Lita (not her real name) is the first ever indigenous Tagbanua elected into office in her barangay.

“Dahil ito sa pagmamahal sa sitio,” (“This is because of my love for my sitio”), she explains.

Living in the islands of Culion, Palawan, the change Lita first sought was practical yet necessary: clean water for her family and the entire community. In March 2018, she recalls how most of her fellow Tagbanua suffered intense stomachaches for a week, almost all at the same time—the men, women, and children included.

She understood that band-aid solutions would not be enough anymore; the issue had to be addressed for the long term. Lita humbly recounts how her fellow Tagbanua, through a community gathering, agreed that she would be their worthy representative. They urged her to run for office and take action.

 

 

As elected kagawad, she is the Tagbanua community’s hands, feet, and voice, coordinating with other leaders to address the peoples’ most pressing needs.

“Ako ang nakikipag-usap; ako ang lumalapit sa iba-iba. Sabi ng kapitan, ‘pagtulung-tulungan natin,” (“I am the one who coordinates and approaches others. Our barangay captain said, we have to help each other.”)

Even as she cares for her family, needs to travel on boat from their island home to the town, and sees there is so much more to learn to fulfill her duties well, Lita has mustered the courage to step up and initiate change through public service.

Lita is among the finishers of Cartwheel Foundation Inc.’s Adult Capability-building Program (ACAP) for the Tagbanua in Culion, Palawan. She was only able to complete the third grade in her youth; she says she is grateful for the opportunity to continue learning through ACAP.

 

 

“Bilang ina, tuwing ako ay bumibili ng bigas, hindi na ako ngayon sumusulat sa lupa para mag-compute. Bilang kagawad, nakakatulong na medyo nakakaintindi at nakakabasa ako ng English dahil karamihan ng mga dokumento sa barangay ay English,” (“As a mother, every time I buy rice, I no longer have to write on the ground to compute. As kagawad, it helps that I am able to understand and read some English because most of the documents in the barangay are in English.”)

Apart from her own children, Lita encourages many of her fellow Tagbanua to make the most of learning opportunities available—whether within their own island community or in neighboring towns. She has become an inspiration for many, in taking courage to make change possible.