A LUMAD FARMER’S FIRST EYE CHECKUP

Once a vibrant farmer, Diokno’s life took a dramatic turn when he lost his hearing in 2018. He’d resigned himself to a life without medical care since then. But all of that changed when he learned about a medical mission in their community, which provided him with his first eye checkup in his entire life.

Diokno Mambagimbay is a 51-year-old Lumad (belonging to the indigenous group) farmer who lives in Kitaotao, Bukidnon. Of all his seven children, only four lived with him and his wife, as the others had moved out to find work and raise their own families.

Diokno is a hardworking man who spends most of his days tending to his crops. He is a proud father who does his best to provide for his family, but life was not always easy for them. In 2018, Diokno began to experience hearing loss, making it challenging for him to communicate with others and tend to his farm.

Walking the extra mile

The journey to Sinariri High School was a long and arduous one for Teacher Franjie and his students, but it was a sacrifice they were willing to make.

Sitio Sinariri is home to the Mangyan people, who have been living in the area for generations. The community is surrounded by lush vegetation and pristine streams, but its isolation has made it difficult for the people to access basic services such as education.

Despite the challenges of teaching in a remote area, Franjie was determined to help the Mangyan children receive an education. For several years, their classroom was an old church, but it was destroyed by a great storm.

The town mayor then provided makeshift rooms for grade 7 and 8 students, but they were worried about the higher grade levels. Franjie and the community then came up with a plan to divide the room to accommodate the grade 9 and 10 students. However, it was still not enough, and the students were struggling to learn in the limited space.

“Good thing Operation Blessing offered to help,” the 27-year-old teacher said. “They constructed classrooms for students in grades 9 and 10, which provided them with a safe and conducive environment to learn. Students are now excited to study and are determined to walk for hours just to be educated.”

In addition to constructing the classrooms, Operation Blessing, together with its military partners, also visits the community on a monthly basis and provides school supplies such as paper, pens, notebooks, and armchairs for the students. These supplies have had a significant impact on the education of the Mangyan children, who now have access to the tools they need to learn and succeed.

All in all, the teachers, parents, and students in the community of Sitio Sinariri are thrilled with the assistance that Operation Blessing has provided.

“As a teacher, it gives me immense joy to see my students having the drive to study again. I am grateful for Operation Blessing’s support and dedication to improving the lives of the Mangyan people here in Sinariri.”

NEW MILESTONE UNLOCKED FOR OPERATION BLESSING’S COMMUNITY OF HOPE BENEFICIARIES!

After almost 8 years of tireless effort in providing assistance to survivors of Typhoon Yolanda, Operation Blessing (OB) finally turns over the deed of donation to the families of Community of Hope (COH).

“Three days after the Yolanda disaster, OB was already here, providing help for the typhoon survivors. And they went to the next level by constructing this beautiful place, promoting different recreational activities for the people of Tacloban,” said Ruth Ramirez, a representative from the City Mayor Office.

As part of the exit plan of Operation Blessing, the beneficiaries of the project were provided with not just a home but also with livelihood assistance to help them become self-sufficient. This will allow them to live independently and continue to improve their lives with the assistance that they have received from OB.

“You are all part of our family,” OB President Peter Kairuz remarked. “So we will keep on coming back to this community. We will journey with you. We will stay with you.”

OB’s Corporate Communications and Resource Development Department Head Gigi Endaya also expressed her gratitude to the donors and partners who made the resettlement project a success. “We are blessed in the past 8 years that we have journeyed together in joyous moments and even in conflicts and challenges. OB will just be there in the background, to continue praying for each of the families.”

The turnover ceremony was a momentous event for the beneficiaries of the project. It marks a new chapter in their lives as they continue to rebuild and recover from the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda.

This has also been an answered prayer for the beneficiaries because, after years of facilitating the transfer of land ownership, OB was able to secure it last year, which is just in time for the electrification and the construction of paved roads for the community.