A COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF
BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN ALS
TO THE BADJAO COMMUNITY
AT BATANGAS CITY

MARK LOUIS M. MAGRACIA

Who are the Badjaos?
•Filipino Muslim Ethnic group sea gypsies
and group of boat dwellers people
•called Samal Luwaan (outcast) or Samal
Laud (people of the ocean)
•religion is Islam 
•poorest ethnic group in Sulu
•Badjao men are expert wooden boat
makers and spear fishers
•women are weavers of sleeping mats
called "banig“
•100% illiterate
•categorized as "the poorest among the
poor"
The Badjaos were 100% illiterate, poor
and malnourished. Now they are
completely changed. You will witness
in the pictures below how many Badjao
children were able to receive education
and have a better chance in life.
 
 Born Again Badjao Church
Bringing the Good News to Minority People

Educating the
Badjaos
In Batangas
ALS Graduates
 
ALS (Alternative Learning System) is a Philippine
Department of Education program for the Filipino
Out-of-School Youth and adults. Most of the
receipients are learners living below the poverty
line, predominantly coming from depressed,
disadvantaged, undeserved communities.
 
Several Badjaos were recepient of this program and
have benefited from it. Lots of Badjao children,
youth and adults graduated from this program and
provide a better chance for them in the society.
Preaching the Badjaos Through
Community Development
 
Preaching to the Badjaos has not been easy, their
culture is different, their language is different
and their way of living is different. I came to the
island of Malitam last 1999 with my wife armed
only with the Bible and the passion for the lost.
The Lord has given us strategies on winning their
hearts to God. The pictures below speaks for
themselves of how great God has done and how
He changed the lives of the Badjao people living
in Malitam island.
Strategy 1 - Building Influence With
the Community
 
Strategy 2 - Relief and Food Distribution
Strategy 3 - Health and Nutrition

we supply the
babies and children
with vitamins
Strategy 4 - Improving Literacy and
Education

School is named as "Shining Light

Christian Academy"
Strategy 5 - Medical and Dental
Assistance
Strategy 6 - Providing Livelihood

crop growers
Strategy 7 - Providing Water
Badjao youth who passed the ALS
Accreditation test given by the
government. These kids who were outcasts
of the society are completely changed. It
only takes two hands and a determined
heart to help them.
 
 
Elementary level kids who graduated. Who could imagine they will wear white graduating gowns?
  
 

A new batch of elementary graduates.

 
 

Badjao youth waiting in line for the graduation ceremony to start.

 
At the front, Ps. Albert and Mommy Ellen also awaiting eagerly to see
them stand at the platform to receive their graduation certificates.
 
 

ALS School graduates together with Ps. Albert and Mommy Ellen.
See how beautiful their smiles are! A sign of hope, joy and a bright future,
not only for them but for the country as a whole.
Eunice and her parents, a Badjao family
posing for a picture. I remember Eunice
when she was a little girl, but look at her
now. She was able to graduate and have
greater chance for a bright future.
 
  
 

The ALS graduating class

Shining Light Christian Academy
Preparatory School at Malitam Island
within the Badjao community
Pioneering staff members of the school
First class of the school
Students doing their class seatwork
 
THEY NO LONGER THE STREETS OF
BATANGAS TO BEG FOR MONEY OR
FOOD
1st Moving Up ceremony for preparatory
students
 
 A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE HISTORY
OF BADJAOS!
Batch of Badjao Kid graduates for 2003-
2004 
 
Future leaders who will be able to help
their own people
 ALS Badjaos in Grade 3-5
 
Some Badjao children are
now able to go to regular
elementary school in
Batangas City, Philippines.
Seemingly impossible with
their former situation.
  
 

Some Badjao children in the regular school

lementary Children and ALS Kids

School bag recepients. Thank you to our ALS class composing of members from
donors! Now they can carry their books outside the Badjao community.
and notebooks to school without getting it
wet in the rain.
 INDIVIDUALS

Graduates who are now entering High

School and College
Graduated from pipe fitting and
scaffolding course
 Acceleration Class and Computing for the
Badjaos!
 

The computing age has penetrated the Badjao community

already!

Several Badjaos are now learning how to use computers. The

pictures

below show the acceleration class and the Badjaos computer

classes.
 CHANGES
•All Badjao children are now registered in the civil
registry and the adults in voters registration (they all
took Christian names!). 
•Each Badjao house has their own toilet, garden and
cleanliness is highly observed.
•They are no longer malnourished, sickly, no longer
beggars and thieves in the streets, no longer ills of
the society, no longer illiterate and no longer sickly
and mentally retarded.
REFERENCE:

http://bornagainbadjaochurch.org
I GUESS
THAT’S
ALL…THANKS!