Pidjanga

(Glossogobius giuris) is a freshwater fish native to Mainit Lake. It is called “biya” in Tagalog and “white goby or tank goby” in English. The term “pidjanga” is also sometimes fondly used to refer to the Mainitnons, the people of the Municipality of Mainit, a town in Southern Philippines. This blog hopes to capture potentials of Migrants Pidjangas for the Development of our Town by attempting to document development issues, folk stories, and current concerns, about the Pidjanga — both the fish and the people.

The Mainitnon Gihapon Projects 2012-2015

I first posted about the the online group Maintinon Gihapon in Dec 2011 (HERE). Created as a Facebook Group in August 2011 by Mana Mary Lincuna "Daday" delaCosta Castro and Mana Wilhaida "Haidz" Mondano Elsisura, Mainitnon Gihapon, rapidly grew into a throng of Mainitnons around the world. It went viral after the pioneering member-subscribers added fellow Mainitnons (or those with Mainitnon roots) into the group... where exchanges about anything and everything Mainitnon were rapidly posted online.

Fast forward 2015, today, barely just 4 years and around 400 facebook subscribers, the group has grown into a development platform helping the town of Mainit in many ways with projects implemented amounting to a total of, in my own estimate, already a couple of millions of pesos.

Below are the initial list of projects implemented and the people behind its success:

2011 Pails of Joy (POJ 1)
17 December 2011

Distribution of 400 pails full of grocery items and toys for kids. Recipients were the financially-challenged families of Bgy. Quezon and Bgy. Magsaysay, town proper of Mainit., distributed on December 17, 2011.
2013 Packs of Joy (POJ 2)
More than 100 backpacks full of school supplies and slippers were distributed to the kids of chosen families of the puroks of Bgy. Quezon and Bgy. Magsaysay, on the 2nd day of the 1st MG Global Reunion in May, 2013

2015 Packs of Joy (POJ 3)
30 May 2015

265 backpacks full of school supplies & slippers, to kids of chosen recipients by the donors..., Tagbuyawan, Tapian, Mansayao, San Francisco, San Isidro and; Mabini. 
Sponsors. 1. Marilyn Boucher 2. Joy Mosad 3. Ofelia Mondano 4. Jandie Perez 5. Zoraida Sudweeks6. Flora Elsisura Farrell 7. Joan Christine Relliquette Paloma 8. Dexter Cabahug Jr. 9. Mary Castro
2015 TREE PLANTING in Bitang-ag Shore of Lake Mainit
30 May 2015
Sponsors: 1. Pinky Mozar Chang 2. Mary Castro 3. Joy Mosad 4. Zoraida Mondano Sudweeks 5. Ning Odiada 6. Loida Mondano 7. Vilma Mosende De Guzman 8. Mary Ann Serna 9. Jocelyn Arat Mondano 10.Asael Mordeno 11.Al Rodin Behagan 12.PidjangaZimm Mainitnon (Peter Mosende) 13.Flora Elsisura Farrell 14.Brenda Mondano Madria 15.Rowena Mosende Windsor

2015 KITE FLYING FESTIVAL 
31 May 2015
Sponsors. 1. Pinky Chang 2. Grace Sorongon 3. Wendell Canseco 4. Loida Mondano 5. Zoraida Sudweeks
2015 BINGO SOCIALS for Mainitnon Senior Citizens
31 May 2015

Sponsors. 1. Ali-Josie Patino 2. Loida Mondano 3. Flora Elsisura Farrell4. Jocelyn Mondano Tilaon 5. Julia Montaner Scharporn
Give-aways to seniors. 1, Pinky Mozar Chang 2. Dindin Castro 3. Flora Elsisura Farrell 4. Loida Mondano 5. Joy Mosad 6. Mary Castro

2012 TMI-led Tree Planting in Panayakpan. MG members adopted several trees..

2013 Dance Contest. School dance contest during the town fiesta celebration.

2012 Medical Mission. Medical Mission of Mainit Parish Council.

2014 Donation to the Parish Convent. MG donated 1 airconditioning unit.

2014 Fun Run. MG partnered with the parish council para Fun Run, all proceeds went to the church.

2013 Christmas Carol Contest. MG sponsored Daygon Contest for all puroks of Mainit Poblacion. 

2014 Cash Donation. Quezon Elementary School for Brigada Eskwela.

2015 Feeding. For the the Lake Mainit flood evacuees.

2013 Oplan Kibido (Eyeglasses). Medical mission for the senior citizens during the 1st MG Reunion in 2013

2015 Grass Cutter donation to Barangay Quezon for the maintenance of Tree Planting Projects.

2014 Cash Donation. San Jose Primary School to upgrade their school project chosen to compete in the regional level.

A major learning from previous online or cyber groups, a local working group based in Mainit is essential in implementing projects for Mainit. No amount of global finances or support will be sufficient to implement a single project unless a strong local team is organized to plan, coordinate and manage projects. In this regard, the MG projects will be impossible to implement without the dedication and enthusiasm for the following MG Working Team (in no particular order):
1. Malou Tejano Mozar 2. MariaLiza-Danilo Cortes 3. Luz Moyon Nilo Moyon 4. Naids Alajas Eroma Bulawin 5. Val Lozada  6. Aning Lincuna 7. Edencio Mosende Jr. 8. Susan Canseko 9. Joseph Alicante 10. Joan Christine Relliquette Paloma 11.Josefina Orang 12. Nenen Salino 13. Macario Antonio Mosca 14. Garrido Judybhabes 15.Alan Angelo Mozar 16.Maria Rodena Madria

The 2015 recipients of MG's Packs of Joy (POJ 3)

The MG Local Team leading the transport of MG's  2015Packs of Joy (POJ 3)

Photos: Monmon Libarnes. Zimmbo Mosende

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Maradjao karadjao, Pilipinas!

Welcome to the online home of the Pidjangas from the Municipality of Mainit, Surigao del Norte, PHILIPPINES . Pidjanga, Pedianga, Pijanga, Pedjanga... amo ra ton... gikan sa ato danao! For comments and suggestion contact me at pidjanga@gmail.com.

CBCP News: Mining threatens 4th largest freshwater lake in PH

SEVEN are in the town of Mainit, Surigao del Norte... of the 15 exploration permits (EP) that the Regional Office 13 (CARAGA) of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Environment department approved as of June 30, 2010.

Read more at www.cbcpnews.com and Surigao Today.

If you want to support the protection of Lake Mainit, contact me at pidjangaATgmailDOTcom or 0917-800-4557. Zimm/Peter/Pidjanga

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