According to statements made by Father Reechee Espiritu, a Salesian administrator, in a recent Sun Star newspaper article about the festival, the name of the event derived from an acronym for One Negros Encounter, a celebration of the unification of two Negros provinces through the establishment of the NIR (Negros Island Region) or Region 18. “Juan” refers to St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesians.

Father Espiritu also noted that the festival was responsible for the recent partnership between St. John’s Institute in Bacolod and the Salesians of Don Bosco of the South Province. The sports festival worked to foster unity and camaraderie among the three Salesian educational institutions and showcased the talents and skills of participants through various sporting and recreational events. Games began shortly after the opening ceremonies and activities on January 8 and were followed by friendly sports competitions. The event closed with a Catholic mass and dinner for the athletes.

“Throughout the Philippines, Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth, many with an emphasis on recreation and sports activities,” says Father Mark Hyde, the executive director of Salesians Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.”

Salesian missionaries across the Philippines incorporate sports programs into their traditional educational activities. The Madridejos Football Club of Cebu Province, Philippines, recently extended its programs to Bantayan Island and donated soccer balls to Salesian elementary and high school students and those attending Salesian youth programs there. The soccer program is part of the rehabilitation and rebuilding assistance provided by Salesian missionaries since typhoon Yolanda devastated much of the country in 2013. The football club has helped many young people remain in school, and for many players, their skills on the field have granted them access to scholarships that have allowed them to continue their studies at the university level.

“Sports programs teach youth both on and off the field,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Learning and playing team sports encourages leadership skills as well as teaches youth to work as part of a team. Students also learn important social skills and have opportunities for growth and maturity.”

More than one quarter of the population of the Philippines lives in poverty, according to UNICEF. Poverty is most severe and widespread in rural areas where 80 percent of the population–close to 88 million people–make their home. The poorest Filipinos are indigenous populations, small-scale farmers who cultivate land received through agrarian reform, landless workers and fisherman. In addition, poverty rates are higher for women than men.

Illiteracy and high levels of unemployment contribute to the elevated poverty rate. With more than 11 million out-of-school youth in the country and drop-out rates doubling as children reach secondary school, access to education becomes a critical step in breaking the cycle of poverty.

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Sources:

Sun Star – Salesian schools in NIR to hold sportsfest

UNICEF – Philippines

The post PHILIPPINES: Three Salesian Schools Take Part in Sports Festival Highlighting Student Skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Youth come from all over the Philippines to access the services provided by Don Bosco Pugad. They are referred by other religious, civic and lay organizations as well as by government organizations that work with poor and at-risk youth. Many of the Don Bosco Pugad participants were ineligible for services elsewhere but were extremely vulnerable to drug and human trafficking, sexual exploitation and child labor. Others came to the center after having been used as young combatants.

Don Bosco Pugad’s educational programs work to empower young men by training them in the technical skills necessary to find and retain stable employment and lead lives free from crime, poverty and exploitation. The center offers educational programs in electrical technology, welding, machinery and equipment installation, air-conditioning and refrigeration, automotive technology, water refill station management, baking, cooking and poultry and vegetable gardening.

In addition to attending classroom seminars, students have access to hands-on skills training and internships set up through Don Bosco Pugad and the local business community. Many of the young men who graduate from Don Bosco Pugad go on to find employment in companies across the Philippines as well as in international companies.

“Traditional classroom learning is an important part of any education program, and when students are able to take those skills and practice them in an interactive learning environment, there is added educational value,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries are preparing students for long-term stable employment while providing a steady workforce for growing industries in the Philippines.”

Sports and social activity programs and educational field trips offered at Don Bosco Pugad help youth develop socially, connect with their peers and learn practical life skills.

“Sports programs for youth teach valuable skills both on and off the field,” says Fr. Hyde. “Learning and playing team sports encourages leadership and teamwork. Students also learn important social skills and are given opportunities to grow and mature.”

Don Bosco Pugad is planning to expand its operations with the opening of a professional baking, culinary and agricultural school within four years. The goal is to provide advanced professional training to students who demonstrate an aptitude in these subject areas. Once the professional school is operational and has graduated students with advanced degrees, Salesian missionaries hope that some of those graduates will remain at the school to teach incoming students.

More than one year after Typhoon Haiyan (also known as Typhoon Yolanda) devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, Salesian missionaries continue to work in the region to assist those who lost their homes and their livelihoods. While missionaries have successfully completed many community rehabilitation and rebuilding projects that have allowed survivors to return to their normal lives, there is still much work to be done.

Throughout the Philippines, Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth, many with an emphasis on recreation and sports activities. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.

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Sources:

Bosco News – Center for poor and needy migrant youth

UNICEF – Philippines

The post PHILIPPINES: Don Bosco Pugad Helps Troubled Youth Gain an Education and Long-term Employment first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Recently, EMotors Inc. delivered a fleet of zero-emission ZüM electric tricycles (e-trikes) to members of a Don Bosco multipurpose cooperative whose members consist of farmers and fishermen from Barangay Candahug in Palo, Leyte in the northeastern region of the Philippines. The e-trikes were made possible through donors and an EMotors partnership with Don Bosco Direct (Disaster Intervention and Emergency Response Coordination Team). EMotors is a 100 percent Filipino-owned manufacturer and assembler of ZüM e-trikes.

“Since the devastating typhoon struck in November 2013, ongoing restoration and rebuilding continues but the equally important component of livelihood restoration is yet to be fully met,” said Elizabeth Lee, president of EMotors, in a recent press release on the inquirer.net motoring website, Motion Cars, about the Don Bosco partnership. “The ZüM e-trikes as a means of livelihood sends a strong message of encouragement and hope to earnest Filipinos who are now struggling to find their place given the devastating circumstances the catastrophic storm left behind.”

The typhoon destroyed homes, businesses and methods of transportation. The new vehicles will allow many to get back to work while providing much needed transportation in the area. The new e-trike owners were provided a training on the vehicle’s usage and maintenance. The use of e-trikes instead of the gas-powered vehicles typically used across the Philippines will also help address the global issue of climate change by lessening the Philippine’s carbon footprint.

“We are privileged to be part of the community’s future as we mark another milestone in our goal to serve the needs of Filipinos for an affordable, low maintenance, innovative and easy to use vehicle, one that helps increase one’s income while at the same time, help clean our air,” said Lee, in the same press release.

In addition to the new e-trikes, Salesian missionaries are working on employment initiatives primarily in the farming, livestock management and manufacturing sectors designed to jump-start the local economy. By integrating research, technological advancement and vocational training in these areas, Salesian programs aim to create sustainable, long-term entrepreneurship and employment opportunities which, in turn, will provide typhoon victims and vulnerable youth financial security and hope for a better future.

“There is still much to be done,” said Vic Gocela, deputy coordinator for Don Bosco Direct, in the Motion Cars press release. “The arrival of the e-trikes may seem like a small step for the recipient drivers and operators, but it symbolizes one big step for the whole community. It gives inspiration and a ray of hope for many of our fellow Filipinos there.”

The super typhoon which struck on Nov. 8, 2013 was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded and the deadliest typhoon on record in the Philippines killing more than 6,200 people in that country alone. According to the United Nations, the super typhoon affected more than 13 million people overall. An estimated one million homes were destroyed and 4 million people were left homeless with close to 2.5 million of those displaced needing food assistance. More than 5 million of those affected were children, leaving 1.5 million children at risk of acute malnutrition, according to the UN World Food Program.

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Sources:

Motion Cars – A clean slate: Community starts over fresh in the New Year

The post PHILIPPINES: Don Bosco Direct Partnership with EMotors Provides New Electric Tricycles to Increase Access to Transportation first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The super typhoon which struck on Nov. 8, 2013, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded and the deadliest typhoon on record in the Philippines killing more than 6,200 people in that country alone. According to the United Nations, the super typhoon affected more than 13 million people overall. An estimated one million homes were destroyed and 4 million people were left homeless with close to 2.5 million of those displaced needing food assistance. More than 5 million of those affected were children, leaving 1.5 million children at risk of acute malnutrition, according to the UN World Food Program.

Salesian missionaries in the Philippines who have been working with vulnerable children and their families at Salesian schools, youth centers and community programs for many years, were positioned to be on the front lines of the relief efforts. Salesian buildings in Cebu were named Official Help Centers and students, teachers, staff and volunteers worked alongside missionaries to collect, prepare and pack relief goods.

In cooperation with the National Crisis Management Unit in the Philippines, 25,000 emergency kits were distributed in the days immediately following the storm. In addition, Salesian missionaries provided food, clothing, water and medical care to 40,000 families in Leyte, Cebu, Samar and Aklan. A year later, thousands of families are surviving with the help of volunteers and organizations linked to the Salesians.

“Because we have been working in the Philippines since 1950 and already have an established network in the affected areas, we are able to provide vital coordination and infrastructure support,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Our work did not stop in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Salesian relief efforts continue for those in need and reconstruction efforts are underway to rebuild communities.”

Initiated in the wake of the storm, the Don Bosco Adopt and Rebuild a Community Project (Don Bosco ARC) began replacing destroyed homes and buildings that were poorly constructed before the storm with ones that can withstand future weather events. To date, close to 150 homes have been completed. Ultimately, the Don Bosco ARC project will benefit 2,600 families on four separate islands.

Reconstruction of homes, schools and shelters has also continued with many projects close to completion. More than 2,700 families have received materials to repair roofs and walls and have been able to return to their homes. Salesian missionaries are also focusing their efforts on building shelters for the disaster prone country. Of the nearly 500 temporary shelters in East Samar, Aklan and on the island of Bantayan, 417 have already been completed and others are under construction. Salesian Missionaries have also focused their rebuilding efforts on schools with 11 new schools under construction, eight of which are in Leyte, two in Cebu and one on the island of Bantayan.

As many Filipinos lost their livelihoods in the wake of the storm, Salesian missionaries are also working on employment initiatives primarily in the farming, livestock management and manufacturing sectors designed to jump-start the local economy. By integrating research, technological advancement and vocational training in these areas, Salesian programs aim to create sustainable, long-term entrepreneurship and employment opportunities which, in turn, will provide typhoon victims and vulnerable youth with financial security and hope for a better future.

“Salesian missionaries have made great progress in the year since the typhoon but there is still much work to be done, particularly helping those whose livelihoods were affected find meaningful employment in order for them to support their families,” adds Fr. Hyde.

Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, launched a “Philippines Typhoon Emergency” fund in response to the need. To give to that fund, go to SalesianMissions.org/typhoon.

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Sources:

ANS – Philippines – One year after the typhoon: 3,000 homes rebuilt and 11 new schools

UN World Food Program – Philippines: Children In Typhoon-Hit Areas Get Nutritional Support

The post PHILIPPINES: One Year after Typhoon Haiyan Salesian Missionaries Have Aided Close to 3,000 Families in Rebuilding Homes While Beginning Construction on 11 New Schools first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The super typhoon, which struck on November 8, 2013, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded and the deadliest typhoon on record in the Philippines killing more than 6,200 people in that country alone. According to the United Nations, the super typhoon affected more than 13 million people overall. An estimated one million homes were destroyed and 4 million people were left homeless with close to 2.5 million of those displaced needing food assistance. More than 5 million of those affected were children, leaving 1.5 million children at risk of acute malnutrition, according to the UN World Food Program.

Initiated in the wake of the storm, the Don Bosco Adopt and Rebuild a Community Project (Don Bosco ARC) began replacing destroyed homes and buildings that were poorly constructed before the storm with ones that can withstand future weather events. To date, 50 homes have been completed, 50 more are in the process of construction and work contracts are in place for an additional 75 residential units. Ultimately, the Don Bosco ARC project will benefit 2,600 families on four separate islands.

The success of the program was recently highlighted by visiting representatives from the World Bank who were in the Philippines to learn more about climate change challenges in the country.

“Upon arriving in Barangay, where the Don Bosco ARC Project is underway, World Bank representatives confirmed that as of May 2014, no other permanent shelter reconstruction, other than the Salesian efforts, have been launched on the island,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Officials congratulated Salesian missionaries on the ground for a job well done — an honor they are now using to further propel their passion for their work, and for the Filipino people.”

Salesian missionaries in the Philippines have been working with vulnerable children and their families at Salesian schools, youth centers and community programs for many years and were positioned to be on the front lines of the relief efforts during, and immediately after, the typhoon. Salesian buildings in Cebu were named Official Help Centers and students, teachers, staff and volunteers worked alongside missionaries to collect, prepare and pack relief goods. In cooperation with the National Crisis Management Unit in the Philippines, 25,000 emergency kits were distributed in the days immediately following the storm.

Salesians in the country were also able to assist with the logistics of relief efforts which was identified by many aid experts as the greatest challenge. With experience working with the military to safely receive and transport relief supplies to those in need, Salesians in the Philippines provided crucial disaster relief support and coordination in the days and months following the storm.

“Because we have been working in the Philippines since 1950 and already have an established network in the affected areas, we are able to provide vital coordination and infrastructure support,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Our work did not stop in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Salesian relief efforts continue for those in need and reconstruction efforts are ongoing to help rebuild communities.”

As many lost their livelihoods in the wake of the storm, Salesians are also working on employment initiatives in the farming, livestock management and manufacturing sectors, among others, designed to jump-start the local economy. By integrating research, technological advancement and vocational training in these areas, Salesian programs aim to create sustainable, long-term entrepreneurship and employment opportunities which, in turn, will provide typhoon victims and vulnerable youth with financial security and hope for a better future.

Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, launched a “Philippines Typhoon Emergency” fund in response to the need. To give to that fund, to to SalesianMissions.org/typhoon.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – All the World a Village

UN World Food Program – Philippines: Children In Typhoon-Hit Areas Get Nutritional Support

The post PHILIPPINES: Salesian Missionaries Receive Praise from World Bank for Rebuilding Efforts after Typhoon Haiyan first appeared on MissionNewswire.

According to the United Nations, in addition to killing thousands of people, the super typhoon affected more than 13 million overall. An estimated one million homes were destroyed and 4 million were left homeless. Among those who had been displaced, close to 2.5 million were in need of food assistance. More than 5 million of those affected were children, leaving 1.5 million children at risk of acute malnutrition, according to the UN World Food Program.

Salesian missionaries in the Philippines who have been working with vulnerable children and their families at Salesian schools, youth centers and community programs for many years, were positioned to be on the front lines of the relief efforts. Salesian buildings in Cebu were named Official Help Centers and students, teachers, staff and volunteers worked alongside missionaries to collect, prepare and pack relief goods. In cooperation with the National Crisis Management Unit in the Philippines, 25,000 emergency kits were distributed in the days immediately following the storm.

Salesians in the country were also able to assist with the logistics of relief efforts which was identified by many aid experts as the greatest challenge. With experience working with the military to safely receive and transport relief supplies to those in need, Salesians in the Philippines provided crucial disaster relief support and coordination in the days and months following the storm.

“Because we have been working in the Philippines since 1950 and already have an established network in the affected areas, we are able to provide vital coordination and infrastructure support,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Our work does not stop in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Salesian relief efforts continue for those in need and now reconstruction efforts are underway to rebuild communities.”

Today, eight months after the typhoon, Salesian rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts continue in the Philippines long after many other humanitarian organizations have left the country. The Salesian-run Haiyan Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Project continues to deliver relief such as food, clothing, blankets, kitchen items and carpentry and agriculture tools as well as five gallon containers of fresh drinking water to many areas, especially remote areas hard hit by the storm.

Reconstruction of homes, schools and shelters has also continued. To date, Salesian organizations have delivered enough construction materials to aid more than 2,300 families in the rebuilding of their homes. More than 700 additional families will be receiving assistance with finding transitional homes and 50 out of 360 planned houses have already been constructed.

Salesians in the Philippines are also helping with the rebuilding efforts of residential and duplex storm shelters (often known as comfort rooms). Forty-six of 50 residential shelters have already been completed as well as 23 of the duplex storm shelters.

As many lost their livelihoods in the wake of the storm, Salesians are working to develop a plan to retrain those in need. Development of a proposal for a wood accessory and beads processing shop is underway and other projects focused on mechanized farming, plant nurseries and livestock dispersal are being studied for viability. In the meantime, Salesians have provided tools for 235 families and Don Bosco-Liloan in Cebu is spearheading a project to help improve the livelihoods of fisherman in the municipality of Madredijos on Bantayan Island.

Because the Philippines is prone to natural disasters, Salesians in the region are training their own staff in emergency response protocol before the next storm. Don Bosco Network members are documenting emergency response coordination in the first 48 hours after an emergency occurs as well as drawing up standard protocol for handling emergencies. These documents outline a basic strategy for Salesians providing professional assistance in case of emergency anywhere in the world.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Salesian Missions Supports Programs to Help 200,000 Families Affected by Typhoon

UN World Food Program – Philippines: Children In Typhoon-Hit Areas Get Nutritional Support

The post PHILIPPINES: Salesians Continue Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Efforts in Wake of Super Typhoon first appeared on MissionNewswire.