SACOP and BACALOR visit


2nd Feb EVACF trip to SACOP and livelihood loans projects.


As a greenhorn with EVACF, I am orienting myself to its various activities and am experiencing a series of firsts. The most recent is my first visit with EVACF to Pampanga on Tuesday 2nd of February 2010. I think I was the last to enlist. I needed transport. Luckily I received a reply from Jenny Wallum that they could squash me in in their CRV along with 7 others. I arrived at the Holy Trinity Church in South Forbes Park a few minutes past 7:00 a.m. and found Peter & Jenny Wallum, their daughter Rebecca, Janet Kennedy, Angelo Songco with friend Jonathan Mok from Hong Kong, and their ever reliable driver Eddie Ibanez, all ready to go. I was the 8th in the group. Our first stop was at San Fernando, Pampanga, and delivered 4 boxes of school supplies at NCIP received by Dr Catherine Ramos. Then we went to SACOP (Social Action Center of Pampanga) and were received by Mr Lyndon Dizon and Ms Celia Martin, Steward of the Micro-finance Program which EVACF supports. Mr Lyndon Dizon along with Henry Balingit in a motorbike, led us to Porac to visit 5 of the current beneficiaries of the Livelihood Loanfund for Women administered by SACOP. (1) Mrs Charo Calleja of Mancatian. Her loan was P16,000 for a vulcanizing shop. We met Charo, her husband Sherwin and their son at their Dangay Vulcanizing Shop in the middle of the Porac main highway, where they serve both government and private vehicles. Sherwin said that they average P700 per day. Sherwin showed the machinery they bought with the loan.

meat vendor supported by evacf livelihood loans


(2) Mrs Corazon Manaloto of Babo Pangulo. Her loan was for P11,000 for a meat and fish vending store. Mrs Corazon Manaloto and husband Danilo has five kids; 2 in college, 1 in high school, 1 in grade school and the youngest who unfortunately died at 1 year and 14 days, because of a congenital defect. Mr Manaloto worked in Saudi for 10 years. He drives a jeepney while his wife tends the store. They have been in business for 11 years and thriving. Mrs Manaloto is quite a looker. >We also met Mrs Manaloto's older brother who was interesting. He chatted with Peter and Jenny. He was proud to talk of what he knew about other countries through reading and meeting people. He used to work with a shipping line. (3) Mrs Marianne Jose of Pulong Santol. Her loan was for P15,000 for a general merchandise store. Mr Jose met us who informed us that his wife Marianne was in Olongapo teaching in the School of Nursing. Mrs Jose is a nurse herself. Mr and Mrs Jose have no kids. In the store was a good display of pottery. Rebecca bought a clay lamp and a clay pot at bargain prices. Mr Jose said that the pottery is supplied locally and are painted by them. Some are sold as is. Other items were household wares such as rugs, linoleum, pillows, mattresses, pots, pans, etc. which they get from Manila. (4) Mrs Mary Jane David of Pio. Her loan was for P10,000 for a sari-sari store. We were met by Mrs David and her husband Emiliano, who is a construction worker/carpenter on a daily wage. We found Mrs David doing her laundry in the front yard. The sari-sari store is a small one, made of hollow blocks, looks unfinished without paint. The house also is small, made of hollow blocks and without paint.Mrs David said that they have an average daily income of P2,000 from sales in the sari-sari store. She only gives credit for 7 days to next door neighbors. Others are on cash basis.Mrs David further related that during the Mt Pinatubo eruption, they stayed in an evacuation center, the Model Community of Porac, for 13 years. They were given a space in the resettlement area where they are now residing. They have three kids: 20 yrs old in college, 18 yrs old in high school and the youngest at 14 yrs old, also in high school.

(5) Mrs Marilyn Santos of Pulong Santol. Her loan was for P5,000 for a sari-sari store. We were met by Mrs Santos, who seemed very shy. She was 51 years old with 5 kids, all college graduates. The place is spacious with a proper house and garden and a jeepney in the garage. The sari-sari store is separately built in front of the house, spacious and strategically located alongside the road. It has been in operation for two years. Mrs Santos related that during the Mt Pinatubo eruption, the whole family rode in their jeepney and moved about, to San Fernando, to Bulacan, running away from the lahar flows. After 5 months, they went back to their place and fortunately found their house not destroyed, only ashes on the roof. In due time, they were able to resettle and put things in order. The group found the visit to the SACOP loan beneficiaries very fruitful. It is a relief to see that the beneficiaries really work for their living and they are grateful for the help extended to them. Before heading back home to Manila, the group visited St. Guillermo Parish Church in Dolores, Bacolor. It would be recalled that this Church was buried in lahar with the belfry only visible from the road. We walked around and touched the roof beams with our bare hands. After a simple lunch at Nathaniel's in San Fernando, we were on the road to Manila. We dropped off Angelo in North Greenhills and the rest of us went back to Holy Trinity Church. It was a good day out on a good sunny weather. I"m glad I made the trip. It is an eye-opener for me. Many thanks! Written by Raquel Cabiles, EVACF volunteer, Feb 2nd 2010 Manila.