ASSUMPTION CARES for Mercedes, E.

Samar

A MERCEDES STORY
A project of
ASSUMPTION ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION INC.

ASSUMPTION CARES for Mercedes, E. Samar

A MERCEDES STORY
A project of
ASSUMPTION ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION INC.

NOVEMBER 8, 2013

Affected people

16 million

People displaced

4.3 million

Damaged Houses

1.2 million

Reported Dead

6,183

Reported Missing

1,785

Reported Injured

28,626

HAIYAN hit the

Philippines on
November 8, 2013 as
a category five storm
with maximum
sustained winds of
315 km per hour, and
an average height of
storm surge of 7.5
meters; the most
powerful storm ever
recorded anywhere
in the world.

PROLOGUE

November 8, 2013 will live long in our nation's memory. Yolanda

pummelled through the Visayas wreaking devastation the likes of which
our storm-tossed country had never seen...communities, families, lives
forever changed.

We waited for our leaders, waited for their words of reassurance, for
some vision to be articulated. We wondered at their silence. We needed
words to make sense of the images filtering in from Tacloban and
Samar and all the familiar and not so familiar places Yolanda claimed
for its own. For days there would only be silence.
AnAssumption girl is moved by the plight of neighbor and friend. The
call for help was sounded and the response from alumnae here and
around the world, most specially Spain, was immediate and generous.
Archbishop Soc Villegas in Dagupan gave us a signpost when he
announced his archdiocese was adopting Guiuan in Eastern Samar, the
site of Yolanda's first landfall. We followed the Archbishop in our
search for a community to help. Through the Internet we found the
municipality of Mercedes, 8 kms. away from Guiuan whose parish was
dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. The parish name coincidentally , like
our beloved Holy Father's name Pope Francis, affirmed our choice.
It was no small miracle that in the terrible aftermath of the storm, we
were able to contact the parish priest on his cell phone. Fr Moises
Campo had never met an Assumption girl in his life, but there in the
midst of a blackout came a promise, a promise not only for immediate
relief but also a promise to rebuild and rehabilitate Mercedes.

ASSUMPTION CARES
PLAN OF ACTION
AAA RESPONSE TIMELINE
November 9 AAA CALL FOR HELP was sent through social
media
November 10 Alumnae abroad and in the Philippines
responded generously with cash donations
November 15 - detailed ACTION PLAN was laid out
(relief, rebuild and rehabilitate)
AAA RESPONSE TIMELINE

RELIEF

November 22 Assumption Cares T-shirts sold

at the Annual Christmas Bazaar
November 30 AAA sent relief goods to Guiuan,
Eastern Samar, through HS87

HS87 Team that brought and

distributed the relief packages,
including 1000 blankets

The Missionaries of Charity lost their property when

Haiyan/Yolanda swept through Tacloban City. Also, eleven
people they were serving were killed in the flood the typhoon
triggered.

December 10 - AAAF sends

P120,000 (2000) for relief
goods in Coron, Palawan,
through Sandra Escat
December 13 - ASSUMPTION
CARES check donation of
P200,000 to Missionaries of
Charity for orphans of Yolanda
in Tacloban, Leyte

AAA RESPONSE TIMELINE

December 4 ASSUMPTION CARES designs
and prints Christmas Cards to
help raise funds
December 5 - 12 Meetings were conducted
with Habitat For Humanity,
Gawad Kalinga and telecom
with Fr. Moises Campo of
the St. Francis of Assisi
Parish in the municipality
of Mercedes, Eastern Samar

DECISION:
ASSUMPTION CARES ADOPTS MERCEDES,
EASTERN SAMAR, TO REBUILD AND
REHABILITATE 16 BARANGAYS

Mercedes is a fourth class municipality in the province of Eastern

Samar, Philippines. It has a population of 9,900.
It suffered 97% devastation by Typhoon Yolanda.

Mercedes is politically subdivided into 16 barangays:

Anuron, Banuyo, Bobon, Busay, Buyayawon, Cabunga-an, Cambante, Palamrag
(Cabiliri-an), Barangay 1 Poblacion, Barangay 2 Poblacion, Barangay 3 Poblacion,
Barangay 4 Poblacion, Port Kennedy, San Jose, San Roque & Sung-an

MISSION STATEMENT
Assumption Cares, through our Assumption
Alumnae, endeavors to rebuild the Mercedes
Community. In partnership with the government,
church and local community, we aim to provide
them with their basic needs: shelter, education
and evacuation/community/health centers; and
we hope to enable the rehabilitation of the town
by giving opportunities for alternative livelihood,
for self-sufficiency and sustainability.

DECISION:
ASSUMPTION CARES

ADOPTS
MERCEDES, E. SAMAR TO
REBUILD AND REHABILITATE
6 BARANGAYS
12 CATHOLIC CHAPELS
BUILD 6 COMMUNITY
CENTERS/EVACUATION CENTERS
BUILD ONE PARISH HALL
Livelihood Assistance for 1, 400
households

Teacher Training Programs

for MERCEDES Eastern Samar

to help REBUILD their lives

Construct the Parish Multi-Purpose Center and SIX (6)

Community Centers to serve as Health Centers,
Classrooms for Formation Programs, Recreation
and Evacuation Centers
Cost of Project: P500,000 / Center

Adopt a Home; a typhoon and earthquake resistant

dwelling
Cost of Project: P70,000 / Single detached house

Reconstruct or Repair 12 chapels

Cost of Project: P500,000 / Chapel

Earn a living; seedlings and tools so each household can

plant its own vegetable garden
Cost of Project: P5,000 / Household

Sponsor Teacher Enhancement Program (STEP)

Cost of Project: P2000/ Teacher for a period of 3 years

FUND CAMPAIGNS AND MORE MEETINGS

December 23 meeting with IOM- International Organization for Migration
January 7 Private sector meeting with PARR (Ping Lacson) AAA signs
Letter of Intent to Adopt Mercedes

PHASE ONE OF PLANNING

January 31 - MEETING with MINGGITA PADILLA consultant of PARR.
Resolved Government participation in Mercedes, Samar

Assumption Cares Core Group

PHASE ONE OF PLANNING cont...

February 5 MEETING with MAYOR CABOS of Mercedes E. Samar confirmed LGU
participation in the building of houses and community centers. Received data on
legal rights of properties, data on population and assessment of real needs of
community.
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT OF
MERCEDES E.
SAMAR

ASSUMPTION
CARES

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

The MONUMENTAL SIGNING between AAA Marily Ledesma- President of AAA
and Gina Hechanova- Chair of Assumption Cares and Board of Trustees of AAA and
IOM MARCO BOASSO Chief of Missions in the Philippines

Witnessed by Members of AAA Board of Trustees Dida Salita & Mely Diaz and
Assumption Cares Alumnae Core Group and Donor Gina Aboitiz

PHASE TWO OF PLANNING

ASSUMPTION
CARES

REBUILD

IOM

ASSUMPTION CARES AND IOM PARTNERSHIP WAS

SEALED ON FEBRUARY 26, 2014. IOM WILL BUILD 156
HOUSES IN 5 BARANGAYS ( BUSAY, POBLACION 1, 2, 3,
AND PORT KENNEDY) AND ONE PARISH HALL
TOTAL COST OF CONTRACT = 10.5 million pesos

MARCH 10, 2014

GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES

BGY. BUSAY
ONE COMMUNITY/
EVACUATION CENTER=
COST P2 MILLION PESOS

BGY. BUYAYAWON
ONE COMMUNITY/
EVACUATION CENTER=
COST P2 MILLION PESOS

DESIGNS FOR BUILD BACK BETTER

HOUSES AND CENTERS

HOUSES

PARISH HALL

DESIGNS OF CENTERS AND MODEL COMMUITY BY

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PHILIPPINES
TOTAL COST OF PROJECT= 20 million pesos

COMMUNITY/EVACUATION
CENTER

MODEL HOMES FOR 49 RESETTLED FAMILIES IN

BUYAYAWON UNDER THE NO BUILD ZONE POLICY

MAY 1, 2014
PARTNERSHIP WITH
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PHILIPPINES
Check presentation for purchase of 11,000 sqm land in
Buyayawon. Owner of land is a retired school teacher. Cost
of property P450,000.

Habitat for Humanity Phils. Will build 49 houses on the land AAA
purchased in Buyayawon for resettled families.

ASSUMPTION
CARES

HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY
PHILIPPINES

JULY 2-4, 2014

HANDOVER OF 30 HOUSES IN BGY.

BUSAY

IOM work area in Busay where coconut lumber are prepared, sorted and sent to main warehouse for distribution to
beneficiaries. Pre fabricated materials are given and the Cash for Work component is applied. Beneficiaries are taught how to
construct according to BUILD BACK BETTER standards. IOM engineers are on hand to see to it they abide by the rules of
construction.

AUGUST 9-11, 2014

HANDOVER OF NEXT 76 HOUSES IN
BGY. BUSAY AND POBLACION 1 AND 2

BARANGAY BUSAY BENEFICIARIES

MARILY
LEDESMAAAA
PRESIDENT
SIGNING
CERTICATES

Barangay
Captain

Barangay
Captain

BARANGAYS POBLACION 1 AND 2 BENEFICIARIES

MORE PROJECTS EXPECTED

TIME FRAME FOR COMPLETION
SEPT. - DEC. 2014
100 More homes
6 community/evacuation centers
( clusters of 4)
One parish Hall

Livelihood assistance for every household

Teacher Training programs for 700 teachers

12 chapels for repair or rebuilding

PHASE THREE OF PLANNING

REHABILITATE

1. PRESERVE AND EXPAND MANGROVES Mercedes has

35 hectares of mangroves located in 8 barangays

PHASE THREE OF
PLANNING...cont.

REHABILITATE

2. Distribution of seedlings : vegetables,

flowering plants, abaca etc.
3. Meet with LANDBANK for livelihood
training and income generating projects.
4. Set up internet connection = cost
P100,000
5. Set up a TOY LIBRARY and DAY CARE
CENTER in each Community Center cluster
6. Construct a community garden/green
house to serve as source of seedlings.
7. Conduct training for teachers for
transformative education.

TOTAL PROJECT COST = 45 MILLION PESOS

PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT

BAHAY NI ANGELO KING FOUNDATION INC. SALOME L. TAN FOUNDATION

ST JOSEPH FOUNDATION INC.
ASSUMPTION
COLLEGE
BASIC
EDUCATION
DIVISION

Hillside
Elementary
School

AMBASSADOR BIENVENIDO L. TAN

AMBASSADOR BIENVENIDO TANTOCO SR.
ABOITIZ FAMILY
JOSE CONCEPCION JR . & FAMILY
ST. CHARLES BORROMEO PHILIPPINE
MEDICAL MISSION

Yolanda changed our world. It destroyed cities. It ravaged Lives. Yet in

its wake came an outpouring of the best of human compassion and
generosity. From Assumption Alumnae came immediate reassurance
that we were not alone and then affirmation that the difficult task of
rebuilding communities would be shared.
ASSUMPTION ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION SPAIN

ASSUMPTION ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION

BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA
ASSUMPTION ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION INC.
ASSUMPTION CARES CORE GROUP

Thank you for your generous support!

Copyright AAA 2014 PCNC/BIR accredited # 080-2014

EPILOGUE

Fidelity to duty - words of our school song that an Assumption girl,

in time, come to live by. Yolanda was a duty to our fellowmen. In
Mercedes, we see the flowering of the Assumption Spirit faith ,
fortitude, determination and unparalleled social network harnessed for
transformation of a Community. In Mercedes, we see a promise
fulfilled.
Once in a lifetime we are faced with a challenge, daunting to accept
yet unconscionable to turn away. Yolanda was such a challenge.
It led us to a place far from the beaten tracks to encounter people
whose concerns were so different from our own. The storm took away
all their material goods but dignity and hope, the best of the human
spirit remained undimmed. By rebuilding their lives our lives were
transformed.
So what is it to be an Assumption girl?

We are more than a script and an accent. We are more than just the
virtues and sins of one politician. Our Foundress St Marie Eugenie
said "every duty God requires of us is a mark of his love and mercy".
Mercedes is our act of fidelity to duty. Mercedes is a mark of God's
love and mercy.