An Emergency Appeal launched by the Good Samaritan Foundation has helped hundreds of families get back on their feet following a destructive typhoon that battered communities in Bacolod in the Philippines where long-standing ministries of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan are located.
By Debra Vermeer
Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally as ‘Tino’, killed 224 people across the country, and in Boulevard, a coastal squatter settlement in Bacolod, homes were destroyed, and large sections of the community were washed away.
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan have had a presence in Bacolod for more than 30 years, operating the Good Samaritan Kinder School and Outreach Center, and associated ministries serving people living in squatter settlements.
In the aftermath of the typhoon, they provided emergency shelter, food and support for families who lost their homes or suffered significant damage to them.
The Good Samaritan Foundation’s Emergency Relief Appeal raised more than $130,000 to help provide assistance, including shelter materials, meals and assistance to rebuild homes.
The Foundation’s Executive Director, Sonya Mears, said that the generosity of donors meant that families were now beginning the steady work of rebuilding their homes and their lives.
Sonya said the appeal funded 9500 food tins and 11,694 packets of noodles; new blankets and pillows for 300 families; clothing for 1320 adults and 1416 children; 11,000 personal hygiene products; 3000 towels; 1000 wash buckets; and 6000 assorted sheets of lumber/corrugated iron/plywood and bamboo poles for structural work.
“Your support arrived at a critical moment, providing practical assistance and reassurance when it was needed most,” she said in an update for donors.
The Director of the Outreach Center, Good Samaritan Sister Anne Dixon, said the recovery from Typhoon Tino had taken place against the backdrop of a series of further natural disasters.
“Since Tino, the people have experienced a flood, a volcano eruption and a small 5.0 earthquake,” she said. “To say these people are resilient is an understatement. They bounce back over and over again.”
Volunteers are restoring the eco-park. Image: Sisters of the Good Samaritan.
Anne said that despite these further challenges faced by the community, families have been slowly rebuilding their lives. “We see lots and lots of new corrugated iron on people’s roofs, so that is rebuilding!” she said.
“Unfortunately, we also still see lots of fallen trees that have not been removed from some roofs, including the back of our little house in the eco-park and on the labyrinth, because we don’t have access to heavy equipment to remove the trees. So, it is ongoing.”
In recent weeks, the latest in a long line of fires ripped through the makeshift housing in the local area of Barangay 39, leaving 216 families and 874 people homeless. Another fire left 32 more families homeless last week.
“One of the families is a recipient of our Scholarship program,” Anne said. “Toto lost everything except the clothes he was wearing.”
Good Samaritan Sister Grace Marcelo, who is the social worker at the Good Samaritan Outreach Center, said that since the fire, the Sisters, staff and volunteers from the Center have been working hard to support the families affected.
“We have visited the evacuation shelter a number of times,” she said. “We cooked and delivered 1000 hot meals of chicken and rice and distributed 20 large containers of water and lots of clothes.”
Following Typhoon Tino, the area has been hit by a flood, an earthquake and a series of fires. Image: Sisters of the Good Samaritan.
She said the Center was blessed to have 10 boxes of goods delivered recently from friends and supporters in Melbourne, including from St Christopher’s Parish in Syndal, which has a close relationship with the Sisters in the Philippines following immersion trips to the Bacolod ministries.
Grace and Anne said the Sisters were delighted to have a visit from Sonya last month, who, in her role with the Foundation, spent time with them seeing first-hand the wonderful work of the various ministries.
“It was great for Sonya to be able to share our everyday life, ministry and community,” Anne said.
“Sonya is such a Good Samaritan herself that she fits in without any hassle and happily gets involved. Her compassionate heart carries her along enthusiastically. I was particularly thrilled that on this visit she came to the women’s prison with me.
“Now that Sonya has experienced the programs and projects supported by the Foundation, she can return home with first-hand reports, not relying on our reports alone. It is far easier to be able to picture a place when you have been there.”
Sonya said her visit with Sisters Anne and Grace, Leonie Dueñas, Germia Tocama and Donna Belle Ferrer in Bacolod reminded her once again of the extraordinary strength and dignity within the communities the Foundation serves.
“Seeing our programs in action, talking with staff, local volunteers, women and children, affirmed just how thoughtful and high-quality the Sisters’ initiatives are, and how deeply they are changing lives,” she said.
Sonya said that one of the most moving moments of the trip was meeting four graduates of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan Kinder School who are now tertiary qualified and employed.
“These young women began their journey with us as small children. Today, they are capable and confident professionals,” she said.
Sonya said that when she asked the graduates about their hopes for the future, they spoke of wanting to provide stable food, education and safe housing for their families. They also expressed a strong desire to give back to the Sisters’ programs that once supported them.
Two graduates are now employed at the Outreach Center – one as Finance Officer and the other assisting in the Scholarship Program.
Sonya said it was great to see the Center’s food security program also thriving.
“Last year alone, we provided regular meals to approximately 450 children, residents of squatter settlements, three times per week; 70 seniors and 150 vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness or extreme hardship were also offered weekly meals,” she said.
“A regular, nourishing meal brings dignity and stability and when you’re travelling with the Outreach Center team in the food van – what you remember when you return home are the warm smiles and gratitude.”
The Women’s Skills Training Program also continues to empower participants with practical and life-changing tools.
“There are 30 women currently undertaking the eight-month program, which includes structured sessions in cooking, baking, food preparation and food hygiene, candle-making, health education and small-business skills,” Sonya said.
“Weekly gatherings build both confidence and community, and one-off seminars provide computer literacy training and address important topics such as the risks and consequences of online addiction – a rising concern in the Philippines.”
Sonya said that while the Emergency Appeal for Cyclone Tino had closed, people can still donate to support the families and communities in the Philippines who continue to face the impacts of fires and climate emergencies.
Donations over $2 are tax deductible in Australia and can be made via the website.
The food van provides regular, nourishing meals. Image: Sisters of the Good Samaritan.
