How they fare

I wanted to find out more about social issues in Burnay valley and especially how children fared here, so I made appointments to meet with a health worker and with the head mistress at the primary school. I asked our trustee Nora Luglug to go with me.
We found Aniceta Lunag as expected at the Barangay hall, but turned out it was the district committee's Christmas Programme today. But that proved no problem for us  instead find a bench by the shop and crossroads to sit and talk.
Aniceta was one of five community health workers that were employed by the Barangay, if 500 pesos a month can count as employment, with that so-called incentive being equivalent to only two days of the minimum wage. But the health workers do play an important role with health education, visiting people at home and liaising with the medical staff in Lagawe town. In addition there was also a trained midwife based locally.
Malnutrition was the first issue Aniceta raised, if not outright starvation, inadequate feeding of children was affecting growth and causing health problems such as vitamin deficiencies. Other health risks existed that could be addressed, I noted, such as dengue fever and the lack of safe drinking water for some households, especially in the rainy season when incidences of diarrhoea spiked. A portion of houses had access to reticulated water but this was not chlorinated. Others had more unreliable sources that were always at risk of pollution and poor sanitation facilities.
But when we pressed for the real problem, we were told, it was simply money. "There is no doctor here and it is the cost of treatment that stops people from going to the doctor until it is so bad that it is nearly to late." Even with a public hospital the lack of neediness means the cost of being Ill is unaffordable. Add to that the transport to town and going to see a doctor becomes a low priority. "People here are just struggling to get by and can't afford to be sick." Staying healthy means eating well, drinking clean water, dressing appropriately, and getting medical help when you should. Turns out it is all a question of money and of know-how.
Next we drove around the valley to the school on the only driveable track. It wasn't a busy road. We encountered just one tricycle and for the rest only pedestrians. The school takes in grade one to six as well as the 5-year olds that join Kindergarten until they reach age 6, Ema Tayaban, the head teacher, said as she guided us around. Currently  there were 158 pupils enrolled.
The school charges no fees to parents and text books are provided, even if these get very worn out before the Ministry delivers replacements. In the staff room there was a computer. "It is my own," said Ema. "I bring it every day on the motorbike I ride to school," she added with a grin.
The classrooms for each grade looked busy and the walls were decorated with teaching aids and children's art work. The latrine was clean and behind the buildings was an unfinished construction project that made me curious. "It is our science laboratory," laughed Ema, "except we have to find some more money to be able to finish it." She explained that they were building a concrete table with benches and a roof overhead to do the messy projects the teachers wouldn't want to do in their class rooms. The school buildings were tidy if simple, but leaking roofs had left marks on the ceilings of some rooms. "We don't get much money for maintenance."
It was the same problem with the feeding program the ministry had been running. "We got enough noodles and soya beans for two weeks only. The parent volunteers that cooked would ask their neighbours for milk to add some taste. Often children come to school only with left over rice. That is not enough. One time a girl fainted in class and we had to send her to hospital."
Another issue was parents keeping children at home during harvest times, either to help in the fields or to look after the smaller children.
But problems aside the school looked like it was well run. I came back the following week for the break up party before Christmas. In each class there was noise and games, and the children had brought gifts for each other. Mothers had also come and had brought food to share. The was fun and laughter in the air. Well, in the classrooms, at least.