Second Harvest Asia (2HA)’s Executive Director Yusuke Wada and Research Intern Yukiha Maruyama have been conducting research for the food bank feasibility analysis in Manila, the Philippines.
On July 12, we visited Philippine Christian Foundation (PCF) in Tondo, one of the poorest areas in Manila. PCF Founder Jane Walker is one of the board members of our branch in the Philippines, Salu-Salo: Food Bank Philippines.
PCF’s staff took us to the dumpsite in Tondo, where 1,200 families live. PCF provides school education to children in this area.
They burn woods in these fences. They put wood pieces and put sand over them. Through pipes stuck on the sides, they fire the woods. They burn the woods for two days, and let it cool down for one day, and then you have charcoals to sell. Because of the smoke, many children here have asthma.
We also visited a squatter area in Navotas. This is a cemetry, and people live in make-shift houses on the tumbs.
On July 13, 2HA Chair Charles McJilton gave speech about food banking in Japan and the Philippines at De La Salle University. Dr. Francisco Magno, the director of La Salle Institute of Governance, invited 2HA for this speech occasion. Professors and students with political science major attended the event and asked Charles many questions. We agreed that there is a strong demand for food banking in the Philippines.
Dr. Magno and Dr. Louie Montemar are implementing a tutorial-assistance program for a nearby elementary school as a joint-project of De La Salle University with its students. In this program, De La Salle students help the elementary school where they have 70 children per teacher. Along with the tutorial assistance, they are having a feeding program as well. We are hoping to collaborate with the program team in the near future.
