Mangyan mom gets livelihood push

A simple mom in the town of Cajidiocan, Romblon — who embodies the spirit of true service and compassion for her community — is now an active partner of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Exaltacion Rabino, a 52-year-old member of the Mangyan tribe began as a modest member of their community and over time, she found herself becoming a volunteer, serving at the forefront of her community as an integral part of the Project Implementation Team for the DSWD Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services program.

It is a program that utilizes the community-driven development approach which empowers community members to actively participate in identifying and prioritizing their locality's problems.

The program also actively engages residents in poor communities to design, implement and manage solutions to their priority programs.

Exaltacion is one of the most recent volunteers of the program whose years of service are marked by triumphs and community upliftment. Emerging as an advocate of community volunteerism, she participated in projects aimed at addressing pressing challenges within their community, which also elevated her skills and capabilities in the process.

Among the various sub-projects which she became a part of were the construction of a water system with filtration box in 2010; construction of an elementary school in 2011; and construction of a slope protection in 2012, which she served as a member of the procurement team.

In 2017 to 2018, Exaltacion was appointed as the head of the Project Preparation Team that allowed her to show her leadership skills and dedication as a Mangyan woman.