The Resonating Chorus of Xavier Ecoville

"The stories of its own residents and the countless names of people who form part of Xavier Ecoville’s great tapestry of narratives give them the best reason to hope for sustainable years ahead."

Proem by Stephen J Pedroza
(Download the Xavier Ecoville².)

As vivid as it was well-prepared, a night in December 2013 was worthy to be remembered. Around fifty performers, clad in colorful costumes, presented a rundown of artistic numbers during the “Straight from the Art” show — folk dance and chorale performances, a group declamation, comedy skits, storytelling, painting exhibit, Christmas carols and a short play — which attracted many viewers who packed the theater house of Xavier University.

One of the highlights of that show was the soulful number, “Sa Xavier Ecoville,” an original composition of and performed by Paul Peji Aguiman and his band in the musical show. It was significant to remember that song for it chronicled the torment they went through when Typhoon Sendong struck, the struggle to survive its aftermath, the rebuilding of lives and now, sustaining life in their new homes. Toward the end of the song, many people got teary-eyed.

Among the many spectators was Alexie Colipano. “This is a way to express what we have become two years after [Typhoon] Sendong. It is also one of the few ways that we can set as examples that even though we went through a difficult time, we still help each other,” he said, referring to the victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda to whom they dedicated the show. The family of Colipano is only one of over 500 families residing at Xavier Ecoville, nestled in Barangay Lumbia in the uptown portion of Cagayan de Oro City.

It was also at the same time when Shirley Siarot began pedaling the sewing machine together with other women of Xavier Ecoville, thus, the inception of their Sewing and Textile Enterprise. The journey of selling bags while managing an empowering livelihood organization has been one that goes up and down, a journey paved with perseverance yet not without challenges. Part of “Straight from the Art” show was the launching of their livelihood undertaking, bearing the tagline — “Do you carry the PagBAG-o?” — a play on the words “bag” and “pagbabago” (change).

Aguiman, Colipano and Siarot are not just residents of Xavier Ecoville. They are living testaments that ordinary voices in this community, when pooled together, can realize a self-reliant neighborhood. Together with a city that bears a myriad of definitions of resiliency, we all have learned the hard lessons. It is central to remember the lessons we have ascertained from the tragedy, beyond numbers and figures. Further than what is obvious, we ought to see the larger picture—the sense of community and to think of the future.

It was in a not-so-distant past when Typhoon Sendong came like a thief in the night and left behind shattered homes, broken dreams, and curtailed thousands of lives of Kagay-anons. The enormous scale and extent of the damage wrought by the typhoon brought the “City of Golden Friendship” to a standstill, clearly indicating the need for sustainable reconstruction and rehabilitation of which XU was among the first institutions to respond to the call.

In collaboration with different organizations with diverse resources and expertise in resettlement, the Xavier Ecoville Project courageously embarked on an exigent yet fulfilling task of making sense of the massive loss of lives and damage to properties in order to conceive a multi-year, multi-level and agenda-targeted rehabilitation and resiliency strategy that will not only bring the Sendong-stricken families back on their feet but also serve as an exemplary archetype of a university-led resettlement community.

With their recent achievements in integrating various livelihood programs and strengthening its local governance, Xavier Ecoville remains steadfast in flourishing itself so it can inspire a booming local economy and leadership with its own residents as the frontliners. Establishing entrepreneurial opportunities is Xavier Ecoville’s number one priority. At present, they have six enterprises: (1) credit and loans, (2) wholesale, (3) food, (4) manpower, (5) sewing, and (6) agri-enterprise.

Sa Xavier Ecoville, kami malipayon
Tungod sa pagsinabtanay samatag-usang panimalay
Naningkamot ang usag-usa alang sa kausaban
Salamat sa Kahitas-an gidungog ang kabag-ohan namong tanan
— “Sa Xavier Ecoville” (2013)

(At Xavier Ecoville, we are happy/ Because of the harmony of every home/ Each one of us strives for change/ Thanks to the Highest who granted progress to all of us)

In paving this bright future they aspire, there will be challenges, no less difficult than what they have experienced in the past but now they have the advantage: the knowledge documents. This is what this special magazine is all about — to take us back to how they started and moved forward, from ideation to scratches to construction to empowerment. This publication could not have been achieved without a large measure of dedication from our contributing writers, photographers, artists, public and private partner institutions.

As part of XE’s Knowledge Product Development Program, this can be beneficial to groups and organizations who are interested in replicating the framework of the Xavier Ecoville Project to other resettlement communities. This publication takes its name from the compendium of stories, challenges and lessons from the Phase IV (Year 2) of the project, thus, Xavier Ecoville². This magazine is an answer that yes, the XE community continues to grow, that it remains true to its goal of becoming “a self-sufficient, self-governing community” as how its pioneers envisioned this village to be.

One year before the management of the Xavier Ecoville Project concludes, one thing will stay, the thought that they were able to usher in efficient coordination as an integral part of building not just a mere community but an inspiring model of what a resettlement undertaking can achieve. The stories of its own residents and the countless names of people who form part of Xavier Ecoville’s great tapestry of narratives give them the best reason to hope for sustainable years ahead.

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PUBLISHER
The Xavier Ecoville Project

EDITOR IN CHIEF
Stephen J Pedroza

ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Angela Bernice C Cabildo

MANAGING EDITOR
Niña Bea Cadorna

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The Resonating Chorus of Xavier Ecoville

"The stories of its own residents and the countless names of people who form part of Xavier Ecoville’s great tapestry of narratives give them the best reason to hope for sustainable years ahead."