Send 200 Filipino kids to better daycare centers

Typhoon Kompasu Updates

On October 12, 2021, the Northern Philippines (including the La Union Province where our daycare support project is implemented) endured strong winds and heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Kompasu. Rivers overflowed, seaside communities and roads were flooded, residents needed to be rescued, and landslide warnings were issued as the typhoon unleashed its wrath on the region. According to the latest government report released, Typhoon Kompasu caused almost 2 Billion Philippine Pesos (roughly US$ 39.5 million) of agricultural damage with more than 60,000 local farmers affected. Casualties are currently at 40 people, but authorities are expecting this number to increase as floodwaters continue to receed and subside.

The HBI Team is in constant communication with the teachers and stakeholders of the Daycare Improvement Project who provided timely updates about their situation during and after the typhoon. Based on their feedback and reports, the daycare centers and children are safe mainly because they are located in upland communities and were not reached by the floods. However, the heavy rains turned roads into rivers, leaving them isolated at the height of the storm.

Given all these, the HBI Team is now working with the local stakeholders about what could be done after the storm. Offhand, HBI through the support of their GlobalGiving donors is planning to provide health care centers in the affected communities with additional supplies that could be used to tend to the projected increase of common illnesses in the communities.     

The Airbnb Community Fund

On another note, HBI is deeply honored to be one of the recipients of the Airbnb Community Fund. Through their partnership with GlobalGiving, the Airbnb Community Fund granted HBI with US$ 10,000 that could be used to fund worthwhile projects in response to the immediate needs brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. With this said, the grant is being used to fund two projects: the Community Hygiene Pantry Project in Metro Manila and the Modular Learning Support Program in the La Union Province.

The Community Hygiene Pantry Project provided 400 indigent children from urban poor communities of Payatas and West Fairview, Quezon City with hygiene and health kits. Inside every individual hygiene kit is boxes of face masks, bath soaps, alcohol sanitizers, toothbrushes and toothpastes, and a three-month supply of Vitamin C with Zinc capsules. The distribution of these goods were spearheaded by the HBI Team with the participation and support of local stakeholders consist of parent volunteers and representatives from the local community governments. To avoid overcrowding, HBI assigned the children's parents with an alloted time to receive their children's supplies. 

On the other hand, the Modular Learning Support Program will provide eight (8) public elementary schools with a combined total of 1,200 students in the La Union Province with new printers and ink supplies that the teachers can use to continue the implementation of the blended or modular distance learning program for their students.In the Philippines, all public schools are closed and face-to-face learning is suspended as a response to the pandemic. While Filipino children have the option to continue their studies via online learning, in far-flung provinces like La Union, not all households have access to the internet or the resources to buy laptops or smartphones. Because of this, students are  continuing their studies through the modular or blended distance learning program wherein schools will produce printed modules and school works that children will use and submit every week.

Through the Airbnb Community Fund, the eight schools identified will be able to continue printing student modules at no additional costs to already cash-strapped students and parents. HBI estimates that each school that would be supported has at least 150 students each. These La Union schools also suffered from the effects of Typhoon Kompasu, and thus the equipment to be provided will go a long way in ensuring that children continue their studies despite the odds. HBI expects to deliver all printers and ink supplies to the eight target schools by November 2021.

Our Heartfelt Thanks

This report is not complete without us offering our deepest gratitude to our donors who had and continue to support this simple project through the years. The achievements we report would not be possible if not for your generosity, kindness, and genuine concern for the plight of impoverished children and their underequipped learning facilities. On behalf of the children, daycare centers, health center, and schools you have helped, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we hope that you are well and safe with your loved ones.

Until our next report!