ORGANISATIONAL NEWSLETTER
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MAY - JULY FY15
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
insights inform. involve. inspire.
A Servant’s Heart Inspired by the chapel devotional message shared by the National Director Josaias “ Jody” Dela Cruz, 6 July 2015, National Office, Quezon City Have you ever wondered how many times the word “servant” was mentioned in the Scriptures? With the help of a Bible app, the word came up at least 767 times – that’s more than twice for every day of the year! Indeed, the Bible has a lot of insights to offer about servanthood, because all of these converge to the greatest Servant of all—Jesus Christ. A little girl was asked what she would want to be when she grows up. She proudly replied, “When I grow up I want to be a maid!” For this little girl, the yaya is the super girl because she can do everything --- she
INSIDE THIS ISSUE A Servant’s Heart..............................................1 World Vision holds 1st National CoMSCA Summit..............................................................3 CoMSCA: A success!.......................................4 THR moves to National Office..........................5 World Vision Prepares for #TheBigOne...........6 Humanitarian Heroes: 18 years of volunteerism.................................10 FeedBox is launched and ready.....................11 A Long Road Ahead........................................12 World Vision participates in metro-wide shake drill.....................................14
cleans the house, dresses her up, washes her clothes and so forth. So for the little girl, her yaya is her role model. Based on the Scriptures, the little girl may actually had the right idea. Be Christ-like In Philippians 2:5-7, it says, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus who being in His very nature, did not consider equality with God, something to be used to His own advantage, rather He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant by being made in human likeness.“ Compared to God, we are His servants. We are just here to follow and do His will. Just as Christ did when He came to earth, waived His Divine privilege as Son of God, lived among us and eventually died and rose again to fulfill God’s redemption for mankind. We are called to serve I had a chance to talk to two newly commissioned staff and told them, “Thank you for answering the call of the Lord to work in World Vision.” Often we think we make our career, and we make our own decisions where to go. The truth is it is God’s calling. When the Lord calls, we follow and respond in obedience to serve Him. His calling is even a gift to us.
Ephesians 3:7 says, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given to me through the working of His power.”
with holes concealed with wax, which would later melt and reveal all the holes and flaws. As God’s servants, do we obey with sincerity?
In gratitude to His gracious gift, we serve the Lord.
Respect authority The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Even if your government officials are not worthy of your obedience, obey them nonetheless because it is God who allowed them to sit there to govern us. “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”. In Romans 13 it says, “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants. “Good people” or not, the Lord put and allowed them there for a reason. Respect them.
The way of the humble Servanthood has also a lot to do with humility. In Micah 6:8, we read, “He has shown you O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” When we walk as servants, there seems to be this halo effect. Beware! Guard yourselves against the pitfalls of thinking you deserve such halo. In Revelation 19, when St. Paul met an angel, he mistakenly fell at the angel’s feet to worship him, and the angel rebuked him, “Do not do that, I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus…” Even if we are doing the Lord’s ordained work, the so-called ministry and doing good for other people, bear in mind that we do this because we are Christ’s servants. Sometimes we take the praise and it gets into our head, congratulating ourselves too much. That’s the kind of message that easily turns people off. In Corinthians, it says, “This then is how you ought to regard us, as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries that God has revealed.” That’s all we should be seen as. Obey with sincerity In Colossians 3:22, it says, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything and do it not only when their eye is on you to carry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.” It is not just about obeying our superiors, our parents, or any people in authority. It is not just about compliance. It is about obeying with sincerity. Did you know that “sin-cere” comes from the Latin word which means “without wax”? Back in ancient Rome, people were building majestic structures made of marble pillars. These structures were built by skilled craftsmen and laborers. During those times, contractors would assure their clients that they were going to build structures and they declare so without wax or “sin-cere” – meaning they are promising to use only high quality marble. For less scrupulous and scheming contractors, they will only use sub-standard materials and marbles.
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Serve out of love Do you remember what it was like when you fell in love? What did you want to do because you were in love? Loving a person is just like loving God. You don’t love God because he is high up there in the clouds. God may be a great God, but he is also a very personal God. We may be his servants, but He loves us and He expects us to love Him back with all our heart, mind, and soul because He longs for an intimate relationship with us. Everything we say or do for Him and others, as He commanded, should be motivated only by love. Stay faithful In the days or years forward, always be reminded that we, as servants called by Christ, ought to follow His footsteps by obeying Him with sincerity, walking in humility and serving Him and others out of love and compassion. As servants we are called not just to be excellent or successful in our calling or vocation, but more importantly we are called to be committed and faithful to our Master. It’s my prayer that at the end of our lives, in service to the Lord, we can claim His promises in Matthew 25:23 when the Lord says: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness!” As we do our work, may our Master be always pleased, my dear co-servants!
MAY World Vision holds 1st National CoMSCA Summit
Mikhaela de Leon, Media Engagement Officer In the Philippine context, it is often only big businesses and the middle-income owners that have access to financial opportunities being offered by financial institutions like banks and loan agencies. That is why in the grassroots communities, it is common for housewives and mothers who fall prey to financial schemes that offer too high an interest on loans, like the so-called “5-6”, which instead of helping them actually puts them in much more debt. “World Vision believes that financial inclusion for the very poor is just as crucial as any other sector in the nation’s economic development. That is why we are launching the first National CoMSCA Summit, to present the idea of a community-wide savings and credit initiative that can help improve the lives of poor families,” explains Rubylyn Gonzaga, World Vision economic development program manager. CoMSCA, or the Community Managed Savings and Credit Association, is a World Vision economic development project model that aims to provide simple savings and loan facilities to communities without access to formal financial services usually offered by banks and other institutions. CoMSCA hopes to impart and develop financial literacy among members of the community, through a savings and loan system. People from communities form groups with up to 25 members and decide how much they are going to put in their pooled fund. It usually ranges from P5 to P100 share every week in a one-year cycle. It also teaches accountability as select members are elected to perform as treasurers and secretary. CoMSCA members earn from interests from loans and are able to access an emergency social fund. Dyline Martinez, a 42-year-old mother of three from South Cotabato, is one of the pioneering village agents of the community-based savings association which started in 2009.
CoMSCA partners with World Vision Leadership Team take part in the savings ceremony of the National CoMSCA Summit.
She shared that her family has learned the value of financial security by trying to save even a small amount of money. “The program teaches us financial literacy through savings and loan system. Because I can save and I can loan whenever there are emergencies, I do not worry as much I used to,” she said in her dialect. Many World Vision communities also teach CoMSCA to school children, letting them learn how to properly manage their allowances and save for future expenses. CoMSCA has presence in over 500 barangays, 23 provinces and five cities in the Philippines. The first CoMSCA Summit held at the Bayfront Hotel in Cebu on May 29-30, 2015 was attended by 300 CoMSCA agents across the country and representatives from partner organizations Feed the Children, Zoological Society of London, and Previous Lamb Condell Foundation. The two-day summit’s guest speakers were Karl Satinitigan, programs director and representative of Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship; and World Vision Ambassador Miriam Quiambao. The CoMSCA Summit concluded by declaring May 29 National Savings Day, wherein CoMSCA groups nationwide are encouraged to save, with each participant symbolically dropping their savings on the CoMSCA box setup on the stage.
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Typhoon Haiyan Response THR moves to National Office Dineen Tupa, Typhoon Haiyan Response Director ‘Transition’ is a word that we have been actively using at THR since I began in February 2015. Change is always difficult - even when it is anticipated - but I can say that change is always with us and it is how we approach it that makes all the difference. Most of the pieces for the transition of management into WVDF and staff transitions are in place and from here on. We will be implementing the plan that is in place. It is with great pleasure that I will update you with the following news: Transition has begun: Many secondees are back at the National Office. You will notice that many of your fellow employees are back in Quezon City. On behalf of all of us at THR and WVDF management, we thank those who sacrificed their time to serve typhoon-affected communities. Their passion and commitment have enabled many achievements at THR, for which we should all be grateful for. Re-integrating back into their offices and home environments will be a welcomed change and so we ask everyone to welcome them back with open hearts and support. Re-integration. Most of the remaining secondees at THR will be returning by the end of the year. We request that you begin to consider integration tactics even though your team-mates may not yet be physically present in your office.
WV has assisted many people who will never forget the help and kindness offered to them at the time that they were most desperate. Your colleagues did an amazing job. Accord them the welcome they so richly deserve. THR will be absorbed by the National Office on 1 October 2015. At the beginning of the new financial year, the National Office will manage THR. The response will no longer report in the region as it is no longer a Cat III emergency. THR is on recovery phase in terms of response and is on its way to completion. What to expect for the rest of 2015: The team is working hard on the Tacloban Urban Project, which is still in the project design phase. We are also aware that being in a typhoon-and earthquake-prone location, we may be affected by aftershocks in the coming months. We are praying for the best, but of course we need to be prepared for the worst. To ensure all staff are ready to respond in their new capacity, we are revising the evacuation plan, emergency response documents and plan to carry out a simulation exercise. We are preparing a 24-month report and video that will be disseminated to support offices to mark the two-year anniversary. In anticipation of a shift in leadership, we are focusing on capacity building interventions for leaders, decision-making, and critical thinking.
World Vision welcomes new staff
People and Culture (P&C) facilitated the 5-day New Staff Orientation last June 15 to 20, 2015 at the Chapel, National Office. P&C also led the commissioning of 23 staff mostly from the National Resource Development (NRD) Department and the Luzon and Visayas Field Offices. Since FY 2015, P&C conducted 2 New Staff Orientation Programs and 3 Pre-Selection Trainings for 38 staff in total.
Newly commissioned staff at the Chapel with the Leadership Team
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JUNE NOVEMBER World Vision Run prepares for #TheBigOne
Kitty Amante, Advocacy Communications Specialist Mikhaela de Leon, Media and Communications Officer This year’s turnout for the World Vision Run proved to be the biggest in its four-year history since it started in 2012. More than 6,000 joined the awareness and fundraising event held at the Mall of Asia grounds on June 21 with one goal in mind – to make a difference with love. About 6,200 people trooped to the event, which not only promoted the worthy cause for children’s well-being, but also launched a relevant advocacy and awareness drive to prepare for the big earthquake in the Philippines, also known as the Big One. Through a five-question survey, runners were able to quickly assess their level of preparedness if an earthquake strikes. “I was shocked to see the result of the selfcheck survey. I got the orange sticker, which means I am ‘not yet prepared’,” shared Jastin Ramirez, 10K World Vision Run finisher. Ramirez has joined earthquake drills and basic trainings but he felt he has yet to take practical steps like storing emergency food at home. “This campaign helped me understand my accountability to my family and co-workers. Likewise, I intend to spread awareness about the importance of earthquake preparedness,” Ramirez added. More than a thousand runners, mostly from Metro Manila and nearby provinces, 42 percent say they are partially prepared, 39 percent consider themselves repared, while 19 percent are not yet prepared for the Big One. 6
Fun runners answer a 5-point self-check survey that estimates their level of earthquake preparedness.
“We believe the World Vision Run is a strategic venue to launch our advocacy campaign on the Big One,” shared World Vision Advocacy manager Kathrine Yee. Yee remarked that the huge turnout of participants at the advocacy booth showed the people’s need to know more about how their families can be prepared. “The people have become more proactive towards preparedness after Typhoon Yolanda and the recent disasters. They seek information for themselves. Different sector agencies and humanitarian actors should work side by side to provide venues where life-saving knowledge on preparedness is accessible.” At the advocacy booth, participants were able to map their home locations in relation to the active West Valley Fault and were given information materials on house safety. The advocacy booth also featured a showcase of an emergency survival kit. Booth participants also received free safety whistles and bag tags with the catchphrase “Drop, Cover, Hold,” which is the standard personal safety procedure during earthquakes.
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JULY Humanitarian Heroes: 18 years of volunteerism Florence Joy Maluyo,
Emergency Communications Specialist
Tell me an experience that made you decide to stay, I asked them. “I was attending a community activity in 2002. We met a motorcycle accident. I took all the brunt. I was rushed to the hospital, underwent an operation and woke up to the news that my right leg has been deformed. I could still walk but I knew that from that day forward, I’m not going to stop. I didn’t hurt my leg for nothing.” She’s Susan, 49, a community organizer of United Families for Transformational Development, Inc. (UFTDI), a community-based organization in Bohol since 1997. “I don’t know how I came to this point. It’s like magic. There’s something inside me that I can’t describe,” Lenalyn smiled with fondness. She’s 50 now but it feels like, according to her, she is 32 again - back when everything started. Then came 61-year old Sergia, the oldest among the leaders. “I became one of the first volunteers when UFTDI was starting as a organization supported by World Vision. I knew that what I was doing was not only because World Vision was helping us but because I wanted poverty to end in my generation. I will never forget the day that I almost knelt down to a parent and begged her to allow her child to go to school. Today, that child is a teacher.” While talking to them, I was reminded of how being a humanitarian doesn’t necessarily mean traveling a lot or doing disaster response work here and there. A humanitarian can be someone who can work silently without being recognized, even without a salary. 10
Sergia, Susan and Lanelyn have been community volunteers in Bohol for 18 years.
“When I look at how UFTDI has grown as a beautiful organization, I don’t have regrets,” said Lanelyn. “There is nothing to lose in volunteer work. When you reach our age, you will know why and it’s a wonderful feeling to be at this point of your life when you know you did something right,” Sergia added. In the past 18 years, they were relentless community organizers, introducing the idea of transformational development to 21 barangays, while monitoring the performance of World Vision’s sponsored children in school. Sergia is currently part of the Leadership Team while Susan and Lanelyn are advancing Community-managed Savings and Credit Association, an economic development initiative that encourages people to save for future needs. Last 2013, Bohol was shaken by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake which claimed more than 200 lives and has caused damages in livelihood. The UFTDI building was badly affected – the 3-storey dormitory which was newly built had to be demolished, businesses like the water refilling station and food processing were disrupted. It would have been easier for them to quit but they stayed and will stay on. According them, as long as they can. In an hour of just joking around with them, asking them to smile in the camera and them telling me to continue shooting despite wrinkles, lost teeth and gray hair, I was challenged. How much can I give? How far can I serve?
Communicating Change
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The Long Road Ahead
Crislyn Felisilda, Field Communications Specialist
World Vision’s Crislyn Felisilda in Nepal, where she has been supporting World Vision’s Nepal Earthquake response.
Nestled in the majestic Himalayan mountains, everyone knows Nepal as the home to Mount Everest. I remember I’d been planning to visit Nepal as a tourist to enjoy its snowy peaks, learn its diverse culture and everything else it has to offer. But when the earth powerfully shook and shifted in Nepal last April 25, those plans were shaken too. I never expected that I would reach the country for a different reason. Since June, I was deployed to support World Vision’s ongoing relief response as part of the communications team. Unfortunately, I couldn’t compare what Nepal looked like before. But upon my arrival the evidence of destruction were still very raw—old buildings collapsed. Tents in the open spaces. I saw too much devastation in every corner. Mountaineous areas in the Philippines are dwarfed by Nepal’s giant hills—where villages in challenging terrains are hard to reach. I had no choice but to pass through the narrow and rough roads. It was scary but there was no other way to go.
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In other districts, one needs to climb up steep mountains and cross the rivers in order to go to the villages. As we did the trek, local guides reminded us to be cautious of leopards, snakes, and tigers. Residents and children fear this too especially now that they live in tents. What’s worse is that monsoon season is up while survivors don’t have decent shelter yet. The tremors scarred the entire region with landslides that took out roads and made communities that were hard to reach at the best of times are nearly impossible to access. The second quake last May 2 had devastating effects on communities already ravaged by the first one. But most of the time, as I wander around, I feel torn between the destruction and beauty of the place. Nepal, with more than 28 million people, remains majestic and beautiful even after the devastation. And soon, when the relief phase of the humanitarian organizations ends and a focus on longer-term recovery begins, I hope communities will be stronger and the government and other agencies will take their lead in building back better. Let us remember the Nepalese plight. Let us continue to support their recovery, and to build resilience in their country and other countries so that when future disasters do strike, governments and local people alike are better prepared.
Crislyn visits a child-friendly space in one of the affected areas of the Nepal earthquake.
Soon, I’ll be back in the Philippines. Thinking about it, I always feel that I barely scratch the surface of this wonderful place. I wish to learn more about their joys, their untold secrets, and their hopes and aspirations. Yet I’m more than thankful to hear how survivors built resilience to cope with the challenges. I hope I’ve touched their lives. I hope I made a difference.
“Welcome to our place! I’m glad you’re here to help us!” says 33-year-old Sukmaya.
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World Vision participates in the metro-wide shake drill Kitty Amante, Advocacy Communications Specialist
Last July 30, 2015, World Vision staff at the National Office participated in the first metro-wide earthquake simulation exercise dubbed as the Shake Drill launched by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in cooperation with other various government and non-government sectors, to prepare for the possible 7.2 magnitude earthquake also known as the Big One. “We are humans first, before we are humanitarian actors. Preparedness heightens our resilience and capacities as individuals and as an organization. This equips us as responders to the needs of others,” shared Reynor Imperial, Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Manager. A simulated earthquake sound triggered the start of the drill at exactly 10:30 AM. This alarm signaled around 160 staff and guests to do the recommended “Drop, Cover and Hold” position underneath the desks for at least 45 seconds, until the simulated audio stops to cue the staff for immediate evacuation. Imperial remarked that joining the Shake Drill allows the organization to see where it stands in terms of preparedness so we are also able to address the gaps for improvement. World Vision has developed and put in place an evacuation and response plan to ensure staff preparedness and safety. Prior to the metro-wide drill, a series of preparedness activities were also conducted including a fire and earthquake drill facilitated by the Bureau of Fire on May 7, a tabletop exercise among leaders and key staff last June 22, and an information drive and distribution of essential emergency gears (i.e. hardhat, mask, flashlight and whistle). “Joining the drill helped me picture out possible scenarios should a big earthquake strike while we are in the office. I appreciate the involvement of staff, not just as participants, but as responders in the event of
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Atty. Geneses Abot, Asst. Fire Marshall of the Fire Brigade Team, reenacts the “Drop, Cover, Hold” routine during the Shake Drill orientation.
of disasters. It is a very helpful exercise,” shared Information and Communications Technology Project Coordinator Regie Demonteverde. Call to more awareness, more action As a child-focused humanitarian organization, World Vision continues to urge Local Government Units (LGUs) to take proactive measures and conduct preparedness activities in their respective cities or municipalities to ensure that their communities are earthquake-ready. Specifically, World Vision calls on the LGUs to do the following: 1. Update the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plans to include earthquake contingency plans 2. Retrofit the schools and other buildings to ensure that it could withstand massive quakes 3. Conduct community earthquake drills, consultations, and information and education campaigns to equip citizens with knowledge on what to do before, during and after an earthquake; and 4. Identify open spaces for safe evacuation when the Big One occurs. World Vision continues to work with partners to ensure that disaster risk reduction and management policies are implemented at all levels. During the World Vision Run 2015 last June, a least a thousand people answered the survey and it showed more than half are not yet prepared for The Big One. The #ReadyForTheBigOne campaign featured an earthquake preparedness self-check, West Valley fault map locator and letters of appeal to Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs).
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