Marielle De la Torre

BSSW-3

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Barangay St. Ignacia is located 6.5 kilometers north of North Poblacion and is
made up of 9 Sitios with a total land size of 1,410 hectares, 90 percent of which is
dedicated to sugar cane plantation. The barangay is the poorest of the municipality's 11
barangays, with 67 percent of its 330 households living below the poverty line. The
municipal elites possess the majority of the land.
Limited hacienda employment, also known as SACADA (Seasonal Workers) in St.
Ignacia, is the main source of income for both men and women, earning 200-250 pesos
per day. Children as young as 14 years old have ceased attending school and instead
work in the Sacada field, resulting in poor school participation and a high percentage of
absenteeism in high school. Because of the constrained locations in their community,
residents can only grow a limited number of crops.
The majority of the community's infrastructure, such as the Day Care Center,
Health Station, Public Plaza, and even the Primary School, is located in Barangay Proper
of St. Ignacia. Parents in the Hacienda take their children to the Poblacion Day Care
Center, which charges them 20 pesos per day for public transformation. The children are
at risk since there are police records of road catastrophes involving minors being
ferryed. The roads connecting the Sitio’s are in bad condition. Even the local
government refuses to support road improvements because the majority of the lands
are private property and can only be traversed by large trucks capable of transporting
tons of sugarcane to Trans loading Stations. During wet days, the situation deteriorated.
In order to attend and reach school, students had to take off their shoes and trek
through muddy paths.
Landowners have a significant influence on decision-making. Landowners are
still consulted by functional barangay officials and LGU projects while building
community infrastructure and residences. There have been instances where the
settlement has had disagreements between Hacienda Settlers and LGU initiatives, which
have resulted in the Propertied being summoned and making decisions.
 PROBLEM TREE

Poverty Situation EFFECT

LOW INCOME
Bounded Crop Limited works in
Production Hacienda

Lack of Job Opportunities

Seasonal Works Restricted Areas

Low Educational
Plantation Day Harvest Day Attainment

Low Participation in School

Works in Field of Sacada

Distant School Location

More Absences

Lack of Transportation Fares for

Poor Road Condition Transportation

Refused Budget

Most Land are Private

Properties

Owned by Municipal Elites

CAUSES