Group Discussions (FGDs) with the officials and health workers of Barangays Camandingan and Baoa West as Phase II of its research project on “Poverty Profiling: Methods Based on Livelihood System Approach (LSA). Said FGDs were held in time with the Medical Missions of the Association of Batac Evangelical Churches (ABEC), one of the Center’s active partners and linkages, which was then celebrating its 3rd year anniversary.

     The Medical Mission was a timely response to the priority needs of the marginalized households in these barangays as reflected in the surveys/interviews done last July 2005. However, the 130 recipients in Brgy. Camandingan and about 100 in Brgy. Baoa West included non-marginalized household members who needed immediate medical attention and assistance.

     The FGDs, on the other hand, were venues of the Barangay Officials to present and air the felt needs of their constituents. In Brgy. Camandingan, the condition of the farm to market roads is a perennial problem especially during rainy season. The BLISS project established in the 70’s also requires immediate attention. According to the occupants, they wanted ownership of the housing units, however, there is no clear instruction from the government about this. On the other hand, former lot owners claim that they have not been fully paid since then. The BLISS occupants constitute the majority of the marginalized households in this barangay. Most of them came from nearby provinces like Cagayan and Isabela who were former pool of agricultural labor in the past decades. Because of these, they are landless and their only source of income is carpentry and agricultural labor for the husbands and the wives are mostly plain housekeeper and sometimes earn through laundry or as house helpers. As a result, they could hardly send their children even in the Day Care or nursery due to lack of finance for children’s tuition and daily needs.

     Meanwhile, the farmers of Brgy. Baoa West desire for agricultural assistance in addressing the perennial rice pests and diseases attacking their fields. It is perceived that agricultural technicians should be more visible in that area. Also, the officials believe that if their irrigation source would be improved, they would have a better produce. As to access in education, a national high school is necessary to be established in this barangay which could cater the students of Brgys. Nagbacalan, Camandingan, Baoa East and West. Students claimed that they spent a lot for transportation expenses in going to San Mateo National High School which is nearer compared to that in Brgy. Baay. Parents cannot afford to send their children to the private schools while the children of marginalized households endure hiking just so to attend school. Also, the residents are in dire need of a barangay health center where they could seek health assistance especially on emergency cases during rainy season and occurrence of typhoons or floods. It was observed that in Brgy. Baoa West, the recipients of the Medical Missions were children of very young parents which is perceived to have been a result of early marriages of out-of-school youths. Adult education and provision of livelihood should be considered for these household heads as quick wins for poverty reduction.

     The government should look into investing for infrastructure, agriculture, livelihood entrepreneur and adult education in this area. There is rich natural resources, like water bodies, forest resources and vast land area which when maximized of its use could help improve the welfare of the residents and hence, provide employment opportunities for the landless and marginalized households, who can only provide pool of labor, to graduate from poverty.