COMMUNITY CASE STUDY

Sitio Tibong II, Sabang, Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro

A. PROFILE OF THE COMMUNITY

A.1. ECOLOGICAL APPROACH

Geographical and Resources Endowment of Barangay Sabang, Pinamalayan

Barangay Sabang is the area of the conservation zone where thick and deep
forest on a mountain peak is located. It is the largest among the 37 barangays of
the Municipality of Pinamalayan and is geographically located on its western edge.
Sabang was legally created as an independent barangay in 1950. It is
separated by Occidental Mindoro on the western side, Municipality of Gloria on the
south, Municipality of Socorro on the north, and Barangay Marayos on the east. The
barangay has a total of seven sitios namely: Taytay Bunga, Paglagnan, Poblacion,
Tibong I, Tibong II, Lagpan, and Safa.
The barangay has a total taxable area of 12,300.1906 hectares covering
almost one-third (1/3) of the total land area of Pinamalayan. It is 12 kilometers away
from the National Road, 19 kilometers from the Poblacion, and 73 kilometers from
the Provincial Capital of Oriental Mindoro.

History of Barangay Sabang, Pinamalayan

Kinikilala bilang isa sa mga Sitio ng Nabuslot ang noon ay pinakaliblib na

lugar na kung saan ang agos ng tubig ng ilog Pula at sapa sa Sitio Maria ay
nagsasanib o nag-uugpong sa lugar na kung tawagin ng mga katutubo ay
PINAGSABANGAN. Ang ganitong kaisipan na rin ang nagbunsod sa matatandang
Mangyan upang tawagin itong SABANG sa pinaikling paraan.
Nagpatuloy ang mapayapang pamumuhay ng mga taong unang nanirahan
dito sa kabila ng kawalan ng matatawag na nakatalang kasaysayan. Ang tanging
pinagkakaabalahan nila noon ay ang pangangaso, pangingisda at pagkakaingin.
Ang kalawakan ng kagubatan nito ang nakahikayat sa iba pa upang sumubok
manirahan dito.
Ayon naman sa pagbabahagi ng ilan, nagsimula silang manirahan sa
kapatagan ng lugar mula pa noong panahon na di pa nagaganap ang pananakop
ng Hapon, taong 1941. Isang katutubo na kung tawagin ay si Puna, isang pinuno
ng tribong Taubuwid ang kumilala kina Grangos, Caunceran, Malapote, Sibobo,
Lusterio, Mercado, Macalalad, Pastrana, at Sapungan. Sila ang mga unang pamilya
na nakasalamuha ng pinuno.
Bilang pagkilala kay Dahong Grangos na siyang nakatatanda sa mga
naninirahan, pinamahalaan niya ang pagbabahagi at pamumusisyon sa mga hindi
pa nabubungkal na lupain maging ito man ay kapatagan o kabundukan.
Napagkaisahan nila na ang Sabang ay pangangasiwaan ng pamilya ng mga
Grangos at ang Bayanan ay para naman sa mga Caunceran.
Ang iba sa nabanggit na mga tao na pinili na ring manirahan dito. Dala ng
hangaring mapalawak pa ang pamumusisyon sa mga bukirin, napadako ang
pamilya Grangos sa kanlurang bahagi ng Mayo, Fortuna. Sa kanilang kawilihan sa
bagong lupain, hindi na nila nabigyang pansin ang Sabang, kaya pagdating ng
bayaw ni Dahong Grangos sa katauhan ni Carlos Castillo, pinangasiwaan niya ang
buong poblacion ng Sabang.
Sa simpleng pamamaraan, nagsimula na ring madama ng mga naninirahan
ang kakulangan sa tema ng pamamahala, kung kaya't sinikap nilang bumuo ng
isang pamunuan na magsisilbing sanggunian ng nayon. Unang nahalal na Tinyente
del Bario si Ginoong Paul Mampusti. Siya ay sinundan ni Ginoong Jose Nipales na
naglingkod sa loob lamang ng maikling panahon dahilan sa di inaasahang paglipat
ng tirahan sa bayan ng Pinamalayan. At bilang nangungunang halal na kagawad,
naluklok si Sabas Caunceran sa iniwang pwesto bilang Kapitan ng Barangay. Siya
ay nagsilbing kapitan ng barangay sa loob ng 20 taon sa ilalim ng administrasyong
Marcos.
Sumunod sa kanyang pamamahala ay isang tubong Tanuan Batangas, si
Ginoong Godofrede Terrenal. Sa loob ng ilang taon niyang paglilingkod muli ay
nagkaroon ng halalang pang barangay kung saan ang mapalad na nahalal ay si
Ginoong Gavino Ermita, tubong Calapan. Naging maayos at mabunga ang kanyang
pamamahala, dahilan upang ang kanyang abilidad at kahusayan ay matuklasan ng
Sangguniang Bayan na siyang naging daan upang siya'y mahalal bilang kagawad
ng pamahalaang bayan. Bunga ng pangyayari, naluklok sa pwesto bilang Punong
Barangay si Ginoong Teodulo T. Lontoc sapagkat siya ang unang halal na kagawad.
Sa kanyang pamamagitan at pagtutulungan ng sanggunian at mamamayan ng
Sabang naisakatuparan lahat ng mga proyekto para sa kapakanan ng lahat.

Vision and Mission of Barangay Sabang, Pinamalayan

Vision
Sa taong 2030, ang Barangay Sabang ay may maunlad na teknolohiya para sa
pagpoproseso ng iba’t-ibang produkto mula sa mga prutas na natatanim sa loob ng
Barangay na maaaring dalhin sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas o maging sa ibang
bansa. Na magsisilbi ring kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan sa Barangay. Mga
mamamayang may pagpapahalaga sa likas na yaman sa ilalim ng pamamahala ng
mga opisyales ng Barangay na tapat at pantay ang serbisyo sa mamamayan.

Mission

Magkaroon ng sapat na kaalaman ukol sa pagpoproseso ng mga prutas, paggamit

ng mga makabagong kagamitan, makahikayat ng mga negosyante na maaaring
mamuhunan.

Demographics of Barangay Sabang, Pinamalayan

Barangay Sabang has a total population of 3,031 with 1,545 male and 1,486
female inhabitants. It has a total household of 691, with 741 families as per the 2022
Collation Report of Barangay Inhabitants of Barangay Sabang, Pinamalayan.

Collation Report of Barangay Inhabitants

Sabang, Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro

Taytay Tibong Tibong

Age Poblacion Paglagnan Lagpan Safa
Bunga II I M F Total
Bracket
M F M F M F M F M F M F M F
0-11 mons 4 6 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 6 2 14 11 25
1-4 y/o 22 23 13 13 14 18 11 8 7 5 7 2 20 27 94 96 190
5-9 y/o 41 45 20 26 19 10 29 23 11 13 10 8 45 36 175 171 346
10-14 y/o 32 45 19 25 20 12 16 27 16 11 6 10 42 44 151 174 325
15-19 y/o 46 32 27 20 16 18 20 14 15 9 8 9 31 35 163 137 300
20-49 y/o 181 182 112 123 74 65 73 68 63 54 51 39 172 167 726 698 1,424
50-59 y/o 30 30 28 14 9 11 8 8 15 12 6 5 18 17 114 97 211
60-above 44 42 26 27 8 8 6 6 12 9 7 5 5 5 108 102 210
Total 400 405 246 249 162 142 166 165 139 114 96 78 339 333 1,545 1,486 3,031

Indigenous People (IP) Community Male Female No. of Households No. of Families
Safa 339 333 169 178
Tibong 134 112 41 42
Paglagnan 67 58 21 24
Total 540 503 231 244
 Names of Sitio No. of Households No. of Families
Lagpan 32 33
Paglagnan 63 72
Poblacion 198 209
Safa 169 178
Taytay Bunga 105 117
Tibong I 63 69
Tibong II 61 63
Total 691 741

Map of Barangay Sabang, Pinamalayan

Introduction – Sitio Tibong II, Sabang, Pinamalayan

Sitio Tibong II is an indigenous community of the Tau-buid Mangyans formed

based on their commonalities, shared interests, and tribal identity. The community
is one of the seven legally recognized sitios of Barangay Sabang located in the
mountainous area of the Municipality of Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro. Given the
characteristics of the community, the people collectively work to preserve the three
present territorial domains in their area including terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial.
The sitio was founded by some of the families from Lagpan, Sabang who
later decided to form a new community. Over the years, the number of inhabitants
in the sitio rapidly grow as the ancestors continually procreate. At present, the
community has a total population of 331 individuals. Evidently, all these inhabitants
are connected with each other by either affinal, lineal, or collateral kinship.
Similar to other tribal groups, the majority of the residents of Sitio Tibong II
spend most of their time cultivating farmlands to raise root crops like bananas, taro,
sweet potatoes, palay, and coconuts. However, the natives’ income from farming
was inadequate to support the daily subsistence of their families. Thus, some have
looked for other opportunities outside the community and utilized other specialized
skills in construction works, business management, and baking in some areas of the
Municipality.

Demographics of Sitio Tibong II, Sabang, Pinamalayan

Sitio Tibong II has a total population of 331 with 166 male and 165 female
inhabitants. It has a total household of sixty-one (61), with sixty-three (63) families
as per the 2022 Collation Report of Barangay Inhabitants of Sabang, Pinamalayan.

AGE BRACKET Male Female

0 – 11 months 0 1
1 – 4 years old 11 8
5 – 9 years old 29 23
10 – 14 years old 16 27
15 – 19 years old 20 14
20 – 49 years old 73 68
50 – 59 years old 8 8
60 – above 6 6
Total 166 165
Map of Sitio Tibong II, Sabang, Pinamalayan

A.2 INFRASTRUCTURE

 Electricity

Out of 61 houses built at Sitio Tibong II, only 13% of it has a legal electrical
connection to Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO). Those who
have access to electric sources were also the ones who are responsible for
settling their monthly electric bills.
On the other hand, the remaining 87% of the total number of households
in the community do not have any electric supply. 15% of the households
have solar panel lights and 72% use kerosene or ilawan as their alternative
source of light during night-time.

 Water Supply

Despite the large population of residents in Sitio Tibong II, the community
has only three available sources of water including the river and two springs
of water or bukal. These are located kilometers away from the residential area
in the community requiring the residents to walk for more than 30 minutes to
fetch drinking water or take a bath.
 The availability of water in the community depends on the seasons of
weather in it. During the rainy season, the residents expect a heavy amount
of water commonly caused by continuous rainfalls and excessive pressure
on the groundwater sources. But during the summer season, the natives
suffer from thirst and drought as the river and springs become drained
obliging them to look for other available water sources nearby.

 Roads

As a remote area, the residents of Sitio Tibong II were challenged by rural

transportation problems due to the poor conditions of roads passing through
the community. This leads to difficulties in accessing welfare programs and
services, moving logistics, and limitations of the local contracting capability.
The conditions of the roads are determined by the weather in the area.
During sunny days, the roads are passable for any type of vehicle. But during
rainy days, the only option to reach the community is to walk for one (1) to
two (2) hours as the roads become extremely slippery when wet and the
bridge was not passable.

A.3 PUBLIC PLACES

 Schools

In the community, there is one (1) recognized Child Development Center

offering early education and serving as an outlet to deliver social services for
young children as a means of preparing them for grade school. In spite of the
unavailability of the facility, the center has a total of thirteen (13) enrolees
attending three (3) study sessions weekly done at the house of their Child
Development Worker.
Other learners of Sitio Tibong II attend schooling at the two public schools
in the barangay, namely: Sabang Elementary School located at Poblacion,
Sabang, and Sabang High School located at Taytay Bunga, Sabang. These
schools offer the primary and secondary levels of education and the locations
of these are 2 to 3 kilometers away from Sitio Tibong II. Thus, students from
the community need to walk for an hour or more to reach the school and
attend classes on weekdays.
 Church

The Iglesiang Ebanghelika ng Anango is the only church that was built in
the community. This was made from concrete materials and it has become
the center of various religious and recreational activities of the residents of
Sitio Tibong II. As a church, this has served its function to become the place
of fellowship, preaching, evangelization, worship, and service.
All residents of Sitio Tibong II were baptized as Protestants. The group
was not only strongly bounded by their commonalities and tribal identity but
by their faith and through the religious teachings of the church. All of them
were encouraged to attend the daily mass gatherings as a means of asking
God for help in all the things that are about to happen, to thank God for all
the blessings they have received, and for whatever purposes it may serve.

 Barangay Health Center

The health center of the barangay is located at Sitio Poblacion, Sabang.

This healthcare facility has become the center for delivering basic healthcare
services to all community members of Sabang including the residents of Sitio
Tibong II. The local service delivery was headed by the BHW Leader under
the supervision of the Local Government Unit and the Municipal Health Office
of Pinamalayan. The leader was assisted by the twelve (12) Barangay Health
Workers of Sabang with the active participation of the Barangay Nutrition
Scholar (BNS).
Some of the health-related services and programs offered by the center
include Family Planning Profile, Prenatal Check-ups, Immunization Buntis
Congress, Home Gardening, Monthly Weighing, Provision of health kits for
Persons with Disability, Feeding Program for Underweight Children, and
Zumba Dance for Patients with High-blood or Hypertension and Diabetes.

 Basketball Court

The basketball court in Sitio Tibong II was located at the center of the
community near the church. The court remains unconcreted since the area
has lack allocated funds for the construction of infrastructures like a venue
for recreational activities.
The floor of the basketball court was uncemented and its hoop or basket
was made of indigenous materials. However, despite the old features of the
 court, the youth in the community still find it enjoyable to play basketball and
other games with their friends during their leisure time.

 Kubo Pulungan

The Kubo Pulungan in Sitio Tibong II was located in front of the church
and basketball court in the community. This public facility was built a year
ago and was made of light materials such as wood, bamboo, and galvanized
iron sheet or yero.
It has long been serving as a meeting space to discuss concerns and
issues, disseminate information, and allow the participation of the people in
making sound decisions for the betterment of their standards of living.

 Stores

In the entire community, there are only three (3) sari-sari stores providing
easy access to basic commodities to more than 300 individuals. These stores
portray a vital role in the community which in turn becomes beneficial for the
owners and residents.
For the residents, the availability of stores in the area makes them more
convenient to avail their daily necessities as the stores offer and sell a variety
of products at the lowest possible prices. Without these stores, they will be
forced to go to the market town located in areas that are far from the sitio
itself.
Moreover, these small businesses in the community also help the owners
to have an additional income that can support the daily living of their families.
These also allow them to make the portion of their home more useful, and
enhance their skills in managing business.

 Barangay Hall

The barangay hall that was run by the elected barangay council of
Sabang is located at Sitio Poblacion near the health center. This is one of the
existing government facilities in the community which primarily serves as the
office of the Sangguniang Barangay and the venue for conducting meetings,
and other important activities and events in the barangay.
The hall also served as the place for providing assistance, programs, and
services to more than 3,000 residents of Barangay Sabang. To ensure that
all of them have access to local government services, all the barangay
officials have their designated areas or sitios to look after and serve. Hence,
 they become the frontline service providers in the community to whom the
residents ask for assistance if needed and address concerns and issues as
perceived by the community members.

 Cemetery

In honor of the ancient burial practices of the tribe, the residents of Sitio
Tibong II were permitted by the local government to have their own cemetery
within their community. With this, the Tau-buid Mangyans of Sitio Tibong II
have their designated place where the remains of the deceased members
are laid to rest in specific and identifiable burial sites.
The said cemetery is located in a vacant space in the upper part of the
residential area. This public place has been one of the sacred places in the
community that is entrusted with respectfully caring for deceased members
of their tribe.

A.4 TRANSPORTATION

The primary means of transportation used by the residents of Sitio Tibong

II are single motorcycles and vehicles with top-down sidecars. These vehicles
were used by the residents to travel to work, and school and to sell products
at the near marketplace in the barangay. These were also used when they
go to the city proper or to other adjacent sitios and barangays.
Given their poor situations in life, only 20% of the residents were able to
avail of these vehicles. The majority of the community people of Sitio Tibong
II have still preferred walking and riding their horses when traveling. But there
are times when the owners of motorcycles allow others to use their vehicles.
However, there was no exact amount of transportation fees in the community
and most likely, these services were considered as part of the great concerns
for others or “kawanggawa”.

A.5 POSTAL SYSTEM

There is no available postal system or post office in Barangay Sabang. It

can be located at Morente Street of Barangay Zone II which is 22 km away
from the community. This public facility plays a vital role in the Municipality of
Pinamalayan as it provides various services which include mailing services
 such as accepting letters and parcels, packaging, providing post office boxes,
and selling postage stamps.
A.6 NATURAL RESOURCES

As a community located in a mountainous area, Sitio Tibong II has been

bountifully blessed with different natural resources due to the emergence of
three territorial domains in the area. These resources include soil, air, water
sources both surface water and groundwater, forests, and sunlight. All these
natural resources can be used for the following form of benefit and usage:
The soil or land as a natural resource plays an important role in the
community as it primarily provides the space for the residential area of the
community people. Besides, this natural resource also supports the growth
of plants and crops that somehow fulfill the food requirement for the survival
of the residents.
The air as a natural resource is one of the most critical resources
present in the community. Without air, the residents, animals, plants, and
other living organisms in the area cannot survive. The air they breathe not
only helps them stay alive but also determines the quality of life they have.
Water as a natural resource is essential in maintaining an adequate
food supply in the community and a productive environment for all living
beings. In the community, there are only three available sources of water
such as rivers and springs of water and these were used for drinking, taking
a bath, and for other household needs.
The forests of Sitio Tibong II have been one of the valuable resources
in the community as they provide the residents their foods to eat, construction
materials to build shelters, household needs, and daily supplies like medicinal
ingredients and wildlife habitats for their animals.
Sunlight is one of the renewable resources that are available in the
community. This resource has a large contribution to the day-to-day living of
the residents as it provides them with a lot of resources such as light during
daytime, heat, and energy in stored solar panel lights used during night-time.
Generally, all these mentioned natural resources were highly essential
in the life of the residents of Sitio Tibong II, and for the community’s economic,
social, and environmental well-being as they rely on these resources for food,
water, and much more. But beyond its daily utilities, these resources also play
a significant role in keeping the environment healthy and sustainable.
A.7 MAN-MADE CROPS

Given the availability of wide farmlands in Sitio Tibong II, the majority of
the residents have relied on farming by means of cultivating lands to raise
crops such as bananas, taro, sweet potatoes, cassava, palay, corns, and
coconuts. These crops are sold at the nearest marketplace in the area. The
income that the farmers received from selling has become their primary
source to support the daily sustenance of their families.

A.8 SEASONS AND SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

The residents of Sitio Tibong II experience only two distinct seasons of

weather every year. These are the rainy season which usually starts during
the month of June and ends in December, and the dry season which lasts
from January to May. These two seasons highly affect crop production in the
community as they primarily determine the success of agricultural pursuits.
During the wet season, the crops that can be planted and harvested in
the farmlands are limited. The farmers only have two choices, either corn or
palay as these are the only two available crops that can still grow during rainy
days. However, these crops require an ample amount of capital, time, and
effort before they can be harvested. The farmers prefer to stop investing their
time in farming during this season to avoid farm losses as the products have
been only sold at the lowest possible prices.
On the other hand, there are many crops that can be harvested in the
field during the dry season as it boosts the reduction of the risk of crop loss
commonly caused by excessive rainfalls. In this season, the farmers regularly
went to farmlands to plant or harvest crops like bananas, sweet potatoes,
cassava, taro, and coconuts. Aside from being the main source of income,
these crops were also the foods that the residents usually ate due to the
unavailability of sources to avail full meals.

A.9 TEMPO OF LIFE

The residents of Sitio Tibong II have their own patterns of living and
these were somehow different from the typical setup of Filipino families. Their
day-to-day lives usually start with attending early mass gatherings held at 6
 o’clock in the morning before they went straight to their respective work or
schedule of activities.
Unlike other communities where female members of the household still
remain at home as an impact of gender stereotyping, the residents believed
that women were also capable of doing things that men can do. Hence, even
mothers, except the lactating mothers, went to farms to cultivate lands and
raise crops from morning to afternoon.
The younger members of the families were usually left alone in school
or at home as their mothers and fathers work at the farmlands to source an
income. The kids usually play around the community’s compound with others
when there are no class schedules. The eldest sibling is the one who became
responsible for taking care of the younger ages. However, there were some
who prefer to help their parents on the farm during their free time.
At around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the parents went back from work
and take a short nap or rest before attending the closing mass gathering held
at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Accordingly, the residents attend two religious
masses in a day as a means of thanking God for all the blessings bestowed
in their daily lives.
After attending mass, the residents usually gather in front of the Kubo
Pulungan for important announcements and make conversations with others.
Men and kids usually play basketball in their unconcreted court until 6 o’clock
in the evening. At 7 o’clock, all the household members return to their houses
to eat, spend time with family, and end their day by sleeping.

A.10 ECONOMY

The majority of the community people of Sitio Tibong II belong to low-

income families living below the poverty threshold. Their primary source was
farming by regularly planting and harvesting crops but still, the income from
this activity was not enough to support the daily sustenance of the families.
Most of them have engaged in basket weaving and creating walis tingting to
source an additional income. However, these harvested crops and man-
made crafts were sold at low prices making them earn just a little. Given the
poor situation in the community, some of the household heads have preferred
to involve in vocational activities like baking, business management, and
construction work available in other adjacent barangays and sitios.
 A.11 TECHNOLOGY

Technological advancement was not visible in Sitio Tibong II, Sabang.

Out of 100% of the total number of residents in the community, only 3% of
them owned smartphones and mobile phones and these were the only
technological devices available in the community. In terms of Signal strength,
the device’s owners have low access to data connection and were provided
with poor signal communication as the area was far from the location of the
tower.

B. STRUCTURAL APPROACH

B.1. COMMUNICATION

B.1.1. WHO COMMUNICATES WHAT TO WHOM AND HOW?

Parents to Children

One of the most important components in building a positive and healthy

family relationship is the establishment of open communication between the
parents and their children. This is a way of demonstrating love, affection, and
acceptance and this can be initiated through verbal and nonverbal mediums.
In the community, parents or household heads communicate with their
children and vice versa. The common topic is the duties and responsibilities
of all the members of the family in their day-to-day living. The communication
also served as an outlet for the parents to give advice to their children as part
of their parenting. It also opens the opportunity for all the members to share
their experiences at work and school since most of their time was spent on
other things that give them sources to survive.

Barangay Officials

As mandated, the elected barangay officials are expected to exemplary

perform their duties and responsibilities democratically. In barangay Sabang,
 Pinamalayan where Sitio Tibong II was located, the officials ensure that they
were able to maintain public peace and order, enforce laws and ordinances,
implement relevant programs, and promote the general welfare. But beyond
these duties, information dissemination within the barangay has become one
of their primary focuses.
In the barangay, each official has its own respective community or sitio
to serve as an area of priority. Every announcement that must be made
known publicly is expected to be announced by the barangay officials with
the aid of the assigned Barangay Health Workers in every sitio. Moreover,
the officials were placed at the forefront of public service and are responsible
for listening to and attending to the concerns of the community people.

Teachers

Due to the poor living condition in the community, only a few were given
the opportunity to have access to educational services. Those who have the
privilege to attend schooling endure long distances on foot and deal with
heartrending hardships. For the majority of them, learning is a lifelong activity
and the teachers are an integral part of that process. They take over the
responsibility for children’s education after the initial learning experiences in
the family. They also serve as role models to the students offering guidance
and dedication in giving them the power of education. Therefore, teachers
are not there just to convey and teach knowledge but also to educate children
by instilling moral principles and values in them.

Church Leaders

Living up to the full potential of a church leader is not an easy feat. This
role necessitates the development of advanced leadership skills, an immense
amount of dedication, an intuitive understanding of the people’s needs, and
unwavering faith in God.
In Sitio Tibong II where residents were strongly bounded by religious
beliefs, the church leaders play an essential role as they particularly provide
guidance through changes, work to understand the community people and
their environment, encourage and motivated people and bring them together
as one.
By far, these church leaders in the community help the people explain
the what, why, and how in a way that eases development and involves
 everyone in the process of discussing the community’s concerns. More so,
these leaders also pay close attention to the residents to get what it truly
needs and unite them to work through common goals.

Tribal Leader

The tribal leader of all the tribes of the different indigenous communities
in Barangay Sabang is living at Sitio Safa. On behalf of the local government
officials and sitio leader, the tribal leader of the Tau-buid Mangyans take full
responsibility for the public safety and welfare of the indigenous people of
their tribe. The tribal leader has also become responsible for coordinating
with the sitio leaders the tribal resources and concerns needed to prevent,
protect, mitigate, and recover from all types of possible incidents that will
affect it and the people.

Sitio Leader

The elected sitio leader performs government functions in coordination

with and under the supervision of the local government of Barangay Sabang
and Municipality of Pinamalayan. The leader is one of the highly respected
individuals in the sitio where the residents seek consultation and advice with
regard to the existing issues they are facing. The sitio leader is active and
responsible in disseminating information from the barangay and reaching out
to the community people’s concerns.

Barangay Health Workers (BHW)

The assigned Barangay Health Worker in the community fulfills various

duties and responsibilities and performs different roles and functions as a
community organizer, educator, and primary health care provider in the area.
As a community organizer, the health worker ensures the maintenance
of regular communication and linkage of the community with the local leaders
and health professionals. He also assists the community people in identifying
existing health problems and developing plans to take action and promote
their holistic well-being.
As an educator and primary health care service provider in the area, he
provides updated and timely health information from the center to help them
 prevent and manage simple illnesses and other health issues. Furthermore,
he also assists health professionals in rendering primary care services in the
community and monitoring the health statuses of the residents, and keeping
records of health activities.

Nurses and Midwives

Due to the poor living condition in the community, most of the residents
suffer from a variety of illnesses and other developing disabilities and
diseases. In spite of these health concerns, seeking help from midwives,
nurses, and other allied health professionals has always been the residents’
last resort. When individuals within the households got sick, they usually rely
on the herbal medicines available in the area. They were not also believers
of faith healers who treat illnesses through the exercise of faith rather than
medical methods.
However, the silent efforts of the assigned nurses and midwives in the
community have a wide impact on the improvement of the health statuses of
the community members of Sitio Tibong II. Accordingly, midwives provide
healthcare services in the community including breastfeeding support, pre-
natal and post-natal care, and providing information on the importance of
immunization and vaccination. While nurses in the community are pivotal in
reducing disease and ailments outbreaks and promoting a healthier lifestyle
for the residents. This was done through conducting outreach programs and
medical missions to give patient guidance and refer them to other available
services and resources.

B.1.2. FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

B.1.2.1. Verbal

Communication plays a vital role in the life of community members as

it becomes the basis of all human interactions in their day-to-day lives. In
the community, the verbal means of communication was widely used by the
residents as it primarily facilitate the development of different types of
relationships and exchange of information. Besides, verbal communication
was also used as a tool to inform others of their needs, impart knowledge,
 create an opportunity for discussion, stimulate thoughts, and interpersonally
communicate with others to deepen relationships.
In Sitio Tibong II, verbal communication was effectively used in two
ways. It can either be used in spoken or written forms through native dialect
as they speak fluently with their language rather than of others. The spoken
means of communication were used by the residents when initiating both
formal and informal conversations with others like attending meetings and
seminars, church gatherings, and other social activities. Meanwhile, written
means of communication were commonly used to accomplish documents
and announce necessary information to the public including reminders and
local advisories by posting either printed or written materials in some public
places in the community.

B.1.2.2. Non Verbal

Several cues of nonverbal communication were often seen from the

residents of Sitio Tibong II as they matched up with the words they verbally
say. These include tone of voice, body movements, facial expressions, eye
contact, gestures, and posture. The observation of these cues was useful in
establishing rapport, increasing the opportunity for clarity, and building trust.
The majority of the residents of Sitio Tibong II lack communication
skills and they often appear like they were glued to the spot every time they
were having conversations with others. They frequently show anxious body
language and nervous gestures indicating that they were uncomfortable
especially when communicating with the Tagalogs, professionals, and other
high-ranking officials.

B.1.3. WHO DECIDES WHAT FOR WHOM AND HOW?

Democratic decision-making necessitates the public participation of

the authorities and community members and the process must be based on
the welfare of the residents and not on the personal interests of the local
leaders. In Sitio Tibong II, the majority give importance to the existence of
each other as they consider all suggestions before making sound decisions.
The local leaders of this indigenous community always deliberate what
people, church and tribal leaders say to consider their religion, ethnicity, and
other aspects of their lives. In short, the decision-making process in the sitio
was facilitated by the authorities but was limited to the recommendations
and participation of the people through collective discussion.
C. NORMATIVE APPROACH

C.1. LIFE CYCLE

C.1.1. Pregnancy

In the indigenous community of the Tau-buid Mangyans, the residents

highly value the covenant of marriage, and sex is considered sacred as it
naturally gives and creates. As per the community’s culture, women are only
expected to become pregnant after getting married and this must be a result
of legal cohabitation.
There are no available tools in the community to test whether a female
is pregnant or not. Thus, pregnancy is only determined by women who begin
to conceive babies by considering some of the early signs and symptoms of
pregnancy. These include menstrual delay, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and
soreness of the breast.
Unlike others, the residents do not have any cultural beliefs in terms
of pregnancy. They do not believe that a mother-to-be must avoid wearing
nail polish, wrapping any items around her neck, and cutting her hair as it
could all lead to unfavorable outcomes on the wellbeing of the baby. For
them, mothers can still work on farmlands as long as they were capable and
were not obliged to follow specific beliefs during the three trimesters of their
pregnancy.

C.1.2. Abortion

There are no reported cases of termination of pregnancy in the area

as the majority of them believe that abortion is an unforgivable sin. As part
of being faithful to their teachings, they consider life as a precious gift from
God and this must neither be wasted nor taken by humans.

C.1.3. Birth

In spite of the strong prohibition of home delivery and birth based on

the implementing rules and regulations of the ‘No Home Birthing Policy” in
 the country, pregnant women in the community still prefer giving birth at their
houses. This was due to the distance of available birthing facilities and poor
living conditions in the community.
Accordingly, it has become a tradition in the community that pregnant
women are known to give birth by themselves with the guidance of their
spouses and other relatives. They only call the comadrona when the child
has already been born to help them clamp the umbilical cord.
After a few weeks of giving birth, lactating mothers and their husbands
start to seek advice from the Barangay Health Workers and midwife for the
vaccination and immunization of infants. Besides, the health workers also
help mothers by educating them about the importance of postnatal care and
the regular checking of the conditions of newborn babies.

C.1.4 Courtship and Marriage

The residents’ adaptation to the concept of modernization has slowly

declined the art of traditional courtship, and other prevailing social norms,
values, and cultures. Male residents usually got married to female members
of the community and their courtship began through texting and chatting
with those who have available devices. However, the majority still prefer
interpersonal courtship to personally initiate conversation as a means to
communicate, build intimacy, and show commitment.
In terms of marriage, the union has been one of the most sacred parts
of their life cycle as they highly respect the covenant of marriage. For them,
those members who have intimate relationships were not allowed to live as
one without the wedding blessing of their church. This means that the
majority of them believed that the declaration of approval of the union is a
vital foundation for building a family.

C.1.5. Family Relations

Families are the basic and foundational social units in all communities
and it is in everyone’s best interest to help create a positive environment for
all. In the community, the majority of the households were aiming to maintain
strong family ties as they believe that family is the main pillar of support and
love for every individual. They highly value close family relations, solidarity,
religiosity, respect, and affection for all the members and this has been the
reason why families in the community are considered exemplary.
 C.1.6. Sickness

The common sicknesses experienced by the community people are

cough, colds, mild fever, and stomach ache. These were usually caused by
unstable weather and the unavailability of food sources and supplements in
the community. Since most of them were not believers of faith healers and
were incapacitated to avail medical procedures from the hospitals, the
ailments were commonly treated through herbal medicines available in the
area instead of conventional medicines.

C.1.7. Death

The death rates in the community is normal and not alarming and the
most common cause is ailments due to age. The person who passed away
in the community was mourned for more than two (2) to three (3) hours to
commemorate life and pray for the soul before it become buried in their
cemetery. In short, the indigenous people of Sitio Tibong II only have one
day to mourn and they get back to work on the other day as they believed
that their relative who passed away was already in the good hands of God.

C.2. OTHER BELIEFS

C.2.1. Protestantism

As Protestants, the residents strongly believed that their God is a God

of freedom and that they have the choice of responding to his love. They
also assert that a person’s value does not depend on his qualities, merits,
or social position, but on God’s free gift of love which gives an inestimable
worth. The residents and their church also advocate a form of government
in the community which respects opinions and acknowledges freedom of
conscience.
III. COMMUNITY PROBLEMS

A. AS PERCEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY

1. Inadequate electric supply and illegal tapping

Due to the poor living condition in the community, the majority of the
residents of Sitio Tibong II were still incapable of funding the installation of
electric supplies and availing of solar panel lights. Most of them were still
living without electricity and off the grid. However, some have preferred to
tap electric wires to access energy despite knowing that it was illegal. Those
who have access to supply usually split and share electric bill expenses
monthly.

2. Lack of access to safe water sources

The residents were highly exposed to preventable health risks due to

the absence or inadequate supply of water in the community. The residents
are often forced to rely on unsafe drinking water sources and lack sufficient
water for basic hygiene to prevent infections like foodborne and waterborne
diseases.

3. Absence of proper sanitation facilities

Due to the inadequate sources of water in the community, the residents

still prefer the use of traditional pits or latrines to dispose of urine and feces.
The said absence of water-sealed toilets in the community poses threat or
health risks to the residents as it leads to different health problems such as
diarrhea, cholera, and intestinal parasitism that are commonly caused by
improper waste disposal.

4. Food insecurity

Due to the lack of access to employment opportunities and sources of

income, the majority of the residents struggle to meet their basic necessities
 and this increases the risk of food insecurity. As per the residents, most of
them suffer from extreme hunger leading to malnutrition and deficiency due
to the unavailability of healthy foods to eat and poor consumption of food
nutrients. The availability of food in the community is very limited to boiled
crops harvested from their farmlands which were taken up one (1) to two (2)
times per day.

5. Shortage of teaching and learning resources

Given the poor living condition in the sitio, the majority of the students
experience a lack of teaching and learning resources in the community
which causes extreme distress to them and their teachers especially to the
Child Development Worker. This scarcity of instructional materials disrupts
opportunities to learn to their fullest potential and experience high-quality
education.

6. Limited access of Senior Citizens to the Social Pension Program

Similar to other indigenous people of different tribes, the residents of the

sitio also face struggles in accessing their personal documents such as birth
certificates and valid IDs. This challenge had served as the main wall that
blocks the opportunities for the Indigent Senior Citizens in the community to
access benefits from different programs for the elders including the social
pension program.

B. AS PERCEIVED BY THE WORKER

1. Poor allocation of funds for infrastructures

The poor allocation of funds for infrastructures in the sitio is visibly seen
in the present condition of the available infrastructures in the community.
These include the poor condition of the road, the existence of a structurally
deficient bridge, the unconcreted style of Kubo Pulungan, and the basketball
court. Moreover, the residents also raise concerns about not having a Child
Development Center and facilities for recreational activities.
2. Lack of transportation

The means of transportation in the sitio were very limited as most of

the residents were still incapacitated to avail vehicles. This problem became
the barrier to easily transporting goods from the area to the marketplace,
and accessing programs and services including health and education. As
per the residents, the unavailability of vehicles in the area is one of the main
reasons for the increasing rate of student absenteeism and rampancy of
home delivery and birthing

3. Unfinished housing project

The provincial government of Oriental Mindoro has extended its efforts

to help the residents of Sitio Tibong II by initiating a housing project which
aims to provide safe and comfortable houses to every family. However, this
housing project in the community remains unfinished due to the shortage of
available supplies to continue the construction of other housing units.

4. The rampancy of home birthing and delivery cases

In spite of the strong prohibition of giving birth outside the facilities in

accordance with the No Home Birthing Policy in the country, the residents
still prefer birthing at home due to their financial incapacities. According to
the community’s midwife, the majority of the residents were still practicing
traditional home birthing using unknown delivery instruments.

5. Poor physical hygiene

According to the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) of Sabang, the

residents of Sitio Tibong II have the poorest physical hygiene among all the
indigenous members in the barangay. This was due to their poor adaptation
and ignorance of the implementation of various activities which focuses on
improving their hygiene and the totality of their well-being. These activities
were commonly initiated by private groups in coordination with the local
government. Most of the time, the objectives and implementation became
 meaningless and less effective as changes in the lifestyle of the residents
remain constant. Hence, actions to prevent and address illnesses caused
by poor physical hygiene were still unsolved and rampant.

6. Limited access to medical procedures and treatment

The instability of financial resources is one of the main reasons why

the residents prefer on relying the available herbal medicines in the area
instead of asking for assistance from allied health professionals. However,
it was also found that they were all diffident to seek help to undergo medical
procedures and treatment as they believed that they have lack knowledge
to support their desire to be treated professionally.

7. Lack of awareness of the significance of PhilHealth

PhilHealth plays an essential role in the lives of Filipino families as it

provides medical assistance and health benefits to help them alleviate their
medical financial burden. However, in spite of its wide benefits, most of the
residents of Sitio Tibong II ignore this effort of the government as they were
not fully educated about the importance of being a PhilHealth member.
Since the majority of them do not rely on medical treatments done at the
hospitals, only a few of them have experienced accessing the benefits of
the program.

8. Malnutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies

The rampant poverty, poor access to nutritious foods, and lack of

knowledge of optimal dietary practices in the community are some of the
factors which lead to malnutrition and deficiencies. The inadequate intake
of micronutrient-rich foods and impaired absorption or utilization of nutrients
harms the residents as it causes several serious health issues.

9. Limited sources of income

The limitations on the sources of income of the residents are widely

perceived in the community as they have only relied on farming and other
 activities that use indigenous materials. These limitations have resulted in
their inability to increase their purchasing power to avail food and other basic
necessities, and their incapability to improve their poor living condition. As
per the household heads, there was lacking initiation of livelihood training
and programs to assist them in widening their knowledge and developing
skills with other vocational activities. Hence, they have no other option but
to work hard in fields to cultivate lands to make a living.

10. Poor agricultural production during the rainy season

The level of agricultural production in the community during the rainy

season ranges from low to very low as there have been limited crops that
can be planted on farmlands. The majority of the farmers in the community
stop the planting process during the wet season to avoid farm losses. This
poor agricultural production has negative effects on the residents as it
resulted in the scarcity of available food to eat and sources of income.

11. Inadequate capital to support rice farming

Rice farming is one the alternative sources of income for the residents
during the wet season as the palay plant requires water to grow. But
unfortunately, the farmers have inadequate capital to support rice farming.
Thus, despite the availability of wide farmlands in the area, the farmers do
not pursue rice farming.

12. Absenteeism of students in school

Due to various reasons, the rate of absenteeism of the students in the

school increases from time to time. Some of their major concerns are the
distance of the school from the sitio, unavailability of learning materials, and
scarcity of financial resources to support the daily class schedules. These
concerns impede the students’ opportunity for the optimal learning process
and growth from their experiences inside and outside the school.