After attending the Alfonso Women’s Month Celebration an impromptu joint meeting was held at RIMM headquarters attended by Cavite provincial councilor Irene who also is the current president of Rotary Club of Makati Benita (District 3830) and Alfonso Municipal councilor Carol who also is our club’s honorary Rotarian.

Irene suggested further organizing and disciplining the residents of the squatter camp in barangay Gulod, Mangas II in Alfonso, Cavite, taking turns family by family to clean and sanitize the area which was started by RIMM. She said she would bring the issue to the provincial council and study what they can do, hopefully to donate (additional) separate toilets for men and women at least. A separate toilet for men and women was already donated with the help of the local Girl Scout club with the squatter camp men digging the required two holes but the situation is still inadequate for the more than 25 families using them.

In addition to discussing the conditions of the “Samar” squatter camp which have become somewhat more deplorable with the influx of more and more families many other topics were discussed such as family planning, organic farming, and self-sustainability in community service. Irene said that she would invite RIMM to join IMPACT (Innovations and Multi-Sectorial Partnerships to Achieve Control of TB). She has the same visions as RIMM that TB is still underestimated in this country and needs to be eradicated as TB spreads through the air while Rotary’s flagship project polio does not and has earned enough attention and support by now.

RIMM BCP Casey and PE Raymund delivered a van load of bundled firewood. Municipal councilor Carol (Honorary RIMM club Rotarian Carol) had invited Cavite provincial councilor Irene (Pres. of Rotary Club of Makati Buendia in District 3830) to come along and inspect the site to provide her input on achieving long-term solutions.