Cambodia and Papua New Guinea have adopted the Gawad Kalinga program that was launched in the country in 2003, GK provincial head Roberto Magalona said during a GK turnover rites in Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City, Saturday.

Magalona said their program GK 777, which targets the poorest of the poor, aims to build 700,000 homes in 7,000 communities in seven years.

"We are focused on that vision so we just keep on working and if it is not achieved it does not matter," he said. The important thing is that they are all guided and inspired by this goal, he added.

Magalona said former GK executive director Tony Meloto, the GK champion or ambassador, goes around the country and abroad to inspire people especially Filipinos, to help their country. He said "While we are helping our country we are also contributing this movement to the world," he said.

Magalona said Cambodia and Papua New Guinea saw that it can be done so they want to adopt it. He said the situation in the world is like the Philippines where two-thirds are in poverty.

Meanwhile, the Handmaids of the Lord facilitated the turnover of houses at ERH-GK Village in Brgy. Sum-ag to seven families in the presence of the representatives of the donors.

The beneficiaries are Minda Cubian, Rocelyn Comion, Nelly Teodosio, Terry Lim, Julieta Flores, Virgie Sitchon and Evelyn Cabaluna.

Magalona said the ERH GK Village, which was started in June 2006, has now about 100 households.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap led the groundbreaking and capsule laying activity Friday for the farming institute at the ERH-GK Village in Brgy. Sum-ag.

The GK Farming Institute is a 2.3 hectare farm establishment adjacent to the ERH-GK Village. Globe Telecom will put up the training center in the area.

Magalona said the Globe-DA-GK Farming Institute is the first GK farming institute in the country. He said their goal is to put up 10 GK Farm Institutes in the different regions all over the Philippines by the end of 2007

He said the 10 identified pilot areas are located in Lipa, Batangas; Burog, Tarlac; Gasan, Marinduque; Camarines, Norte; Iriga City, Camarines Sur; Hinunangan, Sourthern Leyte; Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental; Valencia, Bukidnon, and Concepcion, Iloilo, which include Bacolod City.

Magalona said the farming institutes will be constructed adjacent to the GK Villages to help the families become self sufficient by teaching them how to properly plant vegetables and other crops, which hopefully, they could sell for income generation later.

He said a representative of the Department of Fisheries told him Friday that they will help the families in the ERH GK Village, which is near the Sum-ag River, to raise "Tilapia" for their food supply." He said the families also received vegetable seeds from the Department of Agriculture Friday.

In Negros Occidental, there are 25 GK sites with four in Bacolod City located in Vista-Alegre-Granada (Abada-Escay), Cabugwason, Sum-ag and Magsungay, Magalona said.*CGS

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