CERV Philippines

Help Uplift their lives. Enrich Yours.

The Center for Volunteerism in the Philippines (CERV-Philippines) offers volunteerism opportunities in Metropolitan Manila and the province of Romblon in the Philippines in the areas of health, education and the environment.

Come to the lovely islands of the Philippines, experience the warmth of their people, and help uplift their lives.

In return, we promise you heart-warming and enriching experiences that come only from the satisfaction of helping people in need.

Ways to Volunteer


Education	Environment	Health	School Maintenance

News

CERV spearheads successful humanitarian fundraising project

August 15, 2010

CERV-Philippines launched a successful relief project to help an Indigenous People’s community in Central Luzon, Philippines. How it started can be read here.

The response was quick and positive. CERV decided to increase its target to three sacks of grain and at least two water pumps.

Canadian law student and National Union of People’s Lawyers volunteer Emily Misola Richards was first to pitch in.

Former CERV volunteer and Meaningful Volunteer founder Malcolm Trevena proposed a CERV-MV hook-up on this project. CERV readily agreed, making it the first joint humanitarian fundraising project ever. MV took care of two-thirds of the amount needed initially.

GVN Foundation kindly agreed to make an emergency release of the funds it keeps for CERV health and children’s welfare projects to help in the project.

Former CERV volunteers Richard Kastenschmidt and Andrew Roquiz of the USA and Leighton Wood (Canada) came through with cash donations.

The project then had more money than it initially needed.

CERV then asked Wilfredo Marbella, deputy secretary general of the Peasant Movement of the Philippines, to look for the right kind of rice grains. He delivered three sacks within three days.

All that was needed at that point was to turn over the grains and the funds for the water pumps. But, as mentioned in the first article, the area is militarized. CERV waited for two weeks before it was able to make the delivery. It needed the help of the KAMP, the Philippines’ biggest federation of Indigenous Peoples, who said that we should just surprise the military and arrive without announcing ourselves.

Following are some pictures of the actual handover. Within three days of the handover, the first pump was already offering clean and potable water to the community. (While CERV intends to go back to take pictures of the water pumps at work and the grains being planted, this has to be scrapped for now due to security reasons.) The community is happy with the three sacks of grain as they were only expecting one. They now await the next planting season even as they start clearing their traditional planting areas on mountainsides.

CERV director Raymund Villanueva also stumbled on a story while there. Watch this video.

“The things or events that happen in our life are not nearly as important as what we do with the time that is given to us.”

June 24, 2010

The following is an excerpt from CERV Volunteer Erik Johnson's blog.

First I wanted to let everyone know that each day I spend here is truly a blessing, and I am still (as I will always be) thankful to all those who helped me both financially and spiritually! Before I left my Mom told me “Not very many kids your age get a chance to do something like your doing. And if they do, it's usually only for a month or so!”

I had no idea that I would be doing something like this or going to a place like this. Not in a million years. I feel very honored and blessed to have had this opportunity. It may not have seemed like a smart decision to some of my friends or family members, and to be honest it wasn't a very smart decision, but it was the right one. I may not be financially stable and I may not have a complete education, but that doesn't change the fact that I've had an amazing experience. I know some people will say “It doesn't matter what your doing there, you need to think about your future.”.

I say “The things or events that happen in our life are not nearly as important as what we do with the time that is given to us.” God provided me with the perfect amount of time, with (almost) the perfect amount of money, and with the perfectly abundantly overflowing amount of prayer and support.

I do not doubt for one second that this trip was a mistake.

Okay, so for the last month and a half, I have been busy teaching computer class, painting signs, painting benches, and cleaning up the shoreline in front of the mangroves.

Computer Class: Even though I never signed up for it, I really do enjoy teaching the kids about computers and how to use them. Yes computers can be bad when someone gets addicted to games or facebook, but they also have very useful applications, such as typing papers, creating documents, presentations, and as I know on a professional level (:)) they are great for expanding one's knowledge and joy they may get from producing, editing, and presenting Movies!

I'm finally having the kids complete a project for me, and go figure, for their first project I'm having them make me a movie/presentation. I recently took a week off to give the kids a break, and myself. During my “break” is when I tried coming up with a lesson plan. I have to give teachers credit, because I use to think being a teacher was one of the easiest jobs ever, but boy was I wrong.

Painting: Just out in front of the building I teach in at Paaralang Elemntarya Ng Sugod (Sugod Elementary School) there are several benches. Paul and I both decided they could use some color, and now they are all finished. We painted a different flag on each of them, representing the different countries that the volunteers have come from, including; The U.S., The U.K., Norway, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Mangroves: The Mangrove project is coming along very nicely. We have between 600 and 700 planted along the shore just north of Sugod, near a place called Baliw. The last few weeks though I haven't had any help, so planting has been put on hold for the time being, and when I do get a chance to visit, I mostly pick up garbage and clean the already planted mangroves. We still have several thousand to plant. Thankfully some of the community members have joined in to help us plant in other locations scattered along the whole bay.

In March, I am planning on reading up on proper techniques and teaching Mangrove Plantation and Care classes at the Elementary school in Sugod, and the High School and Elementary School in Long Beach. It is very important that the community knows exactly how to plant and watch over these trees, because without them they will lose more than just some pretty looking trees. Unfortunately the students do not currently have a class to teach them about how the trees contribute to their livelihood, or how to properly maintain a healthy mangrove sanctuary.

So that is what has been happening with the work side of my adventure. As for my off time there are several other stories to tell.

Read more on Erik’s blog: http://erikscottjohnson.blogspot.com

One hot summer for volunteers

27 May 2010

It’s been a very busy three months for CERV-Philippines in March, April and May. Taking advantage of the country’s school summer break, volunteers rehabilitated two school buildings—one in Quezon City and another in San Agustin, Romblon.

CERV registered its biggest batch of volunteers with 28 MBA students from University of Chicago—Booth School of Business who practically rebuilt Area V Yakap Day Care Center in Barrio Commonwealth in Quezon City last March 21 and 22.

America’s future managers proved they could tackle backbreaking manual labor as they climbed roofs and crawled on all fours to get the job done. What was once a run down school was given a new roof, ceiling, fans, paint job, fence, wash basins, plant boxes and school supplies.

The structure services 80 students everyday. On weekdays and holidays, it also serves as a community health clinic, a community center, a feeding area and other purposes. With repairs and enhancements expected to extend its serviceable life to another ten years, hundreds of children and thousands of poor residents are expected to benefit from the Illinois students’ gift.

In Romblon, a state college school building was totally rehabilitated by a succession of CERV volunteers. Romblon State College is one of the poorest public colleges in an already poor country. It wasn’t surprising that it hardly had money to spend on periodic paint jobs.

But thanks to Maria Cecilla Pereira (Brazil), Dagmar Gaber (Germany), Chelsea Tu (USA), Amber Marcinkoski (Canada), Lucas Frenz (Germany), Vittoria Offeddu (Italy), and Andrew Weiss (USA), the students would be greeted with a new painted school building with a new roof to boot.

It has been a hot summer in the Philippines the past months, but it was equalled by the warm feelings the volunteers get after completing a job meant to help communities in need.

Volunteer with and/or donate to CERV-Philippines for life-enriching programs and projects. Send us a mail through cerv_philippines@yahoo.com.ph

Another Project Week in the Philippines

16 March 2010

It was a bit different this time. After a great experience last time, the expectations were all high. However the law of averages always catches on with the group. It was still quite good. Raymund organized another great experience, some among us who saw it, grabbed it. It was good for me and Laure who had all of Raymund's time.

The saplings that we nurtured last year, a few thousands of them were along the highway and for two days we supported some saplings where needed and watered them. The heat was the highest in Manila of the summer and we just landed from the cool of HK (and heard that part of HK island were at 5 degree centigrade while we were melting). This time I confirmed it to my utter disbelief that I just cannot do hard work that I could a decade ago. So much for a comfortable lifestyle that is too disturbing for comfort of mind. Raymund took us away from the gruel for a day and we participated in the 100th year rally of Women's Day on 8th March and then a small trip of Old Manila city. It was a good detour!

However, my heart was completely at the tree nursery in Montalban, Rizal. Raymund was kind enough to take us to do the usual work at the nursery for the next two days. It was quite nostalgic to be back among the saplings. The hut looks all new and green, the nursery is full with saplings and looks quite green. The 'holes are fun' are still hold the supporting bamboos for the shade and I caught a beautiful spider with its net on my camera. And not to mention the wonderful tender coconuts. I had to open one for the nostalgia sake and to prove to myself that I can still do it. Makes me feel better! The hammock is shifted to a place in front of the hut and BTW I also bought one for me :-).

This time we had a trip to local market and it is a very interesting place. A good spot for many photographs. Lot of fruits and other things. It was fun.

Thanks to Pom and others who provided good food as usual. They tolerated us through our stay and rants. I had thought that I would shed some 'tyres' but it only inflated more. I cannot blame the heat though. I love to stay at this dorm. It is quite homely, always open and lot of space.

We also played cards but this time it was restricted to only two nights and never in the hall. People were too alert and the 'g-bows' or 'Hi Queen' never happened. Some even studied! :-(.

As usual Raymund does not stop inspiring and Laure is already planning next year's PW to Romblon for working with mangroves and painting classrooms and benches. That is the real success of going at 'CERV-Philippines' to Raymund.

What more can I ask from Raymund? He was helping me as usual. This time in finding a place for the IFP conference in Manila. That may be the place for future conferences if not this year.

So, I'm now completely looking forward to go to Romblon next year. I can only wish that it was next week.

Donations to CERV Phillipines are more than welcome. Their immediate need is to buy a vehicle to carry water tanker.

Raymund is still buying lottery tickets so he can call you guys to paint his new house sometimes when he's lucky. We should do it as a group sometimes within the next 10 yrs! Hopefully it'll be earlier.
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Magan Savant is a Physics teacher at Li Po Chun-United Word College in Hongkong, SAR. He has led two student volunteer groups since last year.

Where volunteering and fun are one

17 February 2010

In early 2005 Global Volunteer Network was looking to expand to more countries and offer wider choices to potential volunteers. The Philippines has always been a sentimental option for GVN founder and CEO Colin as he spent time in this country as a volunteer himself before establishing the world’s biggest volunteer network.

Fortuitously, GVN’s Nepal partner’s director was Filipino-born whose sisters are peasants and women’s rights workers. A brother-in-law was secretary general of the biggest teachers’ federation in the Philippines. She convinced them to put up a volunteer placement organization which would serve as an extension of their community development advocacies.

Thus was born the Center for Volunteerism in the Philippines (CERV-Philippines) which took its first batch of volunteers in August 2005. It was founded by the husband and wife team Raymund and Pom Villanueva and Eden Navia. Raymund is the teacher leader, Pom is the women’s rights advocate and Eden is the peasants’ rights activist. CERV has since then taken in three more members into its lean staff machinery to undertake various administrative and project implementation tasks. Nearly five years hence, CERV remains a Philippine partner with only good prospects ahead.

The Philippines is, to put it mildly, a very interesting place for volunteers. Because of its 400+ years of colonial history the locals were initially loathed to allow volunteers to work under the heat of the tropical sun, especially White “guests”, believing that hard and manual labour are only for Filipinos and that members of the “Master Race” must take it easy. Lavish attention in terms of the best accommodations and food were showered on them. This led to some excesses on the part of some volunteers who mistook it as a license to do what they wanted, expecting to be readily excused every time.

But most volunteers were equally determined to show the communities what volunteering was all about. They worked harder than the locals and open-mindedly immersed themselves into the colourful and complicated Filipino culture. After early hiccups, CERV volunteers have endeared themselves to the communities they serve. The communities have grown to be more relaxed with volunteers from all over the world while managing to remain warm and hospitable. This, without doubt, is the biggest strength of the Philippine volunteer experience.

In less than five years volunteers have transformed many run-down schools into colourful and more functional learning institutions. They have rebuilt new ones from the destructions of typhoons and decades of government neglect and corruption. They have taught tens of thousands of students and provided primary health care to scores of poor patients. They have delivered babies and took gravely-ill patients to bigger hospitals in the cities. Volunteers have planted thousands of mangrove seedlings to jumpstart environmental rehabilitations of coastlines. They have donated hundreds of relief goods in times of disasters and gave even more books, school supplies, medicines, even microscopes to schools that did not have them. Volunteers have also assisted in providing life-saving and life-altering surgeries to two poor children while even more are being sponsored with their education.

All these are reciprocated with genuine gratitude and long-lasting friendships. Some volunteers have been made godparents in Catholic christening and weddings—effectively making them integral parts of the family. They have been asked to keynote school graduations and serve as judges for school and beauty contests of various genders and age. They have been invited to attend fiestas and festivals, family picnics, watch local and international soap operas on the telly, or to simply hang-out—an intimate Filipino predilection.

Volunteering in the Philippines disappoints in terms of the romantic (sometimes misguided) notion that the placement areas should be abjectly destitute, even dangerous, communities. They are nothing of the kind. CERV’s placement areas are—while definitely poor and in need of assistance—beautiful with crystal clear sea and fresh waters, good snorkelling sites, breathtaking views of verdant mountains and limestone cliffs, lots of fresh sea food, and a very safe environment. Coupled with the famous Filipino’s hospitality some volunteers may be excused to sometimes think they are vacationing for a substantial part of the time.

For sure, there are things that could qualify as the “requisite hardship elements” in the volunteering experience. Travel to and from the main placement area of Romblon is an 18-hour affair involving bus, ferry and tricycle rides. Internet is grindingly slow—unless you travel on a boat for an hour to commercial broadband internet shops on another island. There are regular power outages. Volunteers must get used to eating rice at least three times a day. And roosters start to crow long before sunrise (so earplugs may be a good idea for your first few nights on the island). Volunteers must also accept the fact that the Philippines has many holidays that cause schools and clinics to suspend operations.

But CERV is not making excuses for these. The Philippines is what it is. And based on its’ experience with hundreds of volunteers from all over the world this unique combination of work and play, volunteering and ‘vacationing’, being a ‘tourist’ and being a citizen of the world is just the “right mix.”

CERV ends 2009 successfully; has high hopes for 2010

31 December 2009

TO ROUND UP the year, CERV-Philippines helped in the complete rehabilitation of Batibot Early Learning Center, a school completely submerged and destroyed during the Ondoy (Ketsana) calamity.

Volunteers Erik Johnson (USA) and Paul Olney (GB) worked hard in repainting the school’s educational blocks and help in the delivery of books, water purifier, electric fan and medicines.

CERV also bought paints and painting supplies which the school’s parents used in repairing the destroyed structure.

Batibot is located in the city of Marikina, one of the most devastated localities during Ondoy’s wrath. For more of the story go to http://tfchildrenofthestorm.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/overcoming-their-fears-day-care-centers-reopen-2/)

CERV also participated in delivering relief goods to 17 communities within Metro Manila and Northern Luzon, particularly in the cities of Quezon and Pasig, and the towns of San Mateo in Rizal Province, Guimba in Nueva Ecija and Bambang in Pangasinan.

These relief operations were participated in by volunteers Yusuke Nakata (Japan) and Shafaq Varghese (USA).

Financial donations from the GVN Foundation of New Zealand and USA and former volunteers made these projects possible. It also enabled CERV to implement repairs to the CERV offices and dormitory in Quezon City, which was damaged by the succession of destructive storms. Part of the donation was also used to buy additional carpentry tools for CERV’s school building repair and maintenance program.

Meanwhile, Global Volunteer Network (http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/) decided to continue its partnership with CERV—a decision that reversed its earlier plan to abrogate the partnership that was originally scheduled to end on August of 2010.

“I am pleased to advise you that our management team have completed the review and are happy to continue with our partnership,” GVN founder and CEO Colin Salisbury said.

GVN is the world’s biggest volunteering network with more than 11,500 volunteers deployed in six continents since 2002.

The year 2009 proved to be another successful, albeit challenging, year for CERV. There was a slight increase in the number of volunteers across all months of the year while CERV’s programs benefited from several improvements introduced through its collaboration with Meaningful Volunteer.

CERV looks forward to the New Year with renewed hope, buoyed by recent successes in its response to the “Ketsana” and “Pempe” calamities. Together with its current and future international volunteers it promises to help more Filipino communities and social service institutions in need of the world’s kindness.

Flood relief and rehabilitation projects go full-blast

6 November 2009

CERV and its volunteers participated in relief missions to 17 flooded communities around Luzon Island after the twin devastations of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng that killed more than a thousand people and destroyed properties and livelihood worth billions of pesos.

Volunteers Shafaq Varghese (Pakistan/USA) and Yusuke Nakata (Japan) helped distribute thousands of relief bags containing rice, other food items, medicine and used clothing to flooding victims.

Former volunteers came through with immediate cash donations for the relief missions as well. Magan Savant (with wife Nitu and daughter Urvi of India and Hong Kong), Richard Kastenschmidt (with wife Renee of the USA) sent cash donations immediately after learning of the devastations.

The GVN Foundation immediately set up an emergency relief fund drive where several GVN/CERV volunteers also sent donations. The fund raising drive is still ongoing through this link: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/emergency_relief/philippines/

CERV has committed to the rehabilitation of the Batibot Early Learning Center, a community school that was completely flooded at the height of the storm. It serves 50 schoolchildren in an urban poor community run by a local women’s organization.

The school rehabilitation project will be funded by donations through the GVN Foundation. Paints, books, medicines and equipment shall be donated to the school and volunteers shall work repainting and rehabilitating the school.

Relief and rehabilitation efforts are ongoing as floodwaters still refuse to subside in some parts of Metro Manila. Millions of families still have to recover from losing their rice and vegetable crops.

Meanwhile, repeat volunteer Alan Fry (Australia) donated a netbook to serve as temporary replacement to the desktop computer lost when the CERV dorm was flooded during Typhoon Ondoy.

The following have kindly donated to the relief and rehabilitation fund. (Names preceded by an asterisk are former or current volunteers.)

Pamela M Hackett

*DCB Dunne

*Eliza M Raymond

Sheena Lad

Amanda R Walsh

Ariel K Turner

Cayce E Chalk

*Catherine Douglass

Jonathan H Lester

K C Austin

Ruthanne Gartland

*Erik S Johnson

Tsang M Man Heem

Mhairi McAlpine

Anna Ware

*Richard and Renee Kastenschmidt

Carol G Voorhees

Pamela Tan

*Peter H Smyth

Carol Thomas

Thomas Chisholm

Johanna Lindberg

Kozlowicz Dorota

NG Every

Jeff Doyle

*Marit Hovhaugholen

Christopher A DiMarco

S Travers

Traudel Arend

Jill S Castillo

Sujay Pathak

M Harding Lee Cranford

*Carolyn J German

Lisa Brooten

Kate Davies

Rochelle T Nieuwenhuis

SA Avison

*Sophie Hamada

Barry Helfanbein

Nicole Jame Jatarra

Apetrei Sebastian

James L Mundell

Alan Hastings

Claire Walker

Wendy Brissenden

Fatma Khan

*Rachel Allitt

*Magan, Nitu and Urvi Savant

A volunteer’s impression of the flood calamity in the Philippines

9 October 2009

Following is Shafaq Varghese’s note of the effects of the floods that hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Shafaq is a Pakistan-born American and is an IT consultant in Texas.

Visiting the areas affected by the flooding was a heart-wrenching experience. The devastation was limitless. In one of the hardest hit areas, numerous houses, which had originally been built alongside a major river, had been flattened and the homeless victims were scattered on the streets living in temporary spaces made up of plastic sheets tied together with thread. Garbage, which was basically household items destroyed by the flooding, was piled up on every street corner and outside every house. It was obvious that anything these residents owned, in an already poverty-stricken area, had been washed away or spoiled by the flood.

In one street corner hundreds of people were standing in the sweltering heat, in lines that stretched around several blocks, to receive aid from their local community leadership. I was skeptical on whether enough aid would be available for the hordes of people waiting.

The family we visited to provide aid to had lost everything they owned in the flood. Their house had been submerged in water and they had survived by taking shelter in their neighbor’s two-story house. Every single piece of clothing and furniture this family owned was covered with thick mud. They had no food, no drinking water or clean clothes. And even though they had started the cleaning process, it was obvious that in the absence of proper nourishment and basic amenities, it would be weeks or even months before they would be able to have a normal life again.

The same story was repeated in the hundreds of other houses that we passed by. From the families scavenging through their destroyed goods for items they could still make use of, to the one living inside a truck because they had lost everything, to the group of people holding a vigil on a bridge for a drowned child, everywhere I looked, the only thing visible was utter destruction and suffering.

In the three and a half hours that we surveyed the area, we saw just two aid operations in progress, one through a UN agency and the other through Red Cross. From the size of the trucks and the number of victims standing in line to receive aid, it was clear that the rations provided by these aid operations would be inadequate. Worst still, there wasn’t a single medical program in progress to provide temporary medical care or check-ups to the victims. With millions of dollars worth of aid coming into the Philippines just for the sole purpose of providing food, water, shelter and medical care to the victims of the flooding, I wondered where the money was being spent if not in the area with the highest number of casualties.

Clearly, the government and other aid agencies need to take additional steps to reduce the suffering of the people affected by the flooding, most of whom are now living on the streets and are highly susceptible to diseases, mal-nutrition and probable death. This includes, first and foremost, providing additional food, clean water and medical help, in order to prevent further fatalities and the spread of diseases. Rebuilding the houses and cleaning the streets of the loads of garbage scattered everywhere would be the next significant step. These must then be followed by providing safer and more stable housing in the areas more prone to rain and flood damage, in order to prevent such widespread disaster and loss of life in the future.

CERV is asking everyone to repost and donate to this link.

For more pictures of the victims of the flooding, please look here.

CERV mobilizes for flood victims

29 September 2009

CERV mobilized volunteers and participated in relief operations for the victims of the latest calamity to hit the Philippines.

While asking and collecting relief donations for victims of Typhoon ‘Ondoy’ (international name: Ketsana) CERV was approached by British tourist Simon Wood (Newcastle) and Filipina nursing student Hart Odorna offering to help in repacking relief items.

Simon and Hart immediately started work sorting clothing and repacking food items at a disaster response center in Quezon City. The next day they distributed items at two of the hardest hit areas in Pasig and Marikina cities.

Facebook and other internet sites also proved useful when former volunteers started checking in and promising to help. Rachel Groen (Canada) was the first to pledge financial aid.

CERV itself was not spared from the effects of the deluge as its Quezon City office and dormitory was flooded. Photos, files and some furniture were damaged as floodwaters entered the ground floor.

CERV trustee Karen Villanueva, a public high school teacher, and her students escaped rampaging waters last Saturday by scaling walls and crossing roofs to reach a nearby three-storey house. Together with about a hundred victims, they were trapped for two days and nights, subsisting on the kindness of their accidental host and neighbors who shared everything they had until the waters subsided.

Director Raymund Villanueva later participated in one of the earliest relief operations in a CERV beneficiary community called Sitio Veterans in Quezon City.

‘Ondoy’ dumped 410 inches of rain in merely nine hours last September 27. In comparison, Hurricane Katrina dumped “only” 380 inches over a longer period in Louisiana.

To date, more than 80 have been reported killed while dozens are still missing. More than a hundred thousand victims are staying in evacuation centers in Manila and neighboring areas.

CERV accepts cash donations for victims of ‘Ondoy’. Please email us at cerv_philippines@yahoo.com.ph for details.

WE LOST EVERYTHING IN A DAY

Nerve Macaspac

We lost everything in a day.

We have lost the warmth
Of our homes
Of our kid’s laughter
Of our parent’s embrace.

We lost the fiesta of the sunset
The anticipation of the rush hour
The joy of coming home
The aroma of home-cooked dinner.

In that fearful long day,
Our tired clenched soul
Waded through the river of sadness.
There were no rocks to hold onto
Only our loved ones’ names
That we kept reciting
Between our gasps and strokes.

The flood rose higher
With more and more people
Plunging to look for their shores
Reciting names, ages, schools, offices,
Illnesses, highways, rooftops, buses.

With each word as heavy as the gravity of the rain.
With each word as heavy as the gravity of our tears.

= = = = =

The poet is a colleague of CERV director Raymund Villanueva. He and his family were victims of ‘Ondoy’.

"CERV celebrates fourth year; is optimistic about the future of volunteering in the Philippines"

12 August 2009

CERV-Philippines is four years old this month. Despite ever-present challenges its volunteers continue to bring goodwill from around the globe to marginalized Filipino communities.

About two hundred fifty international volunteers, sponsors and donors have helped various communities and institutions in Metro Manila and the provinces of Romblon, Iloilo, Camarines Sur, Batangas and Rizal provinces.

Our volunteers build, repair and enhance public schools; conduct medical missions and dispense medical services; donate relief goods; school and medical supplies; nurture and plant thousands of mangrove seedlings; among many other humanitarian services.

Some volunteers even sponsor life-saving medical operations for beneficiary persons as well as support the education of several deserving Filipino students.

Established to be the Philippine partner of the New Zealand-based Global Volunteer Network CERV is now a partner of the newly-founded international placement organization Meaningful Volunteer, also based in New Zealand. It is also in the process of studying some partnership applications from other similar global organizations.

CERV’s four-year journey is not without pains, however. Barely a year into its operations it had to transfer from its original placement area in Iloilo to Romblon Province due mainly to communication glitches with the local government unit. Its main placement site is now the town of San Agustin in Romblon where it has been operating the past three years. Romblomanons still warmly welcome each new batch of volunteers who bring much-needed assistance.

CERV is also suffering the negative effects of the current global financial crisis with several withdrawals by volunteers. Still, we persevere by trying to introduce better programs in the hope that a good word-of-mouth would be an effective promotion strategy to counter the consequent decline of volunteer applications worldwide.

We also hope that CERV not only maintains its current partners but forge tie-ups with more global volunteer recruitment networks to ensure the program’s continuity for the benefit of more communities in need.

Come. Volunteer. Donate. Sponsor. Help uplift more lives and, in the process, enhance yours.

CERV receives grant from Australian company

10 July 2009

Australian company BHP Billiton awarded CERV with an AUS$1,800 grant in support of its various projects in Quezon City.

The said donation is part of the company’s Matched Giving Program through Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Australia.

This program provides an incentive matching the active involvement of its employees in community organizations whether by volunteering, fund-raising or cash donations (including payroll-giving).

CAF, for its part, is an international not-for-profit organization with long-standing experience in the provision, management and administration of programs for Corporate Community Involvement and BHP Billiton has outsourced their administration of this program to CAF-Australia.

CERV was recommended to be a grant recipient by BHP Billiton engineer Scott Dennis who volunteered last December 2008 in the school building maintenance program. (Scroll down for related story on volunteers Scott Dennis and Jennifer Duncombe.)

CERV is open to other grants and donations to benefit poor Filipino communities in Quezon City and Romblon Province through these links: Interested donors who wish to assist poor Filipino may donate through this links: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/projects/philippines/ (tax-deductible in the United States) and https://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/fundraise/makedonation.aspx?c=152. You may also email CERV directly at cerv_philippines@yahoo.com.ph

CERV distributes school supplies

3 July 2009

Siblings Claudine and Loren Falcutila belong to a brood of nine. The two are the only ones in school while the rest have dropped out. Both have to scale a hill on a muddy path and walk for hours everyday before they reach school and back. Their father is a subsistence farmer but is ailing with hernia; their mother is a housewife.

As the new Philippine academic year opened last month Claudine and Loren as well as 28 other school kids received new uniforms, shoes, bags and school supplies from former volunteer Kathryn Nicholas (New Zealand). Kathryn and family are sponsoring 30 children on their schooling (read related story below).

But several members of the original list of 30 have dropped out of school due to extreme poverty. Kathryn and CERV then decided to look for other kids from impoverished families to sponsor.

According to the National Statistic Office of the Philippines, four out of ten Filipino children do not finish elementary school due to poverty and inaccessibility of public schools in poor areas of the country.

CERV accepts teaching volunteers to assist public school teachers and contribute to the education of 45 million school-age children.

It also accepts donations through these links:

http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/projects/philippines/ (tax-deductible in the United States) and

https://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/fundraise/makedonation.aspx?c=152

or email CERV directly at cerv_philippines@yahoo.com.ph

No swine flu cases in CERV placement areas; zero death in the Philippines

17 June 2009

The Philippines now has nearly 200 cases of the global A(H1N1) swine influenza virus originally brought in by locals and foreigners who travelled from infected countries. Thankfully, no death has yet been reported and the country’s health authorities say that all reported cases are of the very mild strain. Like with the avian flu virus, it is hoped that the Philippines would be spared from the worst of the pandemic.

This is, of course, good news to incoming or prospective volunteers.

CERV intends to help keep it that way. As there is a growing concern that incoming volunteers, particularly those coming from swine flu-hit countries, might be infected, CERV is asking all of them to take flu vaccinations and boost their immunity systems by regularly taking multivitamins before flying over.

This is the first time that CERV is asking this from future volunteers, and it is the only vaccination it recommends. It also asks volunteers to always have bug-repelling lotions and sprays ready while in the country to protect themselves from insect-borne diseases.

There has been no reported case of swine or avian flues in CERV’s placement areas of San Agustin, Romblon and Quezon City in Metro Manila.

Volunteer launches sponsorship program for 30 poor children

25 May 2009

Former GVN volunteer Kathryn Nicholas (New Zealand) launched a new education sponsorship program to benefit 30 poor schoolchildren in San Agustin, Romblon, Philippines.

Kathryn served as a school building repair volunteer in the Philippines from November 2008 to February of this year through GVN’s Philippines partner, the Center for Volunteerism in the Philippines (CERV-Philippines).

After her program, Kathryn immediately started a fund raising campaign with friends and family. (I am) “talking to friends and family about the sponsorship program… and I'll talk to you soon when I've got more people committed to sponsoring a child” she wrote CERV-Philippines on Valentine’s Day.

The sponsorship succeeded in raising 900 Philippine pesos for each child, which will be spent for enrolment fees, uniforms, bags and school supplies. The funds arrived in time for the start of the new academic year on June 1.

The beneficiary children are:

Barangay (Village) Cabolutan:

Rose Gangga Manligas
Blazy Joy Manligas
Mary Ann Kalaw Manligas

Barangay Sugod:

John Paul Muleta
Rachel Joy Muleta
Patrick Muleta
Jerich Muleta
Mylene Muleta
Aljon Ramon
Lysa Ramon
Grace Ramon

Barangay Long Beach:

Gerich Mores
Jerin Mores
Queena Mores
Janilla Mores
Janrey Palonpon

Barangay Cawayan:

Mary Joy Fabito Fruelda
Jomerey Fabito
Maria Fabito
Jeremias Fabito
Jomer Fabito
Anthony Riano
Gerald Riano
Alvin Riano
Aldrin Riano
Royalyn Mindoro
Argie Mindoro
Marialyn Mindoro
May Mindoro
Marvin Mindoro

Kathryn wrote that this is her way of expressing her gratitude. “I had an awesome experience and am very grateful for all the help,” she wrote.

Interested donors who wish to assist poor Filipino may donate through this links:

http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/projects/philippines/ (tax-deductible in the United States) and

https://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/fundraise/makedonation.aspx?c=152

or email CERV directly at cerv_philippines@yahoo.com.ph

Top international school sends teacher, students to work as volunteers

19th March 2009

Eleven students of Li Po Chun (LPC)-United World College (UWC) of Hong Kong served as the first batch of volunteers in CERV’s latest program—nurturing and planting native trees to rehabilitate Philippine biodiversity last March 7 to 13.

Accompanied by their Physics teacher Magan Savant (India), David Kingman (Hong Kong/USA), Mathilda Destiny Shivute (Namibia), Jimmy Hu (Hong Kong), Diana Ainembabazi (Uganda), Nicholas Chow (Trinidad & Tobago), Ted Weber Gola (Brazil), Anu Noel (Estonia), Daniel Holy (Czech Republic), Michal Varga (Slovak Republic), Kayla Tam (Hong Kong), team leader Sara Estevez Cores (Spain) spent four days re-potting, watering and pruning thousands of native tree seedlings in Rodriguez, Rizal. They also constructed additional sheds for the nursery and donated gardening to the facility operated by CERV’s environment partner Hortica Filipina Foundation, Inc.

They also painted wooden play blocks and further enhanced the Busilak Day Care Center and Multi-Purpose Hall of Sitio Veterans in Quezon City.

The students’ seven-day trip is a school-sanctioned activity in furtherance of UWC’s objective of exposing its international scholars to cultural diversity and giving them a chance to contribute to development programs.

LPC is reputedly one of the top high schools in the world.

Formal Partnership formed between CERV Philippines and Meaningful Volunteer

3rd March 2009

Meaningful Volunteer and CERV Philippines are delighted to announce a formal partnership between the two organizations. Raymund Villanueva signed on behalf of CERV and Malcolm Trevena signed on behalf of Meaningful Volunteer.

CERV Philippines has been placing volunteers in the Philippines since 2005 and has taken an active role in a wide range of educational, environmental and medicinal projects.

Meaningful Volunteer - formed in 2008 - will bring volunteers from all over the world to assist developing communities in the Philippines.

Meaningful Volunteer and CERV Philippines will work together on a number of projects including:

The RYE School
The RYE School will be a solar powered school initially offering English and Computer Science courses. Children attending the school will participate in community cleanups to pay for their school fees.
Project Lifecycle
Project Lifecycle makes use of simple necklaces as a form of family planning. The project attempts to reduce the average family size on the islands of Romblon.
Project Mangrove
Project Mangrove will replant mangrove trees around Tablas Island in the Romblon province. Mangroves are a vital part of the eco-system, provides a place for fish to lay their eggs and forms a natural barrier against tsunamis and other environmental hazards.
School Building
Much of the infrastructure on Romblon was destroyed when Typhoon Frank hit. The School Building project helps the community to rebuild.

New tree-planting program

28th February 2009

Starting this month, CERV will be accepting environmental volunteers interested in tree nursery work, tree planting and nurturing them to full maturity.

The project entails the re-potting, trimming and nurturing seedlings in nurseries. Starting in July of this year, the seedlings will be planted along the North Luzon and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressways (NLEX and SCTEX) north of the capital Manila.

The objectives of the new project include saving endangered Philippine native tree species and offsetting the carbon emissions of vehicles on these two highways.

The Philippines is a bio-diversity hotspot. Many of its rare dipterocarps have been over-harvested over centuries for their superior timber quality. Many trees have also been victimized by the intrusive alien tree species that crowd them out of their natural habitats.

By planting native tree species along the country’s biggest superhighways, they will also offset the carbon emissions of vehicles. Studies show that a mature tree can absorb the harmful emissions of seven vehicles.

Moreover, by planting them along NLEX and SCTEX, the trees will be secured from being cut down in the future.

Volunteers for this project shall live in Metro Manila or with host families near the nurseries and tree planting sites.

Children Reaching Out

19th January 2009

Children from halfway round the globe reached out to poor Filipino kids with a donation for the procurement of additional school supplies. The 4-H Club, Maple Shade Chapter, of Holmen, Wisconsin, USA donated US$50 to buy crayons, glue, pen and coloring books to a community-operated day care center for urban poor children.

4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The four "H"s stand for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. The organization serves over 6.5 million members in the United States from ages 5 to 19 in approximately 90,000 clubs. 4-H clubs and related organizations now exist in many other countries as well; the organization and administration varies from country to country.

The goal of 4-H is to develop citizenship, leadership, and life skills of youth through mostly experiential learning programs. Though typically thought of as an agriculturally focused organization as a result of its history, 4-H today focuses on citizenship, healthy living, and science, engineering and technology programs.

The Maple Shade Chapter of 4-H decided to make Busilak Day Care Center in Quezon City one of its beneficiaries after hearing a presentation made by former CERV volunteer Richard Kastenschmidt.

Richard is back for a short time in the Philippines, his third in as many years, to visit his beneficiary schools in Quezon City, Philippines. As a volunteer in January 2007, Richard built cabinets to house multi-media equipment and installed exhaust fans in two day care centers.

In Christmas 2007, Richard and wife Renee decided to forego giving each other gifts to save up for regular annual donations to CERV programs. In January 2008, Richard visited the Philippines for the second time to make the donations personally, in addition to buying Busilak Day Care Center’s first desktop computer.

This year, Richard donated a laptop computer to be used as a teaching aid to day care, elementary and high school students in poor communities around Metro Manila. He also donated a mobile internet device to make it easier for the students to conduct research on the internet for school projects and assignments. He and Renee also made a “Christmas Gift” donation for the second straight year.

Richard saw and was impressed by the great accomplishments of the community organizations that operate Busilak. From a door and window-less shed of rough concrete, the center is now housed in a three-storey building. The first floor serves as the classroom; the second floor shall serve as a library and health clinic; and the third floor shall be a small activity center. This small building is the same structure painted by Australian engineer Scott Dennis.

Richard is a retired teacher while Renee is still teaching. Aside from their shared passion for motorcycling, they also share in the deep gratitude of many children beneficiaries in poor communities in the Philippines.


Showing the computer programs to help in teaching.	The children singing and dancing with Teacher Jane for Richard.


Richard posing with the Busilak morning class	The day care center


Richard handing over the 4-H and his and wife Renee's donations.	School supplies bought by the 4-H Club donation being turned over to the students.

Holidays '08

Dear volunteers and friends:

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!)

We wish all the joys of a Filipino Christmas and the hopes of a better year ahead to all of you.

Maraming salamat for all your help, kindness and understanding.

Teaching volunteer plays Santa to 10-year old girl

15 December 2008

Australian Rebecca “Bec” Snell (Teaching, January 2008) wrote in her farewell message to CERV that her volunteering experiences in the Philippines were “very satisfying” and “will stay with her forever.” (Bec volunteered with her good friend Adam Miller.)

She remains true to her word.

Earlier this month, Bec informed CERV she wants to sponsor a Filipino child’s education. “I really want to give something back to your country because it has taught me so much,” she wrote.

CERV then looked and asked around both in Metro Manila and Romblon for a suitable candidate (someone who is not related to any staff to avert conflict of interest). We settled on Beth Marinelle “Bechay” P. Pacaldo.

Bechay is a 10-year old, Grade 4 student of Camarin Elementary, a public school in Caloocan City-North. She is one of five kids of parents Dante and Elizabeth. Dante is a jeepney driver and Elizabeth is an urban poor women organizer. The Pacaldos live in Barangay Camarin, an urban poor community 20 kilometers north from downtown Manila.

According to those who know her, Bechay is very focused on her studies. Her grade point average is 80 percent in all subjects. She also conscientiously helps out with household chores and is an obedient kid.

When presented to her prospective benefactor, Bechay was immediately approved By Bec. Bec promised to send assistance semi-annually—in May, when Bechay would be enrolling, and in December. She also said that she wants to start sending assistance to her scholar this Christmas time.

A 10-year old Filipino girl’s Christmas suddenly became very merry.

(Accompanying photos: 1. Bechay (right) hamming it up with mom Elizabeth; and 2. Bec Snell with friend and fellow volunteer Adam Miller.)

Australian engineer enhances urban poor school

14th December 2008

Australian mining engineer Scott Dennis heard so much about the Philippines from his girlfriend and former CERV volunteer Jennifer Duncombe he wanted to volunteer on his own. He got his chance when he visited Jenn in the Philippines who was volunteering in the Manila office of the World Health Organization.

For 14 days on weekdays, Scott painted the Busilak Day Care Center at the multi-purpose building in Sitio Veterans, Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City, Metro Manila which also doubles as a meeting room and chapel on occasion. He also finished the painting of the office, clinic and library on the second floor. He bought the paints and the materials from his own pocket and, at the end of his project, donated funds for the procurement and installation of glass window panes plus more paints for the building exterior.

Last December 7, Scott and Jenn also worked at the newly-established native tree species nursery of Hortica Filipina Foundation, Inc. at Rodriguez, Rizal east of Metropolitan Manila. It was Jenn’s second time to work with the environmentalists who organized the now defunct Philippine Marathon for the Pasig River/Pasig River Heritage Marathon.

Last December12, Scott was feted in a farewell program attended by officers and members of the Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaisang Nagkakaisa (Association of United Urban Poor Women) or Samakana, a nationwide organization of urban poor women, and Samahan ng mg Kabataan ng Veterans (Youth Association of Veterans) or SKV. He was regaled with songs and dances as well as speeches by the children of the day care center, Samakana and SKV.

“I am very grateful for the warm welcome you have all given me. I enjoyed every minute of it and I don’t want to change any of it,” Scott said in his farewell message before the groups. At the end of his speech, Scott turned over a boxful of children’s books, crayons, pieces of colored chalk and other school supplies for the use of the day care center. Scott also thanked his young new friends who not only kept him company but assisted and even played basketball with him as well.

Samakana national secretary general “Nanay” Bising Taldo profusely thanked Scott for his kindness and international solidarity to the struggles and aspirations of Filipino urban poor women. “It is heartwarming that we have been made recipient of this act of kindness and labor of love from someone who came from overseas,” Nanay Bising said.

From a ramshackle affair of discarded tin roofs and rough walls, Busilak Day Care Center and Multi-Purpose Hall is now a three storey concrete building with tiled bathrooms and floors and light-pink and brown walls. Majority of the funds for its construction were raised with the help of Italian humanitarian organizations. Several Veterans children and members of the youth organization were regularly invited in Italy for concerts that helped in fund-raising.

“There is still much work to be done,” Nanay Bising said. “But with this building, we are already assured that our children will no longer study in leaky rooms with no doors and windows. We can also have medical missions here. Plus, with the books and computers donated by former CERV volunteers, our youngsters are given more opportunities to study. We thank all those who help us help ourselves, especially when these basic social services are denied us poor people by the government,” she added.

CERV celebrates International Volunteers’ Day on December 5

5th December 2008

CERV celebrates International Volunteers Day for Economic and Social Development (IVD) on December 5 with many projects lined up to close the year and to welcome 2009.

Six international volunteers are currently involved in school building repair and maintenance projects in Sitio Veterans in Quezon City and in Barangays Cawayan, Long Beach, Sugod and Cabolutan in San Agustin, Romblon Province.

The rebuilding of Carmen Day Care Center (destroyed by Typhoon Frank in July) was recently completed by New Zealander Roger Johnson. (Roger’s wife Denise also completed her teaching program at Sugod Elementary School. She also spent many hours tutoring child-beneficiary Van Mark Elisan.)

The repair of Cawayan Day Care Center is made possible by the combined donations of Karen Barnes and Family and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of Missouri, USA.

The repair of Cabolutan Elementary School, specifically a classroom wall brought down by termites, is made possible by the donation of Australian Brendan Collopy. The wall shall now be constructed of concrete.

Scott Dennis of Australia is painting the Day Care Center-Library-Clinic of Sitio Veterans. Scott was encouraged to volunteer by girlfriend and former CERV-GVN volunteer Jennifer Duncombe.

Classroom painting in Sugod and Long Beach are also ongoing.

CERV also recently submitted a grant proposal to the GVN Foundation for a new mangrove nursery in Barangay Sugod. The fund shall come from the combined donations of Susan Rife, Thomas G Lord, Kara D Festa, Richard Kastenschmidt, Laureen Gibson, Laine Smith, Eric Ladouceur, Bill A Sutherland, Claudia Larouche, Sharlyn G Briones, Jennifer Pielak and Daniel A Roquiz. Richard, Laureen, Laine, Eric, Bill, Claudia, Sharlyn, Jennifer and Daniel were all former volunteers. Susan is probably a relative of former volunteer Alexis Rife. Thomas and Kara are simply good souls.

IVD was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 40/212 on 17 December 1985. Governments, the United Nations system and civil society organizations have since then celebrated it on 5 December every year.

IVD provides an opportunity for volunteer organizations and individual volunteers to work together in projects and campaigns bringing added visibility to their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels. Over the years, rallies, parades, community volunteering projects, environmental awareness, free medical care and other projects all featured prominently on IVD.

IVD is a special day to honor all past and active volunteers as well as an event to encourage more people to volunteer.

Volunteers provide much needed commitment and support to many underserved communities around the globe.

(And, btw, December 5 is CERV director Raymund Villanueva’s birthday!)

More relief aid to typhoon victims

17th November 2008

CERV and its volunteers held another food relief event for the residents of Long Beach, San Agustin, Romblon. Eighty-five families were given bags containing kilos of rice, packs of instant noodles and canned items last October 28.

As mentioned in previous entries Long Beach was heavily damaged by Typhoon Frank last July. Big waves swept many of its houses and strong winds destroyed crops and boats, leaving behind greater poverty and many illnesses. Three months after the devastation, its residents have yet to recover.

This latest relief-giving was made possible by the efforts of the Barnes Family of Kansas City, Missouri (USA). The Barneses were CERV’s first family of volunteers (Father Michael, Mother Karen, Austin, Sarah, Kim, Isaac and Lancer). They stayed at Long Beach.

Last September, Karen held a presentation before the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League about the poor in the Philippines. At the end of the event, the League donated $300 for the Barnes’ charity activities. Karen another $100 to the amount and promptly sent it to CERV.

About $150 were spent for the food bags. The remaining amount would be used for the repair of Cawayan Day Care Center, which was also heavily damaged by the typhoon.

Donations

Donations for the rehabilitation of San Agustin, Romblon after the devastation of Typhoon Frank last July are starting to do their work.

The Carmen Day Care Center, totally destroyed by huge waves at the height of the typhoon, is now being rebuilt at a more inland location. Instead of bamboo walls, the school now has concrete floor and walls. Its new bathroom will also be tiled. Its roofing and its concrete fencing has recently been completed.

After its construction, more tables and cabinets will be constructed by CERV volunteers. CERV will also buy one monobloc chair for each of its 50 students.

Volunteers currently working on the rebuilding of the school are Leighton Wood (Canada), Nels Rodelwald (US) and Roger Johnson (NZ).

In September 6, the Carmen Day Care Center was inaugurated. The ceremonies were led by the Department of Social Work and Development (DPWH) Romblon provincial director June B. Recon and attended by CERV volunteers and staff.

Meanwhile, the repair and enhancement of Sugod Elementary School library is now complete. CERV volunteers involved in the project were Denise Dunn (Australia), Scott Ince (Australia), Colin Lee Chee (Canada), Peter Barnett (NZ), Andrew Hudson (Canada), Paul Murray (US), Debbie Hall (NZ). Denise Johnson (NZ) is now using the library as her classroom for her math and art classes.

Previous to these projects, Leighton Wood completed the painting of a classroom in Cabolutan Elementary School.

Funds for these projects are being financed with donations given through FundRaise Online-New Zealand by former volunteers Dr Sophie Hamada (France), Malcolm Trevena (NZ), Li Ching Ho (Malaysia), as well as one Mr Henri Lex Tapay (nationality unknown).


The Inauguration Eating Ceremony	The New Carmen Elementary Library


Leighton Painting	The New Carmen CR (Comfort Room)

Vincent And Roger Painting

Debbie's last days in the Philippines

1st September 2008
Greetings to all,

Time is going past very quickly here. Only a few more days left before I have to go back to Manila.

I am back in (Barangay) Sugod after the weekend on a neighboring island — a very interesting place with a handful of expats firmly ensconced with Filipino wives and children. (Not the other way round.) I went there with another volunteer, a young woman from Switzerland (Corina Stiffler) who is working in town, about 10 kms from here. Everyone thought we were mother and daughter, until she opened her mouth to speak.

The first evening we met David (terribly English, reminded me of David Horseman). He owns a Deli / restaurant and they have an international menu so we were able to order a feed of spaghetti and meat balls with as much parmesan cheese as I wanted! David proved very helpful and generous with his time and knowledge of the island.

He told us about the typhoon that came through here two months ago — the biggest and most devastating locals can remember. Originally it was tracking across the land to the south of here in an east- west direction (which is unusual in itself because they usually follow the coast lines). So when it hit Visayan waters it swung round to the north, heading directly for the Romblon Islands where I'm living. All these islands experienced about 40 mins of calm as the eye passed over and then it came back with more ferocity. It was the size of the waves that most people talk about, absolutely huge, like mini tsunamis sweeping whole villages away on the southeastern sides of the islands, especially those homes made of nipa or natural fibers. [I guess this is what seduces people to corrugated iron and concrete blokes.]

The greatest tragedy of this typhoon was of course the passenger ship that capsized trapping nearly all of its 800 passengers inside. This was a big ship so it must have been an almighty wave that overturned it. It failed to heed the weather warnings and take shelter, seduced by the eye of the storm. When the engines failed it was curtains for this boat as it obviously went broadside against the waves. It sank shortly afterwards. That it was loaded with an undeclared cargo of pesticides and there has been a hands-off policy ever since with no one prepared to take responsibility for what happened or its salvage. One end is anchored to the ocean floor so it will be no mean task to get it floating again. And who would want to deal with all the corpses inside?

The large island not far from here, near where this boat is languishing, is under constant threat of the lethal cargo escaping. It is being monitored daily and there is a fishing ban in place for the entire coastline. If as much as a small amount of this pesticide should leak into the ocean it could render the entire waters of this area lifeless for years to come. So as you can imagine there is much anxiety among the locals here

Romblon Island, where we were, is famous for its marble carving and David asked someone to show us around. [He also has a small export business.] There are many workshops lining the roads above the town with angle grinders going flat out. Of course I had to get a closer look at these tools and discovered some ingenious improvisation off the shafts of their grinders. There was some quite interesting works of art...skilled reproductions of greco-roman statues and busts....loads of animals including a life-size lion and a baby elephant.... very groovy little pigs. And of course heaps of kitchenware and furniture. Took lots of photos.

The second night there we stayed at the only beach resort still open on the island. [This is the low season so not much happening on the tourist front. In fact we didn't see any apart from a couple of yacht-ies, if you could call them tourists. People do sail through these waters despite all the unrest down south.}

Anyway, this beach was idyllic. We rented a nipa hut and I spent most of the next day dozing in there with no sound but the surf and the fan going to cool things down. I should say that my living situation in Sugod is very noisy and busy. There are two households living on this compound and much of what goes on happens outside, right below my window. It all starts around 5.00 a.m. when every rooster in the village fires up and not long after people start moving around. By the time we get back from school there's people, animals and activity everywhere. The house is home to many stray cats, dogs, young friends of Tess' teenage children and an old auntie who has had a stroke so is partially immobile. She moves from points A to B very slowly with the help of a walker but spends most of the time sitting somewhere and standing up periodically to pee into a bucket that is permanently below her. She can't speak properly but is often in tears. I feel so sorry for her. There is also a litter of puppies that charge around the place. But to top it off the bitch next door was on heat last week so every dog in the village came visiting and fighting—also under my window—at all hours of the night. A good reason to escape to Romblon Island last weekend.

Life at school continues to be an interesting experience. I have converted half the library to an art room and am working on getting every class in at least once before I leave. This is a big district school with some children walking many miles to get there and back each day. Classes average around 50 in size so I am splitting them in half because I can't cope with those numbers, not when most of the kids can't understand a word I say. As you may have gathered there is virtually no government funding to these schools so there is no equipment or materials unless the teachers or children provide them themselves. Art, music and sport do not feature at all so if I had not bought these art materials there would be no art classes. The sight of paint is a first for most of these children and they are very excited about it. The teachers are only too happy for me to steal them away for an hour or so. They are as fascinated themselves.

So between the books and the art classes I am kept very busy. Just not sure what will happen to it all when I leave next week. Hopefully the teachers will keep it going.

There is one teacher here who has achieved the most amazing landscaping effort along side the children. Every class in the school is responsible for an area of the grounds that they tend as a garden. It’s really amazing. First thing in the morning they are all out there weeding, watering and breaking in new ground. This is the time of year to plant so I will miss out on the full effect come January and February. There is one section of the school that has been converted into a living garden, i.e. a fishpond, a butterfly atrium, all kinds of interesting things growing and on going science experiments amongst it all. It is beautiful with little paths, a bridge and nipa hut that doubles as a shade house. Under the direction of this one teacher the children have done it all themselves. A few years ago apparently there was nothing there.

So I think that's just about enough from me. One other thing. The other morning I woke up to the most fantastic thunderstorm. Thunder and lightening directly over head. It was so loud every thing was shaking and of course the rain was just about making holes in the roof it was coming down with so much force......Very exciting. It certainly silenced everything else.

Love to all.

Debs Hall

(Debs finished her program last August 30, 2008)

Message From Debs

15th August 2008

Hullo to all! [This is what the Filipino children say when greeting two or more people.They put their right hand over their heart and say "Hullo to all!". So cute but quite weird when theres only two of you. ]

Right now I am in an internet place on another island (Boracay) where I have gone to get my visa extended. This island is a tourist mecca a world away from where I've been. This time of year it is frequented by rich Filipinos and Asians. The only whites are a smattering of aging, overweight, sickly-looking men, usually with some beautiful young Filipino beauty trailing along dutifully behind. It’s really sad. The whole place is really sad actually. It comes with all the trappings of a glitzy holiday destination—bars, restaurants, souvenir and clothing shops, and street venders everywhere. And not too far away, beyond the facade of shop fronts and hotels, the local people live in their rickety thrown-together huts. Its weird to see rich and poor living so closely together. I don't feel that comfortable here and am looking forward to going back to Tablas Island tomorrow.

My journey there last week went relatively smooth. The overnight boat trip was pretty surreal. As we left port they said a prayer for everyone over the loud speaker. I think the sinking of that ship has really unnerved everyone. It happened not far from where I'm living—this huge upturned hulk with around 700-800 dead bodies inside. A floating coffin. The locals won't swim; so spooked are they and are only just starting to fish again.

I am living in a little coastal villiage 10 kilometers from the nearest town center accessible by motor bikes and side cars only. Apart from the beautiful green rice paddies surrounded by towering cliff faces there is nothing too romantic about it. The villages are pretty squalid. Lots of concrete blocks and corrugated iron everywhere. Only the really poor still live in their traditional grass huts (which is fortunate for them because they are so much cooler). We have one where I'm staying and I am able to siesta there in the heat of the day. It is unbelievably hot and we are not getting the expected afternoon tropical downpours. Luckily there is cold spring fed water here from the mountains and two or three times a day I stand underneath it to cool off. Can drink it from the tap which is a total luxury in this overpopulated country.

My host family is very hospitable. Ma’amm Tess [all older woman are called Ma’am here, including me] is a big cuddly woman who fusses around like a hen. She is a teacher at the school. So every morning at 7:15 we walk there together, be home for lunch at 11:00 and back again at 1:30 p.m.

The first day I turned up with all the books and we set them up in their completely book-less but recently renovated library. The last volunteers did a good job of that. The children were delighted. So excited. So were the teachers. Took lots of photos. I guess this is why I was placed here. What good is a library without books?

So I have been reading to the younger children and taking art classes with the two senior classes. Last week we did blind contour drawing where they are not allowed to look at their paper. Very interesting for them.

I am loving the work at the school and have lots of ideas that the staff are very supportive of. Sadly I have not allowed myself long enough here. It’s going to be a wrench to leave.

Better go now.

Loads of love,

Debs (Hall)
Teaching Volunteer, Sugod, San Agustin, Romblon

Online donations for CERV projects now open

24th July 2008

Online donations for CERV projects such as children’s development and relief and rehabilitation of San Agustin are now live on two websites.

GVN Foundation worked fast to put up a Philippine online donation page after Typhoon Frank’s devastation last month, which can be accessed on this link: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/projects/philippines Donations through this link are tax-deductible in the United States of America.

FundRaise Online-New Zealand also put up https://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/fundraise/makedonation.aspx?c=152 for the same purpose.

Donations are done through credit cards. Each donation will be acknowledged with a receipt by either the GVN Foundation or FundRaise Online-New Zealand for tax and other purposes.

CERV IS CALLING ON ALL FORMER AND INCOMING VOLUNTEERS AND FRIENDS TO DONATE.

Moreover, we are requesting all of you to ask your family, friends, colleagues, churches, offices, neighbors and friends to donate as well. This can also be done by emailing and/or creating pages in their Facebook, Friendster, MySpace and others, providing the links above and/or directing them to the CERV website (www.volunteerphilippines.com)

Incoming volunteers may also use this as a fund-raising facility before they arrive. Once they arrive, they will be able to participate in the activities where the funds raised through their efforts would be used.

Proceeds of the fund-raising will be used to buy more relief goods such as food items, building and repair materials for very poor families who lost their homes and the schools.

For more news about the destruction in San Agustin, Romblon, as well as ongoing relief efforts kindly visit www.volunteerphilippines.com

CERV volunteers give more aid to typhoon victims

24th July 2008

The Municipality of San Agustin in Romblon Province recently released the official number of totally and partially destroyed houses in CERV’s placement villages.

Poblacion San Agustin had 27 houses totally destroyed and 23 houses partially destroyed; Carmen had 132 houses totally destroyed and 257 partially destroyed; Sugod had 48 houses totally destroyed and 282 partially destroyed; Cabolutan had 74 houses totally destroyed; and along Beach had 42 houses totally destroyed and 282 partially destroyed.

Schools and Day Care Centers in the said villages were also either destroyed or damaged.

CERV’s mangrove planting project is totally destroyed, as well as the marine sanctuary in Carmen.
Fishing activities are also on hold, severely disrupting the first of the main economic activities of the people of San Agustin.

The Manila government issued warnings against fish-eating in the area for fear of poisoning from the toxic substances from the holds of the ship that capsized on Sibuyan Island.

Farming also took a direct hit as rice, coconut and other crops were destroyed by strong winds and floodwaters at the height of the typhoon.

“I sense desperation from the people here. They do not say it in words but you can see it in their eyes,” CERV staff Vincent Embile said.

Last week, CERV and its volunteers distributed more food items to the victims of the typhoon in Poblacion San Agustin and Carmen. Donations from volunteers Peter Barnett (New Zealand), Robin Greenway (Canada) and Catalina Lawsin (USA) benefitted 250 families who were given two kilos of rice, canned sardines and packs of instant noodles.

Volunteers start Romblon relief operations and fund drive

7th July 2008

Following is an excerpt of CERV volunteer Peter Barnett’s (New Zealand) narration of the relief operation he conducted in his last days in Romblon immediately after the devastation of Typhoon “Frank”.

“I hopped off the boat from Romblon Island. Unfortunately the damage here in Tablas Island is immeasurably worse.

“This morning I visited the crew of a fishing boat that washed up in the marine sanctuary where I've been working. Four are staying in the barangay (village) hall across the rice fields from my host family’s house, with the fifth lying in an open coffin in a room a few metres away. It was the first body I've seen and I found it far harder than I imagined. I can't imagine what it must be like for his family (who arrives this afternoon) or for those of the ferry (MV Princess of the Stars where more than 700 are feared drowned off Sibuyan Island, Romblon) casualties.

“The coastal areas of San Agustin have been flattened. So many houses were blown away, as well as huge numbers of boats destroyed.

“It's been an incredible experience walking around today, the tropical paradise that had become home reduced to strewn rubble. The scale of the destruction is completely overwhelming. People are constructing shelters from rubble, or sleeping in the public stages by the basketball courts or in schools.

“Aid from the government will be slow to come, consisting of a one-off 2 kg of rice per family…

“The father of my host family is a member of the Romblon Red Cross, a respected high school teacher and a very decent and trustworthy man. I spoke to him this morning about the possibility of my raising relief money overseas and how it would be best distributed. He said that he and his wife would be able to distribute it among those most in need in our barangay and the one neighbouring it. I didn't raise any expectation, but I wondered whether my parents and family friends would like to donate some money. The exchange rate is such that any amount in $NZD goes a very long way, and the lack of any official or NGO help here means that anything would go immediately to helping out in a very real way – food, drinking water, shelters.

“’My father my emails on to other families who helped also, and I emailed them back to say that I managed to withdraw the money yesterday in Romblon. My host family
were amazingly coordinating the whole effort - 450 kg of rice, 300 cans of sardines, 900 packets of noodles, 75 kilograms of nails, 100 bars of soap! Also enough left over to help a couple of families in particular need - PhP 1000 towards a coffin for a family that lost their father and PhP500 for medicine for a man with blood poisoning after being hit by rusty roofing iron. It was an incredible gift from them and the Hennin family. And it was a real privilege for me to oversee its distribution. It is hard to put into words how far it went and how much it meant to the people here!’

“To which I got the following reply from my father John, who is a fundraiser for the World Wildlife Fund:

‘How rewarding it was for us to read of the amounts of rice, noodles and more that the money purchased. Thank you for setting it out so well for us to read.

“’As a fundraiser, it's the most extraordinary donor feedback, a closing of the loop, that I have ever seen, much less been a part of. Despite our trust in NGOs, there is an unfortunate and unavoidable element of uncertainty about how much gets to the need and about precisely what any individual's contribution to a pooled fund resulted in.

“’I think that is a point worth pushing - the current need is so great, and the help CERV (through donations) can offer is so practical, targeted and hopefully rapidly delivered, that through their donations ex-volunteers can do an incredible amount. Having so many volunteers 'on the ground' is also a huge advantage

“’As regards the website proposal below, I think something of that nature has appeal because volunteers can send the link to their family and friends, who have no doubt heard a lot about their time in the Philippines. I'm not sure how the pricing structures and establishment fees of PayPal, etc. compare, they would have the advantage of being based from CERV's website and increasing your branding efforts, though of course that could be integrated into a third party site also…Would be good to get it set up while the sense of urgency is still fresh.’

“Then my dad emailed friends from Fundraise Online, Limited to ask if it would be a possible for them to remit money direct to CERV if he pays the FOL charity registration fee and put a page up.

“FOL support manager Sharon Lee said their group ‘would be happy to remit direct to the Philippines if the abovementioned requisites are accomplished. She also raised he possibility of setting it up on the New Zealand and Australia sites of FundRaise Online.

”Now, I have left the Philippines but have committed to help with my family and friends.”

In Manila, Peter and the other volunteers helped in the relief operations of Sagip Kapamilya of ABS-CBN, the country’s biggest media network. Leighton Wood, Colin Lee-Chee, Denise Dunn, Jill Boike, Bette Luck, Robin Greenway, Kyle Engman and Line Pedersen packed rice, other food items, medicines, clothing for victims of Typhoon Frank in Metro Manila and Western Visayas. Their operations lasted for one and a half-weeks and have processed millions of pesos worth of relief goods. Leighton worked the longest, followed by Colin.

Before Peter flew home, he donated an additional PhP6,500 for relief food items for San Agustin. Robin added 200 Canadian dollars, which she raised before flying to the Philippines. Canadian health volunteers Sharon Gershony, Edward Brooks, Rachel Han and Juliya Iosfina donated 100 Canadian dollars each for medicines.

The CERV secretariat and some former volunteers like Malcolm Trevena are hard at work setting up the online petition for FundRaise Online.

We are calling on all former volunteers and others for help. Succeeding updates and news items to follow.

How Our Towns Drown

4th July 2008

How in the downpour our towns drown,
downstream of doom to sea we are returned,
houses and pigs in ceaseless procession
as skies boom and fall thundering spears
to beat down all curses and tears to tide –
among seaweed and driftwood and water hyacinths,
prayer wreaths for the dead and the drowned,

downstream of doom to sea we are returned.
Tottering over manholes, shivering in the blast
of a blind monsoon, its hollow howl
the rolling dreariness of our emptied hills,
our feet doubt their ground where streets
vanish in the gorge and swill of slime –
to flood at last we are flotsam and scum,

houses and pigs in ceaseless procession.
And rushing past our brethren, those lovelorn
cats and cockroaches, amind floating roofs,
lumbering cadavers of cherished scrap,
our naked brats scamper and gambol
over their scavenged loot of murky things,
tires and handbags and bottles and shoes,

as skies boom and fall thundering spears
on Cherry Hill slumping down its slope
and shoveling homes in one boulder swoop –
landfill of families in moaning mud!
so sudden, their screams no echoes bear,
abducted to questioning rage of mind
by what “state of calamity” or “act of God”

to beat down all curses and tears to tide.
Antipolo to Pangasinan the earth rivers
and shoves down Pinatubo’s renegade ooze
to our paddies swelling to ocean of muck
and fishponds collapsing to swamp;
for bridges are down, and mountains too far,
to flee and shelter from the water’s gore

among seaweed and driftwood and water hyacinths,
what word, what route? what water world
for breathing space, the floors of our dreams
but shiver their fittings and leak their gloom.
Clutch of seaweed for hair,
drifwood for limbs, hyacinths for a cloak,
what new indigene, only survivor to offer

prayer-wreaths for the dead and the drowned?
Requiescant in pace … vitam aeternam,
so cradle the infant swaddled in rubble grime,
just now excavated and no mother to hush
its lost wail, no father, no sibling –
surely now their wreck is deaf to cranes
or fingers digging, to what end any change

how in the downpour our towns drown.

-- Gemino H. Abad. In Ordinary Time: Poems, Parables, Poetics 1973-2003
University of the Philippines Press. Quezon City. Philippines. 2004

(This poem was written by the abovenamed famous Filipino poet after a past typhoon wreaked devastation in the Philippines in the late 1990s. It may very well described the tragedy in Romblon after the recent Typhoon Frank. The accompanying pictures are courtesy of volunteer Peter Barnett of New Zealand who was in Romblon at the height of the typhoon, along with volunteers Denise Dunn and Andrew Hudson and recorded the devastation immediately after.)

More pictures from the Long Beach, Sugod, the Marine Sanctuary and Carmen can be found here.

Strong typhoon devastates Romblon, the rest of the Philippines

24th June 2008

The Princess Romblon was among the hardest hit provinces by typhoon “Frank.” The Signal 3 typhoon cut a wide swath of destruction affecting the entire Philippines. It entered the country’s so-called area of responsibility in Eastern Visayas and instead of turning north when it reached Bicol Region as predicted, it barrelled westwards hitting Western Visayas, Romblon and Mindoro before it swung north hitting the entire Luzon Island.

The typhoon also caused the sinking of the Philippines’ biggest ferry ship, Sulpicio Lines’ Princess of the Stars off San Fernando, Sibuyan Island in Romblon. More than 700 are feared dead.

In San Agustin, large waves battered the Carmen-Sugod-Long Beach road impeding motorized travel except motorcycles. Power lines toppled cutting off supply throughout the island.

At the height of the storm on Saturday night (June 28), Van Mark (Van Van) Elisan’s house was battered by the waves and was swept away. Fortunately, the rest of his family escaped injury or greater harm.

CERV had three volunteers in Romblon during the storm. Peter Barnett and Andrew Hudson were in San Agustin while Dennise Dunn was in Romblon Town, Romblon.

Paul Murray and Colin Lee-Chee arrived last Saturday from a short vacation in Hong Kong and were safely back in Manila before the worst of the typhoon devastated Metro Manila. New volunteer Leighton Wood spent Sunday, when Typhoon Frank was on top of Manila, at the CERV dorm. Kyle Engman was with his girlfriend in Antipolo City while mother-daughter Bette Luck and Jill Boike were at the Holiday Inn in Pasig City.

In CERV’s previous placement area of Iloilo, the entire province was hit by flash floods that killed dozens. Strong winds, torrential rains and flash floods also hit Dumangas. Barangay Tabucan was complete inundated, including Audy Detablan’s house.

As of this writing, families affected by typhoon Frank in Western Visayas Philippines continue to increase as partial and official report from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) here disclosed 123,450 families or 612,775 individuals already displaced, 221 persons missing, 29 injured and 105 dead.

As of 2 a.m. Monday, June 27, the OCD report showed that 1,308 barangays have been affected by the typhoon and 44,708 families or 231,938 persons are staying in 284 evacuation centers all over the region. Moreover, 9,986 houses were totally destroyed, of which 20,687 partially damaged.

Five hundred thirty-three barangays were affected in Iloilo; Capiz came second with 473 barangays; Iloilo City, 113; Antique, 102; Negros Occidental, 60; Bacolod City and Guimaras at 12 barangays each and Aklan three barangays.
The highest number of death was also recorded in Iloilo province with 68, where 65 of whom are still unidentified followed by Iloilo City with 15; Antique, 12; Capiz, nine; Negros Occidental, one.

Reports of deaths and devastation continue to pour in from all over the country.

Vanvan: "I can see!"

18th June 2008 Van Van

Vanvan: “I can see!”

Van Mark Elisan is now on his way to a new life.

Last May 30, Vanvan was operated on by Philippine General Hospital doctors. He emerged from the operating room several hours later with a huge gash on top of his head (where the surgeons split open his skull) but only a few stitches on his face where a big growth used to be.

Upon regaining consciousness at the recovery room another three hours later, Vanvan’s first words were “I can see!” He was not blind and the operation was not on his eyes. The boy was referring to the wonderful new experience of stereo vision where the right eye can see to his left side and vice versa.

Vanvan’s operation was made possible by the Barnes family who took pity on the boy and looked around for help. They ended up financing most of the expenses themselves except the actual surgery, which was achieved through the help of the PGH and the World Craniofacial Foundation. The entire Barnes family was ecstatic about the success of operation.

Equally happy is Eden who saw the project to the end through four frustrating delays, epilepsy attacks, new discoveries of Vanvan’s health problems, red tape and Third World health care service. Everyone thought it would take only a month. But it’s been three months and still counting.

Vanvan is still recovering at the CERV dorm in Quezon City. He walks in the mornings and in the afternoons. All the staples on his head were already taken off, the swelling on his face are all but gone. Vincent has succeeded in making him stop nibbling at his right hand. And while he has to take lifetime medication for his epilepsy, he has already gained weight and become taller under Vincent and Eden’s care.

Vanvan still needs a lot of help. Because of his family’s poverty and the stigma brought about by his past physical appearance, Vanvan stopped schooling at age eight and consequently forgot how to read and write. He is also displaying a mild form of mental retardation. CERV is asking the school in his village to take him in as a first grader again next month. There will be more check ups as well.

Giving the boy a new lease on life has been a very difficult journey. But to see Vanvan smiling at himself on the mirror makes it all worthwhile. We hope the entire Barnes family would be able to witness it sometime.

You can see more pictures of Vanvan here.

Two high school students start their summer break by volunteering

3rd June 2008
Tong Jun (Alan) Lee and Jun Ho Lee completed their two-week school building repair and maintenance programs last May 31.

They are 18-year olds and are natives of Seoul, Korea. Jun is also president of the Asian-American Club and both are the only Asian members of the organization.

Tong (pronounced “Dong”) and Jun worked enhancing Gold and Pinadama Day Care Centers in Quezon City. They painted chairs, desks, cabinets and gate with blue and yellow.

On their last day, both shot a video of CERV director Raymund and staff Vincent which they hope to show to schoolmates prior to organizing fund-raising campaigns.

“We hope to be able to sponsor more paints for the schools. Who knows? We might even be able to sponsor a child or two to ensure they continue their education,” the two said.

Former volunteer says “Hi!”

22nd May 2008

CERV volunteer Jennifer Pielak of Vancouver Canada (teaching, July 2007) dropped us a message recently. Here is part of what she had to say:

Hey Pom, Raymund, Eden and Vincent!

How are you doing?! Things are going pretty well for me over here in Vancouver. I have been very busy teaching English to Korean kids at a private school here. The kids come from wealthy families, so it is very different from teaching the kids in Romblon! To be honest, it has taken a few months for me to readjust to living here after living in Asia for almost 2 years. I think about the Philippines a lot and really miss everyone over there! It was truly a life-changing experience for me, and I have gained a lot more perspective on the world.

One of the moments that had the most impact on me was when Raymund was taking Lucie (Pfaendler, Switzerland, Teaching, July 2007) and I through the slums in Manila and said, "The greatest sin is humans dehumanizing other humans like this." That is something that has really stuck with me and I've thought about it a lot.

“Anyway, I hope all of you are doing well and that things are going well with CERV and that lots of volunteers are coming

Thanks, and say hi to everyone in Romblon for me!!

-Jen

PS: Here is a picture of me in the snow! When you are feeling hot, think of this picture!

Jenn was one of the volunteers who displayed outstanding initiative and creativity during her program with CERV. Undaunted by the local teachers’ embarrassment to give her more teaching time, she managed to convince them to give her more work. And she did it without offending the people’s unique sensibilities. She ended her volunteer program in a very busy fashion, conducting after class tutorial sessions, creating and producing many teaching aids, in addition to increased time teaching.

A friend of CERV's passes away

11th May 2008

CERV’s logo designer, Nestor Jacinto, died of lung cancer last May 6 at Manila’s University of Santo Tomas Hospital. He was 63 years old.

Nes, as friends and colleagues fondly called him, designed the simple yet striking CERV logo for free. He was Raymund’s colleague at Kodao Productions, a multi-media group that produces video documentaries and radio programs.

Nes led a very colorful life. Born just after second World War his family suffered untold difficulties, often only eating root crops instead of proper food. He was born with a blind right eye.

Despite his disability, he developed an eye for photography. He qualified to study architecture at the University of the Philippines.

When UP students rebelled against the Marcos dictatorship in the early 70s in what is known as the “Diliman Commune,” Nes captured the historic event on video. Intense persecution of activists forced him to align himself with rebels waging a guerilla war against the dictatorship. Due to failing eyesight, Nes later went “aboveground” and started working as a film editor.

In the last two decades, Nes became a top-notch digital graphics designer and lay-out artist. He produced an impressive number of designs for various advocacies and political movements, as well as commercial works. He also served as creative consultant to all of Kodao Productions' video projects.

Nes was also tapped to produce designs for local and international campaigns. These included “Stop the Killings in the Philippines!”, “Permanent People’s Tribunal Second Session on the Philippines”, “Junk WTO!”, “International Observers’ Mission” (for the 2007 national elections), “White Ribbon Movement”, and “Purple Rose Campaign” (against women and children trafficking), among many others.

All these he accomplished while being legally-blind. He often had to work with the computer monitor barely an inch away from his thick glasses. His condition also did not deter him from being a bookworm, building himself an impressive collection of books on graphic design and photography.

A widower, Nes is survived by his two sons, Mark and Sancho.

New volunteers indulge in “halo-halo”

6th May 2008

Summer is in full swing in the Philippines. A boat dish of “halo-halo” (literally-translated, “mix-mix”) is always in order on a hot Manila afternoon.

Two new Canadian volunteers are now enjoying this Filipino summer icon. They both recently arrived on month-long programs in Romblon.

Sharlyn Briones was born to full-blooded Filipino parents who migrated to Canada after their marriage. Sharlyn is Canadian-born and is now a young staff nurse in a Calgary hospital. She is a health volunteer.

Andrew Hudson is a university student in Vancouver. Unlike Sharlyn who made her own “halo-halo” on her childhood visits to the Philippines, it is his first time to sample this popular local snack. Andrew is a school building maintenance and repair volunteer.
There are many versions of “halo-halo”, depending on the availability of ingredients or one’s own imagination. There could be as many as two dozen elements arranged on top of shaved ice made even flavorful by either milk or cream. Sweetened fruits like bananas, jackfruits, young coconut meat, mangoes, ripe papayas; gelatins of all shapes and sizes; flans; yams; rice crispies; and scoops of cheese and yam-flavored ice-cream make up the “regular” versions. “Special halo-halo” needs extra special effort to describe.

One may be forgiven to think that “halo-halo” is representative of the Filipino. (Not the balut!) The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands peopled by about 150 ethno-linguistic groups. As separate units, they represent their own unique colors and flavors. Taken together, they are just one color and flavor even more unique and special.

To begin enjoying “halo-halo”, one must futher break up the shaved ice underneath all the sweets and mix everything up (hence the name) until the tall glass or the boat dish becomes a rainbow of colors. After a reasonable consistency is achieved, one is then permitted his or her first spoonful.

A hot tropical afternoon in the Philippines is also required.

Honeymooners

18th April 2008

Former CERV volunteer Shane Stankowski is in the Philippines to honeymoon with new bride Christine. They wed in Melbourne, Australia last Saturday, April 5. The bridegroom is an architect and the bride is a children’s welfare worker.

Last Tuesday, 8 April, they flew to the Philippines to start their month-long honeymoon. They will be visiting the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces, Mayon Volcano (the world’s most perfectly-shaped cone mountain) and swim with the whale sharks. En route to the world’s best resort island Boracay for the last stage of their honeymoon, they will drop by Dumangas, Iloilo to visit Shane’s placement area.

In December 2005 to January 2006, Shane built a toilet and a play hut at the Managuit Day Care Center in Dumangas.
Last Wednesday, April 9, Shane and Christine had dinner with the CERV staff (Raymund, Pom, Eden and Vincent) in Manila’s famous bay walk area. Shane was pleasantly surprised to see Vincent as he did not know that Vincent came along when the organization had to transfer to Romblon Province.

Christine was also a child welfare volunteer in Thailand in 2005.

“I wanted to show Christine how beautiful this country is despite its poverty” Shane said.

Some Farewell Letters

6th April 2008

Dear Raymund, Eden, Vincent, Pom and Andrea,

My six weeks stay was too short but I enjoyed every minute of it! (Maybe not the balut-eating though—once-in-a-lifetime experience, I think!) Thank you so much for all your help and support and support throughout. The work you do is brilliant and I’m sure many appreciate it!

I have enjoyed experiencing a complete new culture. The location was beautiful, the people friendly, and the kids were fantastic. I hope they got as much out of I as I did! Will miss all the small fish and the laidback pace of the island.

I will go back with many memories and am looking forward to fundraise when I get home! Hope to come back one day. Keep in touch!

Love to all. EAT MORE!

Sarah Guy (England)

Dear Eden, Raymund, Vincent and Andrea!

Thank you so so much! for my time in the Philippines! It has been an amazing experience! I’m going to miss the awesome people here, the lovely kids from my class and chilling at Ate Wilma’s beachhouse eating sticky rice…Eden and Raymund, thank you for your support over the past six weeks! I will never forget my time here. It’s such a beautiful place! I’m going to do lots of fundraising when I get home and, hopefully, I’ll be back one day! I really appreciate all the work you do. Keep it up and keep in touch!

Lots of love,

Beth Selman (England)

Destinations are sometimes reached through circuitous routes

24th Match 2008

Last March 3, CERV placement officer Eden Navia took 13-year old Van Mark Elisan and his mom to Manila for a possible operation to remove the horrid growth on the boy’s face. The operation is being made possible with the help of the Barnes family (USA), having met the boy in their first family volunteer program in the Philippines last year. They were able to harness the assistance of the famous craniofacial surgeon Dr Salyer.

The very next day, March 4, Vanvan (the boy’s nickname) was taken to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). It turned out that there was confusion on the dates and they were asked to come back the same day. On March 5, Vanvan was already admitted to the plastic surgery department of the PGH.

The PGH is the country’s biggest hospital and it is where most charity cases are addressed. Consequently, the lines for the laboratories are very long and the waiting time stretches for days. Eden patiently waited in line to have Vanvan’s x-ray and CT-scan examinations to be scheduled while his mother stayed by his hospital bed to take care of the precocious child. On March 7, Vanvan was finally x-rayed and the CT-scan was finally performed on the boy on March 9. While waiting for the results, he was diagnosed with pneumonia on his right lung. On the night of March 10, Vanvan suffered convulsions, which again happened on the morning of March 11. Vanvan was later diagnosed to be suffering from epilepsy, which remained unreported by his mother until that time.

On March 12, Dr Salyer was finally able to see Vanvan. After consulting with the local doctors, Dr Salyer decided to reschedule the operation to excise the growth on the boy’s face to a later date. In the meantime, he will be given time to recover from his pneumonia and to stabilize from his successive epilepsy attacks. Many kinds of medicines are now being administered to the boy, all bought from funds wired by the Barnes family.

On March 13, Vanvan’s mother had to rush back to Romblon to prepare for the graduation ceremonies of her students. Eden was left to look over the boy with the help of Vanvan’s elder sister. On March 15, the local doctors gave Eden permission to bring home the boy while convalescing. It turned out that the boy’s mother took the hospital forms with her, without which the boy could not be discharged. Eden called the mother up to have the papers delivered by courier, which arrived the next day. On March 16, Saturday, Vanvan was discharged from the hospital.

Vanvan’s siblings who are staying in Manila could not take care of the boy. Their homes are not suited to take care of an ailing child, plus the fact that they have jobs as well. So Eden took Vanvan to stay at the CERV dorm until his operation date could be scheduled. It will be known after he undergoes check-ups on March 26 and April 1. At the CERV dorm, Vanvan found new friends in Andrea, Eden’s equally precocious daughter, and Jaja, Vincent’s niece. Vincent cooks nutricious food for the boy to make his recover faster. He also washes the boy’s clothes and ensures that he takes his medicines on time.

In the meantime, the Barnes family keeps on asking for updates from CERV.

Everyone involved in this special project could not have known there are so many other issues that delay Vanvan’s total recovery. But no one is giving up and Vanvan is on his way to a better life, albeit circuitously.

This Boy Needs Help

4th March 2008

CERV-GVN volunteers have met many wonderful people in our placement area in San Agustin, Romblon. Some recent volunteers have taken to liking a precocious 13-year old kid in Barangay (village) Sugod. He is the fourth child in seven of a carpenter and a day care center teacher.

The boy's name is Van Mark Elisan. As you can see in the picture he is suffering from encephalomeningocoele that his mother says was congenital. The condition also affects the brain and may prove fatal if left untreated. Unfortunately for the family, they could not afford the medical bills on their own.

The growth on Van-van's (his nickname) face has not stopped him from attending elementary school, which he completed last term. In recent months, however, the appendage is showing steady growth. It is already impairing his vision, making it very difficult for him to attend classes and read books.

Van-van is also suffering from a still undetermined conditioned that affects his right hand. Several fingers have become small stumps and there are scabrous wounds on his fingers, at the back of his hand, up to his wrist.

The boy has already stopped schooling. But this did not discourage him from showing hospitality to CERV volunteers like Ray and Jeanne Burnham (USA) and current volunteer Denise Dunn (Australia).

In July 2007, Van-van also met the Barnes family: Michael ("Mike", father, school building repair); Karen (mother, health); Sarah (19, teaching); Austin (16, school building repair); Isaac (14, environment); Kim (12, day care); and Lance (11, environment). Nearly a year after their program in Romblon, the family still remembers Van-van.

Mike determinedly looked for available help. He was able to convince a Dr Salyer of the World Craniofacial Foundation to see Van-van when he is in the Philippines. Dr Salyer will be arriving in Manila on March 12. The required CT scan and pre-operation medical procedures will be conducted by Dr Bernard Tansipek of the Philippine General Hospital.

Last Friday, Mike informed CERV that the students of St Francis Xavier School in St Joseph, Missouri are praying hard for Van-van.

Today, March 4, CERV placement officer Eden Navia, arrived at our offices in Quezon City with Van-van and his mom. Dr Tansipek informed us that he could also see the patient today.

While here in Manila, CERV will be taking care of Van-van and his mother. They will be staying at the CERV dorm in Quezon City. Eden will also assist in their repeated travels to and from Manila should it become necessary. CERV is committed to see that Van-van's life is uplifted with the help of our international volunteers like the Barnes family. Every child is worth and deserves the effort, after all.

Mike promised to take care of the medical and other bills, with the help of wife Karen, daughter Sarah and their other children. But nothing and no one is stopping anybody interested in providing additional help, of course. Contact us.

A Couple of Farewell Letters

3rd March 2008

To dear Eden, Vincent, Andrea, Raymond and Pom,

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your endless support and kindness. My time here in the Philippines was made all the more wonderful because of each of you.

At times I felt the program to be quite difficult and challenging but, overall, a very rewarding and satisfying experience—one that will stay with me forever.

I know that I will return home missing everyone here and all the wonders of this country. If I ever have enough time I'll be sure to come back to the Philippines and the CERV dorm will be my first stop!

So, lastly, I would like to wish you all the happiness in the world and that you continue to do such an amazing and extraordinary job.

Much love,
Rebecca Snell, Australia

To Eden, Vincent, Raymund, Pom, Andrea and the whole crew at the CERV dorm,

What an experience this has been. Thanks to you guys, I have had the time of my life here.

The things I've done like (reluctantly) eating balut, climbing the rice terraces at Batad, and being the first person to fall down the stairs have made my time here unforgettable!

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and it has been awesome to share it with you guys.

Thank you!

Keep smiling and I hope to see you all again very soon.

Adam
PS—Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi!!

Microscopes Donated

20th February 2008

Dorinda Rife is a special school for the blind principal in Tucson, Arizona (USA). Her daughter Alexis, a marine biologist, is an environment volunteer in the Philippines.

This February, Dorinda visited her daughter in San Agustin, Romblon as Alexis is wrapping up her six-month volunteer program.

But Dorinda is no ordinary mother out on a simple visit. In Romblon, she donated a brand-new microscope to Carmen National High School-Annex, another to San Agustin National High School in Long Beach as well as science books to both schools.

She also donated school charts Sugod Elementary School and baseball equipment and charts to Cabolutan Elementary School, all in San Agustin.

“This is what I prayed for. We really need this. Thank you.” Carmen principal Patricia M Marquez said.

San Agustin principal Rommel F Mallorca for his part said, “This is one thing we wanted but never had.”

Both Dorinda and Alexis were touched by the school’s effusive words of gratitude.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said that the country’s educational system is suffering its worst crisis in terms of teacher, classroom, textbook and desk shortages. ACT estimates that the national textbook shortages to be around 3.5 million. Imagine what a huge help the microscopes, books, equipment and charts are to the thousand of students in San Agustin.

Alexis is due to end her volunteer program on the 23rd of the month. She hopes to publish a book on the local marine ecology based on her six-month stint in Romblon.

We know where she got her volunteering spirit from, of course.

Books and Education Supplies

12th of February 2008

Former CERV volunteer Richard Kastenschmidt of Wisconsin, USA revisited his beneficiary schools to donate books and education supplies. In March 2007, he spent two weeks in the school building and repair program installing exhaust fans and building cabinets for multimedia equipment earlier donated by volunteer Tracy Pillay of Australia.

Richard visited the Gold and Pinadama Yakap day care centers in Quezon City last January 19 to personally hand over his donations. It was his first time to actually meet the kids as it was the summer break when he first volunteered.

Later in the day, Richard met some members of the Samahan ng Kabataan ng Sitio Veterans (SKSV or the Youth Association of Sitio Veterans) who are now using the computer he donated. He also gave the students reference software to help them with their school work.

SKSV is a pioneering group of elementary and high school students who, instead of joining gangs, formed study groups and cultural troupes for performances in the Philippines and abroad. Their songs and skits on the harshness of Philippine social realities helped them secure grants for the construction of a library, clinic and day care center for their impoverished community.

Since March last year, Richard has also donated a laptop computer for CERV’s administrative tasks.
Richard is a driving teacher and an avid biker, often touring the American Rockies with his wife who also rides motorcycles. Richard hopes to come back to the Philippines in three years with wife Renee.

Leaving the Philippines

3rd of February 2008

Getting to the Philippines can be hard. There are those pesky visa forms, immunization shots, airfares and deciding just which woolen coat to take. (Hint: Take neither).

But, leaving the Philippines is even harder!

One of volunteers had to leave early due to health reasons. His volunteer buddy sent him the following letter to let him know what he missed.

Be sure to check out Alan's photos of the farewell ceremony.

(and, yes. Both Alan and Peter are cool with us publishing this letter!)

Hi Peter,
I was sorry to hear about your early departure and hope that it's working out well for you.

Well, there certainly were some "Honours" to do…!

We started at Gold Day Care Centre at 10:00am with an eager class full of children and parents with an hour wait for dignitaries from City Hall to arrive. This in itself was quite an event as it's not often that officials from the Social Services Department (it's not the Education Dept that runs day care) come visiting. So the hour long wait was spent being entertained by the children dancing and otherwise showing amazing patience.

So this honoured guest sat around inside while poor Vincent finished off the last of the outside wall on his own

At 11:00 the VIPs arrived and we were presented with framed certificates from the school parents, and another certificate from the Social Services Department . I was also presented with a lovely leaving scroll signed by all of the Parents. Raymund accepted the certificates on your behalf. Then to my horror I was given the microphone – but it was for a few words, not Karaoke..! Then more dancing entertainment from the children until the VIPs had to leave to visit another school nearby.

A dancing free-for-all ensued with most parents and students, from which there was no escape. A slap-up feast followed – two shifts, first for the adults then children, followed by a walk to the Pinadama Day Care Centre.

Here we started with some time-filling dancing before the children each lined up at the door to bring in a large cardboard letter to be stuck onto the blackboard. They slowly spelled out "THANK YOU SIR PETER & ALAN" a lovely gesture.

Next we sat in the guest of honour seats under the blackboard and listened to a traditional Farewell Song followed by two lovely dances, the first in traditional style, the other more modern. Some speeches, then lunch again. The hospitality and heartfelt gratitude was almost overwhelming.

I waited a while before sending this to you so that I could first get some photos up on the web. They are at www.flickr.com/photos/alanfry/sets

I hope you enjoy them as I'm sure they'll bring back the same warm memories for you as they do for me.

With best wishes
Regards
Alan

Former Volunteer Wins a Movie-Making Contest

18th January 2008

Malcolm Trevena - a two-times former volunteer - has won a movie-making contest for the work he did in Uganda! Check out the video here.

You might also want to check out Malcolm's volunteer experiences in the Philippines here and here.

Malcolm is due to volunteer in the Philippines (again!) in August 2008. He plans to stay for two years and we can't wait to have him back!

Rice Three Times a Day

15th January 2008

We were not scheduled to start our Environment project that day so we decided to return in the afternoon and start painting.. With four of us working we made great progress. The teachers are all very appreciative and the children are sweet. At each break time we have an audience of several children watching silently or asking “What is your name”. Their instruction is in both Filipino and English but their English is still in progress, hence the questions that they have learned in class. We enjoyed the painting experience so much that we returned Thursday and painted all day, with a break to return for lunch with our host family. We intend alternating between the Environment and the Painting projects during our stay here.

To learn more about Ray and Jeanne Burnham's volunteer experience with CERV, click here.

San Augustin Certificate to CERV

10th January 2008
The municipal government of San Agustin (Romblon) awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to CERV-Philippines following a series of medicine and supply donations by one of its volunteers.

CERV volunteer Dr Kelly Wulfkuhle, MD donated PhP62,250.00 worth of much-needed medicines and supplies to the town’s Municipal Health Office and the San Agustin District Hospital operated by the Provincial Government of Romblon.

In a formal program at the San Agustin Town Hall, the awarding ceremonies was led by San Agustin mayor Emmanuel F. Madrona and municipal health officer I Dr. Deogracia S. Muleta, MD .

The certificate cited CERV’s “valuable and continuing contributions to the municipality through (its) foreign health volunteers…their untiring efforts to exchange knowledge and technology with local health workers…(and) their warm and harmonious…relationship with the people of San Agustin, Romblon.”

While it is the practice of health office and the hospital to issue certificates to donations, this is the first time that the Local Government Unit and its Health Office awarded such a certificate to CERV-Philippines.

San Agustin is CERV-Philippines’s provincial placement, located on the archipelagic province of Romblon south of the country’s main Luzon island.