GKK in Datal Anggas

Datal Anggas Integrated School (Photo courtesy Claretian Missionaries)

A couple of weeks ago, I met with Fr. Julius Boado, a Claretian Missionary, at the rectory of San Isidro Labrador Parish Church in Alabel, Sarangani Province. Upon his invitation, I visited their mission in Datal Anggas, in the heart of the mountains of Alabel. It is about 46 kilometers, or about two hours ride on “habal habal” (motorcycle) from the parish church to Datal Anggas. Mang Bensito and his son Jake took me and Fr. Julius to the mission area which the Claretians took over from the PME missionaries about two years ago. We left Alabel at about 9:30 in the morning. One way on “habal habal” from Alabel town proper to Datal Anggas is P600.00.

About thirty minutes after we left the parish church in Alabel, Mang Bensito’s “habal habal” had a flat tire. It was a good thing we have not yet travelled far from the town proper, that Mang Bensito was able to have his motorcycle tire vulcanized. We had to wait for Mang Bensito for about thirty minutes, and then we continued our journey. The road is long, winding and rough up the mountain ranges of Alabel. The surrounding environment is dry and the road dusty because of the intense summer heat. Along the way, we had to cross a river for eighteen times! Since it was summer, the water in the river was just about less than one foot deep. There were some locals bathing and washing their clothes in the river.

The scenery from the top of the mountains was awesome and breathtaking. Halfway along the journey, General Santos City can be seen from afar. Anywhere I looked, I can see mountains until they vanish at the end of the horizon. Once in a while we had to stop to allow our drivers to have some rest and for us to appreciate the view from the mountain top. On our last stop, Fr. Julius pointed out the area where a gunfight took place between the military and the New People’s Army rebels about a month ago. The encounter which lasted for hours left seven rebels dead. The Claretian Mission is about a few kilometers away, where I stayed for two nights, in the highest mountain area in Alabel.

We reached the Claretian Mission in Datal Anggas by noon, where Fr. Arvin Bellen, the companion of Fr. Julius, was waiting for us. The two Claretian missionaries live in a small cottage made of wood and bamboo with galvanized iron roof. A few meters across the cottage is a chapel marked with a sign board on the entrance that reads “Katoliko”. In remote areas in Mindanao like Datal Anggas, the Alliance of God Church, a Protestant denomination, is commonly present. There are also about six small Catholic chapels in various areas around Datal Anggas. The Claretian Missionaries occasionally visit these chapels, sometimes walking between two and six hours to reach the people there.

There is electricity and cell phone signal in the area. They cook with firewood and get their water from a spring nearby. There is a two-storey wooden edifice which serves as a boys’ dormitory for their scholars. Another bigger two-storey dormitory is under construction for their female scholars, which is due for completion before classes open in June. Fr. Julius and Fr. Arvin came up with a scholarship program for indigenous people who wanted to pursue their basic education. These young people belong to the Tagakaolo and B’laan tribes. Some of them live in sitios which take them between two to six hours treks to be able to reach Datal Anggas Integrated School. The Claretian missionaries intend to provide educational assistance, including board and lodging, to about fifteen scholars, when school opens this coming June.