Good day, Sir Marc!
This will be a long read. I’m writing to share an update on our recent humanitarian outreach in Magdalena, Laguna. With your generous support, we were able to distribute basic goods to 15 families in a remote farming community that rarely receives aid from local authorities.
Each family received the following:
• 5 kilos of rice
• 4 canned goods
• 3 packs of instant noodles
• 1 pack of soy sauce
• 1 pack of vinegar
• 1 pack of fish sauce
• 1 dozen powdered milk
• 1/2 dozen chocolate milk drinks
• 2 bars of soap
• 3 tubes of toothpaste
• 1 pack of biscuits
• 1 pack of shampoo
These families are local farmers, and even their children help in the fields. When we visited their homes, we found that they had no access to electricity, relying only on solar-powered lights, which sadly weren’t working at the time.
We had originally planned to return to Renato’s area, but we were informed that their local government unit is now providing support. So, we redirected our efforts to Magdalena, where government help is still lacking.
The journey to the community was quite challenging — the area is 30 to 45 minutes away from the main road, and the path was extremely slippery and muddy. The farmers even offered their horses to help carry the grocery packs. At one point, I had to take off my slippers just to make it through the trail. Despite the difficulty, the experience was truly humbling. We were genuinely moved by their kindness. As a sign of gratitude, they offered us freshly harvested pungapong and kamoteng kahoy, saying it was all they could give. It was a touching moment that reminded us of the deep humility and generosity of those with the least.
We also met Tatay, a farmer (You can see his picture in the GDrive wearing red), who is currently suffering from a serious infection that has left him unable to walk properly. His wife shared that their family relies solely on farming, but because of his condition, he is now unable to work. She estimated that his medical needs would cost around ₱5,000 to ₱10,000. If there are funds available to help, I would be more than willing to assist in coordinating the support he needs.
Lastly, I’ve also included a short compilation of our visit to help you see what we were able to do that day.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1esFHqUkHVlgSmnAGtXrPQqykguZKztBH?usp=sharing
Thank you once again for your trust, compassion, and for making all of this possible.
Warmly,
Anne Camille Kurtney S. Videña
