There is a mountain village in Banisilan, North Cotabato called Paradise, a name that hardly suggests the reality confronting the poor people of the place.
On Tuesday, April 15, I made a quick visit to Paradise which was actually the first teaching assignment of my aunt, Mely Pinol, when she was a young public school teacher.
I was supposed to visit this place along with my aunt when I was about 10 years old but the trip did not push through because of the flood that prevented us from crossing the Pulangui River from Lumayong to Carmen which was served by a ferry boat at the time.
When I was Governor, I went to Paradise and established a water system which served all the cluster of houses in the village.
Last Tuesday, I was dismayed to learn that the water system was no longer functioning and that the expensive submersible pump which I gave the community many years ago disappeared without a trace.
People still complained of their failure to send their children to college and the lack of livelihood opportunities.
What went wrong in Paradise?
I believe what happened in Paradise was a failure in leadership. Even with the support given the community, the leaders failed to make people realize the importance of protecting whatever gains the community has made.
In front of the small group of people who left their farms to meet with me in an unscheduled trip to the village, I gave them an assurance that upon my return the water system will be repaired and rehabilitated.
I made that commitment on the condition that the people should form a water recipients association so that the operation of the water system would be managed well.
I also promised to build a hanging bridge which would span the banks of the Malitubog River so that farmers from Paradise could go to their farms on the other side of the river and bring out their products to be delivered to the market.
I also told them that upon my return, the college scholarship program which I started when I was Governor will be improved to cover all children of poor families under a “Universal College Scholarship Program” where no child will be left behind.
When I left, I made a promise that I will come back to Paradise after the elections and make sure that the commitments I made will be realized.
I did not promise to make Paradise a real paradise but I made them understand that upon my return life will be better for them.
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