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ABOUT PHILIPPINES
The Philippines is a collection o more than 7000 islands in
Southeast Asia. These islands
are commonly divided into three groupings: Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao. The busy port o
Manila, located on Luzon, is the nations capital and the second
largest city ater its suburb o
Quezon City.
With beautiul rees, riendly locals and tasty local are, the
Philippines is slowly climbing its
way out o a violence-marred image to attract a growing number o
visitors. It aspires to be
an industrialized country and is making some headway due to
rapid urbanisation.
However, the economy is still largely based around agriculture
due to rich soil and a
majority rural population. Despite economic growth, rural and
urban areas are riddled with
pockets o poor communities. A number o rural communities are
also clustered in themidst o ghting between rebels and government
troops. TEAR Fund is working in several
regions to address these problems.
TEAR FUND IN THE PHILIPPINES
TEAR Fund is mobilising and empowering marginalized groups in
the Philippines through
our local partner ASKI. Providing needy amilies with microcredit
services since 1986,
ASKI shares TEAR Funds heart or seeking ways to provide ocused
help or the poor.
TEAR Fund is nancing a groundbreaking ASKI community development
project in the
central Luzon region.
The backbone o this project is ormed around working with
community leaders, social
service agencies and locals. Matching and addressing specic
situations and realities o poor
and indigenous amilies increases the eectiveness o
microenterprise projects. This ensures
sustainable improvements in socioeconomic conditions within the
targeted villages.
ASKI initially creates, trains and supports local groups to
implement small community
projects. The construction o a hanging bridge between two
isolated villages is a good
example. These groups are eventually able to run on their
own.
Secondly, the lessons and issues raised rom these projects are
used to review and update
ASKI services. This allows ASKI to aid poorer communities in
light o specic needs,
resources and cultural contexts.
Community Development Changing Lives
PhiliPPines
Call to donate: 0800 800 777 or visit www.tearfund.org.nz
QUICK FACTS
Full name:Republic of the Philippines
Population:88,574,614 (2007 census)
Capital and largest city:Manila, Quezon City
Area:300,000 sq km, 115,831 sq miles
Major languages:Filipino, English and eight major
regionaldialects
Major religion:Christian (90% - Roman Catholic 81%)Muslim
(5%)
Life expectancy:67 years (men), 73 years (women)
Main exports:Semiconductors and electronic products,transport
equipment, garments, copperproducts, petroleum products,
coconutoil, fruits.
Human Development Index (HDI): 90
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National Ofce:
PO Box 8315, Symonds St,
Auckland 1150
New Zealand
Freephone: 0800 800 777
Facsimile: (09) 629 1050
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.tearfund.org.nz
CONTACTS:
Luz was initially resistant to take a loan oered by TEAR
Funds
partner ASKI. But personal circumstances and seeing how
others
had beneted led her to accept it. Her rst loan was used to
start
a pig-attening project. With this money she was able to buy
three
piglets. Unortunately two o them died because o diseases
brought
by requent weather changes, but Luz did not lose heart.
Luz sold the remaining pig, and with the support o her husband,
she
was able to pay back her loan to ASKI on time. Currently, she
helps
her husband in their mini welding shop. Luz also works on a
arm
during planting and harvesting season. Her earnings are a
welcome
addition to the amily budget.
Much o her time is spent taking care o her granddaughters
and
grandson. One o her dreams as a mother is to lend a hand to
her
amily nancially and give them moral values to live by.
COUNTRY PROFILES
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
TEAR Fund community development works by empowering poor
communities to nd their own
solutions to issues. This signicantly reduces overheads by
operating through local sta. We work
directly with the poorest allowing us to identiy and address the
root causes o poverty not just
the symptoms.
TEAR Fund partners with indigenous Christian organisations who
carry out the work
themselves. Assistance is given regardless o belies.
Tear Fund takes an holistic approach to all o its projects which
takes the local community on a
journey o transormation through improved physical, social and
economic circumstances, and
oten on an individual level, spiritual change.
How CoMMunity dEvEloPMEnt tRanSFoRMS
Physical meets targeted need such as health
Social unites and empowers
Economic often creates opportunit ies for income generation
Spiritual opens doors for gospel
FARMING IN THE PHILIPPINES
Luz lives in Panabingan, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
where
subsistence arming is the main source o income.
Luz is not only a responsible mother, but a devoted and
respon-
sible member o the communitys People Organisation as well.
Her
membership with the organisation has opened her eyes to the
issues in their village, some o which are being resolved through
the
cooperation o the members.
Luz organised her group to resolve some o their community
issues,
including the installation o a check gate . The check gate is
used to
manage infow o water to elds and is a vital tool in increasing
agri-
cultural production and creating more wealth or armers in
Luzs
village.
ASKIs main ocus is providing micronance to empower people to
help them generate income, and Luz has beneted personally
rom
this initiative.
Community Development Changing Lives
