Author: Leo

Eight months after Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Typhoon Yolanda) devastated large parts of the Philippines in Nov 2013, Typhoon Rammasun (known locally as Typhoon Glenda) came along. Although its impact was not as great as that of Typhoon Haiyan, Typhoon Rammasun (Rammasun is a Thai word for thunder god) has so far been the strongest to hit Philippines in 2014. Goducate Laguna was badly hit (see blog of July 18, 2014).

Undeterred, our people swung into action immediately to repair the damage. Among the structures damaged were the vermiculture house and the hydroponics house at the Goducate model farm. Two months on, these structures have been restored.

The worms were not destroyed, and in the new vermiculture house, 50 sacks of vermicompost are now being produced per month.

When the hydroponics house was damaged, we lost the 3600 seedlings it contained, some ready to harvest. However, now there are already some ready to harvest in the restored hydroponic house.

As though to signal a new life and a new beginning for every challenge, one of our cows delivered her second kid a few weeks after the typhoon.

On Feb 28, we reported that of the 19 candidates in the town of Bay, Laguna Province, who passed the examination held last November for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) examination at secondary level, 4 were Goducate students. These 4 were part of the 13 Goducate students who sat for that examination. Nationally, of the 221,598 candidates who took that examination, only 72,076 passed.

Jessica Iglesias, one of our 4 successful students has now been admitted to the Laguna State Polytechnic University, to take a 2-year diploma course in information technology. When she gets that diploma, she can continue working for another 2 years for her bachelor’s degree at the same university.

Jessica had only completed her 2nd year of education in a conventional high school, and has been working as a home help. She has now been awarded a 4-year scholarship under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s 4 Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) scheme, which aims to eradicate extreme poverty in the Philippines by investing in health and education,

The other 3 successful Goducate candidates are Goducate helpers. One of them, Jonathan Catedral is completing a TESDA course in pipe-fitting. Jenelyn Inopia is one of our Family Development Sessions facilitator, and Annaliza Espinola is a day-care teacher.

35 people are undergoing training in pipe fitting at the Goducate Training Center in Laguna, Philippiines. Some are high-school graduates and others are fathers without regular jobs. They have finished the 2 weeks’ training the in the theory of pipe fitting and have started on the week of practical training. Those who successfully complete the course will receive a TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) certficate, which will help them to get a job either within the Philippines or abroad.

Organizing this course is one means by which Goducate achieves its aim of helping Asians help themselves.

At the moment, the trainer is provided by our training-school partner. However, we are working towards being recognized by TESDA as a training school.