KORONADAL CITY, Philippines โ Tucked deep in the highlands of Tampakan, South Cotabato, where rugged terrain separates communities from basic services, a young volunteer health worker finds it fulfilling in bridging the gap between isolation and hope.
Kiel Ian Loria โ or Kiel, as heโs known to residents โ began his journey as a barangay health worker in Albagan, a remote upland community within the ancestral domain of the Blaan indigenous people. The area is believed to sit atop a staggering US$200 billion worth of copper and gold deposits, based on estimates from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and European geologists.
Scarcity at 3,000 Feet Above Sea Level
Despite this buried wealth, residents of Albagan live with scarcity. The village nestled at nearly 3,000 feet above sea level and almost 20 kilometers away from the town center. It has long been isolated by treacherous roads and high transportation costs โ up to P400 for a habal-habal ride just to reach basic supplies or medication.
โDati, hindi pa sementado ang kalsada. Kapag may lumalapit sa amin at humihingi ng gamot, wala kaming maibigay. Ire-refer pa namin sa munisipyo โ dagdag gastos, dagdag hirap,โ Kiel said.
The barangay receives just P20,000 a year from its National Tax Allotment for health and social services. That left Kiel and other health workers with barely anything to offer those who came to them for help.
Then came a surprise. The national government contracted Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) to operate the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project. The company provided Albagan with P100,000 worth of medicine through its Social Development and Management Program (SDMP).
โNagulat ako โ volume talaga โyung gamot. Para sa amin, malaking tulong โyun,โ Kiel said.
‘Fulfilling’
Although SMI has yet to begin operations โ itโs slated to start mining by 2026 โ the company has already poured over P2 billion into community development efforts across Tampakan and neighboring areas. These areas include Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, Malungon in Sarangani, and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.
For Kiel, the experience was transformative.
โFulfilling talaga siya. Nakatulong kami. Nabigay namin ang kailangan ng mga tao,โ he shared. โNgayon, hindi na kailangang bumaba pa sa poblacion para lang bumili ng gamot.โ
Beyond the meds, the SDMP has also supported education. Over 700 scholars โ both Blaan and non-Blaan โ have completed four-year degrees in Region 12 through the program.
Itโs a complicated landscape โ one where the promise of mineral wealth clashes with environmental concerns and the rights of indigenous communities. But for Kiel and the villagers of Albagan, the arrival of medicine meant one thing: dignity and relief, finally reaching their doorstep.
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