Bohol Relief

As of October 31, PBSP raised more than PHP2 million, which allowed us to reach 3,357 households in 5 towns and 19 barangays of Bohol. Daghang salamat sa tanan! :-)

inclusive growth

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We were so stressed before February 20, but after THE meeting, everything is finally all set. I am so excited for March 20---Secretary Jimenez of DOT and Secretary Soliman of DSWD already gave their initial yes's! :)

And yes, we finally finished our invites! Cebu, Visayas, are we ready for inclusive growth? =)

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yay

It might seem petty to a lot of people, but not to me. This is an accomplishment worthy to be noted on history BECAUSE I DID IT (Yes, I am very excited about this)!

When I was tasked to do the layout of a project brief we will be distributing to our foreign donors for their field visit, I was not so hesitant about it until I realized I have to do a layout of the folder as well.

I panicked at first because I am not familiar with layouting folders. Booklets, brochures and signages I can do, but not materials that require more assembly than folding, stapling or perfect binding.
But Google saved the day. After acquiring initial info on folder templates and how I should make my material printer-ready, everything was a breeze already. And yes, I feel like one proud mama when I finally saw the fruits of my labour (and there were no complaints from the printing company I sent the design to).

I accomplished another milestone just because I did not give up. Yay! :)

flashback 2012: graduation

10 October 2012 - 35 students from the Buhisan Watershed finished their 20-day course on basic plumbing and tile-setting and are now ready to take on other income-generating jobs aside from charcoal making.

Congratulations, mi bois! :)

Iloilo! <3

Featuring the WIDEST, BIGGEST, most awesome iPAD in history. 

like a child

It was a "bloody" three-day activity---an assessment and planning exercise on a million-peso development project can be very draining.

But at the end of the day, it never felt like work at all. Not when you know you're working for something beautiful.

And not when you could squeeze a morning just enjoying the little things in life, like a child. <3

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ms vicky!

My special moment with THE Vicky Sandidge of Bohol Bee Farm.

It is just so inspiring to listen to her as she shares her experience on social entrepreneurship.

She developed her seven-hectare pure organic empire purely from passion.

And she even left us one thing to ponder on: 

"It is good that Filipinos now love to travel around their own country."

So there goes my plans to go out of the country--not until 

I've thoroughly experienced the beauty of the Philippines first. :)

Thank you for the wonderful insights, ms vicky! :)

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food for the goats 101

As part of our goat production and management seminar, we taught our communities in barangays Buhisan and Toong how to make preserved goat food. A barrel will feed a goat (weighing 30 kg) for approximately 10 days.
The advantage of this technology? Farmers need not feed and look for food for their goats all the time. And, when food sources go scarce, this will serve as a reserve (it spoils after two years).
After this seminar, each people's organization will be provided with startup capital and at least 12 goats as their additional means of earning income.  

wacky

Striking a candid pose with the barangay officials after my interview with these passionate people.

Taken during a seminar on how to prepare and enact an ordinance. :)

Backpacking Buhisan 2A: Toong

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The second day of my backpacking trip had the most challenging route I’ve ever taken so far.

Whatever notion I had in my mind that since I had experienced some mountain treks for years I would be totally ready for this certain day, ALL OF IT was wiped out the moment I saw what I was really up to. Also, Buhisan may be part of the entire Central Cebu Protected Landscape but it is totally different from the Mananga Watershed—which I frequent. Buhisan’s mountain ranges are mostly rocky AND slope-y, and if you are not careful, you’d easily slip down and hurt yourself. But with the officers and members of the Toong Volunteer Farmers Association with us, I had enough mental leeway to experience the day meaningfully.

Toong is one of the smaller barangays located within the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve. And since most of its land area is particularly mountainous, most of these locals have to contend to living and establishing farms on slopy areas. It’s amazing how these locals are so used to running on these trails with their big baskets (locally called a bakat) on their backs, relying on nothing but their leg power to ensure their safe and balanced tread back to the barangay proper where they would transport their produce to the marketplace.  And it equally makes you glad that the IFS technology is really intended for these farmlands since its format prevents soil erosion and siltation to the dam.

Compared to Dulhogan, it took us an entire day to monitor and document seven farms—that speaks how far the farms are from each other (we actually crossed more than two mountains). It gave me a complete immersive experience since I had time to rest on some of the houses of our farmers, prepare food and eat with them during lunch (that chicken left a great aftertaste for days) and just listen to their life stories.

See entire gallery on my Posterous

of scholars and workshops

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See the full gallery on Posterous

a bit blurry, but they're one of my most treasured photos from now on. <thanks tata and your reliable phone! :)>

a few weeks ago, i went to guinsaugon, st. bernard (southern leyte) to shoot an AVP about the scholars we have--a sort of thank you gift to our donor, Children's Hour, for helping us in funding their education needs. we went to these young surviors of the 2006 landslide, whose parents, siblings and other close relatives were buried along with the onslaught of mud and rain. one could not fathom how much pain these little angels had felt then (i couldn't even fathom it myself). but with helpful and caring agencies, they were able to pull their selves together and move one, because hope can not be buried. Children's Hour, specifically, assisted us by committing to help these 56 survivors finish their education (until high school) for 11 years.

at the end of the two-day interview and shoot, i begged my co-worker to allow me to conduct a workshop to these kids, who in a span of days easily became my friends (and partners in crime...but you do not need to know that). it was a sudden urge i have, like some sort of subconscious would not let go of me til the last minute until i finally say, "ms cecille, cap, can i use your office so i can hold a workshop for these kids?"