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Goducate Training Center in Laguna, Philippines, housed evacuees from areas around Taal volcano

On January 12, when I was having an afternoon meeting with some of my staff at the Goducate Training Center in Laguna, Philippines, we were interrupted by another staff member who ran to tell us about the thick clouds outside caused by the eruption of the Taal volcano just 34 km away from us.

Over the next 2 days, people living within 7 km of the volcano were forced to evacuate to nearby towns, where they were housed on basketball courts, in schools, in churches, and wherever they could find temporary shelter.

We began to collect donations, some of which came from Goducate sponsors in Singapore. With the donations we were able, on January 19, to bring relief goods for about 500 families.

When we arrived in the area, we were briefed by the Police ground commander on the current situation. We then visited several evacuation centers and were immediately struck by how overcrowded they were. We also visited homes of Good Samaritans who were housing people who could not be accommodated in the relief centers.

  • Distributing relief goods at an apartment evacuation center

Three days later, on January 22, I received a call from one of the evacuation centers that we had visited. The 48 families (183 people) in this center were being forced to leave because the authorities raised the danger zone to a 14 km radius from the volcano. The center was within this radius, and thus considered unsafe. None of the other centers had space for these families.  

We immediately called the Philippines National Police, for which we have been conducting leadership training, and asked them to help by sending trucks to bring those families to our training center.

Thankfully, after 3 days the government authorities declared it was safe for the evacuees to return to their homes if they were not within 7 km of the volcano, the area still considered unsafe. We were thus able to send the families home on January 25.   We are thankful that our training center could house these families for a few days.  We also hope to be able to house displaced groups when necessary.

  • Evacuees arriving at Goducate Training Center, Laguna
  • Evacuees in Goducate Training Center Laguna
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Community Pangil, Laguna, learn about leadership, drug addiction, and premarital sex

Last month, Goducate Laguna held a Student Leadership Program at Pangil, a municipality in Laguna. The one-and-a half-day event, held in partnership with Pangil’s Youth Organization, covered not only leadership training but also education about pre-marital sex and illegal drugs.

We believe that leadership training is important for students because they are the next generation that will be leading the nation.

The event was attended by 34 community people on the first day. On the second day there were 40 community people, some of whom had come from other communities. The community people were mainly teenagers attending elementary and secondary school.

Users of illegal drugs in the Philippines are getting younger and younger, and it is important that the students are made aware of how use of these drugs can destroy their futures and ruin their lives and families.

Pre-marital sex is also a worrying issue in the Philippines. Data collated by the Philippines Statistics Authority show that over a third of Filipinos aged 15-24 have engaged in pre-marital sex, and that most of them do not use any form of protection.

The sessions consisted of presentations and discussions. These were followed by recounting of stories of Marvel Comics wizards Nico and Tina, and playing games related to the topics of drug addiction and pre-marital sex. More small-group discussions ensued, during which the students shared their stories, problems and struggles.

Discussion based on Nico story.
Discussion based on Nico story.

Donnalyn leading session on premarital sex

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Beneficiary of Goducate’s sewing project puts son through college

Mr. Rizaldo Mendoza, a beneficiary of Goducate’s sewing project, has had the joy of seeing his 4th child, Emmanuel Mendoza, graduate as a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. 

Mr Mendoza with Emmanuel

Mr Mendoza joined the sewing project in May 2013.  Prior to that he had been a tailor in Saudi Arabia for 9 years, during which he had been able to visit his family on only three occasions. When he visited his family in May 2013, he decided to stay back in the Philippines because his 3rd son, Christian, had been diagnosed as having a brain tumor in 2006. While looking for a job, he came across Goducate’s sewing project.

When the Goducate Livelihood Center had to close, he rented his own place, and started a business with machines from the center and with 2 of the people he had trained there. Despite giving a portion of his profits back to Goducate towards a fund for more machines, he was able to send his 4th and 5th sons to college, something he could not do for his 2 eldest children while he was working in Saudi Arabia. (http://www.goducate.org/tailor-in-goducates-livelihood-program-in-laguna-makes-good.html)

His business continued to grow.

He says of Emmanuel’s graduation:  “Goducate’s livelihood program (sewing project) really helps me to provide the need for my family. 100% of my income came from the sewing project. By that I was able to support Emman’s study. It is hard but now the hardship turn into happiness and fulfillment.”

Emmanuel also helped in the sewing business whenever he was on vacation. And for 4 years he was part of the Goducate scholars scheme.

Sadly, Christian died in July 2014.