Hope Bridge's Bintulan Project May 28, 2014

“BUILDING BRIDGES TO RECOVERY”

BINTULAN

Six months after Typhoon Yolanda struck Leyte and Samar, there still remains a need for extensive livelihood support throughout the region. LCDE (Leyte Center for Development) and CDRC (Citizens Disaster Respons Center) through Hope Bridge – Korea began livelihood projects across five project areas in Marabut, Samar as early as February, one of this projects was the construction of a Bintulan “fish trap” for the benefit of Brgy. Tag-alag, a community heavily damaged by the typhoon.

On May 28, 2014, a short program was held in Brgy. San Roque for the Bintulan’s turnover to the communities’ beneficiaries attended by LCDE’s Executive Director Ms. Jazmin Jerusalem and Ms. Edna Luna from CDRC and LCDE staff involved in the project.

The Bintulan is a large fish trap that is installed offshore with a depth ranging from 15 to 20 meters. Materials used are coconut lumber, bamboo, nets and nylon cords. Catching fish with the bitulan is usually done at night and early dawn as fishermen use kerosene lamps to attract fish and trap them inside. 

The principal goal of this project is to answer Brgy. Tag-Alag’s lack of sources of food from the sea due to its high price in the local market. Non-members of the organization will also benefit from the low price of catch the bintulan will offer.

Tag-Alag’s organization has a policy which encourages all members to participate on operations of the Bintulan, profit from a days catch is divided among the four people who manned the bintulan. This project was made possible due to the strong presence of it organization, where almost everyone in the community are members.

By Reniel Sanica, LCDE Regional Administrative Officer

Translation - Carlo Jerusalem, LCDE Advocacy Coordinator

LCDE 2014 Summer Youth Camp

LCDE, 2014 SUMMER YOUTH CAMP

SILAGO, SOUTHERN LEYTE – From May 14-18, 2014 LCDE held a Summer Youth Camp in Silago which aims to raise the awareness of participants on PLAN and LCDE’s project through the activities’ theme of “Setting Direction for Development”. Participants were youth from LCDE’s project areas in Silago aged 12 to 22. PLAN Philippines and LCDE have been partners since 2012 implementing their project entitled “Adaptation to Climate Change by Strengthening Natural Resilience” funded and supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The Youth Camp began with post typhoon updates and was followed with activities such as plays, community broadcast workshops, song writing, poetry, and visual arts, where participants were given the choice of events to take part in. All these were aimed to increase the awareness and capacity of youth to actively participate in being advocates for climate change by developing various technical and organizational skills which lasted for five (5) days.

Participants were very grateful as not all of them are always given the opportunity to engage in skill building activities. LCDE also provided expert facilitators from DAWATAN Northern Samar Arts Council, Inc for theatrical activities, Young Heart PLAN for videography, photography and song writing; and FARDEC a known NGO based in Cebu that implements Food Security programs.