*Conquering Another Mountain: An Appeal to the Board for the Site Development of Suico Property in Barangay Budlaan, Cebu City

In June, SELAVIP has started opening its doors for another round of project proposals from its present and/or prospective partners. FORGE was fortunate to have been invited to submit another proposal that “aims at securing shelter” for the poor.

After a series of discussions, and never failing to consider the Board’s resolution which is to complete the Laguerta site development needs before working in another site, the UPDP team decided to develop instead, the Suico Property in Budlaan for the next partnership with SELAVIP.

Why the Suico Property?

Among FORGE’s relocated partners, occupants of the Suico Lot are in the sorriest state because their area is very steep (steeper than the Villalon Lot in Laguerta); and their roads are undefined making the area inaccessible by vehicles, and leaving no choice to both the residents and the visitors but to climb the more-than-a-hundred steps.

Also, because of the scarcity of water, many households do not have toilets. The 105 household-occupants are relying on three (3) artesian wells. Given the present situation of their area, fetching water is so difficult that some occupants paid people to carry the gallons/containers of water to their homes.

With toilets lacking, the area is filthy, and some parts reeky. This is very unhealthy for both adults and children.

Aside from the aforementioned situation, SELAVIP emphasized in its invitation letter that they would prioritize initiatives that help poor families organize and work towards developing their community, rather than those seeking to improve shelter for families “that have reached some physical or legal consolidation”. Laguerta, having achieved a certain level of physical consolidation, could not therefore qualify for the next SELAVIP partnership.

The UPDP team understands that projects should NOT be funder-driven (not dependent on what the funding-partner wants), but our consciences dictate that not submitting a project proposal now means missing THE opportunity…and in turn, depriving our partners THIS opportunity to fulfill their longtime dream of having their relocation site developed.

What happens with Laguerta?

The UPDP team intends to complete the site dev requirements of Laguerta. Thus, it has planned to conduct a pledging session among business groups and philanthropic organizations within the year. In fact, a series of preparatory meetings have already been held.

The team is positive that the certain level of development achieved in Laguerta through multi-stakeholders’ participation is a leverage when requesting support from prospective funding-partners/donors.

What now?

The UPDP team appeals to the members of the Board that they grant the go-signal for another project proposal to SELAVIP, with the Suico Property as the target area.

The past and the on-going site dev projects have given us the opportunity to learn; prove ourselves capable; and start establishing our track record along this line. The UPDP team is confident that a third site dev undertaking will be as meaningful and successful as the two. Of course, it will never be that easy, but as always, we welcome challenges and treat them as opportunities to learn and do better.

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

~Eleanor Roosevelt~

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*This paper will be presented tomorrow to our Board of Directors. Am keeping my fingers crossed.
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