The Cataw Integrated Rural Development Program is a long story of concern of the former Kalinga Christian Learning Center(KCLC), now Saint Tonis College, Inc., for the holistic welfare and total development of the surrounding communities that it serves.

The program was intended to empower and capacitate the residents to do something to improve their indivvidual lives, their families, and the community where they live. It was aimed to assist the residents have a sustained social and economic life as well as wholesome environment.

Being a Christian school mandated to carry on the educational ministry of the church, the spirit of  service of the STCI Team is anchored on the Biblical concept of  “my brother’s keeper, ” which is to look after the welfare of fellow humans.

The Why Question

The program was conceptualized and began when the previous president of the school, Dr. Presentacion Bartolo, wondered why many students could not pay their school fees on time and some parents pay in kind such as a ganta of rice, a cup of coffee powder, vegetables, and other native products. To search for the answer, she then led a team of KCLC faculty to start a series of visits to the communities where the students live to know the situations of their families and their communities. As a result of the ocular observations and situation assessment visits, the team planned and implemented development programs in identified communities. And of all the rural communities as beneficiaries of the community services, it was in Cataw (formerly Catao), a village which is a part of Barangay Lacnog, Tabuk City, that the school had the last and longest term and most holistic community development program, that spanned two decades..

          The long-term integrated community development program applied a holistic approach that covered important aspects of  living, from spiritual to literacy, health and wellness, livelihood, sanitation and environment. The ceommunity development program was based on the principle “helping the people to help themselves” and stand on their own for a sustained development of their own community.

STCI has done its role for Cataw community(formerly also called Catao), and the community can now stand on its own. UCCP continues to have connections with the community because of the church established, but STCI has to continue and will continue its role focussing on other communities in need, hence the need for this terminal report on Cataw.

Program Accomplishments

The program spanned from the late 90’s to 2024 and is still being maintained to this day.