Why GK May Not be Enough... OR more than enough

by Jose Ma. Montelibano

GK may not be enough. GK may be more than enough. Either can be true. I remember somewhere in Mr. Keh's proposition that the word "IF" meant everything. If I follow the word "IF" with my own wish list, then GK will be more than enough.

I have been in both social and political advocacy, including some years in the environment movement for 25 years. Before that, I was in the agriculture industry in the manufacture, distribution and sale of agricultural products- plus a few other types of business. Community development and political advocacy became my favorite advocacies, however, and I have remained very focused in the former and less so in the latter in the last few years (but not before two Edsas and a sedition charge).

In the end, it has been only Gawad Kalinga that has produced results that are measurable and sustainable. Only Gawad Kalinga in the face of all other intervention efforts that has a chance of meaningfully altering the poverty situation, including the corruption that afflicts the nation. Only Gawad Kalinga. It may not be enough but there is nothing else, notyet anyway.

Many NGOs have helped before GK, and many will continue to do so even if GK is already there. Each one that survives is living proof that a modicum of success has been achieved, especially since the mortality rate of NGOs, foundations, cooperatives, and similar organizations has been very high. Seven years ago, when I joined a new NGO doing anti-poverty, anti-corruption work and listened to the various sharings of co-workers, the one in charge of registering us said that several tens of thousands of NGOs, etc. had been registered in the last 20 years but most have quietly disappeared, buried in the dustbins of history before most Filipinos beyond a barangay or town could even know of them.

So, let us assess the results of NGO work. What is there outside of GK that can possibly reverse the tide of poverty and corruption? What NGO seeks to un-squat all the landless, to facilitate their ownership of at least a home lot or long-term security of tenure to it? What NGO seeks to provide decent shelter to homeless Filipino families without having to pay for them through money, or paying affordable rates if these families belong to the lowest earners among the employed?

What NGO penetrates the slums, even the dangerous ones with a plan and the will to rehabilitate and upgrade not just structures but values, mindsets and behavior as well? What NGO has lifted the quality of life of a community and seeks to do that community after community? What NGO works to transform violent communities to peaceful ones, dirty communuties to clean ones, ugly communities to become neat, landscaped and beautiful?

What NGO has transformed communities who sell their votes and blindly follow the bidding of political masters for a fee to being communities who refuse to join protest marches for pay, who refuse payment for their votes, who keep learning about ethical and moral governance? Contact GK Pandi's 600 families and ask how many this time did not selltheir votes. Or, ask who did because only 2 or 3 of almost 2,000 did. Or contact the barangay captain of the biggest barangay of the Philippines - Bagong Silang - who beat 7 or 8 rivals including the incumbent by a vote bigger than all rivals combined, and ask him how his GK work for several years

What NGO has convinced politicians to alternative politics of performance and vision - the GK vision, of course, and allowed them to win without the traditional politicking and vote-buying? Contact Mayor Sonia Lorenzon of Nueva Ecija.

What NGO hs been adopted by the most number of schools and their students and continues to attract them from city to city, town to town? Ask the major universities in Metro Manila and the bigger colleges in the provinces.

There are 15 million Filipino families, 5 million of them below the line of poverty and 5 million more thinking they are poor as well. Even if we target only the first 5 million, to un-squate them, to provide decent homes for them, and to teach/support them to feed themselves, what NGO strives for that?

GK seeks all of the above and has achieved much more than any other though it seems like a drop in the bucket considering the context of poverty and corruption. But GK seeks them all, works to get nearer to the point when more authortity, resources and support from the general population can actually begin to turn the tide. This is where the big "IF" word then comes in. "IF" GK's vision and work continues, it will get there. "IF" more senators, congressmen mayors and governors will join those who are already in partnership with GK, then GK will get there.

Perhaps, GK has moved forward despite ordinary people being in the center of both leadership and volunteer corps because it is designed to reach out to different sectors in active invitation to be part of GK. Perhaps, GK has achieved much more than others because it insists on being a spirit and movement as well as an organization. Perhaps, GK has moved vertically and not just massively horizontal because good hearts and minds with resources and/or expertise find a welcoming places for them in GK.

It is also noteworthy that GK has become a convergence zone for others who cannot directly work with one another, how GK manages to inspire groups to set aside their differences while commonly helping GK. And ask the Fil-Amswhich group has become the most acceptable to them, the one that they can help if they want to help the poor in the Philippines.

GK is almost spitting distance from Global City. It is also in the mosr remote barrio, in the land of indigenous peoples, in Mindanao with Muslims and lumads. GK can be in thousands of other barangays, and it will. "IF" more help, then we will be there much sooner.

Yes, GK may not be enough. No one or nothing has been enough. But GK can be more than enough with the big "IF." And that "IF" is always a combination of each of us and many of us.

In the event that something else will trigger a dramatic and sudden change in political fortunes, guess who will do the groundwork the day after without skipping more than just one heartbeat.