Cawa, known as "Jai," is from Balut Island, Sarangani Municipality, Davao Occidental. She is a proud member of the Indigenous Peoples Blaan tribe.
๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐:
โก๏ธJai completed her Bachelorโs degree in Tourism Management.
โก๏ธShe is an alumna of the American Field Service (AFS), an organization originally formed during World War I and World War II to provide humanitarian aid. It later be
came a global program for cultural exchange, volunteerism, and learning, aiming to promote peace and understanding among cultures.
โก๏ธJai also studied French Literature and Language in France.
โก๏ธShe is pursuing a postgraduate degree in law to become a lawyer.
๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐:
Jai has served in several roles in both government and non-government organizations:
๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ:
โก๏ธFederation President of the Sanggunian Kabataan for the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sarangani.
โก๏ธMunicipal Administrator and Tourism Officer for the Local Government of Sarangani, Davao Occidental.
โก๏ธLocal Coordinator for the School of Living Traditions, a cultural program funded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), which preserves and teaches the traditions of the Blaan and Sangir tribes of Balut Island.
๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ:
โก๏ธExecutive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Office for Plans and Programs at the Department of National Defense.
โก๏ธCommunications and Advocacy Specialist for the World Bank-funded Mindanao Inclusive Agricultural Development Project (MIADP) under the Department of Agriculture, a $100-million project focused on improving agriculture in Mindanao.
๐๐จ๐ง-๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค:
โก๏ธFounder and Executive Director of Add Peace Mindanao Inc., an NGO that works on peacebuilding in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao. The organization partners with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to help communities recover and sustain peace through education, WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programs, and livelihood projects.
๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ:
โก๏ธJai owns and manages a beach resort in Balut Island.
โก๏ธShe runs farms producing coconuts, coffee, root crops, and fruits.
โก๏ธShe co-owns a restaurant in Davao City.
๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฌ:
Jai is passionate about several causes, reflecting her personal experiences and cultural heritage:
โก๏ธ๐พ๐ช๐ก๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ
As a member of the Blaan tribe, Jai is dedicated to preserving the traditions and cultural heritage of Indigenous Peoples. She works to ensure that these traditions, which are at risk of disappearing, are passed on to the next generation.
โก๏ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ช๐๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ค
Jai strongly supports peace efforts in Mindanao. She collaborates with the government, civil society, and local communities to address armed conflicts and create sustainable peace. Her work includes raising awareness, helping communities recover, and supporting education and livelihood initiatives.
โก๏ธ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ฉ๐-๐๐๐ค๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฃ (๐๐ผ๐๐พ)
Jai is a survivor of violence and strongly advocates for raising awareness about violence against women and children. She supports programs that educate communities about these issues and aims to help end such violence in the future.
โก๏ธ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฉ๐ ๐ผ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ
Jai promotes mental health awareness, focusing on reducing stigma and supporting mental health programs. Her advocacy is rooted in her personal experience with mental illness. She highlights the lack of mental health resources in the Philippines, where many suffer from depression and anxiety, and calls for more support and services to address this crisis.
โก๏ธ๐ผ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ง๐
Jai is a strong supporter of animal rights and welfare. She actively educates people about Republic Act 8485, the Animal Welfare Act of the Philippines, which protects and promotes the welfare of all animals. She fosters and adopts animals, supports and volunteers at animal shelters, and currently cares for five dogs. She previously had nine dogs, four of which have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Jai also rescues and releases snakes back into the wild, receiving education and training from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). She continues to advocate for proper treatment and coexistence with wildlife, spreading awareness about their importance to the ecosystem.
