March 19, 2025
The Camillian Disaster Service International (CADIS) Asia Pacific Team visited Sitio Nangka Ville and Sitio Tierra Dulce during its 10th Leadership Conference last March 17 to 19, 2025.
A total of 22 stakeholders, volunteers and donors of CADIS coming from India, Taiwan, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy and the USA visited the two communities on the third day, March 19, 2025, of their conference which was held in Palm Grass Hotel.
Prior to going to Nangka Ville, the visitors met members of the Sitio Nangka Ville Women’s Association at 9:00 a.m. in the Scalabrini Formation House which is near the sitio where the two groups got to know of each other and the women shared about their situations.
After the sharing, they proceeded to go down the nearby hill to Sitio Nangka Ville. Houses in the small village where more than 300 families live are scattered in the hill side and in the foot of the hill. This is a relocation site given by the government to the residents coming from Barangay Pasil and Mambaling who had to evacuate from their residences for various reasons in 2018. Their present location makes them prone to landslide and to floods during storms or typhoons. Houses are made of light materials which also make them prone to fires.
Despite the difficulties, the Sitio Nangka Ville Women’s Association have organized themselves into an association to assert their housing rights and to find sources of income. The CADIS supported project helped them to have sense of security and community.
In the afternoon, the participants went to Sitio Tierra Dulce and were welcomed by the Homeowners Association members who danced and sang to them which was followed by introduction of the members of the association and the 22 participants, as well as more dances performed by the members which eventually were joined by the visitors who all had a lot of fun. The leaders also shared how the project taught them new skills, built their confidence and further strengthened their organization.
Emotionally engaged by the stories of the women who shared their successes and also their problems, the visitors were moved on how the women have remained resilient in spite of their difficulties.
