Rieza, Wendy Ann M.

February
2, 2009
BSN040 Prof. San
Antonio

DOCTOR TO THE BARRIOS

By Juan Flavier

I. SUMMARY

Doctor to the barrios is a book that is about the work of Philippine

Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM). The objective of this is to release
the innate potential of the Barrio folks, not only to lessen their problems.
They put together programs that they believe would solve the problems in
the barrio, and several agencies got involved, still its not enough. They
had an agreement between the PRRM and PACD or the Presidential Arm on
Community Development to avoid duplication of efforts.
Before helping the barrio itself, Dr. Juan Flavier emphasize knowing
first the barrio folks. We must first try to understand them in order to help
them. In his experience, these folks have different way of thinking .
One of the many problems in this book was to increase the plant
production to increase the farmers’ income. And one of the projects on the
PRRM is the minimum additional income that tends to increase the income
of farmers by 200php per year. The PRRM and the RRW found ways to
teach the client methods that will encourage the farmers to improve rice
culture, plant secondary crops, home gardening, and raise poultry and the
like, that doesn’t involves money/capital. there is also the introduction of
Miracle Rice (IR8) and IR5 which harvest of 100 cavanes instead of 40
cavanes of palay per hectare.
Another one is financing which is significant in rural development.
They established “tindahan natin” that makes certain that the products
will go directly on time to the farmers, not like the first barrio credit union
group called ‘gintong pawid’ which barrio people give some of their
money then combine all of this money for future loan, only the
sponsor/benefactor benefits. And then there;s for the RuRal Home
industries that will also help increase the income of the folks specially
when the palnting seasons are over, PRRM enhanced the skills of the
barrio folks in dress making, fodd preserving, tailoring and making native
artifacts like salakab.
Lacking of health personnel is also one of the problems in the barrio.
RHW or rural health workers visits the barrio for consultation and
treatments sessions.because of the limited personnel and limited finance,
the health care team visits very much often (half day, once a week or
once in every two weeks.. So the PRRM train local auxiliary health worker
who can be called for first aid work. They serve Tuesdays to Sunday when
the doctor and other members of the RHU team are not available.
Sanitary waste disposal is also a common problem in the barrio.
They use pit privy which is not widely used cause of the cost, odor and
danger of this type. Then the PRRM began a series of test-designs and
experiment and came up with a cheap, simple, concrete, water-sealed,
sanitary latrine. Because it is cheaper, many barrio people built this kind
of toilet facility.
And also there is the mother class, which teaches about taking care
of the children and family planning which is a topic that is difficult to teach
because this involves personal matters.
The main purpose/ point of the book narrated by Dr. Flavier was the
common problems being encountered by the folks in the barrio and most
of the rural places here in the Philippines and usual obstructions for health
are; lack of facilities and medical supply, low wages, ways on how to
elevate the health problems of the people as well as how the health
workers would react to the status of the health stations. The interaction
between the health care team and the folks, the health cultures that the
barrio people had adapted, and the better health orientation for them. The
relating of the Philippine health setting through his book “Doctor to the
Barrios” which along with PRRM have created alertness and opened on the
current condition health problem where individuals living in rural area are
suffering and facing, moreover together with all the health care provider
he generated guiding principles extracted from the phrase “Go to the
people, live among them, learn from them, serve them, plan with them,
start with what they know, build on what they have, not piecemeal but
integrated approach, not showcase but pattern, not relief but release,
mass education through mass participation, learn by doing, teach by
showing”. And it also have the same principles from the wise old saying;
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and
he'll eat forever.”

II. Physical Description of the Book

If you first look at the book, its really not that

interesting. You can see on the cover that IT IS really
about the community. But the fact that, most of the
professors require this book on community
development, I find it a little interesting. The cover was
plainly green, brown white with touch of black and with a picture of a
farmer and his carabao. There are 199 pages on the story itself not
including the appendices and index. Plain words were used in the book to
get the idea more than enough to be more realistic. Once you’ve started
and gone through the book, you will also find it interesting, and it’s really
not about the cover right? =)

III. Analysis of the community problems

There were several substantive community problems that
were mentioned in this book. First is the low income of the farmers, which
means the farmer’s doesn’t meet the necessary needs of the family that
includes their health. Another problem is in raising animals for business,
like in poultry, our native hen lays few eggs with this, they put up a
project which is the idea is to buy pure bred New Hampshire to mate with
our native hen and the result is greater production of eggs, but the
problem was the pure bred NH was highly susceptible to diseases and the
farmers usually cook these kind of chicken for visitors. Another problem
was the trust of the farmers in the credit union because of ten times being
cheated. another problem is when planting seasons were over for a while.
Then there were the toilets in the barrio. They don’t want to use the pit
privy because of the stench, it’s expensive and it is dangerous for young
children due to the tendency of falling through latrine holes.
Next is the lack of knowledge regarding family planning in the
barrios. We know that over population is a major problem of our country.
Rural areas should also be taught regarding family planning. Larger family
size means immense needs for family resources, such as large income for
food, education for the children, house facilities and health maintenance
factor. It can affect various aspects of women’s lives, including their
health, their work inside and outside their homes, their roles within the
family and their psychological well-being. Urban and rural women's groups
should work collaboratively to develop advocacy and education programs
for women, including programs that provide counsel, information,
education, and training on reproductive health, gender and sexuality. Then
the common problem in the barrio is illiteracy. The government should
place health and education among the "key interventions" and basic social
services necessary to reduce poverty among Filipinos..If only the
government can provide effective and affordable education to all the
people in the rural areas not only to the farmers but also to the children of
which who cannot attend school regularly because of poor finances, or
perhaps because they have to help their families make a living.
And the largely important problem to solve in the barrio is the
minimal health care provider in the rural areas. Good health is the most
important factor that should be considered when one has to improve the
standard of living of every Filipino family. Most of the cause of death in
rural areas communicable diseases which can be treated easily if there
are sufficient health care providers and of course sufficient supply of
needs.
 Then there is also a problem in self government in the barrio, the
ultimate goal of the program of self-government is to totally mobilize the
manpower for barrio uplift. however, there seems to have been a very
little chance to carry it out because most people believe that some of the
officials are not doing their job well and know that a great majority of the
promises made are forgotten. This situation does not look after the call for
good and favourable government anymore. In order to change the belief
of the people, the barrio should produce a potential and effective leader
again that will encourage orderliness and establish a helpful and
progressive community. That will be the only time that they can create a
bright and effective followership.

IV. Strategies by the community practitioners

low income of the farmers. The PRRM have a project like the minimum
additional income that tends to increase the income of farmers by 200php
per year. The PRRM and the RRW found ways to teach the client methods
that will encourage the farmers to improve rice culture, plant secondary
crops, home gardening, and raise poultry and the like, that doesn’t
involves money/capital. there is also the introduction of Miracle Rice (IR8)
and IR5 which harvest of 100 cavanes instead of 40 cavanes of palay per
hectare.

A problem in raising animals for business, like in poultry farm.

PRRM made a series of studies to help the farmers and their solution is to
buy breed eggs because they believe that if the farmers do this, the New
Hampshire that will hatch might be able to reach adulthood in able to
resist native diseases and it is much cheaper than buying full grown New
Hampshire.
Trust of the farmers in the credit union. The RRW help established a
credit union by which that RRW deposits their own money so that the
people will trust them and not to get away with the money. By this, many
had trusted and many credit unions were established.
Planting season is over, PRRM enhanced the skills of the barrio folks in
dress making, fodd preserving, tailoring and making native artifacts like
salakab.
Problem regarding the toilets. The PRRM launched a cheap, simple
and concrete water sealed sanitary latrine. The barrio folks liked it
because they can also create designs on the cement.
lack of knowledge for family planning. PRRM put an activity that is
the mother class but they have encountered another problem regarding
this, they have become aware of that not only the mothers but also the
fathers must be aware of family planning. They also used layman’s term in
explanation for various types of family planning, for them to easily
understand.
illiteracy. So the PRRM established a literacy class for them. The problem
was to encourage them to enter this class. the RRW proved that they
really want to help them and in the end they allowed it because they knew
that the RRW were sincere and only wants to help them.The RRW gave
reading materials for those who are literates such as pamphlets and
newspaper that is the “Tinig ng Nayon”.
minimal health care provider in the rural areas. The PRRM trained
volunteers to develop into auxiliary health workers who can be called
upon for first aid and can help in the health center. They are the ones who
also help RHUs if they are in the barrio and they help disperse medicine to
ensure that it will be given to the barrio folks and not to the hands of
cheaters.
self government. The PRRM conducted an experimental election by
which the barrio people are the ones to elect the barrio officials. By this
the barrio people will feel more confident about themselves and because
of this experimental election, Senator Cabili passed a bill that gives the
barrio officials more authority and power.
V. models of community problems:

There are 3 community organization models these are the

community Development, Social Planning and Social Action. Community
development model, self-help, participatory model of change. It is based
on the premise that for change to occur, it is necessary to include the
broadest possible participation of community citizens. It focuses on self-
determination and democratic process. Professionals can't change the
community for the people, they must do that themselves. Professional can
provide encouragement, support, expert knowledge, and other resources.
They can treat the members of the community with respect and dignity.
They can work side-by-side with the residents to create the conditions that
make change and empowerment possible. They can help the residents
develop knowledge, skills, and self-confidenc. But the people themselves
must define the problem and develop a plan for dealing with it.
Social Planning, It emphasizes the technical aspects of solving
problems. It assumes that most social problems in large industrial
societies are too complex for the average citizen to understand.
Therefore, professionals who have specialized expertise must guide and
control the change process through the use of technical skills such as
sophisticated data collection and analysis and the manipulation of large
bureaucratic organizations. Participation on the part of the citizens can
vary greatly, but this model often provides little opportunity for citizen
input into the planning process. Some have criticized it as an "elitist"
model of social change.
Social Action model assumes one segment of the community is
being overlooked or by-passed. The focus of this model is on organizing
those segments of the community to stand-up for their rights, to demand
that their needs and concerns be addressed. Emphasis is on bringing
about basic change in major social institutions or community practices,
and to redistribute power, resources, and decision-making processes in
the community or a formal organization. This starts with a committed core
of people who work to develop a collective consciousness among all
people who are affected by the conditions. This model brings issues of
social justice, equity, oppression, and discrimination to the forefront of the
community's consciousness. In this community organization, In my
opinion, Community development was emphasized in the story, like the
phrase “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish
and he'll eat forever.” The organizations work side-by-side with the
residents to create the conditions that make change and empowerment
possible. They help the residents develop knowledge, skills, and self-
confidence needed to challenge the status quo. But the people
themselves must define the problem and develop a plan for dealing with
it.

This story awakens my curiosity about the exciting way of life in

different barrios. I think the problem in the barrios like these ones should
be given focus by the government to start to progress the lifestyle and
health condition of the people in the these communities. Unquestionably,
the roles of these people had greatly helped the development of the
economy, for, the country traditionally depends on agriculture. And one of
the powers of the current administration is to strengthen agricultural
production to attain food security. And the farmers are the ones
dependable in this sector. This will absolutely affect the health of all the
Filipinos.