JULY 27, 2015 may just be any ordinary day for most Filipinos, but for Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) victims in Leyte it was a day of new hope for children victims and their families.
The Children’s Joy Foundation, Inc., led by executive director Rosemarie N. Dimagnaong, and Global Giving turned over two day care centers in Brgy. Cabuynan in Tanauan, Leyte and in Brgy. Poblacion in Tolosa, Leyte. The third day care center was turned over to Brgy. Danao in MacArthur, Leyte on July 30.
The CJFI team left the Central Office in Davao on July 24 and arrived at the CJFI Action Center in Tacloban on July 25. The staff packed school supplies that were to be distributed to the three day care centers.
FIRST STOP – BRGY. CABUYNAN, TANAUAN
At around 9 a.m. of July 27, Dimagnaong spearheaded the ceremonial turnover of the day care center to Brgy. Cabuynan led by village chief Ramil M. Vierras who was joined in by the children, their parents and other barangay officials.
The barangay has a total of 5,633 residents with 53 deaths due to Typhoon Haiyan. Its day care center has 104 students who are grouped into three sessions – two in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Vierras said, “To the administration of the Children’s Joy Foundation, to the Deputy for Operation Reine Tagupa, to Executive Director, Rose Dimagnaong, to the CJFI staff, this kind of project na inyong gihatag sa Barangay Cabuynan dako kaayo ug tabang diri sa akong barangay kay, tulad ng ah distractment sa Yolanda ang mga tao diri murag nawalan ng hope pagbangon (The project you gave to our barangay is a great help because Yolanda has stripped all the hope of residents here).”
He’s glad that CJFI accepted and supported the barangay’s rehabilitation program, saying that the Project Day Care Center had long been their earnest desire for their children.
“Our sincerest thanks to CJFI for giving us importance. For all of you who help us, thank you for joining us to our journey in developing our barangay to be more progressive. Thank you very much. May God reward you for all your kindness and generosity,” Vierras added.
Dimagnaong, for her part, said, “It is CJFI’s commitment to help you. Dili lang karon na gihatag namo ang building pero balik-balikan gihapon namo mo. Dili namo kalimtan nga naa gihapon mi sa kanunay na magtabang sa inyoha through some assistance. Unang-una sa mga pagtan-aw sa mga bata sa ilahang mga school supplies. Dili nako kalimtan ang pagpasalamat usab sa commitment ni barangay kapitan nga alagaan ninyo ang inyohang day care center para magamit pa sa sunod na kabataan dinhi sa barangay Cabuynan (It’s our commitment to continue helping you not just with the building but also for the needs of the students, with their school supplies. We also thank the commitment of Brgy. Capt. Vierras to take good care of the center so the next generation of young children Cabuynan will also benefit from it).”
[See image gallery at www.childrensjoyfoundation.org]
SECOND STOP – BRGY. POBLACION, TOLOSA
By 2 p.m., the CJFI team proceeded to Brgy. Poblacion in Tolosa, Leyte where Municipal Mayor Erwin Ocaña and Brgy. Capt. Edilberto P. Zabala, Jr. along with barangay officials, parents and children greeted them.
Zabala said, “Pasalamat ta kita napili matagaan ug day care center sa CJFI. Ang mga kabataan malipayon kay komportable na sila. Nalipay ang mga parents ug teachers nga grabe pud ang sakripisyo sukad nahitabo ang Yolanda (We are thankful that CJFI chose us to be given this new day care center. Our children are happy because they can now be comfortable. The parents and teachers who have sacrificed so much since Yolanda hit us are also happy).”
Mayor Ocaña also thanked CJFI for their unwavering support to Brgy. Tolosa.
“On behalf of the municipal officials nagapasalamat ta sa atong mga butihing donor ang CJFI (We thank CJFI on behalf of the municipal officials). Akala ko hinding-hindi na tayo makakapagpagawa ng ganito kagandang building. Malaki ang maitutulong nito sa ating mga kabataan. We thank CJFI founder Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. Rest assured that our prayers are with you always,” the mayor said.
Brgy. Tolosa, which has 280 households, didn’t have any reported casualty when Haiyan devastated the entire Leyte province. But their houses, structures and livelihood were all swept away.
The barangay’s recovery is gaining ground as residents learned to fend for themselves, earn a living and no longer relying on others’ help as livelihood was already available.
Residents’ primary livelihood include farming, hog raising, and fishing
[See image gallery at www.childrensjoyfoundation.org]
THIRD AND LAST STOP – BRGY.DANAO, MACARTHUR
Final stop for the CJFI team was Brgy. Danao in MacArthur, Leyte. They were joined by Dell Philippines’ Cherry Maliwanag and Ganter Lim . Children and youth of the barangay welcomed them with dance and song numbers before the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon of the new day care center. The children were ushered inside the center where they were given school supplies and Havaianas slippers. Their adult companions also received slippers sponsored by the Filipino-Brazil community.
The barangay captain thanked CJFI and Global Giving, saying, “Maraming salamat sa CJFI and Global Giving na nagbigay sa amin ng day care center. Kasi nung dati nababasa ang mga bata kapag umuulan. Malaking pasasalamat namin.”
Dimagnaong, meanwhile, thanked CJFI founding president Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy “who has a big heart for the children in the country not just here in Leyte but in the entire Philippines”.
In the country, she added that CJFI has seven residential centers, where children who are orphans, neglected and abandoned are housed; and 15 day care centers nationwide.
“We continue to give day care centers to prepare children for formal education,” Dimagnaong said in the vernacular.
She also thanked the barangay officials and residents for giving CJFI the opportunity to donate a day care center and for according them a warm welcome.
The three stops in Leyte were just part of the continuing efforts of CJFI and Global Giving to give hope to victims of typhoon-hit province of Leyte and to care for abandoned, orphaned and under-privileged children in other parts of the country.
[See image gallery at www.childrensjoyfoundation.org]
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