Pain medicine Alaxan FR has chosen barangay Taclobo, from among several possible beneficiaries in the Visayas and Mindanao, to be the recipient of a basketball court.
The construction of the basketball court, located in purok Santan, started with a groundbreaking ceremony last week as part of an event called Aray Natin, Galing Natin.”
Why Taclobo? “Aside from it being the biggest barangay in Dumaguete, we saw that there was really a need for a basketball court,” said Angeline Ople, brand manager of Alaxan.
Taclobo has 10,598 residents as of last count, with not a single proper basketball court.
“As you can see, “Ople said, “despite having a big population, the current basketball court they have is rough. You can barely call it a basketball court. And also, besides that, we saw their [residents’] volunteerism and their willingness to help.”
This program, Ople explained, was conceived when Alaxan wanted to promote the concept that through shared pain, there is shared gain.
“It was an event which sought to “unite the community” by letting them build the basketball court within 21 days with Alaxan sponsoring the materials to be used,” Ople said.
Barangay residents, headed by barangay captain Gregorio Suasin, offered their services to see the project rise.
The project received praises from residents, especially barangay kagawad Rolando Lazarita, who referred to it as “the most important contribution we have given to our barangay.”
Lazarita said this project would do some good to keep the youth away from the dangers of drugs.
Drug abuse is one of the major problems confronting barangay Taclobo, so much so that people try to play basketball to stay away from it.
“One reason why I volunteered to help build this basketball court is because basketball is one way of keeping the residents from their vices, especially from my age group who gamble and do drugs when they are bored,” said barangay resident Leonard Vincent, 19.
Vincent, who also plays basketball for his barangay, said he looks forward to the time when they would no longer have to practice in other barangays. “I am sure almost all the players in Taclobo will improve now that we will have a proper court.”
Dumaguete was the second stop for Aray natin, Galing natin and was started in Ilo-ilo the previous week. In the following weeks the kick-off construction of courts will be in Butuan City. (Paulo Lim, SU Masscom intern)
