Holidays '08

Dear volunteers and friends:

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!)

We wish all the joys of a Filipino Christmas and the hopes of a better year ahead to all of you.

Maraming salamat for all your help, kindness and understanding.

Teaching volunteer plays Santa to 10-year old girl

Australian Rebecca “Bec” Snell (Teaching, January 2008) wrote in her farewell message to CERV that her volunteering experiences in the Philippines were “very satisfying” and “will stay with her forever.” (Bec volunteered with her good friend Adam Miller.)

She remains true to her word.

Earlier this month, Bec informed CERV she wants to sponsor a Filipino child’s education. “I really want to give something back to your country because it has taught me so much,” she wrote.

CERV then looked and asked around both in Metro Manila and Romblon for a suitable candidate (someone who is not related to any staff to avert conflict of interest). We settled on Beth Marinelle “Bechay” P. Pacaldo.

Bechay is a 10-year old, Grade 4 student of Camarin Elementary, a public school in Caloocan City-North. She is one of five kids of parents Dante and Elizabeth. Dante is a jeepney driver and Elizabeth is an urban poor women organizer. The Pacaldos live in Barangay Camarin, an urban poor community 20 kilometers north from downtown Manila.

According to those who know her, Bechay is very focused on her studies. Her grade point average is 80 percent in all subjects. She also conscientiously helps out with household chores and is an obedient kid.

When presented to her prospective benefactor, Bechay was immediately approved By Bec. Bec promised to send assistance semi-annually—in May, when Bechay would be enrolling, and in December. She also said that she wants to start sending assistance to her scholar this Christmas time.

A 10-year old Filipino girl’s Christmas suddenly became very merry.

(Accompanying photos: 1. Bechay (right) hamming it up with mom Elizabeth; and 2. Bec Snell with friend and fellow volunteer Adam Miller.)

Australian engineer enhances urban poor school

Australian mining engineer Scott Dennis heard so much about the Philippines from his girlfriend and former CERV volunteer Jennifer Duncombe he wanted to volunteer on his own. He got his chance when he visited Jenn in the Philippines who was volunteering in the Manila office of the World Health Organization.

For 14 days on weekdays, Scott painted the Busilak Day Care Center at the multi-purpose building in Sitio Veterans, Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City, Metro Manila which also doubles as a meeting room and chapel on occasion. He also finished the painting of the office, clinic and library on the second floor. He bought the paints and the materials from his own pocket and, at the end of his project, donated funds for the procurement and installation of glass window panes plus more paints for the building exterior.

Last December 7, Scott and Jenn also worked at the newly-established native tree species nursery of Hortica Filipina Foundation, Inc. at Rodriguez, Rizal east of Metropolitan Manila. It was Jenn’s second time to work with the environmentalists who organized the now defunct Philippine Marathon for the Pasig River/Pasig River Heritage Marathon.

Last December12, Scott was feted in a farewell program attended by officers and members of the Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaisang Nagkakaisa (Association of United Urban Poor Women) or Samakana, a nationwide organization of urban poor women, and Samahan ng mg Kabataan ng Veterans (Youth Association of Veterans) or SKV. He was regaled with songs and dances as well as speeches by the children of the day care center, Samakana and SKV.

“I am very grateful for the warm welcome you have all given me. I enjoyed every minute of it and I don’t want to change any of it,” Scott said in his farewell message before the groups. At the end of his speech, Scott turned over a boxful of children’s books, crayons, pieces of colored chalk and other school supplies for the use of the day care center. Scott also thanked his young new friends who not only kept him company but assisted and even played basketball with him as well.

Samakana national secretary general “Nanay” Bising Taldo profusely thanked Scott for his kindness and international solidarity to the struggles and aspirations of Filipino urban poor women. “It is heartwarming that we have been made recipient of this act of kindness and labor of love from someone who came from overseas,” Nanay Bising said.

From a ramshackle affair of discarded tin roofs and rough walls, Busilak Day Care Center and Multi-Purpose Hall is now a three storey concrete building with tiled bathrooms and floors and light-pink and brown walls. Majority of the funds for its construction were raised with the help of Italian humanitarian organizations. Several Veterans children and members of the youth organization were regularly invited in Italy for concerts that helped in fund-raising.

“There is still much work to be done,” Nanay Bising said. “But with this building, we are already assured that our children will no longer study in leaky rooms with no doors and windows. We can also have medical missions here. Plus, with the books and computers donated by former CERV volunteers, our youngsters are given more opportunities to study. We thank all those who help us help ourselves, especially when these basic social services are denied us poor people by the government,” she added.

CERV celebrates International Volunteers’ Day on December 5

CERV celebrates International Volunteers Day for Economic and Social Development (IVD) on December 5 with many projects lined up to close the year and to welcome 2009.

Six international volunteers are currently involved in school building repair and maintenance projects in Sitio Veterans in Quezon City and in Barangays Cawayan, Long Beach, Sugod and Cabolutan in San Agustin, Romblon Province.

The rebuilding of Carmen Day Care Center (destroyed by Typhoon Frank in July) was recently completed by New Zealander Roger Johnson.  (Roger’s wife Denise also completed her teaching program at Sugod Elementary School.  She also spent many hours tutoring child-beneficiary Van Mark Elisan.)

The repair of Cawayan Day Care Center is made possible by the combined donations of Karen Barnes and Family and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of Missouri, USA.

The repair of Cabolutan Elementary School, specifically a classroom wall brought down by termites, is made possible by the donation of Australian Brendan Collopy.  The wall shall now be constructed of concrete.

Scott Dennis of Australia is painting the Day Care Center-Library-Clinic of Sitio Veterans.  Scott was encouraged to volunteer by girlfriend and former CERV-GVN volunteer Jennifer Duncombe.

Classroom painting in Sugod and Long Beach are also ongoing.

CERV also recently submitted a grant proposal to the GVN Foundation for a new mangrove nursery in Barangay Sugod.  The fund shall come from the combined donations of Susan Rife, Thomas G Lord, Kara D Festa, Richard Kastenschmidt, Laureen Gibson, Laine Smith, Eric Ladouceur, Bill A Sutherland, Claudia Larouche, Sharlyn G Briones, Jennifer Pielak and Daniel A Roquiz.  Richard, Laureen, Laine, Eric, Bill, Claudia, Sharlyn, Jennifer and Daniel were all former volunteers.  Susan is probably a relative of former volunteer Alexis Rife.  Thomas and Kara are simply good souls.

 IVD was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 40/212 on 17 December 1985. Governments, the United Nations system and civil society organizations have since then celebrated it on 5 December every year.

IVD provides an opportunity for volunteer organizations and individual volunteers to work together in projects and campaigns bringing added visibility to their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels. Over the years, rallies, parades, community volunteering projects, environmental awareness, free medical care and other projects all featured prominently on IVD.

IVD is a special day to honor all past and active volunteers as well as an event to encourage more people to volunteer.

Volunteers provide much needed commitment and support to many underserved communities around the globe.

(And, btw, December 5 is CERV director Raymund Villanueva’s birthday!)