In ADRA’s Response in the Philippines, 43.25 tons of rice; 1,180 liters of Clorox; 2,360 pcs of hand soap; and 272 gallons of alcohol were distributed during the 1st 2 weeks of April in the provinces of Cavite, Camarines Sur, Benguet, and Iloilo. These were done in coordination with the local municipalities and with the help of the Adventist Community Services Volunteers. 

The Philippines, like the rest of the world, has been trying to deal with the Covid-19 Pandemic the best it could. When President Rodrigo Duterte declared that the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) would be placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) from March 15-April 14, to avoid the spread of the Coronavirus, the other regions around the country followed suit. This was meant to enforce social distancing and resulted in suspension of classes, limited travel, and no mass gatherings. Travel to and from work was only limited to front liners and residents were issued 1 pass per household to be able to leave their homes to buy essential items. 

For the majority of the population this ECQ meant not just a loss of mobility, but also loss of income and livelihood. Local Government Units are trying their best to aid these low-income families while trying to conduct contact tracing for the positive Covid-19 cases and also monitoring the Persons-Under-Investigation (PUI), and any assistance given to them by the private sector is greatly welcomed. 

Due to the ECQ, ADRA’s mobility to move has also been restricted. But despite these constraints, ADRA was able to mobilize the different sub-offices around the country and bring food and hygiene kits to those communities.

The response began with the sub-office in Goa, Camarines Sur distributing 80 gallons of alcohol to Rural Health Units (RHU) in the municipalities of Calabanga, Del Gallego, Garchitorena, Goa, Presentacion, and San Jose in Camarines Sur. ADRA also handed over 4,350 kg of rice to among the same municipalities to distribute to a total of 870 low-income families 

The sub-office in Ajuy,Iloilo was permitted to distribute 6,900 kg of rice to 276 families, while the sub-office in Baguio, Benguet was able to distribute hand over 2,500 kg of rice to the municipality of Itogon, Benguet to distribute to 500 families. 

The biggest response was done in Silang, Cavite, where 29,500 kgs of rice was distributed to 5,900 families, while 1,180 liters of chlorox (disinfectant), 2,360 pcs of hand soap, and 192 gallons of rubbing alcohol were turned over to the municipality of Silang to distribute among the 64 barangays around the municipalities. Both Mayor Corie Poblete and Vice Mayor Aidel Belamide joined the distribution and expressed their gratitude for this assistance that ADRA (and the rest of the Adventist communities) had given to the municipality of Silang. 

* We would like to thank the ADRA Network, Cavite Mission, West Visayan Conference, Adventist Chinese Community, Mountain View College Employee Coop, KASAMA Multi-Purpose Coop, and the Latter-day Saints Charities for contributing to this response.

*We would also like to thank our individual donors Angeline Villamore, Maricarr Torres, Michael Tulog, Aiza Pingoy, Rey Banquerigo,Ryan Martinez, Joyce Delos Santos, and Mary Guelos, who have donated via our Paypal, Bank Transfer, or Gcash since from March 15 til April 20, 2020. 

Silang, Cavite serves as home to major Adventist institutions in the Philippines like the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP), Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), Southern Asia Pacific Division (SSD), 1000 Missionary Movement, Cavite Mission, and ADRA.