The family was selected for our support by DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) and LCPC (Local Council for Protection of Children) Alfonso, Cavite.

She is a single mother of 5 children who are attending high school and elementary school. Her 5th child is barely a year old.

She is a manicurist, wherein she put up a shaded spot near her rented home for her customers.

Updates on August 20, 2022

RIMM assisted Merly Montealto from Barangay Marahan1, Alfonso, Cavite on the school supplies of her 4 children attending high school and elementary school.

The school supplies consisted of backpack bags, assorted notebooks, brown envelopes, art papers, sketch pads, pencils, pens, umbrellas, socks, water tumblers, rulers, coloring pens, box of face mask, toothbrush, water color, tape, scissors, highlighter pens, rubber erasers, glue, plastic envelopes and many more were provided.

Merly and her eldest son who assisted his mother to purchase the school supplies thanked RIMM for the support.

Merly said she had no means at all to buy the school supplies as a manicurist and a single mother.

DSWD and our club have been associated for education of family planning as the Philippines is known for population explosion or baby factory, which has accelerated poverty entailing people to spend more money for nursing their children.

After being educated and assisted, Merly is willing to undergo ligation, one of the most popular contraceptive methods in the country, next month.

Updates on December 10, 2022

Rotarian Casey and Raymund, together with DSWD Alfonso Gina and former councilor Carol visited the family again.

After having 6 children from different fathers, Merly has decided to undergo ligation surgery and will take a week off from her business as a manicurist.

Our Club pledged to provide a financial assistance for her transportation to the ligation facility and food for the whole family during her off-the-work period.

Learning her eldest son has been making knitted items such as shoulder bags and sweaters, the fund assistance will cover the cost of yarns for him to further pursue knitting and potential sales of the products.

Updates on January 9, 2023

Gina of DSWD accompanied Past Presidents Casey and Raymund of Rotary International Multinational Manila (RIMM) to the rented home of Merly Montealto in Barangay Marahan 1, Alfonso to give 10 kilos of rice on January 9, 2023.

Her eldest son does crochet, and some of his completed items were displayed. He is selling them for his own school needs.

Merly was ligated in December 2022 and financial assistance to survive during her resting that also included the transportation cost for her ligation and yarn materials for her son was given by our club. She has 6 children and a single mother working as a manicurist.

The main livelihood of the indigent camps (Usting 1, 2 and Camp Hope) are selling balut (incubated duck egg), taho (a sweet snack made with soft tofu, sweet syrup and tapioca balls). Many fathers of these indigent families selected for the events are construction workers.

Each indigent family received 2 bags of rice (10 kg/family). We prepared a total of 300 bags (1.5 tons) of rice, including allotments for CICL (Children In Conflict with The Law) and the staff.

Past President Casey went to Divisoria, Metro Manila and bought 150 backpacks for students, 300 pairs of slippers for children and more than 1,300 toys in different varieties.

The total cost spent for the events was nearly P120,000. AWH and RIMM shared the expenses. President Don Shields of our sister club, Rotary Club of Geelong Central, Australia, also personally donated for the events.

Our club president Lito Mondejar, Gina of the Municipality of Social Welfare and Development of Alfonso (MSWD). Anna of the Commission on Population (POPCOM), the Barangay captains, as well as several members of the Alfonso Women’s Council (AWC) joined the events. We invited 3 CICL in custody of MSWD to assist the events, so they would get involved in serving the community.

While we tried to make children happy, it was not our intention to encourage the families making more babies. Anna of POPCOM shared information on responsible parenthood and family planning to the mothers who have basically not had such education due to poverty.

The children were excited over their assorted toys and backpacks and sang Christmas songs.

Updates on December 25, 2022

Giving toys to children continued on the Christmas Day.

There were a number of toys still left from the preceded events. So we have decided to distribute them to any children passing by near our club headquarters in Alfonso, Cavite.

Small children gathered to receive the toys, and elder children received 20 peso bills.

Video and lecture of “Effective Parenting and Family Planning” performed by Captain Aimy Casabuena of Bry. Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite, Philippines were presented with an assistance by DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) Alfonso. We distributed 100 sacks of rice, 100 canned goods, and 200 coconuts to 100 indigent families. RIMM and RC of Geelong Central  received the Certificate of Appreciation as sponsors of this event.

Gina of Alfonso DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) conducted a group workshop to find out what contraceptives they are using and their thoughts of the disadvantages of unplanned pregnancies. Some women were not using any form of contraceptives and decided to use them during the seminar after realizing it was a serious matter for the future of their children, although their knowledge of contraceptives at that time was only pills.

RIMM donated sacks of rice, canned goods and firewood. PP Casey gave P20 bills to all the children there. Rotarian Miki assisted in the distribution of the said donation.
The indigent women and the Barangay officials of Amuyong were grateful of the meaningful event. 

The forum was attended by 65 students from Grades 7 to 10 and 15 parents of some students. President Betty, Gina and Ana of DSWD were resource speakers of the forum. President Betty invited her classmate President Ann Margaret San Antonio of the Rotary Club of Manila Kalaw and she volunteered to share her insight on the issue. President Gigi Altamiramo of Innerwheel Club of Paranaque D383 also attended the forum upon the invitation of President Ann.

Video documentaries on teenage pregnancy in the Philippines were shown to visually convey the disadvantages of teenage pregnancy.

RIMM provided snacks for the participated students with which president Ann gave her share.

Anna of Population Commission (POPCOM) from Trece Martirez City, Cavite who was one of the key speakers of the seminar said this was the first time they conducted it in Alfonso upon the request of Gina of DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development).

POPCOM collects the following profile data from individual participants:

• Number of children in their family
• Job of the parents
• Forms of contraception they are using, if any

From the data they have gathered they will encourage each mother to use the most suitable form of contraception depending on her health and financial situation and refer her to the nearest clinic where she resides to get free contraceptive provided by the Department of Health. POPCOM cannot impose contraception but instead educate & offer the women what contraceptive services are available for them.

Anna told us that her team which is in charge of certain Cavite areas has been conducting the said seminar and Adolescent Sexuality & Reproductive Health seminar for high school students in the other areas of Cavite since there is an urgent need to control the alarming increase of population in the Philippines.They target more than 400 local high schools in Cavite. They have many team leaders assigned to cover other provinces of Cavite to conduct the seminars. They do not provide snacks to the participants but the students are given a short break period to relax & snack.

Anna said they have a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Education to conduct the seminars at any local high schools in all regions of Cavite. RIMM could invite her as a speaker in our Teenage Pregnancy Forums or RIMM can join their seminars. In any case we can work together since we share the common goals.

IDN noted that Brgy. Payatas has one of the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Metro Manila. The area is known as a trash dumping site of greater Manila.

The forum was attended by female and male teenagers along with their mothers totaling around 100. The local barangay officials and health workers got also involved in the forum.

RIMM speakers past president Raymund and current president Betty along with Gina of DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) Alfonso and Anna of LCPC (Local Council for Protection of Children) relayed the social aspects of teenage pregnancy. Gina made the whole audience to vow to prevent teenage pregnancy. Another invited speaker of IDN Dr. Belen Rajagukguk talked abut the health aspect of teenage pregnancy.

In the discussion session the participants were separated into 3 groups. The first group consisted of 12 to 20 years old female and male teenagers; the second group consisted of 9 to 11 years old children and the third group consisted of parents. Key speakers Anna, Gina and president Betty acted as facilitators of the said groups respectively. President Betty found out during the discussion session that the parents of the teens are busy scavenging the dumpsites for livelihood and do not spend time with their children.

A role playing depicting the disadvantages of teenage pregnancy was performed by teens residing in Brgy. Payatas.

Several video clips on teenage pregnancy gave a visual chilling factor on the realities of early pregnancies.

IDN gave a full meal to their audience and even a loot bag to take home after the forum.

At the closing ceremony a certification of appreciation was given to the speakers. IDN officials told us that they were very satisfied about our speakers that they feel had given a direct impact to the teenagers and mothers who attended the forum.

IDN gave a donation of P4,000 to our club. IDN said they are looking forward to working with RIMM again.

The forum was attended by 60 students from Grade 7 and 8. Two new speakers shared their insights on teenage pregnancy namely Dr. Evangelina Manzo (Municipal Health Officer) and Mr. Manilito Mondejar of RIMM. Other speakers were DSWD Officer Gina Vedan, Pastor Domingo Santiago and Ana Liza Alcazar of Kiwanis. President Betty Vicedo also gave her motherly advice to the young students to prevent teenage pregnancy.

The school principal of Luksuhin National High School requested RIMM if we can conduct another Teenage Pregnancy Forum for Grade 11 and 12 students because the senior high school students also wanted to participate in the forum.

President Betty relayed that school officials of Palokpok National High School in Mendez, Cavite are also interested for RIMM to conduct a Teenage Pregnancy Forum at the school but RIMM will try to comply with the request.

RIMM paid for the nutritious snacks and drinks of the students and speakers prepared by the.school canteen amounting to P2,100 (P30/person x 70 persons).