Back in Calaanan!

First week

We are back in Calaanan and it's super nice to hear children's laughter and parents cooking again. Although masks are still mostly worn in the Philippines (especially in stores and public transportation), everything else is back to normal. After an initial exchange with Keno, we drive to the bank in the city to create a power of attorney for his company account. Fortunately, we know the branch manager there well and she helps us in this seemingly endless paperwork: first, we need a resolution from the board of trustees, then we have to fill out and sign a similar one from the bank and record this on video for the bank notary. Since Keno does not yet have a tax ID, he also needs to apply for one, etc. After two bank afternoons, we will go there again next week to hopefully complete all the bureaucracy.

The next morning, Cherry Mae, a former Batulong student, comes to apply for the job as an additional employee. Thata will surely not be able to work anymore in the near future and Keno needs someone to support him. We are glad when Cherry agrees after a short time of consideration, and on Wednesday the two employees sign their contracts, Cherry as an all-round employee and Keno as the new co-manager of Batulong. In the meantime, I clean out Thata's desk, which will later be used by Keno. It is a sad task and I feel like I'm clearing the desk of a deceased person. Of course, it would be wonderful if Thata's health situation would take a turn for the better again, but the sight of her when we visit her on Tuesday afternoon is already distressing. She can hardly speak anymore and the first thing she hands us is a paper on which she has written that she wants to return the laptop and the keys because she can no longer work. We still try to involve her in the work process and especially for the Philippine accounting, we need her support. As much as it angers and frustrates us that Thata risked her life by refusing to go for a check-up when she discovered the lump in her breast, it is also just very sad to see her so fragile and terminally ill. Theoretically, a weekly chemotherapy with a slightly lower dosage is planned for 18 weeks. Thata's sister, who speaks for Thata, says that the doctor mentioned that if there is a good reduction in the tumor and metastases, it can also be stopped earlier. Unfortunately, we lack this confidence when we see Thata and read the doctor's report, but it is certainly better that the two women are positive about it.

We are very happy with our new manager Keno, who will now work 100%. With him, we sometimes develop new guidelines or decision support, for example regarding the applications for support from Batulong. New employees are sometimes also an opportunity to rethink processes that have become routine. Cherry starts her work on Monday. She is a high school teacher like Keno, and the two of them have to determine who takes on which jobs. However, Cherry should primarily be able to help out with everything in case Keno is sick. So, in the coming period, we will be busy training our new employee.

A little anecdote from last week: a high school student brings a letter from her teacher stating that students who do not contribute at least 200 pesos for ceiling fans will no longer receive a signature from the teacher. The signatures serve us to control that the students have attended the classes and are needed for the eligibility for lunch. He discusses the matter with the ALS teacher (Alternative Learning System - these are the adults who are getting their high school diploma and are being taught at our Batulong Center) and whether he should go to the teacher or the principal first. We are glad that she advises him to talk to the teacher first. In the afternoon, Keno and I go to the high school before classes start to address the issue. Although all teachers should speak English well and also teach in this language, the young teacher cannot speak a sentence in English and asks Keno to translate. She assures that there is no obligation for a financial contribution and that she did not know what the signatures were for. We don't care that she is trying to get out of the situation: the main thing is that our supported children do not have to donate a day's wage of their fathers for a ceiling fan.

The first week flew by and the next one will probably be even more intense. The first home visits are also planned: it remains exciting.