Kalimpyo Hu Kaugmaon: Building Health, Preserving Dignity, Securing the Future

The story of Makabugwas Ta San Dionesio Elementary School reaches back to 1965, when the people of this land prayed to the morning star, Makabugwas, asking that education find its way to their community in Talakag, Bukidnon. More than five decades later, in 2017, the school was established. For the Talaandig and Higaonon families who call this place home, it marked the fulfillment of a long awaited hope that their children would grow up with access to learning within their own ancestral community.

When members of the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro East Urban conducted an ocular inspection on June 18, 2025, they encountered a school sustained by determination. The campus serves 266 learners. Some classrooms remain unfinished, with makeshift walls and dirt floors. There were no functioning toilets available for the students. When children needed to attend to basic needs, they would quietly step away from class, walk home, use areas beyond the campus, and at times even cross roads just to access a toilet. This was not expressed as a grievance, but simply the reality they had adapted to.

Throughout the visit, the community’s commitment to education was unmistakable; parents were engaged, tribal leaders were present, teachers continued teaching with focus. The desire to secure a better future for their children was clear.

When Rotary District 3870, under the leadership of District Governor Marlowe Selecios, approved a Php 120,000 District Grant, it created the opportunity to address a need that directly affected both health and learning. Proper sanitation shapes attendance, safety, and the daily rhythm of education.

After the signing of the agreement among the stakeholders on December 12, 2025, the community gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony. Tribal leaders, parents, teachers, and students stood together as the project formally began. The ceremony opened with the Pangapog ritual, a sacred tradition performed to seek permission from Magbabaya and the spirits of nature before any work commenced. It was an offering of thanksgiving, a prayer for protection and guidance, and a cleansing of any negative energy or untoward incidents. Beginning in this way affirmed respect for the traditions of the Talaandig and Higaonon community. Once the ritual concluded, the groundbreaking followed and construction moved forward.

Parents assisted in digging the two septic tanks required for the system. Rotary took responsibility for constructing the four toilets and completing the handwashing facility, while also building the tower for an existing smaller water tank and securing the plumbing connections that linked the entire system together. Chairman Su and her team ensured proper coordination, technical oversight, and steady follow-through despite the setbacks due to the intermittent weather conditions.

On February 28, 2026, the Kalimpyo Hu Kaugmaon Sanitation Project was formally turned over to Makabugwas Ta San Dionesio Elementary School.

The completed facilities include:

• Three classroom toilets
• One shared use communal toilet
• Two septic tanks
• A completed handwashing station
• previously donated water tank now installed on tower and full plumbing connections

The goal was not only to provide access but to ensure durability and long term use and thus the facilities were built with tiled floors, tiled walls, and proper lavatories, the facilities were designed to serve students reliably for many years.

During the turnover program, Project Chair Su Macapayag emphasized that the facilities were constructed to protect the health of the students and to ensure that children no longer need to leave the campus simply to use a toilet. In her acceptance speech, School Head Ms. Kem Abio expressed gratitude, acknowledging that the school’s limited budget would not have allowed this project to be completed independently. She noted that what has been built will benefit not only the present learners, but generations to come.

For a young child beginning school, the impact is immediate and practical. They remain in class. They stay within a safe and structured environment. Learning continues without unnecessary interruption.

This initiative fulfills Rotary’s commitment under the Area of Focus on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. Safe toilets and clean water protect health while reinforcing dignity within the learning space.

The club also extends sincere appreciation to all members of the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro East Urban whose TRF and project fund contributions helped make this initiative possible.

Check out our project completion video below

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