Emergency Relief for Polillo Island

Another strong typhoon hit the Philippines. Typhoon Noru (local name Super Typhoon Karding) first made landfall at Polilio Island, the main island of a group of islands in Quezon Province located in the northeastern part of the Philippines. Winds that reached 110mph battered the island on September 25.

The following day, NVC Foundation sent 10,000 Mingo Meals to Polillo. Our team coordinated with Fr. Bong Sarabia, CM to make sure that the Mingo Meals got to where they were needed. Fr. Bong has had a soft spot for the island ever since he said mass there a few years ago. He lent us a truck to transport the Mingo to the shores of mainland Quezon Province. From there, our Field Officer rode a boat along with the Mingo to get to Polillo. Stress places a greater demand on the body for nutrition so we hope that the Mingo Meals will help the children get over this ordeal.

After the storm, NVC was the first NGO to visit some parts the island. In addition to serving Mingo Meals around the island, our Field Officer conducted site inspections. Fr. Bong and Sr. Zorina Zamora assisted her.

Children eagerly line up for their supply of Mingo.

Rebuilding Homes and Restoring Livelihood

We would like to thank all the generous friends who sponsored the Mingo Meals NVC served during its visit to the island. We now ask for more support to continue to help the people of Polillo.

Moving forward, we will focus on rebuilding the homes and lives of the people of Barangay Bonifacio on the island. 260 Dugmagat Lumad families live in the barangay. These families relied on banana farming and fishing to make a living. Now, all the banana trees are gone, and five large boats need repairs and engine replacement. The storm totally destroyed 143 homes and damaged another 100.

Crisanta and two of her five children sit on what is left of their home.

More Fish in the Sea

We wanted to help the community get back on its feet, so we looked for long-term solutions. We managed to secure the resources to make buoys for increased livelihood opportunities for the community. The gift of love that made this project possible came from a community in El Nido, Palawan.
In mid-May of 2023, the team dropped the buoys into the waters surrounding the Polillo Group of Islands. These buoys have been serving as artificial reefs which attract fish. The fishermen of Polillo have been catching a lot of fish thanks to these artificial reefs. On October 1, the community reported that their day’s catch was a ton of fish.