"Knowledge is not exclusively acquired from within the confines of University campuses. Rather it can be experienced and realized Faster – perhaps with more impact – through actual application In community development."

Dr.Trinidad Casas Cuyegkeng
(Founder, UNICORP)

Historically, it may be said to have begun some thirty years ago when urbanization became a pronounced phenomenon. The Philippines shares this phenomenon with the rest of Southeast Asia. The rapid and certainly problematic influx of migrants to the country’s premier urban centers (chiefly, Metropolitan Manila) is now an established demographic fact. As of 1980, 36.2 percent of the entire Filipino population lived in urban areas and the urbanization of Filipinos now escalates by 4 percent since 1984.Urbanizatiion brings with it its consequent ills. Perhaps nothing typifies these ills more graphically than the problem of “squatting.”- A problem of poverty and deprivation, both in symbol and actuality.

Towards Human Settlements

The mandate for the formation of Human settlements came on September 19, 1973 when Executive Order No. 419 instituted the Task Force on Human Settlements. Under the general guidelines formulated by the United Nations Environment Program for Human Settlements., President Ferdinand Marcos directed the task Force to develop a national framework that would become a general scheme for development, as well as a program for national housing.

The Birth of Dasmarinas Resettlement Project

In 1975, President Marcos designated a 234-hectare site in Dasmarinas Cavite (acquired fourteen years previously by the now defunct People’s Home site and Housing Corporation) as the ideal location for the country’s pilot model for viable human settlements. In 1973, this site became known as Dasmarinas Resettlement Area. The name since 1978 has been changed to Bagong Bayan or "New Town"

Area A1 was the first community to be formed in the Dasmarinas Resettlement Area. Initial settlers numbed about 1,280 families. They were provided with health center, an elementary school, kindergarten /day care and a multipurpose hall and Chapel. They were also the beneficiaries of one academic community’s venture into social development.

UNICORP – A Response to the call of the government:

This academic community is the Philippine Women’s University – the first university for women in Asia founded by Asians in 1919 has for more than eight decade taught young men and women civic consciousness, community leadership and commitment to service.

The university believes that in line with preparing students for useful citizenship, they should participate actively in community living and keep in touch with the realities in the outside world, Through the UNICORP , the university hopes to imbibe the in its students the gospel message “I am my brother’s keeper”.

In consonance with this philosophy, the University Community Outreach Program was established in 1975. It was one of the non-government organization that assisted in the first batch of relocated families in Area A-1, Dasmarinas Bagong Bayan, Cavite. It was the PWU’s response to a call for assistance from the private sector in creating an integrated multi – sectoral approach to urbanization. The UNICORP was formally organized as a Private Volunteer Organization (PVO) to help National Housing Authority to improve the relocation thrust toward urbanization...

A program inspired by Dr. Helena Z Benitez. Together with the Mayor of Dasmarinas, Ms. Benitez organized a group known as the Concerned Citizens. This group sought to assist the government in facilitating the resettlement process and to hasten the integration of the resettlement community as an acceptable part of the Dasmarinas town environment. UNICORP began as the secretariat of this group before eventually becoming an independent entity.

UNICORP represented a concrete response to President Marcos call from a private sector involvement in the DRA endeavor. UNICORP positioned itself as a non-government organization that sought to integrate the education and training of PWU students with volunteerism – participation in community development programs for the benefit of Area a1 families. These first settlers became UNICORP’s responsibility in terms of health, nutrition, and educational program.

Thus, UNICORP was tasked with:

• Helping to implement the government the government agencies plans for meeting community needs.
• Augmenting and complementing through its volunteers the human and material resources found in the community.
• Meeting the increasing demands of adjustment in the building of a new town, a new human settlement.

In the pursuit of this mandate, UNICORP involves young adults on a full–time “stay in “and or day service capacity. They represented various academic disciplines and professions. This multi-disciplinary work force included teams from Social Work, Nutrition, Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical Technology, CBIBE and Education. Combined, these disciplines are integrated into the over all program of service being implemented in the resettlement site by the National Housing Authority. While these disciplines have their own specialized objectives, they all adhere to an underlying collective goal: formation of a true human settlement in the Dasmarinas Resettlement area.

The Adopted Community:

The first 2000 settler’s families in Area A1 in Dasmarinas Bagong Bayan were the beneficiaries of UNICORP. The programs and services, being rendered by the volunteers from the various PWU discipline such as Nursing, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Social Work, Education, CBIBE and Medical Technology.

From 1983 – 1998, UNICORP supported 320 families in Area A1, now known as as DBB-1 Cavite , through a sponsorship program with Christian Children’s Fund Inc. as the funding agency. Another milestone achievement of UNICORP includes the leadership Training program, establishment of Botika sa Barangay, building of community cooperative and Primary health care program. The program on Katiwala sa Kalusugan won a Silver Award through the DOH project – HAMIS, Health Management Information System.

In 1993, UNICORP expanded its programs to the depressed communities in Payatas Quezon City, a joint project with the Population Commission. On March 1995, UNICORP adopted another 33 hectares relocation area in Bautista Property at Barangay Sampaloc IV, Dasmarinas, Cavite.., another NHA project. The PWU-UNICORP helped Bautista to organize a People’s organization known as Dasmarinas Bautista Community Organization for Progress (DBCOP).

In 1998, Philippine School of Social Work joined force for an effective training of social work students and other students from various colleges in the university.

After six years of partnership with DBCOP, UNICORP again expanded its services to another community in General Trias, Cavite.

Satellite communities are being organized in other areas in coordination with the members of the inter-agency committee in Dasmarinas.

The UNICORP together with the PSSW remains committed to increase participation and leadership in community building and national development. Thus, January 2005. UNICORP again extended its community services to another housing project of NHA, the Kasiglahan Village Project 3 in Barangay Osorio, Trece Martirez City.

PWU-UNICORP will continue to uphold its mission of serving the different communities through the Spirit of Volunteerism!

“Education must not be exclusively profession centered but must carry a community service orientation. The university needs to relate education to human settlements concept of Community Building. The university opens its door to national concerns and allows its constituents – faculty, students and alumnae to become actively involved. It extends its walls to encompass the larger society and keeps its students in touch with the realities of the outside world”

Dr. Amelou B. Reyes
President, PWU