JASAC gives voice to the oppressed
Protest against coal-fired power plants
Its programs include the Alay-Kapwa Relief and Emergency Rehabilitation Desk, Justice and Peace Desk, Poverty Alleviation Desk, Ecology Desk and Corruption Desk
In the Philippines where the marginalized sector is often taken for granted, there are heroes who rise and take up the cudgels of ensuring that their rights are protected.
Just like the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center (JASAC) which was founded in 1969 and located at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral Compound.
The JASAC envisions itself as a family that is responsive to the needs of the poor, deprived, oppressed; a community that is Christ-centered, self-governing, self-sustaining and self-nourishing where justice and love reign.
Its beneficiaries are small farmers and fisherfolk, landless rural workers, women, youth and children, urban poor and small vendors.
Its programs include the Alay-Kapwa Relief and Emergency Rehabilitation Desk, Justice and Peace Desk, Poverty Alleviation Desk, Ecology Desk and Corruption Desk.
Under Alay-Kapwa, the Church gives donations during calamities and rehabilitation. They urge the faithful to make such during masses. In 2002, the JASAC has set up a drugstore to provide low cost generic medicines to the poor which make up 29.6 percent of families in Iloilo.
Under the Justice and Peace Desk, they hold mass movements in order to protest any move that is unjust and chaotic. For example, the oil price increase and coal-fired power plants' presence would cause non-peaceful results, according to JASAC Director Msgr. Meliton Oso.
Under Poverty Alleviation Desk, JASAC holds training on entrepreneurship so that the poor can start their own business. They also provide capital and only charges one percent interest for the said financial assistance. Their skills training partner is Western Visayas College of Science and Technology. They provide trainings on reflexology, massage, baking, cooking and cosmetology every month.
The Ecology Desk raise consciousness on the protection of the environment and the pursuit of sustainable agriculture. Some 3,000 farmers were given training and 150 are practicing such. They have an organic farm in Zarraga.
The Corruption Prevention Desk sit on biddings and refer complaints through the Ombudsman. They have formed the People's Graftwatch of Iloilo, Inc. and watches how the government spends its money. Oso said that soon, they will include the Ombudsman in their watch list after several big complaints were left unsolved.
JASAC recently received the Urban Leadership Award from the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI). This is the second holding of the Urban Leadership Awards. This honors those who have made outstanding contributions to the enhancement of the public realm and the quality of life in the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras area.
There are 10 awardees from Iloilo City. They are Edgar Sia, Henry Babiera, Sonia Cadornigara, Ma. Luisa "Marissa" Segovia, Edgar Sia for individual awardees and Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Incorporated, Iloilo Washington Commercial, Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center (JASAC), SM Waste Market Fair, Taytay sa Kauswagan and Callbox, for the organization awardees.