Report from Joy Tadios-Arenas, one of the directors of WIMLER Foundation Hong Kong who flew to Cebu last April to coordinate the distribution of the fishing boats to 20 victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Bantayan.
"Last April 6,
my flight to Cebu left Hong Kong around 9am for the boat turnover and relief
distribution on Bantayan Island. By 1pm on that day, Doc Karen Seville Fernan,
her 80 year old mom, and I were on our
way to Hagnaya Port in northern Cebu. From Hagnaya Port, we boarded the 5:30 pm
ferry to Santa Fe, Bantayan Island. Our contact from a local NGO, DAMGO Inc
(the NGO who launched the Bantayan Back to Sea Project), fetched us around 7pm
and brought us to Bantayan Island Nature Park where the NGO is based. The plan
for the turnover the following day was fairly simple, with us hopping from one
barangay to another, as beneficiaries were located in various communities.
On April 7,
together with the Head Dreamer Mr Allan Monreal of DAMGO Inc, we left the
nature park around 7:30am to start the turnover. The first stop was Barangay
Bantigue where 3 new boats were turned over. The next stops were Barangays Suba
(2 newly repaired boats), Talisay (3 new boats) and Okoy (2 new boats). We
missed the last barangay because the ferry going back to the mainland was about
to leave. The number of boats and list/profiles of the beneficiaries will be
updated by DAMGO Inc and it would probably help more than 20 families as boats
to be delivered now include repaired and newly constructed boats. Doc Karen and
I were able to distribute more than 200 packages of goods, mostly from the
donations of migrant workers in HK, friends of WIMLER HK (from the expat
community and from City University of Hong Kong) and other donations from Karen’s
sister in the US. Last December, the first tranche of relief goods and other
items were distributed, toiletries (from Peachy Viniegra-Lin), laminated sacks
(for roofing) and blankets were brought by Karen and friends for distribution.
The
transparent set-up that DAMGO Inc has in their ‘back to sea‘ project encouraged
us, the Directors in WIMLER HK, to collaborate with them. From the detailed
cost of the boats, operational expenses to the quarterly reports, DAMGO Inc
ensured that we know where the donations will be spent. The trainings they
conduct are also in line with WIMLER’s advocacy of strengthening the capacities
of the grassroots organisations like the fisherfolks’ associations. With WIMLER
HK being accountable to the donors who generously gave money for the typhoon
victims, the trip was an assurance that needs were validated and that donations
reached the community through the help of an efficient and grounded local NGO.
To my
WIMLER-HK Co-Directors: Leila Rispens-Noel Anna Martinez Katherine De Guzman
Emilie Veringa-Tobias Luz Tan-Sanchez Sonia Soosot Nisa Zerrudo and the rest...
grateful for this opportunity. Thankful that we were able to help the
community."
- Joy Tadios-Arenas
You can view the complete list of beneficiaries here