In 2003, two exited migrants and their families would not have expected in their dreams that their seed would turn into a small but terribly fierce, hardworking and ambitious organization called PASALI. Their ambition was to see businesses and industry come to life in places no one would guess would start them. But now years later, PASALI stands on the brink of doing just that.

2011 saw to life new alliances, including one forged with the Catholic Relief Services and their farmer members – for training and extension of the System of Rice Intensification. These farmers would together in cooperatives create food belts for the production of (organic) rice that cost them a fraction of what their old way cost and 30 – 60% less methane and nitrogen. 2012 also saw PASALI become the installer of hydraulic ram pumps with AIDFI and Coca Cola – part of the company’s corporate social responsibility. They will install one or two pumps a month the coming years. PASALI with PASALI Netherlands piloted the Rice Contract Farm too, in hopes of finding a way to help rice farmers off of their burgeoning land debt. This farm’s inputs are rolled over and it will begin its third cropping this month as well as start the debt sanitation part of its program. Finally, PASALI Netherlands and Philippines began agroforestry, two hectares of rubber in predominantly Indigenous and Moro areas, which this year will become 12 hectares.

The ‘brink’ PASALI stands on therefore is multiple, multi-stakeholder endeavours. The coming of PASALI Netherlands Chairman to Mindanao this month will further determine the organizations fate in the line of social enterprise.

It seriously looks like they’re in real pain. But they’re not. Rather they are serious actresses of the Teatro Kawagib, the youth theater group formed under PASALI. Teatro Kawagib stages child abuse, discrimination, children in-conflict with the law (CICL), labor, trafficking and gangs. They also portray living conditions of the elderly in the hospital, home for the aged, family, and other places. They create their own original pieces: modern dance, ethnic dance, songs, props, scripts, scenes, etc. Its members represent the Tri-people group – the Moro, settler and Indigenous Peoples – of Mindanao and their original plays are based on these cultural identities. So far they have performed in in various places in General Santos, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat.

Most visitors who come and see them are totally taken back by the diversity of the show, their energy, and just plain raw talent. These pictures and video really don’t do them justice. I say, come to Mindanao, come to visit PASALI and watch.

See more pictures of Teatro Kawagib.
See Teatro Kawagib from PASALI Philippines on Vimeo.

PASALI’s Rice Contract farm is farming rice with the System of Rice Intensification that is supposed to earn a profit and become an agri-business with a debt sanitation program for small farmers. The farm is now at its second cropping. READ MORE

Photo by Mary Dawn Mantala and Marilyn Ty
Edited by Shane Pulmano

When a war broke out in northern Palimbang between two feuding families and men of the MILF factions of 104th and 105th they dragged along in the conflict, more than 6000 people the area. The local government, Philippine Red Cross, International Red Cross, DSWD Region 12, and PASALI reached out to deliver food goods. PASALI gave relief in three batches. At the third relief distribution PASALI distributed (with DSWD Region 12, Islamic Relief Nederland and Dutch Consortium for Migrant Organizations) food as well as basic utensils such as water jugs, cooking pots, cups, etc. On the third the last of which we were able to reach the 200 families in the municipality of Kalamansig who had not received help from any source. Find out how PASALI delivered goods to 1,895 families at 7 villages in 2 days.

Photo by Godofredo Rotor.