Calaanan 2

We thought that with a lot of good planning we would be able to finish the most important work before Easter, but there was simply not enough time. And when our former college students came by spontaneously, we didn't want to send them away because there was still other work to do. So we asked Thata to inquire at the Immigration Office if we needed an appointment to extend our visa (we had already read on Philippine chat platforms that an extension is possible). Yes, was the answer, but we were only allowed to come one week before our visa expires. This was very inconvenient because we would already be on Camiguin by then, and we had already planned to return to Cagayan de Oro a few days earlier to go to this office. Nevertheless, we tried it on the last day in CDO at the Immigration Office and we got the extension - with the note that next time we should come one week in advance (there is no logical reason for this, the boss just ordered it that way there), but we didn't care, we had the extension for one week. So we will drive back to Cagayan on May 1st and work again until the 6th, and on the 7th we will fly to Manila and Switzerland. Since the Philippine presidential elections are on the 9th, it is better to leave before.

Now, let's talk about our remaining days in Cagayan de Oro. As always in April, our board meeting of the Philippine Batulong Foundation took place. It requires at least 3 locals out of the minimum 5 members. So far we had 6 members, and after Thata's brother Vic resigned, his son Tonton was elected as a replacement. At this board meeting, the numbers are presented, which then have to be sent to the local authority, the events and the budget for the current year are looked at, and afterwards there is always something delicious to eat.

Instead of making household visits, we spent an afternoon with former Batulong college students. After 5-7 years, most of them have children, and it is nice to hear that they all have good jobs. Two of them have become police officers and one works in a prison, the policewoman as a communications officer. One teacher works at a high school in a neighboring province, and the other still works part-time at the social welfare office because her child is still young. From another student - the same year as Keno - we learned that she is working as a domestic helper in Amsterdam (she graduated in IT). Not all of their education went smoothly all the time, and now we can jokingly talk with the police officer about how challenging it was back then.

We will do the household visits later - so-called "revisits", visits to Batulong families we haven't seen in a long time, whose child has a problem in school, or because there is another reason to stop by again. It is also about finding out if there have been any changes in their living conditions. The first family lives in a hut by a stream/river. Although a high wall is supposed to protect the residents from flooding, the mother of the Batulong child says that the water reached up to their chest. Presumably, the family found refuge on the 2nd floor of the hut while their "living room" - a platform made of bamboo slats - was underwater.

In another family, only the 17-year-old daughter was at home - she had to take care of the small store. The father is also a baker, and the girl showed us the old oven. When Keno asked her if she would come to the summer camp, she said that her father doesn't allow it. He is afraid for his daughter and wants to prevent her from finding a boyfriend. When I asked her if she would like to go to the camp, she said "oh yes, very much... she is bored and her life consists only of modules (studying for school) and sitting in the store." So we let the daughter relay to her father that he should come to the Batulong center so that we can talk to him. Of course, there was a possibility that he wouldn't come, but we have just learned that he listened to our employees and their explanations and promised that he will let his daughter come. The outing will take place at Thata's brother Vic's organic farm, away from the city amidst rice fields. We hope the teenage girl will have a good time!

In another house, the grandmother is the guardian of a Batulong child. The 64-year-old, who looks 10 years older, can't walk well after a stroke. Thata asks about the pension that one receives at 60, but the woman hasn't applied for it, and it seems that the relatives are not particularly interested in applying for the 500 pesos (10 CHF). Sure, it's not a big sum, but it can already buy 12 kg of rice. We try to motivate the niece who is present there to take the old lady to the town hall.

So we have another glimpse of the relocation site where the children are now allowed to play on the street again after Level 3 has been lifted. Hopefully, there will be a transition to regular school soon! In the class of the former Batulong student in Bukidnon, classes are already being conducted with half the students.

Next is Holy Week and we will travel to Camiguin - more about that in the next blog post.