The Municipality of Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental Province, Region 7 bagged the 1st Runner-up award in the Reel-Making Contest with the theme Istoryang LAWA at BINHI: Pagbangon, Pag-ani, at Pag-asa sa Kabila ng Kalamidad during the Ready-to-Eat Food Launch and National LAWA at BINHI Convention, SMX Manila Trade Hall, Pasay City, on November 12, 2024.

The video entry featured the project beneficiaries from Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental, and their story of how they overcame the El Niño phenomenon through sustainable community farming. As mentioned in the video, under the harsh gaze of El Nino, our lands in Sta. Catalina has suffered: Dry soil, empty fields, and water scarcity have threatened their way of life. But amid the challenges, they planted the seeds of hope through Project LAWA at BINHI.

The Project LAWA and Binhi in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, has been made possible through the collective effort of DSWD 7, headed by Regional Director Shalaine Lucero, the Local Government Unit of Sta. Catalina (LGU), the Technical Working Group and partner-beneficiaries, and the Sta. Catalina community.

DSWD 7 Regional Director Shalaine Lucero expressed that the achievement goes beyond the competition, emphasizing the support that the project has given to communities who are vulnerable to disasters, “The success of the entry transcends beyond the competition as it featured how the beneficiaries of the project worked together to address their needs. We are confident with the direction of this project, and we are looking forward to its progress and development,” Lucero shared.

The reel entry took home a PHP 200,000 portable solar water system, a ₱20,000 cash prize, and a certificate.

Project LAWA at BINHI (Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) aims to create climate-and disaster-resilient communities by enhancing agricultural productivity. ###

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