IGNITE VOLUME 3 NO. 1 JANUARY - JULY 2017
staffbox EDITOR/DESIGN/PHOTOGRAPHY
VJ MATIAS
SUPERVISING EDITOR
TOM PIGNON CONTRIBUTORS
JON NEVIN DIZON PRAISE ANNE OBENA AILEEN KUNISADA ALEJANDRA CONIENDO KATE LOYOLA PUBLISHER
ADRA PHILIPPINES
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of ADRA Philippines.
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FACTS & FIGURES
Numbers that show how ADRA has impacted victims of calamity and disaster
MEET OUR NEW COUNTRY DIRECTOR! ADRA RESPONDS
ADRA distributes shelter kits to victims of Typhoon Nina
NEWS
Read about some of the activities we’ve been up to for the first half of the year
COVER STORY
ADRA gives YOU a chance to help make a better world!
FEATURE
A pregnant woman shares her struggles as she flees from the Marawi conflict
STORIES FROM MARAWI JON DIZON’S INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE
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@ADRAPHILIPPINES WWW.ADRA.PH
facts & figures When they need us, we’re already there. ADRA Philippines has responded to different disasters and crises from January to June 2017. Through these response operations, we aim to provide hope and comfort to those in need.
5,988 FAMILIES
850
SHELTER KITS
998
BED KITS
2,400
KITCHEN SETS
1,790
FOOD PACKS
Thousands of families were affected by Typhoon Nina, fires in Luzon, floods in CDO, and the ongoing conflict in Marawi City.
800 victims of Typhoon Nina received shelter kits so they can have shelter as they rebuild their homes
Sleep is hard to find for the refugees from Marawi City but the bed kits we provided will help them rest at night.
Victims of fire lose all their possessions. These kitchen sets will help provide their much needed meals as they try to get back on their feet.
As refugees from Marawi lost their livelihood, they now struggle to put food on their tables. These food packs will help feed a family for one week.
country director MEET OUR NEW
I write this sitting in the departure lounge of Naga airport following a two-day visit to our EMBRACE Project in Camarines Sur. These trips are always refreshing as they are a reminder of why we do what we do. Spending time with our field staff inspires me in my work as I see first hand the hard work, dedication and sacrifice that ADRA staff make to support the lives of others in the community - not intent on just achieving the project’s goals but on going that extra mile to ensure individuals are cared for and empowered to improve their own lives and those of others in their community. It has been an exciting six months of change for ADRA Philippines, particularly those of us based in the country office. We started the year without a country director and finance & admin director, but I’m incredibly proud of our team and the commitment they showed in taking on additional responsibilities to ensure that ADRA continued to reach out and support our communities in which we are working. In April, we welcomed Terence Cole to the team as our new finance & admin director, bringing experience of similar roles for ADRA in Mongolia and Sri Lanka. Last May, our Board appointed myself as the new country director and that has allowed us to push ahead with the restructuring of our programs leadership. We will soon welcome a new program manager and planning & evaluation manager to the team. Amidst all these changes, the work of ADRA continues and we were excited to launch a new initiative this year – Project YOUmanity Pinas – a life-affirming project that aims to improve the condition of the most vulnerable communities in the Philippines by working together with people and organizations that are committed to impacting the world 4
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with positive change. Our Adventist identity is important to us and 2017 has continued to demonstrate how ADRA and the local church can work together to support those affected by disaster and calamity. We have a long history of collaboration when it comes to responding to disasters and we are excited about continuing this through Project YOUmanity Pinas – engaging the church and Adventists to make other people’s lives better by contributing one’s resources, skills and time to projects that matter. We look forward to the second half of 2017 with new projects focusing on disaster risk reduction; Preparing for the Big One by focusing on the development of contingency plans and coordination models for the provincial and local governments across our home province of Cavite, but also helping schools prepare for disasters on the island of Panay through an inclusive childcentered initiative that gives us an opportunity to continue our work of disaster risk reduction in schools. ADRA has a responsibility to reach out to those who are suffering, to those who have lost everything due to natural disaster or war, to those who have little opportunity because of the home they were born into, and to those who have no access to clean water and sanitation services. But it’s also a personal responsibility for us all – both ADRA staff and you. When Christ came to Earth he showed us what God was like, what His love and compassion is for. Christ’s vision is that we should reflect that to the world - to a broken world where we should be agents of hope and healing – a glimpse of what Jesus was like and what his kingdom will be like. ADRA continues to do just that and my prayer is that you would also do so in the communities and spheres of influence of your life.
Service Continues ADRA RESPONDS TO TYPHOON NINA
TERENCE COLE
finance & admin director Terence Cole is the former Finance Director of ADRA Mongolia (Sept 2007 - July 2010), and ADRA Sri Lanka (Aug 2010 - Dec 2012). Afterwards, his expanding expertise in finance services allowed him to be part of the Emergency Response Team – Typhoon Haiyan as finance manager in ADRA Philippines, way back in Dec. 2013. His work and work ethics have made a huge and valuable impact in the organizations he has worked with. Last April 2017, Terence has been appointed as ADRA Philippines’ Finance and Admin Director. Terence feels happiness and joy as he continues to be an important part of ADRA’s work of helping people in need. He looks forward to more opportunities with ADRA to show the love of Jesus to others.
For ADRA Philippines, 2016 has been a another busy year of reaching out to victims of disasters and helping them get back on their feet. As the year came to a close, Typhoon NockTen, known locally as Nina. swept into the country and made a total of eight landfalls, displacing almost half a million people along Luzon’s southern coasts. As ADRA responded, rebuilding homes and knitting families back together, it was a reminder that ADRA’s work doesn’t end when the year does. And as ADRA staff spent the first hours of 2017 in the field providing relief to victims of the Typhoon Nina, we realized that humanitarian work doesn’t really end, but is a continuous effort. Among the hardest-hit were islands in the Bicol region, including EMBRACE Project sites in the province of Camarines Sur. With the help of on-site project staff, local barangay officials, and the Adventist Community Services (ACS) director for the Southern Luzon Mission, ADRA quickly mapped out the devastation in the municipalities of San Jose, Presentacion, and Garchitorena. In all, Typhoon Nina damaged upwards of 8,000 homes. Of these, more than 3,000 were totally destroyed.
“For targeting [of relief operations], we really did house-to-house validation,” said Mary Ann Belga, who served as coordinator for ADRA Philippines’ emergency response. “We checked if houses fit our criteria, which is ‘totally damaged’--by which we mean, houses that really aren’t habitable anymore.” ADRA and its partners distributed 550 shelter repair kits in the municipality of San Jose, Camarines Sur. The beneficiaries came from six barangays in total: Tagas, Dolo, Salogon, Sabang, Telegrafo, and Kinalansan. Meanwhile, a parallel operation in Quezon province distributed 300 shelter repair kits. Food packs funded by the Southern Asia-Pacific Division were provided as well. Describing the logistical challenges they faced, Mary Ann said, “The highways were mostly passable, but some barangays couldn’t be reached by our trucks. We had to use pick-ups to transport the kits to our target areas.” While the year 2016 has come to an end, and as we welcome 2017, the work of rebuilding lost homes and broken families will keep on going - this year, and in the years to come.
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field notes It was my first field assignment. The combined heat of the sun and ashes on the ground was overwhelming. I looked around and all I could see was sadness and devastation. It was then that a boy and his dog passed by me. Most of the houses were burnt down to the ground and this little boy couldn’t recognize his own house. So he told his dog, “Come, let’s go look for our house.” Amazingly, this dog knew exactly where their house once stood, and led his master to it. It was my first field assignment, and it despite the destruction around me that time, it was encouraging to know that in the days to come, I would be blessed to witness more beautiful stories such as this one. VJ Matias, Communications, Advocacy & PR Assistant
SNAPSHOTS ADRA NEWS & EVENTS ROUND-UP
#PrayforMarawi
Last June 2017 ADRA Philippines’ tireless Emergency Response Team spread the love to the survivors of the Marawi siege as they had an initial response, distributing sleeping mats, blankets and mosquito nets to 898 families who fled from the ongoing conflict in Marawi City. Volunteers from the Adventist Community Services (ACS) of North Central Mindanao Conference helped in the distribution. As there was an urgent need for food among the refugees, ADRA had a follow up response in July, distributing food packs to 1,790 families in Wao, BacolodKalawi, and Amai Manabilang. As of August 4, 2017, 78,466 families have been displaced by the armed conflict in Marawi City, based on the Disaster Assistance Family Access Cards (DAFAC) issued. There are about 23,600 (6 per cent) people staying in 87 evacuation centers, while others stay in host families or temporary shelters.
Big Preparedness, One Cavite
ADRA Philippines partnered with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy and the provincial government of Cavite in bringing together government agencies and civil society organizations for a one-day colloquium entitled “Big Preparedness, One Cavite”. The event aims to provide a venue for discussion on the how the “Big One” - an anticipated 7.2- magnitude earthquake from the West Valley Fault, a 100 kilometer fault that runs through six cities in Metro Manila and nearby provinces – will impact the province of Cavite. Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Undersecretary Renato Solidum encourages a culture of preparedness starting from the level of the individual up to the national government. Speaking at the “Big Preparedness, One Cavite” colloquium, he emphasized that individuals must take responsibility of ensuring their safety, making oneself aware of the hazards, and developing an instinct of preparedness. The colloquium was conducted last June 6, 2017 at the IIRR Campus Silang, Cavite.
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“Love Your Life”
Last February 2017, an interactive mobile theater was performed as part of Project EMBRACE in Camarines Sur. The theater project, named “Love Your Life”, aimed to educate teens about reproductive health. It was performed by Team Kriyeyyytibs, a creative group from Manila. The theater was the answer to the question, “How do you make health classes exciting?” It sought to overcome the challenges of remote areas and lack of internet or computers by imparting the needed information in a single show. As the theater found a way to make the impartation of information fun, the teens were entertained and stayed for the entire show, thereby getting all the information the theater was providing. Teachers and community workers rated the show as outstanding, remarking on the difficulty of educating teens about the topic. They thank the project members for helping educate the youth of today for the difficulties of tomorrow.
Love in a shoe box
ADRA distributed Samaritan Purse gift boxes to 24 SDA churches around Visayas last June 2017. District leaders of each church conducted Gift Giving Programs for children ages 2 to 12. The children not only received gifts, but listened to stories about Jesus’ love as well. The kids were given gifts more than what they wished for, and this inspired them to believe more of a merciful and giving God above. Helping did not stop there as church leaders planned activities for the community to form a relationship with God. Following the example of Jesus, the church aims to reach out to everybody, regardless of ethnicity and beliefs.
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Project YOUmanity Pinas gives YOU the chance to make a positive impact in this world. With your help, we can improve the lives of thousands of people. Project YOUmanity invites YOU to contribute your skills, time and resources so that together, we can help improve the lives of our country’s most vulnerable communities. Together, we can make a better world.
F
or the past two years, Casiguran, Aurora has been a victim of major typhoons - Typhoon Nina last 2016 and Lando last 2015. For a place that experiences the ire of storms and heavy rains every so often, one would think that drought would be the least of its people’s worries. The irony of life, unfortunately, is real in Barangay Cozo, Casiguran. “It’s only during the rainy days that we have abundance of fresh water.” explains Dina - a teacher in the village’s school and the barangay chieftain’s wife. “But when the dry season comes, our nearest water source dries up, and we have to walk five kilometers for water.” About a kilometer away from the village, there is an open hose connected to a spring up the nearby mountain. The continuously flowing water from this hose provides water for about 2,000 individuals in the village. When it dries up during summer, 2,000 individuals go thirsty.
toilets and sanitation. “That’s what we don’t have here.” admits Dina, “Only the school has toilets for the students, but it’s not enough for the whole community.” Thus, the whole barangay is used as one big toilet. “Everybody does it. When somebody feels like taking a dump, they just look for a grassy area anywhere, and defecate there and then.” From there, it becomes a domino effect of severe complications for the community. “It’s the children who suffer. They acquire diarrhea and different other sicknesses.”
“When the dry season comes, our nearest water source dries up, and we have to walk five kilometers to fetch water.”
A lack of a stable water source can lead to serious issues for the community, and for Barangay Cozo, there is an urgent need for IGNITE MAGAZINE
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It starts with YOU PROJECT YOUMANITY PINAS is an initiative of ADRA Philippines that aims to improve the lives of the country’s most vulnerable communities by working together with people and organizations that are committed to creating positive change. It is a campaign that highlights the role of “YOU” – the individual who can improve other people’s lives by contributing resources, skills and time to projects that matter. It is a call for compassion, conviction and collaboration in order to eradicate poverty and uphold social justice. It is a project the affirms the essence of life and humanity – and it starts with you. This year, the project aims to provide better access to water and sanitation for the Agta community in Barangay Cozo, Casiguran, Aurora. ADRA will be installing communal latrines, bathing facilities, and a handpowered pump. With these resources, ADRA hopes to foster better health practices and cleaner, safer living conditions for our Agta partners.
Project YOUmanity Pinas Concert A night of music and inspiration brought individuals and organizations together for one united goal - making a better world. Last June 25, at the Star Theater in Pasay City, ADRA hosted the Project YOUmanity Pinas Concert - a fundraising concert to help provide for the project in Barangay Cozo. The concert featured a variety of inspirational numbers and powerful messages from the Philippines’ finest musicians and artists. But more than the entertainment the the stage offered, it gave the audience the opportunity to be a part of something bigger - a chance to make a change.
“This is not just about the performances and fun”, beamed Jeramie Sanico - a finalist of Tawag ng Tanghalan sa Showtime. “This is about the joy of serving the Lord, and the happiness that we feel, knowing that we have been a big help to other people.” As everybody chimed in and supported the project, hope is brimming for our Agta friends in Casiguran. “We’re very thankful to everybody who made this possible”, expressed Luigi - Barangay Cozo’s chieftain, who was also there to witness the momentous concert. “We especially thank ADRA and their staff for making this project, which we’ve long been praying for, a reality. We thank God for using His people as instruments to provide our needs.”
Just the beginning Days from now, thanks to YOU, Barangay Cozo will have better access to water and sanitation through Project YOUmanity Pinas. But the crusade is far from over. As of now, across the country, over 26 million people live with unhygienic facilities, and around 7 million people continue to practice open defecation. This leaves thousands of communities vulnerable to water-, sanitation-, and hygiene-related illnesses and serious environmental hazards, drastically reducing their quality of life. ADRA Philippines aims to bring Project YOUmanity Pinas to different areas across the Philippines, improving the quality of life of the poorest of Filipinos, one community at a time. Solving the nation’s problem seems like a gigantic challenge, but we have already witnessed the power that each of us holds - a power so great that if we only join together, we have the ability to foster hope and transform lives. It takes you and me, hand-in-hand, to make a better world.
“We thank God for using His people as instruments to provide our needs”
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pushing forward: a mother’s resolve
A PREGNANT WOMAN SHARES HER STRUGGLES FROM THE MARAWI CONFLICT
“I told myself I should go somewhere safe no matter what. It didn’t matter where, just as long as we were all safe.”
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Hannah (not her real name) and her husband just got married last year. It was the happiest day of their lives. Just a few months later, they would receive even happier news - they were going to have a baby. Hannah, 24 years old and a resident of Marawi city, came from a big family with her 12 siblings. Soon, she would be starting a family of her own. Her husband didn’t earn much from being a driver, but they had plans of working hard, setting up a small business, and ensuring a bright future for their baby. Seven months into Hannah’s pregnancy, the Marawi siege happened. “We were very scared when the firing started. There were airstrikes every now and then, bombing was everywhere, and there was a constant risk of errant bullets hitting us.” told Hannah as she recalled the horror of explosions and gunfire surrounding them. “It was very difficult for me especially that I was pregnant. It was very hard to move and we didn’t know where to go.” Hannah couldn’t run as fast as she wanted to, but she would do anything to get her baby out of the chaos. “I told myself I should go somewhere safe no matter what. It didn’t matter where, just as long as we were all safe.”
Hannah and her husband, together with other evacuees, eventually found a safe place with their relatives in BacolodKalawi, just a few towns west of Marawi. “Now that we’re refugees, my husband doesn’t have any work. Bringing food to the table has become a challenge”, confesses Hannah, “Living here is far from our lives back in Marawi. It’s very different from what we’re used to.” And when survival instincts kick in, it gets the better of the refugees. “Sometimes people fight over the smallest things. One day, people were arguing over who should use the latrine first.” Hannah, now eight months pregnant, doesn’t get any special treatment. “Sometimes I sleep on the floor. It hurts my back and keeps me from getting enough sleep.” sighs Hannah, longing for the comfort of her bed back home. “Living in a place that’s not our own, it’s very difficult - everything is a challenge.” The clashes in Marawi, however, haven’t come to an end yet, and any plans of restarting their lives there are being delayed every passing day. “A lot of people lost their houses and their livelihood.” weeps Hannah, “The war really put our lives on hold.” Nevertheless, no matter how gloomy their experiences have been, Hannah’s
dreams for her child remains as bright as ever. “I pray that my child won’t go through the things we’ve experienced in Marawi. I pray that she comes out healthy, that she be blessed with a kind heart, and that she will be fearful of the Lord.” says Hannah with eyes full of hope. “This is my first baby, and like any mother would wish, I pray that she would be born into a peaceful world.” “If I were to choose, I would like to give birth in a hospital so the doctors could make sure that my baby is healthy.” says Hannah while stroking her tummy. But unlike back home, where their house is just a few blocks away from the hospital, there are no nearby hospitals in Bacolod-Kalawi. For now, Hannah is content with surviving. “We’re happy just to live and be able to eat everyday.” ADRA distibuted 1,790 food packs to the Marawi refugees. In Bacolod-Kalawi, 600 refugee families received these food packs containing rice, mung beans, noodles, canned goods, oil and energy drinks enough to feed a small family for more than a week. “These food packs will be a big help to us because we refugees here in Kalawi don’t receive a lot of relief. Now, thanks to ADRA and the food you have given, we have something to eat. Thank you very much ADRA and may God bless you all” When asked if she already knew her baby’s gender, Hannah excitedly reveals, “A girl!” They haven’t decided yet on what name to give their child, but as Hannah’s tummy grows, so does her resolve - she and her husband will do all it takes to give their soonto-be baby a bright and positive future.
our stories
WE REACHED OUT TO LIVES AFFECTED BY THE CONFLICT IN MARAWI CITY.
I’m thirteen years old and I lived in Marawi City. My mother works as a dressmaker and my father as a driver. There are nine of us brothers and sisters. We lived in Marawi City and it was a good life as we could eat because my parents had a livelihood. But then the war and the Maute groups came. We struggle to find food to eat and if it weren’t for relief goods we wouldn’t be able to eat anything because we no longer have a livelihood. I would like to give thanks for the relief goods we have received. We experienced the shootings from the Maute group and the shelling of the army. My mother is afraid of all the soldiers and my sister is nervous because of the Maute. I cannot go to school because of the war and we sleep on mats on the floor. We don’t have any money because my parents are unable to work. I want to return to Marawi so that life can return to normal. I want to play with my cousins and go back to school.
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I’m a widow, my husband died in 2010 but I have 11 children, my youngest is 8. I don’t have a job. We were farmers where we came from but now we are refugees. It was peaceful, but when ISIS came trouble followed. The soldiers followed and they shot at each other. We heard there was shooting at the West Marina. At first we stayed but then the fighting came to the barangay next to us. We ran. We were unable to bring anything, just the clothes on our backs and our lives. I left one of my children behind, I don’t know what happened to him. We are praying that the fighting ends soon so we can return to our homes. That is if our homes have not been destroyed. If they are destroyed, then I don’t know where we’ll go. I don’t have a husband, I don’t have a job and I have many children. We’ve been here for five days. They made us move from place to place. I hope this is the last place because the children are having a hard time. I thank those that have helped us. May they be blessed with long life and may they help more people.
I never thought that war would come to our home. I have a three-month old child. We don’t know where to go or what to do. I don’t know if my home is still standing or if it burned down in the fighting. My parents and siblings met up with us. We cried tears of joy. We never thought we’d see each other again. We have shelter now and are very thankful for it. But now we worry for our needs. We no longer have incomes to count on. Thank you for the relief goods we have received. They have helped us survive. After this, I don’t know if we will have a place to return to. I make an appeal. Please help us. We don’t have anywhere to turn to. We don’t have clothes. I don’t have milk to feed my baby. I don’t even have diapers to change him with, I just use my own clothes. Without help we will not survive, please help us.
the ropes. the job. the experience. JON DIZON SHARES HIS STORIES AS AN INTERN IN ADRA
I am in my third month of volunteering at ADRA. At the beginning, I didn’t know much about ADRA and its work. I was a fresh graduate of Development Communication at the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP). Then I heard about ADRA from a family friend who worked for ADRA. He told me of the places the workers of ADRA went to help different people. I thought, “Hey, that sounds like an awesome job.” A few weeks after graduation, I volunteered and was interviewed by the HR Officer. I kinda babbled a bit and embarrassed myself but Raquel Geronimo, the HR, put me at ease and didn’t hold it against me. As soon as I started as an intern I was immediately involved in the opening phase of Project YOUmanity. I was put to work. Arjay Arellano and Vincent Matias, my boss and coworker respectively, welcomed me with open arms. They taught me the rules, regulations and tasks pertaining to my position as communications intern. They then put me to work on the various tasks needed to be completed before the Project’s concert could begin. After the Project was launched, I was given an opportunity to accompany
the team going to Mindanao for the relief operations for Marawi refugees. I jumped at the chance to go. The following three-day land trip to get there was a, shall we say, interesting and unforgettable experience. Seeing as we traveled over several provinces over three days I’d say that was quite an adventure. Upon my return to the ADRA country office, Arjay Arellano took the time to take me further under his wing, teaching me a few skills and giving advice for my development as a worker. Going from student to worker can be a shock to the system. I was not fully prepared to leave student life but ADRA has helped mold my views. I never thought I would enjoy work as much as I enjoy doing the work assigned to me in ADRA and with the staff here, who act something like a family who support, cherish, tease and help each other. I found that ADRA appreciated hard work and initiative. Just because I was an intern didn’t mean that I was any less of a worker for the organization. Despite my being new to the organization I was put in charge of several tasks that needed initiative and leadership skills. I would hope to think that I rose to the occasion.
In summary, I was a newbie in the world. ADRA took me in, taught and trained me. Gave me opportunities and experiences that I would scarcely get elsewhere. The staff here have embraced me as a member. I gained a mentor. I gained friends. I really, very much (to the point of over emphasizing) would like to continue working for this wonderful organization that is kinda like a family. I cannot emphasize enough how God has blessed me by allowing me to find out about ADRA and to enter it as an intern.
”Going from student to worker can be a shock to the system. I was not fully prepared to leave student life but ADRA has helped mold my views.”
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parting shot Employees come and go, but family is forever. As our “SuperComms� Arjay goes on to face new adventures and challenges at ADRA International, we wish him all the best life has to offer. Thank you Arjay for your three years of hard work, dedication, passion and service!
www.adra.ph/projectyoumanity
The YOUMANITY PINAS Project hopes to provide better water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) resources to rural and indigenous communities in the Philippines. Across the country, over 26 million people live with unhygienic facilities, and around 7 million people continue to practice open defecation. This leaves thousands of communities vulnerable to water-, sanitation-, and hygiene-related illnesses and serious environmental hazards, drastically reducing their quality of life.
BECOME AN INDIVIDUAL DONOR
We are looking for individual donors who can support this cause! Your one-time donation of Php5,000 would go a long way toward providing cleaner and safer communities for our indigenous peoples. 1) For donation inquiries, please email finance@adra.ph 2) For Direct Deposit: Bank: Philippine National Bank Account Name: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Account Number: 210545300019 Branch: Silang Address: J.P. Rizal Sabutan, Silang, Cavite, Philippines 4118 Identifier Code: PNBMPHMM Bank: Philippine National Bank Dollar Account Account Name: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Account Number: 210492400021 Branch Code: 156315 Branch: 1665 Silang Branch RBU
3) For Credit Card payment, you may donate through www.paypal.com
Thank you for your financial support!