update on bukidnon design workshop

Email from Paolo Aguila, UP TFA Chairperson, sent last March 30:

Hi!
Wow, I'm really glad to hear from you (all 4 of you, I think, from "arkiboks", namely: Ate Pon, Camille Reyes, Malaya Fabros, Kons Koh) [ligs - di ata niya nabasa sa tfa egroups yung email mo- hindi kasi siya member - email him directly for inquiries-pon],thank you so much for expressing your support..although this is a really late reply. Unfortunately, it's been quite a hectic schedule for me and the rest of the UP student population..(finals week namin ngayon), that's why I wasn't able to reply ASAP. Anyway, last exam is on friday. So, I'm guessing we'll be free to really get things going by then. As of now, we're still gonna have to meet with the other volunteer who introduced us to this project.

As for the budget, we've talked it over with Ms. Easter Canoy (the student-volunteer from Ateneo), and here's the rough estimate of total expenses per person:

P7,000 - air fare
P300 - bus fare
P500 - cab fare
P500 - accomodation for 1 night
(the rest of the nights will be spent in the community)
___________
P8,300 - per person

Two of us from TFA, me and Jhun Fabrero (Projects Committee head) will be joining Ms. Anna Gonzales (a UP-ARKI- alumnus) and Ms. Easter in what is deemed to be a 5-day mission. (half the time of which we'll be spending just travelling, I think!)

Anyway, here are our bank account details, for anyone who's intrested to help out. we REALLY APPRECIATE IT. :)

Account name: UP TASK FORCE ARKI
Account #: (PNB) 275-574806-7

Some of the details that Mr. Kons asked me (which might shed light for everyone else) I'm gonna try to answer:
1. Expected output/s of the said workshop
Basically, it's the ability to participate in the design process that we're after. We want to teach them how to visualize space and how to communicate that vision in a way that is translatable. So that even if they don't actually get to that level where they can actually draft plans and stuff, at least, they will learn how to provide inputs (if someone like UP-TFA or other people who are capable designs for them) in the process of crafting their own space.

2. How many people are going to attend, with breakdown
To be really honest, I have no idea yet how many of them we'll be administering the lecture to..but Ms. Easter suggests we do as John Ong did; divide the community into three groups (elders, women,
youth)..I don't know why, actually. But we'll probably look into it, if there's a better way..but as of now, there's just the class and the volunteers (that means us). They understand tagalog. :)

3. Venue of the workshop
Right there in their community up in the mountains. That's why it'll take us half the time we need to just get there and back.

4. Resources available
Hmm...I don't think there's any money at all available. Materials for the workshop, we're gonna improvise for that..we're thinking letting them work with cardboards, clay, sticks, glue, etc..things that are readily available. So far, it's just us, me and Jhun together with Arch. Anna and Ms. Easter. Unless someone volunteers to join, we'll also have to consult how many we can bring with us.

5. Sanction/approval/recommendation from concerned agencies
Hmm..I don't think there's any recommendation necessary, other than the approval of the tribe. And since Ms. Easter will be the one who'll bring us there, she'll be the one to mediate and explain to the tribe our intention, which is really to help out. She feels very strongly for the development of the tribe which is very close to her heart.

So there. I hope this somehow helps everyone understand our project better. As for the formal proposal, I'm gonna draft one soon as everything's clear (right now, everything's quite a blur). We're bent towards re-scheduling it til after summer classes (late May).

Thank you very much for your support!

Paolo Aguila
[Please email all your feedback directly to Paolo at superpaoie@gmail.com - pon]