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Community Awareness and Services
for Ecological Concern or CASEC was established and founded by Rev. Fr. Egay
C. Dy. A Filipino of Chinese descent, born in the island of Mindanao in the
Province of Agusan del Sur. An advocate of spirituality, nature conservation,
freedom, peace and human rights.
In those early years, the founder
himself realized that helping the individual change society in a peaceful
manner has a far more greater impact rather than radicalism.
From then on, Rev. Fr. Egay C. Dy
envisioned to form an organization focusing on taking care of Mother Nature
and taking into account the phrase "humanity needs nature, nature likewise
needed humanity, and instead of perceiving its task into it, humanity
perverted the natural image of mother Nature".
In 1987, the founder, with his
strong commitment, found himself working on community development programs
handling socio-economic projects particularly in the town of Candijay, Bohol.
Not for long, the founder started
to pursue his ideology of helping the grassroots. Encountered difficulties
became his ultimate challenge, turning negative issues into positive one.
Further on, Rev. Fr. Egay C. Dy showed his pure and clean intentions, working
day and night, immersing deep into the grassroots life cycle.
On January 23, 1989, CASEC with
its original name Candijay Service Center was born, organized and established
under the main concept of Rev. Fr. Egay C. Dy. Emabarking on its own, CASEC in
those early years immediately engaged families and households to issues
related to the environment, demonstrating a highly focused orientation both
in terms of area coverage and concern. While the validity of its aim was
highlighted by the fact that Bohol was a pristine island slowly overrun by so
called "development".
During those early years,
Candijay Service Center or CASEC only had four progressive volunteers.
Through conducting trainings on soap making and compost making to the members
of their organizations, CASEC was able to make ends meet on their own without
any support from the government and other organizations. There early office
was made to hop from location to the other due to circumstances that were
beyond there control. But this never hindered the founder and his volunteers
commitment towards development work in the communities.
To prove all false accusations,
CASEC organized the Candijay Farmers Association (CAFAA), Candijay Christian
Youth Organization (CCYO), Candijaynong Kababayen-an para sa Kaugmaran (CAPKA),
Tanabog Farmers Association (TAFAA) and federated into one municipal
federation called Candijay Federation of Rural Workers (CFRW) and on December
18, 1989, the federation was registered in the Bureau of Rural Workers under
the Department of Labor and Employment.
On the following year, CASEC in
partnership with CFRW acquired a three year contract for the monitoring
of planted trees with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),
a government agency in the Philippines. The DENR project stint gave CASEC an
overwhelming impact. It contributed to their ailing financial source and
secondly, its vision for the ecology was greatly practiced and applied
directly.
Due to external and internal
conflicts, CASEC decided to transfer its office and settle somewhere in the
City of Tagbilaran.
In Tagbilaran, the capital city
of Bohol, CASEC set up its main office. The remaining volunteers sorted out
an income generating project through t-shirt printing and selling of herbal
medicines. Despite of financial difficulties to answer the needs of its
operation and subsistence, CASEC was still able to launch activities for the
members of the organization back in Candijay. These activities includes
Leadership Trainings, Organic Farming, Integrated Food Processing and Summer
Youth Camps. However, due to human necessities, the volunteers were never
able to escape from economic strife, for such that, CASEC funds alone could
not answer the needs during those times. This further triggered the founder
to source out funds for his programs, goals and support for his volunteering
staffs.
Fortunately, the
Philippine-Australian Community Assistance Program (PACAP) launched a
training in Cebu City, and CASEC was lucky enough to be invited as one of the
participants in the activity. With the help and belief of PACAP coordinators
on the commitment and thrust of CASEC's vision, mission and goal embedded
into its project concepts, CASEC acquired financial assistance from PACAP for
its project implementations.
With availability of funds for
project operations, the volunteer staffs together with the members of the
Candijay federation agreed to expand its organization to other towns of Bohol.
Unfortunately, the acronym of CASEC as Candijay Service Center became a
hindrance for the planned expansion. For that reason, CASEC decided to change
its acronym into Community Awareness and Services for Ecological Concern,
with an aim to impart its services to other areas.
On September 12, 1991, CASEC as
Community Awareness and Services for Ecological Concern was formally
incorporated as a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organization.
Dedicated to the rehabilitation, protection, conservation and development of
the environment for future generations. With the aim - to enhance the
people's consciousness about the ecological situation in the Philippines. The
new acronym demonstrates a more matured and developed service oriented
organization. In 1994, CASEC was also able to establish a development
partnership with the German Adult Education Association International (www.dvv-international.de)
which supported its continuing adult education program for the grassroots.
As years rolled one by one, CASEC
successfully implemented its projects. Armed by its time bounded programs,
CASEC as of to date still exists and continues to safeguard the integrity of
creation.
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