ACT Alliance will host a Global Conference on Latin America and the Caribbean from March 27th to 29th, 2019 in Guatemala City.  The conference will define strategies to contribute to achieving political solutions, social reconciliation and solidarity to counteract the backlash against human rights and the increase in inequalities, violence and emerging conflicts in Latin America.

“The Conference will help us to discern and discuss proposals to face the complex and volatile situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as its intersection with global political processes and their implication for human rights, security, democracy, humanitarian needs and sustainable development”, said Carlos Rauda,ACT’s Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The region is facing a growing crisis affecting different countries and subregions, with a variety of major implications, from humanitarian crises to violence against human rights defenders to a shrinking space for civil society. In many countries, the polarised, simplistic fundamentalist narrative monopolizes the public sphere.  It is harder and harder for those who attempt to close the divide with moderate viewpoints, that try to recognize the nuanced nature of the conflict to be Heard. All of these dynamics are affecting the people, especially the most vulnerable.

The members of ACT Alliance, ecumenical organisations and faith-based organisations (FBOs) in Latin America are worried and affected by these trends.

“Theological analysis is essential to us, given our identity as a faith-based organization. We have to base our response and actions on our identity and on our global strategy,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of the Alliance.

It is expected that sixty people from ACT Alliance, universities, the UN, government representatives,  FBOs, civil society organizations, social movements and media representatives will participate in the event.

ACT Alliance is a coalition of 152 churches and church-related organisations working together in over 140 countries to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality in keeping with the highest international codes and standards.

When the 63^rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women began two weeks ago, Antonio Guterres, gave an impassioned speech where he called out the resistance to gender justice. “Around the world, there is a pushback on women’s rights.  That pushback is deep, pervasive and relentless.,” he said.  But he continued, calling on participants at CSW to continue to fight for gender justice.  “We will not give ground. We will not turn back. We will push back against the pushback. And we will keep pushing.”

Today, the member states of the United Nations failed to push back very much.  Consistently, there were attempts to roll back language in the text of the final document of CSW63.  In some cases, the chair had to replace whole paragraphs with language from last year, literally rolling things back in time.  In other cases, new paragraphs with new text were simply not accepted.

Elsebeth Gravgaard, from ACT member DanChurchAid, has followed the negotiations at CSW for the last six years.  “I am concerned about the increasingly hard tone at the negotiations, and the difficulty of reaching consensus on advancing gender justice,” she said.  “Still, it is a positive outcome this year- we managed to push back against regression.”

The positive outcome included specific mention of the role of faith-based actors for the second year in the final document.  There was also, for the first time, a specific mention of the importance of menstrual hygiene. 

Despite these positives, overall it is a very weak document which does not comprehensively advance the cause of gender justice.  In particular, the theme of this year’s CSW of social protection is not sufficiently addressed.  This is a missed opportunity, as this year was the first time CSW has addressed this vital theme.

“It is the responsibility of states to provide social protections for their citizens,” said ACT’s General Secretary, Rudelmar Bueno de Faria. “We believe that all people are created equal, and enjoy fundamental rights that gender responsive social protection policies need to help ensure.  This CSW failed to substantially advance those rights, leaving women, girls, LGBTI and others at increased risk due to insufficient social protections.  We must do more.  Now is the time to act.”

Of particular concern to ACT Alliance is the paragraph on climate.  Joycia Thorat of CASA India, a member of ACT’s Advisory Group on Advocacy, said “Climate justice should be the backdrop to ensure effective social protection, services and sustainable infrastructure for women and girls. Ensuring women’s leadership and participation in climate matters is critical for gender equality.”

ACT is also concerned about the effect that this weak outcome will have on communities around the world. Gladys Nairuba of the ACT Uganda Forum said, “The increasing push back globally delivers weak commitments and laxity in accountability from states, which further limits the progress on women’s rights. Lack of accountability from states is a matter of life in the communities where we work. We still have a long way to go to get from rhetoric to tangible gender equality.”

“ACT knows that the pushback against gender justice is coming from a minority of conservative governments—often governments that do not represent the feelings of their own citizens,” concluded de Faria. “ACT will continue to actively push back against the pushback, and will leverage its work to ensure justice for all.”

ACT Alliance members are responding to the severe destruction wrought by Cyclone Idai which made landfall in the low-lying coastal city of Beira, Mozambique on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

The cyclone moved inland on the weekend, destroying much that was in its path as it barrelled through the province of Manicaland, Zimbabwe and parts of Malawi. UN officials are calling it one of the worst weather-related disasters to hit the southern hemisphere.

The cyclone triggered widespread floods and winds of up to 177km/hr affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Houses have been destroyed, agricultural fields swept away, rivers are at their capacity and bridges, and other communications infrastructure have been demolished, making it difficult for rescue crews and humanitarian organisations to reach those who have been most affected.

While the extent of the damage continues to be discovered five days after the cyclone, the death toll has increased to at least 202. These numbers are anticipated to increase as heavy rainfall continues to batter Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

The ACT Zimbabwe Forum and ACT Mozambique Forum are responding to the devastating impacts of Cyclone Idai.

In Zimbabwe, at least 98 people have been killed, and over 200 are missing. At least 20,000 houses have been partially damaged in the south-eastern town of Chipinge, and 600 have been destroyed. People are being sheltered in churches and temporary structures set up by UN agencies.

The ACT Zimbabwe Forum and ACT Mozambique Forum are responding to the devastating impacts of the cyclone. “The destruction caused by Cyclone Idai will take years for communities to recover, but Zimbabweans have demonstrated that communities will not stand alone,” said Sostina Takure, ACT’s Zimbabwe Forum Coordinator who is currently in the field.

In Mozambique, the majority of those affected are in the provinces of Zambezia, Niassa and Sofala. With the increased rainfall, flood waters are anticipated to rise approximately eight metres, putting at least 350,000 additional people at risk.

Cyclone Idai has left thousands of people in a dire situation with many unmet essential humanitarian needs such as access to food, clothing, blankets and hygiene kits. An initial assessment conducted by ACT members found that orphans and other vulnerable children have been particularly affected.

ACT’s Zimbabwe Forum and Mozambique Forum continue to assess the impact of the disaster to understand the needs and vulnerabilities better so that they can provide immediate assistance to minimise loss of life and to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable are met.

The ACT Alert for Zimbabwe is here.
The ACT Alert for Mozambique is here.

Representatives of member states are gathered this week and next at the UN in New York City for the 63^rdCommission on the Status of Women.  ACT Alliance members from around the world are among the thousands of representatives from civil society who are also at CSW advocating, sharing, learning, and discussing issues of gender justice.

The theme of CSW this year is “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.” 

ACT members are very much aware of the need for social protection and the critical role it plays in ensuring gender equality, addressing the particular challenges faced by women and girls.  “Governments can learn from the long-standing experiences of faith actors, who are often at the forefront of providing services that ‘leave no one behind’,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of the ACT Alliance. “Faith communities’ skills, access to communities, and sustainable structures make them ideal partners to work with governments.”

While churches and other faith-based organisations have a long history of providing social services, ACT is clear that it is the responsibility of the government to provide social protection.  “Governments should ensure that systems of social protection are anchored in law and comply with international human rights standards, and should engage with different actors in society including faith based organizations and other civil society actors in developing policies on social protection with the aim of promoting accountability, efficiency, and inclusivity in the delivery of social protection systems,” de Faria added.

Members of the ACT delegation come from around the world, bringing their own experiences and stories to illustrate and underscore the importance of social protection to ensuring the empowerment of women and girls.

“Women and girls in South Sudan face multiple intersecting impacts of conflict including extreme poverty, insecurity, gender-based violence, sexual violence and exclusion from participating in peace processes and decision-making,” said Agnes Petia, Coordinator of The South Sudan Council Of Churches’ National Women’s Programme (SSCC-NWP).

“Our work at SSCC-NWP is empowering women with skills to bridge the gender gap and participate effectively in peace processes,” continued Petia.  “The NWP is pushing for access to adequate and functional social protection systems– including healthcare and legal assistance– to allow women to access psychosocial support for trauma healing and for their equal enjoyment of human rights so as to improve their lives and well-being. This however can all only be achieved if there is sustainable peace.”

ACT will continue to push governments to take responsibility for social protection and for extending those protections in ways that will enable gender equality both for the remainder of CSW63 and afterwards in the nations of the world.

To learn more about ACT’s position on social protection, please read the Sigtuna Statement on Theology, Tax and Social Protection Diakonia in the Time of Inequality, which can be found here.

In line with ACT’s commitment to Putting People First, ACT celebrates its accreditation as an observer organisation to the Governing Body of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

ACT Alliance joins world leaders, policy experts, environmental justice allies, and other stakeholders at its fourth meeting (UNEA-4). The conference, hosted in Nairobi, Kenya from 11-15 March 2019 is exploring Innovative Solutions for Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Consumption and Production.

Isaiah Toroitich, ACT’s Head of Advocacy and Development Policy highlights the significance of the accreditation for the alliance. “As the world’s largest Orthodox and Protestant network engaged in humanitarian, development and advocacy work, this accreditation is another opportunity for us to engage with state and non-state actors as we progress our work for climate and environmental justice, sustainable development and enhancing the role of faith actors in multilateral policy making and implementation.”

UNEA-4 is covering various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030, including SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 13 (climate action) and other goals that the Alliance works on.

ACT’s commitment to lifting faith voices and evidence-based lessons in the discussions on the SDG’s and other global processes including the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction will continue to ensure that faith voices are recognised as constructive and reliable voices that hold decision-makers to account.

ACT’s engagement in UNEA puts the alliance further in the forefront of environmental policy design and development.

“ACT Alliance is engaging with the Faith for Earth initiative of the UN Environment Programme and has joined other faith actors in an urgent call to address environmental issues. Our accreditation has enabled advocacy, dialogue and contributions with ACT members, churches, UN partners, and other environmentally conscious organisations,” said Toroitich.

UNEA-4 is focusing on some of the most critical issues of our time from tackling environmental challenges related to poverty and natural resource management to sustainable business development and technological change. The session is also expected to adopt a ministerial declaration and to streamline UNEA’s contribution to the 2019 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development which takes place in July.

The United Nations Environment Assembly was established during the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, (commonly known as RIO+20). More information on UNEA 4 is available here.

The ACT gender campaign “Created Equal” had a soft launch during the ACT Assembly in Uppsala in October, 2018. The Assembly was a crucial starting point for the gender campaign, also as central documents were approved and affirmed, including the ACT Global strategy, as well as two public statements on gender.

Since then, more work has been done on the campaign, and today we are proud to present the direction for Created Equal, a website which will host the campaign, and its logo.

The campaign aims at strengthening and/or scaling-up the gender work of ACT members and churches, while externally advocating to change norms, practices, laws and policies.

The first steps of the campaign will focus on working with ACT members to ensure that they have gender policies in place, on mapping the work of members and forums in gender justice, and on building capacity and fostering dialogue around gender issues.

For more information, visit:
www.actalliance.org/createdequal

by Ingrid Næss-Holm, ACT Alliance gender campaign manager

As a child, I had a book called “The Girl No One Wanted” and it told of the disappointment of a girl’s parents when they got a daughter – and not a son. Luckily, the parents ended up loving her as much as her brothers. But she did not have the same opportunities as them in the society she grew up in. Unfortunately this lack of opportunity is the reality for women and girls in most places.

I was born and raised in Bangladesh, I have lived in the Philippines, in the UK, in Zimbabwe and in Norway. All different locations, but one thing is true for all of them: gender justice is not yet fully realised in any of these places.

Gender injustices affect many groups and individuals. But the biggest one is half of the population – namely women and girls. And those are who we are celebrating today on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day.

The world we see

• Globally, 200 million girls and women have been subject to female genital mutilation or cutting.
• Innumerable perpetrators of sexual violence as a weapon in war are never sentenced or punished.
• Almost one third of women who have been in a relationship have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence by their partner.
• 59 countries do not have laws against harassment in the workplace.
• Only 24 per cent of all national parliamentarians are women.
• 104 countries have laws that prohibit women from having certain jobs.
• Unless we change the direction or pace of things, it will take 202 years (!) until men and women have equal pay.

The world is not fair.  And that is why ACT is scaling up its gender work today.  That is why ACT members have been working for years with communities, individuals, local organisations and religious leaders to fight gender injustice. We are challenging governments and other authorities to change laws and regulations to make sure that all people, especially women and girls, can realise their rights and live good lives.

Existing work

Created Equal, ACT’s gender campaign, is not starting from scratch. It is a continuation of all the work that is already going on.

In Eastern Africa, FECCLAHA, is spearheading the Tamar Campaign which seeks to equip and challenge churches to break the silence on Gender Based Violence using contextual Bible Study methodology.

In Armenia, the World Council of Churches Armenia Round Table Foundation, is supporting computer literacy and internet classes for youth and women, aimed at improving their ability to find jobs and to improved access to information and communication means.

In Indonesia, the Christian Foundation for Public Health (YAKKUM), provides capacity building for health providers to develop young people friendly clinics and builds awareness on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

In Brazil, Diaconia is training church leaders on Transformational Masculinities based on the principles and sacred texts of world religions that value the well-being and equality of all human beings.

Globally, the Salvation Army run maternity hospitals and clinics that contributes specifically to reducing maternal mortality.

And the list goes on!

Our vision

In ACT we want to see a world where girls are always wanted, and where they through their adolescence, adulthood and old age enjoy the same rights and possibilities as their male counterparts. If we achieve progress in any area, be it economic, social or any other, we have only come so far if the progress only benefits half of the population.

Today we are celebrating all women. Tomorrow we will roll up our sleeves and continue our journey together on the path towards gender justice.

Because we believe that all people deserve justice.  We believe that all people are Created Equal.

As the Syrian conflict enters its ninth year, and the humanitarian situation remains dire for millions of affected people, the EU and the UN will co-chair the third conference on ‘Supporting the future of Syria and the region’, which will take place in Brussels on 12-14 March 2019. Its aim will be to mobilise humanitarian aid for Syrians, both inside the country and in the neighbouring refugee-hosting countries, as well as to strengthen political support to the UN-led peace process. ACT Alliance, whose members have been engaged in supporting those affected on the ground since the very beginning, will be present with a delegation to give voice to our call for sustained engagement and durable solutions. ACT’s key messages are expressed in the following statement:

ACT Alliance – Jordan Syria and Lebanon forum urges for stronger solidarity and humanitarian support

The Syria crisis has had a devastating humanitarian, social and economic impact on Syria and neighboring countries for eight years now. People affected by this crisis require a strong commitment and collective effort by the international community to help those in need.  

The severity and complexity of the humanitarian situation across Syria continues to be overwhelming with over 13 million people in direct need of humanitarian assistance. Although refugee registration activities ceased in 2015, it is estimated that Lebanon and Jordan are hosting 1.6 million refugees, and significant support has been extended both by governments and non-governmental actors, including ACT members. Nonetheless, in many cases harsh living conditions have forced large numbers of people into poverty and consequently made them extremely vulnerable.^[1] Even though the regional dynamics have significantly changed in 2018, the scale of humanitarian needs has remained. 

Before the crisis began, Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance members, local and international, had a presence on the ground in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, allowing members to react swiftly to humanitarian needs as they developed. ACT members continue giving humanitarian assistance both in Syria and in surrounding countries.The valuable placement of ACT members and  their partners in Syria specially allows for the unique opportunity to respond quickly as a locally rooted yet globally connected alliance.

• ACT Jordan Syria Lebanon (JSL) Forum members call for stronger solidarity and humanitarian support to Syrian refugees and Internally Displaced Persons inside Syria. Although the protracted humanitarian crisis continues inside Syria and neighboring countries, year by year the local and international humanitarian actors are struggling to receive adequate funding for responding to the basic needs of millions of affected people. Regional appeals including the ACT appeal for refugee response, particularly in the host countries, where ACT members and their partners operate, must see an increase in required contributions to be able to effectively respond to humanitarian needs that remain at an alarming level.
• While acknowledging that the need for emergency basic needs in Syria is still great, ACT Alliance members, national partners and communities strive and call for an earliest possible shift to interventions that ensure dignity of those effected by the conflict and decrease aid dependency in Syria and within those countries supporting Syrian refugees. In host countries, this would mean continued support for improved access to local labour markets and integration into local economies, as well as access to health care and education, whereas in Syria this would mean continuing to look at emergency needs in a sustainable, transparent manner, aiming for multi-year programing to allow Syrians to seamlessly move from emergency to recovery while building their resilience.
• Regarding other durable solutions, there is still a wide gap between the numbers of refugees in need of resettlement, and the number of resettlement places being offered globally, and Syrians have been among the groups most affected by this. We therefore call for expanded resettlement options, including by encouraging third countries to offer complementary pathways for refugees – this option has been under-utilized so far, and our members can offer their support and expertise.
• As noted by UNHCR, returns to Syria in safety and dignity are still not possible under the present conditions. While we support the right to return for any refugees wishing to do so, we emphasize the need to guard against premature and coerced actions by governments and other actors in this regard. Any return options being considered thus must offer all guarantees and comply fully with international law and standards. Returns should therefore only be facilitated after the preconditions for a sustainable and safe return have been assessed in an independent and participatory manner, ensuring dignity and access to services, including by providing clear and accurate information, and having obtained the consent from those returning. Always in such scenarios, other alternative durable solutions must be made available for those who do not feel that a return is possible for them.
• The social fabric in Syria has been eroded by the displacement of 12.2 million refugees and internally displaced people. The JSL forum urges decision makers in Brussels III to increase funding to build social cohesion for refugees looking to return as well as to build social cohesion inside Syria in preparation for that return. ACT Alliance will continue its involvement and commitment to humanitarian action, the effective protection of human rights^[2], and the sustainable and participatory development of the futures of all people in need, especially as ACT members are seen as natural actors within communities. 
• Strategies should be in place to allow for protected sustainable assistance, especially in the area of Health, WASH, Shelter, Livelihood and Education. The ACT JSL forum calls on Member States to ensure that humanitarian service delivery is not tied to political conditions, and consider the effects on the population when rehabilitation efforts that are based on transparent and conflict-sensitive criteria are delayed.

The ACT Jordan Syria and Lebanon members and partners work in the region and in particular those working inside Syria, have the added value of working as first responders in hard-to-reach areas. ACT members and partners work with local faith and non-faith actors who are committed to work for humanity and dignity, motivated and framed by faith, and in full respect to the humanitarian principles and standards. Continuing our involvement and commitment to provide assistance and protection to all people in need is not only and expression of our faith and our conviction to humanity, but is also inspired by our wish to contribute to peace and restoring the social cohesion of multi-diverse societies of the Middle East .

[1] https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/syria_durable_solutions.

[2] ACT Alliance Founding Document, ‘Vision Statement’, p.2

Super Typhoon Mangkhut known locally as ‘Ompong’ made landfall in Baggao, Cagayan in the Philippines on September 15, 2018, at 1:40 AM, carrying winds of up to 200 km per hour and heavy rainfall. “It was the longest and strongest typhoon that we have ever experienced in our area,” said Gil Oamil, a rescue responder from the Centro 1 Barangay in Sanchez-Mira.

An early warning system notified residents of the typhoon two days before making landfall allowing families to get to the nearest evacuation centre. The tropical cyclone lasted 18 hours, wreaking damage to the community and destroying livelihoods.

ACT Alliance member the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) was the only organisation to provide support to the Centro 1 Barangay in response to Typhoon Mangkhut. Centro 1’s Barangay Captain, Melbina Mangasing, who is involved with the local church, coordinated with the local bishop and NCCP around meeting the needs of the Barangay. As ACT members are rooted in the communities which they serve, NCCP was able to quickly respond to the immediate needs of the Barangay.

NCCP distributed food packs consisting of rice, sugar, legumes, dried fish, canned food, biscuits, salt, oil and other food items to thirty-eight families. As each food-pack could feed a family of five for two weeks, NCCP helped to alleviate hunger until families were able to return to their livelihoods.

Despite the strength of the typhoon, ongoing emergency preparedness initiatives from the local government in collaboration with churches limited human suffering in the Barangay.

The Centro 1 Barangay community centre conducts disaster preparedness training twice a month where senior citizens, widowers and other vulnerable groups are urged to participate. Before Typhoon Mangkhut, residents received training on how to secure their homes from strong winds and heavy rainfall. Other capacity building sessions offered include preparedness and response to tsunamis, earthquakes and fires.

Residents are also encouraged to ensure that they keep a fully equipped emergency pail in their homes, consisting of canned food, water, a first aid kit, a radio, a flashlight, extra batteries, clothes and other essentials. Many families relied on their emergency pails once the typhoon made landfall.

“The trainings are critical to ensuring that everyone in the community is prepared for an emergency,” said Mangasing. “Because of our efforts in this Barangay, we were more prepared than we were last time.”

As the Philippines is particularly prone to typhoons and other disasters, emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction initiatives will remain essential for the resilience of the Filipino people. NCCP will continue to work with local government units in the areas which they responded to Typhoon Mangkhut to build the capacity of communities to better cope with disasters.

Super Typhoon Mangkhut locally named Ompong battered the province of Cagayan in the Philippines on September 14^th 2018, destroying homes, severely affecting agricultural lands and livelihoods and damaging evacuation centres where residents fled for safety. Residents of the Sitio Laoc, Barangay Pateng, are still recovering from the effects of the typhoon.

“Every time it rains my children get scared that it will happen again,” said Rema Orden, a survivor of the typhoon and mother of two. “I will never forget how wet and cold my children were and how there was nothing that I could do.”

Sitio Laoc is predominantly a farming community of indigenous peoples who migrated to Cagayan in search of a better life. Many rely on their harvest for sustenance and live in poverty where basic amenities such as safe drinking and potable water are difficult to access.

Given the financial constraints of the community, many small-scale farmers in the Sitio Laoc have no choice but to borrow money from local investors to purchase seeds, fertiliser and other farming equipment, repaying the loans when they sell their crops. Farmers whose livelihoods are the most vulnerable to natural hazards faced the brunt of the impacts of Typhoon Mangkhut which destroyed their crops shortly before the harvesting season, leaving families unable to complete the planting cycle or repay their debts.

“My house was completely destroyed, and I lost most of my harvest,” said Valentino Gonzalez, a farmer from the Sitio Laoc. “I was only able to harvest 20 bags of rice which I shared with the other families who were affected by the typhoon,” he continued.

Gonzalez is one of the many farmers whose debt has increased since the typhoon. “This typhoon doubled our debt because we still had to buy seeds for the following planting cycle even though we were not able to sell any of our harvest from the previous cycle,” said Valentino.

ACT Alliance member Christian Aid in partnership with the Humanitarian Response Consortium and the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council responded to the needs of the most affected residents of the Sitio Laoc. An unconditional cash transfer of USD 48 (based on the minimum monthly wage) was distributed to two hundred and fifty of the most vulnerable families in November 2018 to help them to get through the season.

“Typhoon Ompong has had a huge impact on our lives. The cash transfer has helped us to meet our daily needs and the needs of our children,” said seventy-eight-year-old Kag Asaid Gonzales.

While some families used the unconditional cash transfer to repair their homes and clear their debt, other families faced great difficulties getting back on their feet.

“Before my husband died we worked very hard to build our house. Typhoon Ompong has destroyed it. I am now living in my small store under a tree. Now I am the only one working to pay off our debts so it has doubled. With the support of ACT Alliance, I have been able to pay off some of my debt and to buy some rice. I have also kept a small amount of money in case there is another emergency,” said indigenous farmer Charlita Taoil.

Despite the challenges faced by the residents of the Sitio Laoc during and after the typhoon, a spirit of Bayanihan (community unity) prevailed. Residents shared whatever harvest they were able to salvage, and those whose houses remained intact took in other members of their Barangay.

“We planned to get to the evacuation centre but galvanised iron sheets were flying because of the strong winds, so we went to our neighbour’s house instead. We thought that there was no hope for another day, but we prayed as one family, asking for the guidance of the Lord. In times of disaster, the love of family becomes stronger,” said Larmie Bayangan.

Eighty-one-year-old pioneer settler to the Sitio Laoc, Juan Bainan also emphasised the unity of the residents, “Even though we all came to Laoc from different tribes, through every disaster our spirit of Bayanihan has remained strong. I am proud to see that peace and unity prevail above all.”