Iloilo is RP's first Gawad Kalinga province
The province of Iloilo has been declared as a Gawad Kalinga province by virtue of a resolution passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
It cited the GK initiative as 'a doable, sustainable and replicable strategy of alleviating the plight of the poor sector of society.'
Board Member Jett C. Rojas, GK point person at the Sanggunian and author of Resolution No 2007-075, said they envisioned all the 42 municipalities and one component city of the province to have GK villages in the next few years.
The GK has already built two villages in the Municipality of Concepcion while the adjacent town of Ajuy is about to take off with the construction of 100 houses for its homeless indigents.
Some 50 to 100 houses will also be constructed in Barotac Viejo while Janiuay is now ready with its site counterpart.
The Municipality of Alimodian has also signified its intention to put up one village in its remote barangay.
"All our local government units are interested to put up a GK village, especially now that the national government will provide 100 houses for every municipality that can provide a site of not less than three hectares," Rojas said.
Meanwhile, the board member said he will propose to Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. to put up a GK Incubator Village that will serve as a demonstration farm on how the project would look like if replicated in the different municipalities.
He said the Incubator Village will be constructed at the provincial government's lot in Brgy. Magsaysay in Lapaz district.
"It has to be near the city to make it accessible to our prospective donors," he said.
Meanwhile, GK Iloilo chapter coordinator Peter Chu said the SP resolution propagating the program all throughout the province made Iloilo the country's first GK province. (PNA)