Cambodia Philippines Insight Tour - Tearfund New Zealand

8/7/2019 Cambodia Philippines Insight Tour - Tearfund New Zealand

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Cambodia Philippines Insight TourCambodia April 5TH 10th

09

Philipp ines Ap ril 10th 17th 09


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TEAR Fund INSIGHT TOURS Learn about the economic, social and spiritual climate in developing countries; Observe the living conditions and the lives of those in poverty; Witness the hope and dignity that have been restored in the lives of the worlds poor who can

now provide for their families through TEAR Funds ministry; Reflect on ways, as Kiwis living at a distance, we can impact their lives; Assimilate what you learn into your everyday life.

Theres a Better World to See!

You will go where tourists rarely travel. You will see the hope, energy and dignity of peopleconquering hunger and poverty through their own enterprise.

This adventure will broaden your understanding of Third World poverty and its solution. It will alsoenlarge your heart!

Experience things tourists cant ..

See micro businesses in operation and talk with loan recipients in their homes Visit Partner Agencies and meet staff Have dinner and discussions with members of the local Board of Directors Receive briefings on unique local conditions from scholars and officials Enjoy sightseeing, shopping and comfortable accommodation. Minister to staff of TEAR Funds local Christian field partners, pray through non-Christian environments.

With Like-Minded People ..

Donors and friends of TEAR Fund Parents with their children who want to take a meaningful holiday exploring another country Business colleagues and friends who enjoy travelling together

Richard Barter, TEAR Funds Microenterprise Development Manager is familiar with Cambodia and thePhilippines and will work to make your journey interesting and enjoyable.

You w ill visit projects in the heart of Denpasar, in surround ing urban slum areas and ruralvillages.

You will meet families who have broken out of this vicious cycle of debt and usury and been able to

provide for their children the basic necessities of education, health and good food in rural areas.

Costs are realistic compared to bulk commercial tours. You will get to know the local people in apositive way you will never forget and experience the vibrancy of transformed communities.

It is easy to believe the problems out there are too big to solve, or to change channel and pretend theydont exist. Take this opportunity to encounter the reality 1 out of 5 people on this planet experiencedaily, and a solution to their distress that will convince you there is indeed hope.

There w ill only be a limited num ber of places available. To get the good price airfares,please make your reservation in the next w eek. You can stay longer, or go up earlier.


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PROPOSEDTRIP: CAMBODIA PHILIPPINES 2009

TOURLEADER: RICHARD BARTER

GOAL

To enable d ono rs to see whe re the ir gifts have gone , how the y have been used , understa ndprinc ip les of Christian Develop ment and lea rn abo ut issues fac ing the p oo r in Ca mb od ia andthe Philipp ines.

OBJECTIVES

Be a ble to a rticulate the ec onomic , soc ia l and sp iritua l c lima te in develop ing c ountries,pa rticularly Camb od ia and the Philippines;

Understa nd the living c ond itions and the lives of those in poverty; Witness the ho pe and d ignity tha t have b een restored in the lives of the wo rld s poo r

who c an now p rovide fo r the ir families through TEAR Fund s ministry; Reflec t on w ays, as Kiwis living a t a d ista nc e, we c an imp ac t the ir lives; Assimila te what you learn into your everyda y life. Return to NZ and enc ourage o thers to p rovide support fo r the w ork of TEAR Fund in this

area. Endea vour to get a story of their trip in a loc al newspa per. Get good stories and pho tos from projec ts.


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PROPOSED TRIP DETAILS

Dates Cambodia April 5TH 10th - Philippines April 10th 17th 09

Close o ff da te fo r app lic a tions: 1st Dec 2008.First in first served with $400 non refund ab le d ep osit sec uring the advoc a tes sea t.

Draft Itinerary

Sunda y 5th Arrive in Phnom Penh Che ck in a t G uest House. Loo k a roundthe c ity

Monday 6th Go aboa rd a river boa t for the trip to Siem Rep .

Tuesday 7th Visit histo ric and Cultural Sites. Check out the Angkor WatTemple a rea .

Wednesday8th

Visit loc a l rura l prog ramme s of Cred it in Siem Rep . Trave l by b usbac k to Kamp ong Cham.

Thursday 9th Visit Cred it Office for introd uc tion to the orga nisa tion. Visit theVulnerab le Service Unit p rojec t (Microe nte rp rise Deve lopme nt)that TEAR Fund is sup porting

Friday 10th Visit loc a l histo ric and c ultural sites suc h a s the Killing Fields andGenoc ide M useum. Prep are fo r overnight Flight hom e.

Saturday 11th Fly to M anila Che c k in a t Sha lom Gue st House

Sunday 12th Visit CCT offic e hea ded by Ruth C a llanta . Join CCT Sta fffo rDevo tions. CCT is an outsta nd ing example of ChristianMicroe nte rp rise a t it's best. In the mo rning we w ill be

introd uce d to the organisation and the m any a spe c ts of theirministry. In the a fte rnoon, we will visit communities in TondoMa nila whe re CCT have w orked for many yea rs.

Monday 13th Visit Trust Banks supported by Participants

Tuesday 14th Drive to Ca bana tua n to visit TEAR Fund s Mic roe nte rp rise DevPartne r ASKI. They a re running a p rog ramm e wo rking withIndigenous Filipinos.

Wednesday15th

Visit Rural Mic roente rprise Prog rammes

Thursday 16th Drive Back to Ma nila, Relax and prep are for trip to Ca mb od iaor bac k to New Zea land .

Friday 17th

Arrive bac k in New Zea land

Cost per ind ividua l ($NZD) Note, these figures are today s prices Sep t 08. This c ould change .

Costs per trave ller inc ludes a payme nt to TF to cover tour lea ders costs.

For the Philipp ines and Ca mbod ia Trip $4,730Ca mb od ia only $3,490Philipp ines only $2,880

The a bove Costs will c over

Ac c ommoda tion over the p eriod shown in the itinerary Ma in mea ls (excluding a lc oho l) plus mo rning a fternoon tea s while on o rga nised

ac tivities etc . Transport fo r all organised ac tivities on the Itinerary


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TEAR Fund administration and sta ff c osts Airfares from Auckland (You may choose to use your own a ge nt, and ma y be ab le to

negotiate a better pric e)

The sha red c osts will not c over Room servic e c harges including p hone bills and laundry You w ill have the oppo rtunity to ta ke ad vantage of loca l tours. The hotel ca n arrang e

this for you. You will pay the hotel or operator directly. Personal purchases etc . Meals while in transit a t a irports etc . Any med ic a l fees while in Ca mb od ia and the Philipp ines, and for any immunisat ions,

presc rip tions etc . be fore going

Costs will dep end on va luat ion o f currenc ies at the time .

PROPOSED OUTCOMES OF TRIP

Educ ational

Grea te r understa nd ing of the wo rk of TEAR Fund , and its partners and p rojec ts

Better understa nd ing of the c ountry and its politics

Greater understanding of Development and Christian Development

Greater empa thy a nd c ultura l sensitivity

Bet te r understa nd ing of justice a nd poverty issues


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Areas in the Philippines we will travel to.


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Areas in Cambodia we will travel to.


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Background to Microenterprise Development inCambodia/ Philippines

Partner Profile CCTThe Center for Community Transformation (CCT) isa Christian development organization undertakingtransformational programs and services among thepoor. It started as an informal organization ofdevelopment professionals then became a formaldevelopment institution in 1992. Its belief is that theapproaches to development must be holistic andtransformational, addressing both the material andspiritual needs of people. They must empowerpeople to reach their full potential as transformedhuman beings in the image of God.

Our VisionA network of Christ-centered faith communitieswhere Jesus is honored and worshipped and wherepeople live with dignity and sufficiency inaccordance with God's plan for a just, humane andcaring society.

Our MissionAs followers of Christ, we join the Holy Spirit inGod's work of transforming lives and communities

Our ApproachPoverty-focused, sector-specific, family-centered,community based

O j e c t i v e:

C o m m u n I t y transformation. To restore'shalom' in the world through theestablishment of Christ-centred communities oflove, righteousness, justiceand peace. (Isa. 65:19-25;Rom. 12:1-15:13). Thiscalls for a Spirit-ledprocess, modelled by theLORD Jesus Christ (Lk.4:18-19; 7:19-21). Itbrings about harmony andreconciliation, wherebypeople are invited to repent of their sins, andto trust and obey Jesus Christ by forming rightideas and relationships with God, theirneighbours, creation and their selves (Mt. 22:37-39; 2 Cor. 10:5). It enables every person

and community/people group to become what

God intended each of them to be (Eph. 4:17-24; Col. 3:5-17).

Approach:

Holistic evangelism. In order to proclaim theGospel in its fullness and integral form amongevery people group, we must be concerned forthe total welfare of the people - religious,social, economic, educational, physical, etc.(Mt. 9:35-38; cf. 25:31-46; Lk. 2:52; 10:30-37).

Goal:People empowerment. Whether the wholecommunity turns to Christ or not (most

probably a majority will become at leastsympathetic to the Gospel) with the hope thatthe target people will have been enabled tobecome mature and responsible (notdependent) adults who can make dignified andwise decisions for their individual andcommunal life - as active participants (notpassive onlookers) in tackling issues that affecttheir lives and destinies.

Strategy:

Contextualisation. There is only one Gospel,but as many different expressions of faith("religious forms") as there are communities(1 Cor.9:18-23). Let the church planted growin its own soil; otherwise, it becomes "church-transplanting" (not church-planting): Outsideresources may be tapped, but these must bemanaged by truly empowered leaders who aresensitive to their local culture(s) and able tomaximise the use of local resources.

Structure:Interdependent groups. The organisedcommunity will become a network of peoples'organisations (some quite fixed/formal, othersad hoc) led or strongly influenced by a coregroup(s) of committed resident Christians whohave been discipled to serve as leaders in thechurch and in the community.Community ProgramsSpiritual DevelopmentCCT uses evangelism and discipleship to reach outto urban poor communities, zealously witnessing to

them and proclaiming the Good News of JesusChrist. Those who decide to receive Jesus into their


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lives are nurtured and mentored in Christian values,so that they too can disciple others.MicrofinanceMicrofinance provides credit to poor families with no

collateral to be used as working capital forbusiness. Payable in easy installment terms, loansrange from P3,000 to P20,000 (US$60 to US$400).

Social ServicesCCT's Social Services program hopes to seestrong, healthy, Christ-centered families. TheProgram provides the following services:

1.Water Supply

and Sanitation2.Nutrition3.Health Services4.Social Security

a) Social healthinsurancea) Lifeinsurance

Community EnterpriseCCT engages in joint venture activities with urbanpoor communities and groups to make availablequality goods and services to the community. Itaims to provide employment opportunities forcommunity members. Examples of these socialenterprises include provision of potable watersystems, community drug stores, etc.

Child Development: Visions of HopeOrphans, abandoned, and children of single parentsand indigent families are given financial assistanceto complete elementary and high school education.The children are also given the opportunity toattend weekly spiritual development classes,leadership training, camps, art appreciation classesand character formation activities.

http://www.visionsofhope.org.ph


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ASKI ProfileThe Organisation

ALALAY SA KAUNLARAN SA GITNANG LUZON,INC. (ASKI) is a non stock, non-profit Christiandevelopment organisation. A group of Christianleaders and businessmen in Nueva Ecijaregistered the organisation with the Securitiesand Exchange Commission in July 1987.

VisionTo se people living in accordance with Godsplan for a just and caring society where all livewith dignity, sufficiency and responsibilitytowards other and the rest of creation.

MissionTo promote socio-economic and spiritualtransformation in the Province of Nueva Ecijaby strengthening and harnessing the resourcesof development organisations, cooperativesand groups engaged in micro, cottage andsmall enterprise development and assistingindividual beneficiaries alleviate poverty andbring about the fullness of life based onecumenical Christian development philosophy.

Background information

The province of Nueva Ecija occupies theeastern rim of Central Luzon Plains innorthern Philippines and is completelylandlocked. Surrounding provinces includePampanga and Bulacan in the South,

Pangasinan in the North, Aurora and Quezonin the East and Tarlac in the West.

The predominant terrain within the provincecomprises low lying alluvial plains and rollinguplands.

In view of it being landlocked, the provinceswater resources are composed mainly ofsurface and ground waters that areharnessed for irrigation, power generation,aquaculture, production, recreation, anddomestic consumption. Water for domesticconsumption is extracted from the ground

waters by means of deep wells and handpumps. Rural areas of the province with noirrigation facilities extract ground water forirrigation purposes.

The province has a total land area of550,718 hectares, with 197,448 hectares(37%) of this classified as forestland.However, only 94,454 (48%) hectares isforested. The numerous birds, reptiles,mammals and insects are subject to

indiscriminate hunting.

There are 29 municipalities, 4 cities, and 849barangays (villages) which make up theprovince of Nueva Ecija. The provincecontains a total population of 1,659,883,growing at a rate of 2.11 % (census as of2000). The regional and national regionaland national growth rates are 3.20% and2.36 % respectively. Male populationaccounts for 50.83% of the total population

while female population accounts for49.17%. The Census 2000 indicates a totalhousehold base of 340,158, with an averageof 4.87 individuals per household. Theworking age population (aged 15 years oldand over) is estimated at approximately1,065,000 (64.16%). Out of thisapproximately 391,000 (36.7 %) areunemployed, 674,000 (63.3%) areemployed. Forty two percent (42%) ofthose employed are engaged in agriculture.

As per poverty threshold indicator, a personin the province would need PHP11,319.00


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per year at his disposal to ensure he/shecould meet their basic needs. There is apoverty incidence of 15.4% in theprovince. (Income and poverty indicators

1994-1997).

The provinces population density persquare kilometre is at 302, higher than thatof the national average of 255 per sq. km.. Urban drift is apparent areas due toperceived greater opportunities for gainfulemployment, business activities, education,better access to social services, etc

Both in the urban and in the rural area,going to fiestas (elaborate communitycelebrations) is a basic social norm.People invest time and resources in suchactivities. In the rural areas, a favouriterecreation activity post harvest season isplaying tong-its (a game card) or bingo.

Notably, the majority of both urban andrural populations are able to meet thethree times a day diet requirement.However, there is little evidence that thediet is a balanced one.

Only a few cottage industries operate inthe rural due to low quality of electricpower, lack of water supply system and theabsence of adequate communicationsystems. The same factors havediscouraged potential investors fromestablishing factories and other forms ofindustrial operations in the rural areas.

With regard to gender: women are partially

recognised as economically active. Theyare not merely treated as housekeepersbut a help meet in their homes andcommunities as well. They are given theopportunity to deal with other people andalso manage small business to increasefamily income.

There are multiple factors determiningpoverty in both the urban and the ruralareas. The farmers and landless workers

in the rural areas suffer from limited andpoor rural infrastructure, which significantlyaffects their productive capacity. The poorinfrastructure means limited access to the

markets that are essential to obtaining a fairprice for their produce.

Farmers and landless workers have very

limited access to capital as well as toappropriate technology.

The informal sector is equally affected bylack of appropriate technology and access tomarkets. Thus, workers in the informalsector suffer from irregular employment.Further, they are subject to exploitativeterms and conditions at work.

A small number of families dominate both

the political and the economic scene in theprovince. Aproximately 15 families own 85%of the land. With the resource base andpolitical power they control they direct adevelopment process which does not alwaysalign with the needs of the most vulnerable

Roman Catholicism is the dominant religionin the province. Other significant religionsinclude Iglesia ni Kristo, Aglipay, Methodist,Jehovahs witness and Born Again Christians.In general there is little discrimination on thebasis of religion in all spheres of life.However the Christian tradition is the centralsource of values which pervade society.

A.S.K.I. has been working as a povertycommunity development agency in theprovince of Nueva Ecija since 1987. Untilrecently they have worked primarily with theinformal workforce through holistic micro-finance programmes. However, a growingrealisation that the urban oriented micro-

finance programme is not a panacea indevelopment terms, has led them to seekingways in which they can broaden theirprogramme. A great deal of focus has beenbrought to designing programmes which canbe used to facilitate truly sustainabledevelopment for the most vulnerablecommunities within their province. It is inthis context that ASKI has looked to themore marginalised rural communities.

Land use

Quezon has a total land area of 6,937 hectares.The agricultural area is about 6,050.27 hectaresor 87.22% of the total land area. Residential


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areas (3.2%) in all barangays are concentratedalong the transport lines. The remaining landarea (9.58%) are utilised for commercial,institutional and other purposes.

Agriculture/ Horticulture and Animal Husbandry

Quezon is primarily agricultural land. Of itstotal land area of 6.937 hectares, 87.22%is devoted to agriculture. Rainfed areacovers 1,267.27. The terrain in themunicipality is generally flat and has siltloam soil type, well suited to agriculture,particularly to rice and corn growing.

There is an irrigation system in the area that ismade up of shallow tube wells and small farmreservoirs. Irrigated area covers about 4,783hectares.

Rain fed area covers 1,267.27 hectares and isonly suitable for cropping during the wetseason.

Vegetables and other root crops that are notaffected by scarce water supply, are planted asa substitute to palay in rain fed areas during thedry season. Vegetable production is notimmensely affected by water because it isplanted in bacood and puddy during dryseason and near creeks during rainy season.Fruit bearing trees are grown for domesticpurposes only.

Drought is a problem during the dry season andthere is a need to encourage farmers to plantdrought resistant crops.

The municipalitys agricultural production islow largely due to inadequate watersupply, attributed to lack of adequateirrigation during the dry season. Marketing

of farm produce is also inefficient as aresult of poor road networks and farm tomarket roads.

Farmers cannot get a good price from theiragricultural produce (palay) during the wetseason, largely because they are sold inthe immediate wet condition. Solar dryers,apart from being limited, are onlyefficiently utilized during the dry season.There are currently no facilitieswhere

farmers can dry their produce during therainy season.

Livestock and poultry are raised for domestic aswell as for commercial purposes by a greatproportion of the population. There are over 15commercial hog rearing several backyardproduction enterprises. There are over 10

commercial poultry operators or contractgrowers, mostly in barangays Dulong Bayan, IlogBaliwag, Dona Lucia, and Bertese. Ducks,turkeys, dogs and sheep are also raised in thearea.

Fisheries

The municipality has commercial waters andabout 35.23 hectares of fresh water fishponds,with 17 operators. These fishponds have anaverage yield of 52.84 metric tons per hectare

per year.

Trade and Commerce

There are approximately 239 commercialestablishments in the municipality with sari-saristores being the predominant enterprises. TheCommercial activities are centered in and aroundthe public market located in Barangay II. It isaccessible to all barangays by tricycle.

The only large scale industry in the municipalityis metal craft manufacturing.

The trade and commercial growth of the town isslow, being attributed to the lack of industry andcorresponding employment.

Small and the medium scale industries aregiven little support for their development.There are limited marketing outlets formanufactured and goods products. There islack of financial assistance and creditfacilities.

The LGU encourages setting up of more smallscale livelihood activities. It recognizes the needfor capital assistance, training support andtechnology transfers for groups/ individuals whoare interested. However, the municipality hasinsufficient capital to boost cottage industry.

The commercial activities are centered inand around the public market. Enterprisesfound in the different barangays aregenerally small scale sari-sari stores (run outof peoples houses) which have limited

customers. Their existence is precariousalmost without exception.


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DESTINATION PHILIP PINES

The 7,000 islands which comprise thePhilippines are the forgotten islands of South-

East Asia: they're off the main overland routeand have never attracted great numbers oftourists. There's no doubt that the country haslost out economically because of this, but itsreputation as the basket case of Asia is nowthoroughly outdated. Most of the Philippines islaid back, stable and relatively safe. Thecountry likes to promote itself as the placewhere `Asia wears a smile' and the locals are,by and large, an exceptionally friendly andhelpful bunch. On top of this, transport is

cheap, the food is good, accommodation isplentiful and (for the monolinguistic) English iswidely spoken.

Facts at a Glance

Full country name: Republic of the PhilippinesArea: 299,000 sq km (116,610 sq mi)Population: 68 million (growth rate 2.5%)Capital city: Manila (pop: 10 million)People: Predominantly descendants of Malays,Chinese and Muslim minorities and a numberof mestizos (Filipino-Spanish or Filipino-Americans)Language: Pilipino (Tagalog) and English plusnumerous widely spoken indigenouslanguages, some SpanishReligion: 82% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant,5% Muslim, 3% BuddhistGovernment: RepublicPresident: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Environment

The Philippines consists of 7107 islands in thewestern Pacific Ocean, only 2000 of which areinhabited. Luzon and Mindanao are by far thelargest, and comprise roughly 66% of thecountry's area. Only about 1000 islands arelarger than one sq km and 2500 aren't evennamed. The Philippines' nearest neighboursare Taiwan (north), Eastern Malaysia andBrunei (south-west), and Indonesia (south).

The archipelago has a volcanic topography andexperiences frequent seismic activity. Thereare 37 volcanoes in the archipelago and the

highest peak is Mt Apo (2954m/9689ft) inMindanao. About half the country is undercultivation and about a third remains forested,despite tree-felling and slash-and-burn

agriculture. There are more than a 1000 speciesof birds and animals, notably wild dwarf buffalo,mouse deer, crocodiles and pythons. There areover 10,000 species of trees, shrubs and ferns,the most common of which are palms andbamboos.

The Philippines are hot and humid year-round.The weather pattern across the archipelago iscomplex, but can be roughly divided into the dryseason (January to June) and the wet season

(July to December). The average annualtemperature is 25C (77F).

HistoryThe first inhabitants of the Philippines arrived upto 300,000 years ago, probably migrating over aland bridge from the Asian mainland. TheNegrito or Aeta arrived 25,000 years ago, butthey were driven back by several waves ofimmigrants from Indonesia, followed bymaritime immigrations of Malayan people. In1380, the Arab-taught Makdum arrived in theSulu archipelago and began to establish whatbecame a powerful Islamic sphere of influenceover the next hundred years.

Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521 and claimedthe archipelago for Spain. Magellan was killed bylocal chiefs who quite naturally disapproved ofthis notion. Ruy Lopez de Villalobos followed in1543 and named the territory Filipinas afterPhilip II of Spain. Permanent Spanish occupationbegan in 1565, and by 1571 the entire country,

except for the strictly Islamic Sulu archipelago,was under Spanish control.

A Filipino independence movement grew in the19th century and Filipinos fought on the side ofthe Americans in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. When the Spanish weredefeated, General Aguinaldo declared thePhilippines independent. The USA, however, hadother plans, and promptly purchased the islandsfrom the Spanish for US$20 million. The USA

eventually recognised the Filipinos' desire forindependence and Manuel L Quezon was swornin as President of the Philippine Commonwealthin 1935 as part of a transitional phase pending


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full independence. Japan invaded thePhilippines in 1942 brutally interrupting thisprocess and ruled until the USA re-invaded twoyears later. The Philippines received full

independence in 1946.

Ferdinand Marcos was elected president in1965, declared martial law in 1972 and ruledvirtually as a dictator until 1986. His regimewas attacked by both communist and Muslimguerrillas, and he was accused of ballot-riggingand fraud. The assassination of prominentopposition figure Benigno Aquino in 1983sparked massive anti-government protests. Asnap election in 1986 saw the opposition

parties rally around Aquino's widow, Cory. Bothparties claimed victory, but Aquino was widelybelieved to have polled most votes. Sheinitiated a programme of nonviolent civil unrestwhich resulted in Marcos fleeing the country.

Aquino re-established the democraticinstitutions of the country, but failed to tackleeconomic problems or win over the militaryand the powerful Filipino elite. US strategicinfluence in the country diminished followingthe 1991 Mt Pinatubo eruption whichdestroyed the US Clark Air Base, and after thePhilippine Senate refused to ratify the lease onthe Subic Bay Naval Station. Aquino survivedseven coups in six years and was succeededby her Defence Minister Fidel Ramos in 1992.Ramos attempted to revitalise the economy,attract foreign investment, cleanse corruptionand expand provision of utilities. In 1998 hewas replaced by the Philippines' answer toBruce Willis, Joseph Estrada.

The Philippine government and the MoroNational Liberation Front signed a peaceaccord in September 1996 ending, formally atleast, the MNLF's 24-year struggle forautonomy in Mindanao. The peace agreementforesaw the MLNF being granted considerableautonomy in many of island's provinces. Peacein the area remains elusive however followingthe rise of a splinter group, the militant MoroIslamic Liberation Front (MILF), which opposesthe agreement. The government continues to

conduct military operations in MILF-held areasin Basilan and Sulu.

Economic Profi le

GDP: US$173 billionGDP per head: US$2660

Annual growth: 2.5%Inflation: 7.5%Major products/industries: Electronic andelectrical products, clothingMajor trading partners: USA, Japan, Taiwan

CultureThe Philippines has developed a mixed culturefrom the blending of foreign influences withnative elements. Today, the Muslims, and someof the isolated tribes, are the only people whose

culture remains unadulterated by Spanish andAmerican influences.

Although traditional theatre, literature andkundimans (love songs) in the national languagehave experienced a resurgence since CoryAquino's People Power movement, visitors aremore likely to witness beauty contests, luridsoap operas, violent and sentimental Filipinomovies, and local bands perfectly imitatingWestern pop tunes.

About 10% of Filipinos (the so-called culturalminority groups or tribal Filipinos) retain theirtraditional culture. There are some 60ethnological groups, ranging from the Badjao ofthe Sulu archipelago, who are sea gypsies, tothe head-hunting Kalinga in the north of Bontoc.

The Philippines is the only Christian country inAsia. Over 90% of the population claim to followChristian faiths. The largest of the minorityreligious groups are the Muslims, who live

chiefly on Mindanao and in the Sulu archipelago.There is also a Philippine Independence Church,some Buddhists, and a small number ofanimists.

The geography and history of the Philippineshave conspired to produce a multiplicity oflanguages, some 80 dialects in total. Theconcept of a national language developed afterthe Spanish-American War in 1898 and Tagalogwas declared the national language in 1936.

There were several other contenders for thisrole, including Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Ilocano.A compromise reached in 1973 confirmedPilipino as the national language.


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This is based on Tagalog, but has linguisticelements of other Philippine languages.Despite this, English remains the language of

commerce and politics in the Philippines.

Filipino cuisine has Chinese, Malay and Spanishinfluences. Popular morning and afternoonsnacks are called merienda, and pulutan (smallmorsels) are served with alcoholic drinks.Barbecued sticks of meat or seafood arepopular evening snacks. Standard dishes,always served with rice, include meat andvegetables cooked with vinegar and garlic,grilled grouper, meat stews and a huge variety

of soups - rice, noodle, beef, chicken, liver,kneecap, offal and sour vegetable. Side dishesinclude strips of unripened papaya, fermentedfish or shrimp paste and bite-sized pieces ofcrispy pig skin. Halo-halo is a dessert madefrom crushed ice mixed with sweets and fruitsand smothered in evaporated milk.

Philippin e Facts for the Traveller

Visas: Twenty-one day visas are issued onarrival.Health Issues: Check with your doctor revaccinations.Time: Four hours behind NZElectricity: 220V, 60 HzWeights & Measures: MetricTourism: 1.2 million visitors per yearInsurance: Ensure you have Travel Insurance.We can arrange this. Please let us know.

Money & Costs

Currency: peso @ Feb 24 2003Exchange rate: US$1 = 54.6 pesos

NZ$1= 30 pecosRelative costs:Budget meal: US$2-3Restaurant meal: US$4-5Top-end meal: US$12-15Budget room: US$4-5Mid-range hotel: US$15-20Top-end hotel: US$150-400

The US dollar is the most recognised currencyin the Philippines, and is often easier (andcheaper) to change than cheques. Largedenomination US bills will get you a particularly

good rate, but only clean banknotes areacceptable. If you want to use cheques, thebigger brands will be accepted by most banksthroughout the country. ATMs are all over the

place, and you can use MasterCard and Visa inthem.

Whether you tip or not is up to you. Restaurantstaff will generally expect one, even if there is aservice charge included. If you're catching a taxiwith a working meter, round up the amount.When shopping, especially in markets, it's worthtrying to get a 10% discount - most Filipinos willaim for one. As a tourist you'll probably bequoted a higher than usual price anyway.

CCCuuu lll ttt uuu rrr aaa lll TTT iii ppp sss fffooo rrr ttt hhh eee PPP hhh iii lll iii ppp ppp iii nnn eee sss

Maintaining cordial relations at all times isessential in this culture; making only positivecomments is a good place to start. Negativity ofany kind can cause "loss of face", which hasunfortunate consequences in this culture,including loss of reputation as well as thesevering of friendships and other meaningfulbonds.

Although there are many social inequalities,there is a belief that everyone must be treatedwith civility. Moreover, as people rise inimportance, they are expected to behave withheightened modesty and graciousness,especially in their dealings with the poor. Forexample, beggars are politely refused with thephrase "Patawarin po", which means, "Forgiveme, sir." Snubbing a beggar may result only in"loss of face."

Visiting men should expect to shake hands

firmly with other Filipino men, both uponintroduction and subsequent meetings.

Foreign women may initiate a handshake withFilipino men or women.

Generally there is not supposed to be physicalcontact between men and women in public.When in public, rather than initiating ahandshake, men should wait for a Filipinowoman to extend her hand. Christian women inthe communities appreciate a handshake,especially when a foreigner initiates it.

Close upper class female friends in thePhilippines greet each other with a hug and kiss.Similarly, close upper class male friends mayexhibit close physical contact, such as holding


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hands or walking arm in arm around a friend'sshoulder. A handshake, bow and smile is mostcommon in the poorer communities.

As a sign of respect, the children, when

introduced to elderly, take their right hand andput it on their forehead (just like what youcommonly see when the Pope or the priestvisit the children in Eastern countries). We callit "pagmamano".

Childr en address older males as "kuya," arespectful title for elder brother and the femaleas "ate" for elder sister.

Filipinos often greet each other by makingeye contact, smiling, and then raising andlowering their eyebrows.

When someone raises his or

her eyebrowsat you, it is often a way of indicating that youhave been understood.

Raising one's voice is unacceptable inFilipino business culture. Moreover, it'simportant to maintain a low, yet controlledtone of voice at all times. Striving to speak this

way can help youconduct business withgreater effectivenessand may even allowyou to project more ofan authoritative,confident image.

Don't assume that a smile is an indication ofamusement or approval. Frequently, smiling isused to mask embarrassment, nervousness,and other feelings of distress. This is why youwill sometimes observe Filipinos smiling orlaughing during inappropriately somber ortense moments.

Visitors should avoid staring at Filipinos,who can easily interpret a stare as an hostile

gesture. If you are stared at, it will be in yourbest interests to look away, or return a nicesmile.

It's recommended that you break eyecontact several times in the course of aconversation. When you look at a Filipino toointently, it is ofteninterpreted as "gawking"rather than a sign ofattentiveness.

When it is necessary to

walk between two people,lower your head with yourhands clasped in front of

you as you pass them. This gesture confersrespect.

Because of the years of U.S. military presencein the Philippines, most North American gestures

are recognized and understood.Pointing a middle finger at a person or thingis considered the most obscene gesture in thePhilippines.

Since pointing can easily be perceived as aninsulting gesture, Filipinos rarely indicate objectsor directions by pointing with their fingers.Instead, they indicate with a glance or bypursing their lips.

To beckon someone, hold your hand out,palm downward, and make a scooping motion

with the fingers. Beckoning someone with thepalm up and wagging onefinger can be interpreted asan insult.

You may observe peoplehissing in restaurants; thisis a common way ofbeckoning servers. It is notused to beckon foreigners.

Indicating "two" wi th the fingers is done byholding up the ring and little finger, instead ofthe forefinger and middle finger. The thumb isnot generally used to count numbers in thePhilippines.

It is not considered polite to put your handson your hips when talking.

A Filipino, especially a child, may try to getyour attention by brushing a finger against yourelbow.


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CambodiaSandwiched between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam,

Cambodia has long been fought over. A mix ofFrench and traditional Khmer buildings aretestament to historic wrestles for control. Morerecently the violent Khmer Rouge reign of 1975-1979 has scarred the country.

Cambodia is now at a crossroads in itsdevelopment. Having just emerged from a post-civilwar status to that of a developing country, optimismhas gripped the countrys 13 million people. Theinstituted government has given stability to thenation, allowing for international investment andforeign aid.

Despite economic growth, slow agricultural gain hasseriously threatened the sustainability of rurallivelihoods. Emerging industries are attractingincreasing numbers to the cities, a trend that hasbeen met with alarm as those on the city fringes areleft without the basic infrastructure to survive.Cambodia now has a great challenge to meet ofdeveloping a nation along lines of equality.QUICK FACTSFull name:The Kingdom of Cambodia(Kampuchia locally)

Population:13,124,800 (Lonely Planet 2005)Capital:Phnom PenhArea:181,040 sq km (112,498 miles)Major languages:KhmerMajor religion:Theravada BuddhismLife expectancy:59 years (men), 63 years (women),61 years overallMonetary unit:RielMain exports:Textiles, tourismHuman Development Index:131Political regime:Constitutional monarchy

TEAR Fund MicroenterpriseCREDITMicroenterprise services to the poor in the Krekdistrict of Kompong Cham have long beenestablished through TEAR Funds partner, CREDIT

Cambodia. However CREDIT has found increasingnumbers of extremely poor that dont quite fit themodel of microenterprise help that is offered.

In particular these include victims of HIV/AIDS andsexual trafficking. Lack of sustained income andextreme poverty are factors that prevent them fromparticipating in the regular services. This need hasprompted an appeal to TEAR Fund to help fund a

three-year project designed to specificallyinvestigate and put into place services for these mostvulnerable people.

Evaluation, development and modification of currentfinancial, educational and training services will allowCREDIT to be more responsive to the particularneeds of the extremely poor and the vulnerable. Theproject is also piloting a Vulnerable Service Unit tooffer specifically tailored services to these groups.

CREDIT recognises that for those with very little, orwith trauma from past exploitation, financial

assistance is not enough. Networking with othersocial service agencies in the area to provide non-financial interventions is key.

TEAR Funds support of this strategic planning willenable CREDIT to work more effectively helping thepoor in Cambodia.

The legacy of the Khmer Rouge is inescapable.The scars of Cambodias past are present in itsopen wounds of today: spiritual oppression,illiteracy, AIDS and extreme poverty. TEAR

Fund is addressing this suffering through itsChristian Microenterprise programme.

Socheat Lay skillfully pounds nails with ahatchet as her sister, Sophal, butts bamboo ontoa wooden frame. It is seven in the morning, andthe two middle-aged women have already beenat work for hours constructing beds for theircustomers in Phnom Penh.

Socheat, a petite woman with rounded cheeksand a wide smile, taught herself the art of bed-

making after losing her family to the Pol Potregime. The Khmer Rouge accused myhusband of being against the government andbeat him to death in front of me. My five childrenand my sister were also murdered, she says. Ineeded to take care of my deceased sisterschildren and my mother, so I fled to southeastCambodia to work.

My income was meager but I saved what Icould, buying wood to make beds.

A LOAN CHANGES EVERYTHINGSawdust falls softly on the well-worn floor asSocheat evens out the bamboo. Before Ireceived my loan, my business was


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small. I could not buy the raw materials Ineeded. Sophal and I were excited when weheard about the loan programme. We bothapplied and when we received our loans, we

combined our money.

TEAR Funds partner, Credit Cambodia, hashelped Socheat and Sophal expand theirstruggling business into a profitable enterprise.In fact, they are building additional workspaceto keep up with the demands of their business.

My family members eat fish and vegetables,the children attend school, and I can nowprovide for their health needs whenemergencies arise, says Socheat.

TEAR Fund

Since it was founded in 1974, TEAR Fund NewZealand has raised over $25 million for aid anddevelopment assistance in the world's poorest

countries and communities.

TEAR Fund works in close partnership with otherChristian development agencies, nationalchurches and missionary societies throughoutthe developing world. TEAR Fund has a holisticapproach to development that provideseconomic and material help as well as spiritualhope by bringing together a partnership of socialaction with a clear and unambiguous witness ofChrist's love and salvation.

TEAR Fund is a recipient of New Zealandgovernment matching funds throughparticipation in the voluntary agency supportscheme. This means the funds you provide willmultiply.Your input will be reused to create jobs forgenerations to come.TEAR FUND is a support partner in theOPPORTUNITY Network who provides credit andtraining through indigenous partners in 27countries, creating a job every 2 minutes. TheCentre for Community Transformation is also animplementing partner in the same network.Thank you for considering partnering with thesepeople.

In Christ

Richard BarterManager Microenterprise Development

Documents

Cambodia Philippines Insight Tour - Tearfund New Zealand