Background
After a two-year missionary apprenticeship among the indigenous Bajau population living in Batangas City, Edwin and Perla Villanueva moved back to Apalit, Pampanga in November 2001. This Bajau indigenous group had been displaced from its homeland in parts of Western Mindanao (Zamboanga City, Basilan and Sulu) as a result of a spike in tourism and social unrest. They found safer refug
e in parts of Luzon and were already scattered about in areas like Apalit as a result of their dislocation from developing spots in Manila where they had previously stayed (Pier, Baclaran, Blumentrit, Navotas and Roxas Blvd.). Their homelessness and deprived situation issued a call to action for both Edwin and Pearl. By September 2002, Edwin Villanueva and the Apalit Philippines National Police Chief (PNP) Retired Col. George Pinpin gathered and resettled the Bajaus under the Sulipan Bridge with the consent of the Department of Public Works and Highways. The bridge served as a remote area away from the local residents and therefore allowed the Bajaus to live peacefully as an isolated, yet organized community. However, without any substantive programs and projects to really direct and empower this population, a temporary locality fix would not suffice. Edwin and Pearl Villanueva, possessing an acute familiarity with the unique cultural make-up of the Bajaus, conflated with the present societal obstacles allowed for both to foresee the inevitable: A difficult and challenging assimilation into the greater Apalit community for this Bajau population. In order to take a step forward in the apparent need to develop concrete programs and initiatives to establish a stronger advocacy for the natural rights and lack of opportunities for these marginalized Bajau migrants, God’s Love for the Indigents Ministry, Inc. Currently, GLIM has lead the movement to register the Bajau children in the local school systems, set-up livelihood and microfinance ventures for the Bajau women, and facilitate life-skill modules to develop basic knowledge and transferable skills for the Bajau Adults. Vision
To see all Bajau migrants here in Central Luzon be afforded with basic freedoms and rights which enable them to actualize their full potential as fellow Filipinos to counter the ever-growing negative perceptions and attitudes harbored by those who judge and misunderstand the plight of this population. Mission Statement
To gain knowledge, humility, and inspiration from one of the most socially oppressed and ignored ethnic tribal groups in the Philippines which will allow us to create a model Bajau community accentuating the quality in every man, woman and child, chipping away at uninformed generalizations, and creating a holistic movement of awareness and support for change. Clientele
Bajau Indigenous people that migrate to Central Luzon as a result of their dislocation from Western Mindanao where constant war erupts. Better known as water-dwelling sea-gypsies, the Bajau ethnic group is without ancestral land to live on here in Central Luzon. GLIM is intending to support these indigenous people with the end of giving them a descent and permanent community to live in and a land-based livelihood to depend on. Villanueva
Chairman & Agency Head
The Managing Head of all Agency Operations
Community Coordinator
Lead Facilitator for Community Meetings and Visitors
Perla C. Villanueva
Director of Programs
Chief Coordinator of all Community Projects/Programs
Secretary/Treasurer
Maintain the Agency Documents, Records & Files
Bali Sailabe
Community Chieftain
Report and maintain a running tab on the welfare of all Community Members
Presides over community council which communicates the community events/affairs to GLIM Staff
Priscilla P. Cruz
Women’s Group Facilitator
Regularly gathers and holds life-skill sessions for the women
Phillip A. Olaleye
US Peace Corps Volunteer
Lourdes Gutierrez
Agency Social Worker
Assist and lead the Agency with other legal procedures
Personnel Policies/Human Resource Management
Benign interest and loose leadership govern the personnel involved with GLIM. The aforementioned personnel are all voluntarily serving and the services rendered are non-proprietary in nature. That being said, there are no strict governing policies outside of mutual respect and a shared common interest in the advancement of the indigenous Bajau population. Financial Management
Primary fund sourcing depends on the voluntary charity of individual donors. Other needs are met through partnerships in which projects are funded, provided and materialized by the concerned partners. Operational funds from regular pledges and those funds generated from livelihood projects and micro-finance ventures are recorded daily and weekly in a cash journal. Monthly and annual financial statements are prepared to present the summary of income and expenses of the agency. Annual reports are submitted to the Bureau of Internal Review (BIR), the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
