There are over 50 indigenous families in the 3 camps. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, they became unable to go out and sell taho (tofu with brown sugar syrup) or balut (boiled duck egg) which brings their regular livelihood income.

The local government started to distribute rice and staple items, while RIMM continues to supply them canned food, additional rice, hygiene kits, water drums, etc. that are not provided by the government.

More than 42 children of Usting 2 lined up for the P20 bill given to them by Pres. Henry. The children hugged us with joy.

Updates on April 8, 2020

On April 8, 2020 Pres. Henry and IPP Raymund distributed canned sardines, noodles and laundry soaps to 51 indigent families in 3 camps located in Brgy. Luksuhin Ibaba and Brgy. Sicat in Alfonso, Cavite.

Because of the quarantine procedure in Covid-19 pandemic, RIMM quickly dropped the provisions and the camp residents picked them up.

The 3 indigent camps are receiving 5 kgs. of rice from DSWD each week.

The Enhanced Community Quarantine is extended to April 30. 2020.

Updates on 4/20/20

On April 20, 2020 RIMM made another delivery of canned sardines, noodles, germicidal body soaps and laundry bars to three indigent camp locations.

The 51 families whose income rely on selling ballot and taho appreciated this provision since their livelihood was adversely affected during this Covid-19 pandemic period. They said the germicidal body soaps are useful for their children’s hygiene since they cannot afford to buy it anymore. Observation of proper hygiene for these 3 camps is important to prevent the spread of Corona virus in the community.

RIMM is hoping for the release of government’s financial assistance program for the “poorest of the poor” who were adversely affected by the said pandemic through DSWD.

At the moment the 3 camps are receiving a ration of 5 kilos of rice and a pack of hot dog or a kilo of chicken from DSWD each week.

RIMM has been giving its weekly ration from DSWD to families having 9 or more children residing at one of the camps.

Another visit to the school in February with Rotarians and AWH guests from Japan focused on grade 6 and student needs in preparation for high school.  Uniforms and shoes were pledged for the 30 students for the new school year. Since the heat in the Grade 6 classroom was almost unbearable in the afternoon because of the metal roof, RIMM was asked by a teacher if they could help in installing an insulated drop ceiling.  With additional donations pledged by its Japanese Rotarians and guests, the project was immediately coordinated and an insulated drop ceiling was installed over a Thursday to Tuesday five-day-period. The classroom is now cool and comfortable despite the hot weather season outside with both teachers and students appreciating it.

On April 3, 2018 our club received a plaque of appreciation for the insulation and ceiling works in the classroom from the school. The classroom is now cool and comfortable despite the hot weather season outside with both teachers and students appreciating it.

Update on August 1, 2018:

The school season started again in the Philippines. The classroom with the newly installed insulated ceiling is currently occupied by Grade 6 pupils. Despite many students in the classroom it was not that hot.

Indigent women and their children were pleased to receive the hygiene products.

In the meantime, Since family planning is the flagship program of RIMM we reminded the women and young teenage mothers in Usting to voluntarily undergo free subcutaneous implant on April 11, 2018 to be conducted by RIMM, Friendly Care and Dr. Manzo (Municipal Health Officer of Alfonso). RIMM has offered cash incentive to Usting resident Roselyn who underwent tubal ligation to invite more women in her community for subcutaneous implant on April 11, 2018.

Our club further upgraded a preschool in a poverty-stricken area in its community with learning materials brought from overseas by visiting Club Rotarians and guests, purchasing of education toys with donations received from them, and assuring further cash support for children so that more preschoolers can attend.

On February 12, 2018 Japanese guests then attended a learning and teaching get-together for the young minds.

RIMM gave the check donation of P10,000 through Ms. Madz (in orange T-shirt) to aid post-surgery medication cost of FriendlyCare. She issued an Official Receipt of the said donation.

Ms. Madz said FriendlyCare aims to provide its ligation services in the entire Province of Cavite. Ms. Madz told us that FriendlyCare gives financial incentives to the Barangay health worker for every successful ligation referred.

Dr. Liza Capupus (in blue-white blouse) who is a City Health Officer of Tagaytay, strongly supports Family Planning.

Dr. Capupus mentioned the following reasons why the uneducated sector in the Philippines remain in utter poverty and continuing to rise in alarming rate:

• they do not believe or refuse in the usage of any method of contraception
• they believe having more children will help in earning money to put food
  on the table each day; they are lucky if they can have one meal in a day.
• strong influence of the Catholic Church

She said USAID has observed that usage of pills & condoms being provided for free in health centers were mainly used by middle income sector and not by the poorest sector who needs it most which was USAID’s main target. That is part of the reason why USAID has diminished its assistance to the Department of Health. There are now lesser supplies of contraception available for free at health centers.

She also said the Department of Health has trained selected professional health workers to be resource speakers on a subject called “Adolescent Health” wherein teenage pregnancy is discussed in the said subject. There are modules in the program that the trained resource speakers follow as guidelines during the seminar. She assigns her resource speakers on voluntary basis to conduct it at local high schools in Tagaytay. The City Health Head Nurse of Tagaytay will conduct the Adolescent Health seminar at Tagaytay National High School.

She suggested that we approach Dr. Manzo to invite a trained resource speaker on Adolescent Health from her department to participate in our Teenage Pregnancy Forum at Taywanak National High School in Alfonso on Sept, 18.