Chapter 13
UIM Pilot Project in ILCO, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental on Labor Education
It was in mid -1977 when I was called by the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches to join as one of it’s staffs. I was assigned to head the pilot project on Urban Industrial Mission (UIM). It was a pilot project that targets to learn and work in urban and industrial seatings, with labor education and organizing as it’s activity.
It was a new project. A maiden ministry of CPBC. For years, our ministry were focused on Evangelism, Christian Education and Stewardship. It’s girded towards salvation of the soul. In Europe, the United States. Australia and South Korea, Industrial Missions has become a new focus and directions.
It’s major thrusts is to save lives, people’s lives, specially the poor, weak nd helpless, struggling to live under the control of the elites, the rich and powerful in society.
Labor education and organizing of workers and laborers, were the thrusts UIM, a ministry for social, economic, political salvation of the exploited people.
Our UIM pilot project was based at the vicinity of Insular Lumber Company, Inc. (ILCO), in Bacuyangan, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental. ILCO was owned and operated by American businessmen. It has mostly Filipino staff, workers and laborers.
During the 50’s and 60’s, ILCO was the biggest lumber company in South East Asia. It operated first in Fabrica, Sagay, Negros Occidental, since it’s founding after the end of the 2nd World War. It continued its operations in Northern Negros and part of South Negros, until almost all the timber lands, until about two third (2/3) of the timberlands in Negros Occidental were cut down and devastated.
Then, ILCO transferred operations to the mountains and forested areas of in southern Negros, with its main office at Bacuyangan, Hinobaan, about 200 kms., from Bacolod City. First class lumbers were produced at ILCO and sold to the United States, Japan, Australia and the European countries.
For several years ILCO operated in Hinobaan. And when all the forests trees were cut down in southern Negros, Insular Lumber Company, Inc., just disappeared. The company ceased its operations. The top leaders left. The second liners were left with the workers. The many big equipments remained long damped in the vicinity. Some were later, cut and sold as scrapped iron by ILCO former workers.
The decision of Rev. Famillaran & Rev. Lopez, to start UIM ministry was a response to the call of the hour. It was a study and search for another relevant ministry that will reached out to the many exploited labourers and workers in industrial settings. For many years, CPBC ministry reaches out to employees and farmers. There were barely no CPBC involvements in industrial setting. CPBC has never involved in a very important ministry, labor education, organizing and training for workers’ empowerment until 1977, under the leadership or President Molley Famillaran.
The job of labor educationa and organizaing, were done mostly by labour unions. But many labour unions, these time were considered “yellow unions”. These were unions that were organized, financed and managed by lumber, sugar and mining corporations themselves. These were organized to show they have a labor union, with Collective Bargainng Agreements (CBA’s).
The CPBC involvement was a venture to help provide Christian guidance in development of a progressive labour unions in Negros and Panay.
This time, the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), in Bacolod City was one of the few progressive and militant labour union in Negros Occidental, serving the clientele in the sugar industry of Negros. Another militant labor union, the National Federation of Labor (NFL) was organized in Mindanao. It has branched to Negros Occidental with NFL having a CBA with Marinduque Mining Corporations in Sipalay Mines. NFL was serving the lumber industry in Mindanao and a mining industry in Negros Occidental.
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), UIM ministry, headed by Rev. Henry Aguillan, was instrumental in building of National Federation of Labor, headed by Ibarra (Bong) Malonso, Chairman of the Board. Bong Malonso’s father, Rev. Malonso, was a Cbristian Marxist. He told me during one of our meetings at NCCP, he had attended Labor Union meetings in Moscow, Beiging and Warsaw. These were organized by Communist Internationale to assist labor unons in different parts of the world.
The first choice of Rev. Edwin Lopez to lead pilot UIM project at ILCO was Mr. Fred Bat-og and Mrs. Victoria Bat-og. She was a registered nurse. Fred Bat-og, was a progressive youth leader. He was chosen as he has skills in community organizing. Their family were managing and operating more than 500 hectares of sugar plantations in north Negros. Fred Bat-og was the best person to head the pilot UIM project. But he decided, not to accept the CPBC offer. He had other priorities.
The UIM pilot project was funded by the Board of International Ministries (BIM) of the American Baptist Churches, USA. Rev. Lopez asked me to lead the UIM pilot project. I accepted the offer. Why? “First, I like the challenge. To get involved in a new kind of Christian ministry-- Labor education, organizing, building of socio-political awareness among workers and farmers. Secondly, UIM was a pilot project. If it will succeed and expanded, I will be taken, most probably to lead in it’s expanded works” It was worth the risks.
We started UIM pilot ministry with 3 full time staff and 1 part time worker. We took Pastor Billy Manuva, a graduate of CPU College of Theology. Assisting him was Pastor Marjorie Bactan, a graduate of Convention Baptist Bible College. We opened the “People’s Center”, at the heart of the community of Bacuyangan village.
What did we offered. “We will helped enriched the lives of people, the church and the community with Bible studies and reflections, conscientization processes, labor education and organizing, community organizing, skills training, food processing and youth trainnings.”
Pastor Nilda Jocson, also a CBBC graduate assisted with training on food preservations and sales. We have also started bamboo craft training for the youth. But during that time, the labourers and workers of ILCO were already organized and have a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with ILCO. I befriended the President of the Union and tried to learn whatever I could on the labour front. I joined him, often when the Board has meetings.
The Parish Priest of Bacuyangan, an Irish, was a progressive priest. He was always on the go. He visited villages and organized the people. Their Bible Studies, which carries social analysis and conscientization, has opened the minds of many catholics on the evils of US imperialism and feudalism. It have become a powerful force for change.
After working for few months and befriend many people in the communities learned that many young people have joined the NPA in the far flung villages of Hinobaan. Few years later, villages in Kabangkalan, Candoni, Sipalay and Hinobaan were the centers of the people’s revolutionary struggles in southern Negros. Young KM members and Communist Party cadres were working in the hinterlands villages of Hinobaan, often times reaching. teaching and organizing people in the sitios of Bacuyangan village, in Hinobaan.
In Hinobaan, we started education and community organizing works around Bacuyangan Proper, South Bend area and near ILCO. We also started some studies and works in Barangay Bulwangan, Daeg, Pook, Sangke and Talakayan. We started education and organizing works with 5 to 10 people in the sitios. Gradually, more people participated in studies, community organizing and skills training activities.
In Bacuyangan, our ministry, led to the conversion of a family of 9 - the father and mother and their 7 children - who were members of the Iglesia ni Kristo. After attending several months of our Bible Studies at People’s Center, they joined our church. A Baptist congregation was started also in Bacuyangan Proper, about 300 meters from the Bacuyangan Public Market.
It was headed by Mr. & Mrs. Custodio and his sons and daughter. Mr. Custodio has a Repair Shop, and worked as a small entrepreneur assisted by his 3 sons. Slowly, this community of faith, grew.
In the Municipality of Sipalay, we started education and community organizing works in Barangay Cabadyangan, Canturay, Maricalum, Nabulao, Nauhang and in Sipalay Mines. We started education and organizing works with 5 to 10 people in the barangays. And gradually, more people participated in the education, community organizing and skills training works.
We were able to start church ministry in the periphery of Sipalay Mines, enabling us later to help organized a church community in a village, outside Sipalay Mines.
In mid-1978, I was pulled out by Rev Lopez from Pilot UIM project. He asked me to assist him in the national office, develop and expand UIM pilot project into a national program. He assigned Rev. Harry Delgado to take my place in Hinobaan.
Rev. Lopez involved me in the National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP), with different training and exposures, preparing me for a wider involvement in the ministry of the Convention.
One of the training, was on labor education and organizing with Ms. Jorgette Honcolada. She assisted in my training and exposures. She was an officer of National Federation of Labor (NFL) They have a labor union operating at Sipalay Mines, in southern Negros Occidental.
Another trainings I was involved in, was the 5 -days seminar on Project Proposal writings under Rev. Henry Aguilan, UIM director of NCCP. About 40 participants from different denominations of NCCP nationwide attended. During the seminar, Rev Henry Aguilan told us. “Remember, the Project Proposal you conceptualized and wrote that will be selected by the Committee will be sent to the World Council of Churches (WCC), in Geneva for possible funding and parnership.”
We worked hard the last 4 days. Each of us was challenged to conceptualize a project proposal. I have looked hard into project proposals writing earlier. The project areas of operations, the target groups, a social investigations of the community. The thrusts of the project. The personnel, their trainings and exeriences. The area of operations. The budget and financial requirements.
The new project I conceptualizing was based in Duenas, Iloilo. It’s operation included the municipalities with sugar cane plantations, sugar workers and sugar mills – Calinog, Lambunao, Bingawan and Passi, in Iloilo and Tapas in Capiz.
We proposed a budget of P2,500,000 for three years. It has a component of 5 full time staffs. One staff with theological training. Another with agriculture expertize. Two with involvements on community works. We have an Office Secretary. I am the Project Coordinator. These was a project proposal I am writing while on training at NCCP.
The Project Thrusts has Bible reflections & conscientization, education, social investigation, community organizing, livelihood training like pig dispersals and technology transfer. Labor education and labor organizing. I signed it as Proponent. It was noted by Rev. Edwin Lopez, General Secretary. We submitted the proposal to Rev. Aguilan of NCCP. Five of my companios from CPBC also submitted their project proposals together with groups and individuals from other denominations of NCCP.
Then, we all went home. We may have forgotten the project proposals we have submitted to NCCP.
Seven months after our project proposal seminar at NCCP, I received a letter from WCC. Our UIM expanded project proposal was approved by EZE, West Germany for funding. It was the first Project Proposal I have written and funded by EZE. I bowed my head in prayers. I thanked God for the little knowledge, wisdom and skills He had given me –the skills of project proposal writings.
I saw God opening for us the future, with a stronger and wider ministry for CPBC in the coming years. Project Proposals and Feasibility Studies, were two avenues God had given us. With a Project Proposal and a Feasibility Studies, the wide world of partnership was opened for us. We now can reach out to individual, church organizations, civil societies, Non-government Organizations, cooperatives, farmers, workers and fishermens associations.
We can reached international organizations with technical and financial resources, that could be tapped as partners in development works. God have taught me the skills that will open new opportunities in finding technical, management and financial resources for our development and advocacy ministries.
We worked and started to make plans for the implementations of Urban Industrial Mission Project in Central Panay –Duenas, Passi, Calinog, Bingawan, Lambunao in Iloilo and in Tapas, Capiz.
A big and wide ministry for the future that started with simple ideas. prayers and dreams. We now made big plans, from a small pilot project, the Pilot-UIM project we started in the vicinities of Insular Lumber Companay, Inc., in Bacuyangan, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental two years ago.
God was now opening new areas for us in the ministry of Christian love and community developments.
Now, UIM will worked in 6 municipalities, reaching out to 1,000 villages, with education, trainings, community organizing, livelihood assistance under 5 full time staffs with a budget of P2,500.000 in 3 years time. This was a miracle that God showed us could be tapped for the future.
Part of the series The Ministry Years (chapter 13 of 48)
← Previous: Met a Lovely Girl in 1963 & Won Her Love | Next: My Courtship and Marriage with Hesther Alvarez →
No comments:
Post a Comment