Upon hearing that I had been selected as a winner of RSM’s Pursue Your Passion contest, I immediately called my wife, Charo. We were both amazed, and thankful to be awarded this opportunity. We called my in-laws that evening and relayed the good news. The excitement was intoxicating. Over the next few days, my father-in-law, Ronie and I worked out the details and timeline for completion of our projects, which consisted of digging a new well in the Philippines to add an accessible source of clean water for the villagers, repairing their dilapidated church and completing the village’s evacuation center, which is to be used as a place of refuge for the villagers during typhoons to escape harsh winds and flooding waters. The length of time it took to complete these projects made it impossible for us to be present through all phases of the construction, so we had the majority of the work completed prior to our arrival. We did do a considerable amount of work on the evacuation center to ensure it was complete and ready for use.
Work began immediately on the well.
The old well sits approximately 1 km from the village through the jungle and up in the grass lands. It’s a long walk through narrow trails, made more difficult by the weather (muddy trails, flooded paths, etc.). We built a new well just above the evacuation center, which is approx. 0.25km from the village. We also ran piping through a trench into the village and installed two water spigots so that the villagers have a couple of sources of clean, running water 24/7. Some pictures below show the digging and construction of the well and the water spigots.
The best part of this project is that we only spent half of the amount of money originally intended. With the excess, we came up with a new plan. We purchased more piping and installed a pump in the old well and ran piping 1km from the well into the village and added two more spigots. It is simply amazing how far the dollar goes in the Philippines. We were able to double our original estimate and provide four locations in total where they could access running water 24/7. These are the only areas in the village where running water exists.
Once the well was complete, it was easier to complete the construction on the evacuation center, as the workers could easily access water, and any water needed for drinking, concrete, cleaning tools, etc., was readily available.
The Evacuation Center
Prior to us beginning the project, the evacuation center was just a block building with no doors, windows, floor or ceiling, and a leaky roof. The workers first added an additional support beam and finished the floor, so to have an even surface to work. The next phase involved building the addition for the bathroom and adding the ceiling. Concrete was then used to finish the walls both inside and out. (Pictures below of the Evacuation center before construction began, and of some of the work that was completed prior to our arrival.)
Below are some pictures upon our arrival of the inside and outside of the evacuation center. We helped with smooth coating of the concrete, painted, added some shades over the front windows, installed a toilet and doors, and tidied up the landscaping.
The shelter was then complete, so we celebrated with a mini-fiesta, which included lots of food, games, contests for the kids and laughs. I’d like to point out that this was during a signal two (out of five) typhoon (named Urduja), which made this celebration perfect!
Here is a complete shot of the finished evacuation center. Side note: the rebar above the door was left intentionally, in case they ever need to build an extension to the building.
The Church
The village church is a tired building, with a leaky roof, rickety walls, which were beginning to deteriorate.
The inside was no better with the worshipers resorting to crude wooden benches and plastic chairs that were often cracked or missing legs.
The cost of fixing a building was too great for our budget, but we did make some improvements. First, my wife and I donated Mahogany wood from our land in the Philippines for the building of new church pews (see picture below). In total we built 10 pews, giving the church a more uniform look.
As previously mentioned, the cost of constructing a new church or fixing the current church exceeded our budget; however, upon arriving in the village, we learned of a surprising, yet welcome, development. My father-in-law was discussing our projects with his cousin, Ronald, who owns a contracting business, and he agreed to donate all materials needed for the church, providing someone pay the cost of shipping. He also agreed to donate all labor costs. After learning this, my wife and I agreed to donate approximately 300 square meters of our land in a more central location and away from the sea for the construction of the new church, and we’ll pay to ship the materials.
Ronald’s generosity shows that charity can be contagious and that leading by example is the best way to solicit others for help.
Family
Family is the reason we chose these projects. It is the cornerstone of our lives. We were thrilled to spend time with family and to help them in a way not possible without RSM’s Pursue Your Passion program. Not only did my daughter meet her grandparents, uncles and aunts, but she also met her great-grandmother. Below is a picture of four generations of our family.
Lessons Learned
I learned some valuable lessons on this trip. Specifically, I’ve seen the power of leading by example. Our work in the village has inspired willagers and others to contribute to the health and safety of the villagers. Furthermore, word-of-mouth is a powerful tool that can promote kind acts. Several people have expressed their desire and intent to get involved in their own communities.
The generosity of RSM inspired my wife and me to donate land and money to further the progress of the village, just as it inspired others to donatee their support. The mayor of Balud also learned of our project, which inspired him to include a health center in the village as part of their annual budget. The construction has just begun and is expected to be completed this calendar year. All of this was spurned from RSM’s Pursue Your Passion program, which will have an everlasting impact on these people’s lives. It is our sincere hope that this program continues with similar success so that it has the ability to touch the lives of everyone oneEarth.
On behalf of all of the villagers in Quinayangan Tonga and my family, I’d like to extend a huge “thank you” to RSM for the generosity and support. This would not have been possible without you.
Maraming salamat sa lahat (Thank you to all)!
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