Imagine the joy it brings when you see the smile on their faces as they tell you that you are the first government workers to reach their barangay. It is priceless, said Jinalyn Ulanghutan, National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) Area Supervisor for the Municipality of Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte.

Jinalyn and her team, composed of NHTS-PR area supervisors and enumerators, had to climb mountains and cross the seas to reach the 28 barangays of Sibuco to conduct household assessments, including the barangays where residents are hardly familiar with the concept of government.

Once, the group had to battle the tall waves of Sulu Sea to assess one of Sibuco’s coastal barangays. Some of the enumerators were already crying. They thought we will never make it to the shore, Jinalyn shared.

But with perseverance, they were able to reach barangay Lakiki and meet its residents. To their surprise, it was actually the first time that people working for the government were able to reach the said barangay.

Jinalyn also shared that she was really surprised when one of the residents asked her who the government is.

At the end of the day, her team was able to successfully assess the households in the barangay.

It was a one of kind experience. We all couldn’t express the joy and fulfilment that we felt as we held on our hands the household assessment forms of the residents of Lakiki. When we went home, with us are the HAFs that could change the lives of these people.