinguishing feature of Project Transform is its commitment to the multi-stakeholder model. The DENR partners with various groups to provide funding, technical assistance and capacity-building.

Key partner types:

Government agencies: National (e.g., DILG, DSWD, DA) and local (LGUs).

Private sector: Companies provide resources, technical expertise, and support for “green and blue jobs” to alleviate poverty.

Civil society/NGOs: Organizations like the National Resilience Council, Peace and Equity Foundation, and Philippine Business for Social Progress provide nontraditional support and community-level linkage.

Academe: Universities and scientific institutions provide data, research and technical guidance for evidence-informed decision-making.

Community Groups: Grassroots organizations, like women’s associations in pilot sites (e.g., Siargao), are directly engaged in livelihood and conservation projects linked to the program.

By fostering this collaboration, Project Transform aims to deliver a practical, inclusive and context-driven template for climate action that benefits both the environment and the socioeconomic well-being of local communities. TMT RESEARCH

***

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Grassroots empowerment: The Women’s Association of Barangay Bitoon (WABB) started with just P50 per week from around 20 mothers, growing to over 50 members and demonstrating that empowerment can be a bottom-up initiative.

Dual livelihood model: The group developed a two-pronged approach: a traditional savings-and-loan “paluwagan” system, coupled with a community garden that provided both food security and income (selling excess produce to local resorts).

Impact on dignity: Beyond financial aid for crises (like a P500 medical loan), the association gave unemployed mothers a newfound confidence and a voice in the community, combating stress and fear of public speaking.

Critical government support: The WABB’s success secured support from multiple agencies, including the DSWD (livelihood cash aid of P7,700 per member), the DA (seeds and technical help), and potential inclusion in the DENR’s Project Transform for resilience and sustainability.