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Author: CARE Philippines

Caring for those who care: community health workers learn psychological first aid

Alabat, Quezon- When a neighbor falls ill, loses a loved one, or faces hard times, many Filipino families turn first to their barangay health worker (BHW). BHWs are community health volunteers in each barangay, the country’s smallest unit of local government. They check on families, share health information, and connect people to services. Yet the people who look after everyone else rarely get the chance to ask how they themselves are doing.

In the island municipalities of Alabat, Perez, and Quezon in Quezon Province, BHWs are making time for that question. On October, CARE Philippines trained BHWs from 15 barangays, five in each municipality, on mental health and psychological first aid (PFA). The training is part of the Integrated Health and Livelihood Program for Community Resilience Strengthening (I-HeLP) project.

Starting with themselves

Photo: BHWs identify the factors of stress in one of the training’s workshops. (Shaira Lois dela Cruz/CARE Philippines)

The training put BHWs’ own well-being at the center. Participants talked about what mental health means in everyday life, how to recognize their own emotional needs, and why self-care matters for anyone who supports others. A session on stress and coping looked at how to recognize stress and handle it in healthy ways.

Danalyn, a Barangay Health Worker from Quezon municipality, said the session changed how she sees stress. “I learned that it’s normal to experience stress, but it can be reduced by resting, healthy thinking, managing your time, and talking with people you trust,” she said. “I also learned that it’s important to take care of yourself to maintain good health and emotional well-being.”

Practical help when people need it most

Participants also learned the basics of PFA. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes PFA as humane, supportive, and practical help for people facing distress. It is not counseling or therapy. Instead, PFA prepares community members to listen without pressure, help people feel calm and safe, meet basic needs, and connect them with more support.

A key part of the session was knowing when and where to refer people who need more specialized care.

“When BHWs are more aware, prepared, and supported themselves, they can help build a community that is not only physically healthy but also emotionally stronger and more resilient in facing life’s challenges,” said Shaira Lois dela Cruz, CARE health officer for I-HeLP.

What comes next

This first training introduces mental health and PFA as basic topics for BHWs in the three island towns. It also reminds BHWs that their own needs matter while they serve others. Next, the project will provide BHWs with kits of equipment for checking vital signs and monitoring noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as glucometers and high blood pressure monitors. With these kits, BHWs will set up NCD clubs in their communities as part of the project’s work on NCDs.

About I-HeLP

I-HeLP helps families in the island towns of Alabat, Perez, and Quezon stay healthy, earn income, and recover from typhoons and other crises. CARE Philippines runs the 24-month project with support from the Tijori Foundation. Started in November 2025, it aims to reach about 4,415 households, with a focus on women-led businesses, fisherfolk cooperatives, youth groups, people with disabilities, and small businesses. The project combines livelihood support, health and nutrition, mental health support, and planning led by communities themselves.

CARE. Always There.

What is the THRIVE-BHW Project?

The Transforming Health Systems through Resilient, Inclusive, and Valued Engagement of Barangay Health Workers (THRIVE-BHW) is a three-year project that strengthens Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) — the backbone of community health care in the Philippines.

The project works with 2,000 BHWs across Quezon Province — 99% of them women — to build their primary health care competencies, develop sustainable livelihoods, expand their leadership and voice, and strengthen the national BHW Federation, so communities have stronger, more resilient health services.

It is implemented by CARE Philippines with funding support from the Tijori Foundation.

El Niño 2026–27 in the Philippines: Situation and Action Report

  • CARE Philippines
  • Latest News & Stories, Reports & Publications

A strong to very strong El Niño is under way, and drought has already reached seven provinces. CARE Philippines’ new Situation and Action Report sets out what the forecasts show, who is most exposed, and what government, humanitarian partners, and donors can do before the driest months of February and March 2027.

The report draws on forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), government impact data, and CARE’s own gender analysis from the 2024 El Niño.

Key findings

  • Drought is here and spreading. PAGASA’s latest monitor lists 41 provinces and areas in rainfall deficit. Seven are in drought: Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Negros Oriental, Samar, and Siquijor. PAGASA forecasts way-below-normal rainfall in every province by February 2027.
  • Losses are already high. The Department of Agriculture recorded PHP 6.87 billion in crop damage across 14 regions as of 26 September. That is about 45% of the final total for the whole 2023–24 El Niño, recorded months before the forecast peak.
  • Many communities start with less to fall back on. The 2026 monsoon and four tropical cyclones affected 2.78 million families. Six of the regions hit are now forecast to go into drought.
  • Water supply will drop sharply. By February, inflows are forecast at 2.0% of normal at Magat Dam and 5.5% at Pantabangan Dam, which irrigate major rice-growing areas. Mindanao river basins are forecast to fall to 8–26% of normal flow.
  • Drought changes who works, who earns, and who decides. In CARE’s 2024 Rapid Gender Analysis in Kalinga and Negros Oriental, women kept their household and care work while also working in the fields, some starting at 3 or 4 a.m. to avoid the heat. Men decided on rice fields, and women decided on food and alternative income.
  • The time to act varies by region. Provinces already in drought need cash and safe water now. In Mindanao, communities have until about 30 November to build water storage, develop boreholes, and plant drought-tolerant seed.

What CARE Philippines is doing

CARE Philippines leads the ACCESS Consortium, a group of 14 humanitarian organizations funded by European Union humanitarian aid. The consortium is activating its drought and El Niño protocol, which links preparedness, early action, and response to PAGASA forecasts. CARE is also developing AQUA, a proposed water security project for Catanduanes and Negros Island.

Ongoing CARE projects are adding drought measures for the households and enterprises they already serve. In Palawan, women lead community risk planning that now includes El Niño. In Catanduanes, collective enterprises are building climate risks into their business plans, with women taking part in planning. Other projects in Batangas, Bohol, Rizal, and Surigao del Norte are adapting too.

Across this work, CARE consults women on who receives support and where water points go, supports women’s leadership on water and enterprise committees, and reports results by sex, age, and disability.

Read the full report

The report includes regional exposure profiles, sector-by-sector needs, a timeline for anticipatory action, and priority actions for government, humanitarian partners, and donors.

CARE Philippines Country Director’s statement on the combined effects of typhoons and enhanced southwest monsoon 

  • CARE Philippines
  • Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Press Release

“Across ten regions, families are trying to stay ahead of the water, moving children to higher ground and waiting out the rain in evacuation centers. Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay have come through within days of each other, onto a country the monsoon had already soaked for months. More than 1.5 million people have now been affected. 

Seventeen people have died, and four are still missing. Nearly 29,000 families have left their homes and are now staying in evacuation centers or with relatives and friends. 

But the danger does not end when the floodwater recedes. Beyond the risks to life, families have lost the homes, crops, and income they worked years to build. Nearly 2,500 farming and fishing families have lost close to Php 97 million in crops, and damage to roads, bridges, and other infrastructure has reached Php 1.46 billion. Recovering these losses will take months, not days. 

This recovery will fall hardest on women and girls, who have carried the strain of the monsoon for months already. In crisis and displacement, they face greater risks to their safety, health, and dignity, and they hold much of the work of keeping families going. Their needs have to stay at the center of this response. 

That is why CARE Philippines is working with government agencies, local partners, and networks to assess needs and reach the communities most affected. We are committed to supporting families not only through this emergency, but through the recovery ahead.” 

Reiza S. Dejito, Philippines Country Director, 11 August 2026 

Note to editors: 

  • CARE Philippines has existing and ongoing projects in Valenzuela and Malabon in Metro Manila, and in the whole of Rizal province, with more than 5,000 project participants.  
  • Assessment teams are on the ground to assess the damage and the needs of affected families and communities in Rizal province.  

For further details and interview set-up:  

Mary Therese Norbe  |  CARE Philippines  |  Communications Specialist 

cell: +639 19 911 7534  |  email: MaryTherese.Norbe@care.org 

CARE Philippines statement on Mt. Kanlaon eruption and Typhoon Bavi’s impact on farmers | June 10, 2026 

  • CARE Philippines
  • Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Press Release

“Farming families in Canlaon City are facing two disasters at the same time. Yesterday morning, Mt. Kanlaon erupted, sending an ash plume two to three kilometers into the sky. Ashfall reached as far as Cebu, while dense clouds of volcanic ash rushed down the volcano’s southeastern slopes. Heavy rains from Super Typhoon Bavi (locally known as Inday) are making the situation worse. The loosened ash and debris could mix with rainwater, raising the risk of volcanic mudflows that may sweep into nearby communities. 

CARE Philippines knows these communities. We have been working in Canlaon City since Mt. Kanlaon last erupted in December 2024, through emergency response and an ongoing development programming that supports 1,500 small-scale farmers and their families. Initial reports from our team on the ground indicate significant damage to their vegetable crops across all 12 villages, from ashfall and the typhoon, threatening the harvests their families depend on. These farmers mostly live just outside the Permanent Danger Zone1, the 4-kilometer radius around the summit crater where entry is prohibited. Yet ashfall settled on their fields, and typhoon rains flooded their farmland regardless, proving that damage from this disaster extends well beyond the official evacuation perimeter. 

From our experience responding to volcanic eruptions, we know families lose more than crops in moments like this. Livelihoods, food security, and peace of mind are all at stake, especially for women, who often carry the heaviest burden of recovery. Women often manage the income and food from these vegetable farms, so this damage means lost earnings on top of new burdens: stretching food and water for their families, caring for children and elderly relatives, and coping with the anxiety and disruption. We are coordinating with our partners- the local government unit of Canlaon City and farmer associations to support these families as they recover and to prepare for the continued threat of volcanic mudflow and flooding in the days ahead.” 

– Reiza Dejito, CARE Philippines Country Director 

Photos: Canlaon City and its agricultural fields are covered in ashfall when Mt. Kanlaon erupted on July 9. (Source:Canlaon City Local Government Unit)

Note to Editors: 

  • CARE Philippines’ farmer support project in Canlaon City spans 12 villages: Masulog, Linothangan, Pula, Malaiba, Lumapao, Bayog, Ninoy Aquino, Panubigan, Mabigo, Binalbagan, Bucalan, and Budlasan. 
  • Of the 1,500 project participants, 198 are indigenous farmers. 
  • These figures reflect CARE’s project participants only. They do not capture the full scope of farmers affected across Canlaon City and other cities and municipalities. 

Photo source: Canlaon City Local Government Unit

For further details and interview set-up:  

Mary Therese Norbe | Philippines | Communication Specialist

cell: +63919 911 7534 | email: MaryTherese.Norbe@care.org

Four days after the quake, access to isolated Mindanao communities remains urgent  

  • CARE Philippines
  • Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Press Release

CARE Philippines, Manila, 12 June 2026 —  As the Philippines marks Independence Day, more than 400,000 people have been affected, with tens of thousands displaced and many homes damaged. Forty-seven lives have been lost. Some villages can still only be reached by boat or helicopter. In other areas, entire communities remain cut off by damaged roads and impassable bridges.  More than 3,000 aftershocks and three magnitude 6.0 earthquakes have been recorded since June 8, 2026 making assessment and delivery difficult and dangerous. Every day that communities cannot be reached is another day without food, clean water, or medical care. 

“What will become of our land? Going back would only put us in more danger,” said Siolito Moldan, a resident of Jose Abad Santos. Cracks have spread across the mountainside above his community, and large boulders still loom over homes below. With aftershocks continuing, returning is more dangerous than staying away. “There is nothing to go back to.” His neighbor Leonila Manda shares his fear. But she has already seen the worst of it. A rockslide from the mountain damaged her home, and a landslide swept away the coconut trees that her family depends on for their income. “I am scared of what will happen to us in the days ahead,” she said. “We have lost our home and our livelihood. What do we do now?” 

The earthquake destroyed and damaged houses in a Brgy. Butulan, Jose Abad Santos. ©2026 Riza Marie Fausto/CARE

Reiza S. Dejito, CARE Philippines’ Country Director, said teams in the field are meeting families anxious about water, food, shelter, and the risk of further disasters on already weakened slopes. Access remains urgent. Some communities are difficult to reach because of landslides, damaged roads, disrupted transport, and continuing safety risks. 

“The next 48 to 72 hours are critical,” said Dejito. “This is a moment for coordinated action. We must move with speed, humility, and discipline — supporting local leadership, filling urgent gaps, and ensuring that no community is left behind simply because it is hard to reach.” 

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and Mindanao is among its most vulnerable regions due to poverty and conflict. Many families in the upland areas are afraid to go back to their homes. They fear what another strong aftershock, or a heavy downpour, might do to a hillside that is already cracked and weakened. With the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasting above-normal rainfall and possible El Nino conditions in the months ahead, this fear is grounded in reality. The risk of secondary disasters such as landslides, flooding, and further road collapse is real, and it is growing. 

CARE Philippines is also concerned on the impact of the situation to women and girls who carry a disproportionate burden in this crisis and facing barriers that men do not. Evacuation centers are crowded and often lack lighting, private spaces, or separate sanitation facilities, raising the risk of gender-based violence. Dignity kits with hygiene items and sanitary products that women and girls rely on are in critically short supply. Women in isolated communities face a double burden: cut off from aid by damaged roads, and unsupported within the evacuation centers they have fled to.

CARE humanitarian worker consults with women, girls on their situation after the earthquake in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental. ©2026 Riza Marie Fausto/CARE

“Across the affected areas in Mindanao, where women already faced higher rates of poverty and violence before the earthquake, a response that does not reach them specifically will leave the most at-risk people further behind.”, emphasized Dejito.  

CARE Philippines, through the ACCESS Consortium — a group of 14 humanitarian organizations supported by the European Union — is already on the ground. Teams have distributed personal hygiene items and clean water supplies to 150 families in Maasim and T’boli and have provided psychosocial support to 377 people, including 77 children in evacuation centers in Malapatan. But with nearly 85,000 families affected across 349 communities, the response must be expanded immediately. 

“Independence should not mean being left to survive alone,” added Dejito. “We know where the needs are. What’s missing is the speed and scale to reach them. Every delay puts more lives at risk.”

For thousands of families still waiting for help, the measure of this moment is not commemoration – but how quickly and fairly assistance reaches those most in need. As the nation reflects on Independence, CARE calls for urgent, collective action to ensure that no community remains isolated or left behind. 

Photos: Respone_CARE Philippines_7.8 earthquake_June 8 2026 

—–  

Notes to editors  

Scale of the disaster: As of 12 June 2026, 47 people have died, 33 remain missing, and more than 630 have been injured. Some 96,614 families — 432,999 people — across 374 barangays in Regions IX, XI, XII, and BARMM. An estimated 4.13 million people were exposed to strong shaking. More than 30,000 homes have been damaged, including more than 5,000 totally destroyed.  

State of calamity: Four local government units — Alabel and Glan in Sarangani Province, Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental province, and General Santos City — have declared a state of calamity, enabling access to emergency funds and measures. 

Access and isolation: In Jose Abad Santos, approximately 50 percent of the municipality is still unreachable by land, with three upland barangays accessible only by boat or helicopter. In Glan, 10 of 31 barangays remain cut off. Road and bridge damage continues to slow the delivery of aid to the most affected areas. CARE is working with partners and authorities to find solutions to reach isolated communities as quickly as possible. 

Women and girls: Women and girls face heightened risks of violence, illness, and exclusion in emergency settings. Access to dignity kits, separate sanitation, mental health support, and safe spaces remains limited. Water contamination in parts of Sarangani and Davao Occidental creates serious risks for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. CARE calls for women and girls’ specific needs to be built into every stage of the response. 

Education: As of June 11, more than 1,300 public schools across 37 divisions have sustained damage. Classes have been suspended for approximately 3.24 million learners. Many school buildings are currently serving as evacuation centers. 

——About CARE Philippines: CARE is one of the world’s leading organizations working to end poverty. In the Philippines, CARE has been working since 1949 on disaster response, supporting women and girls, and helping communities become more resilient. CARE Philippines leads the ACCESS Consortium and the Philippine Inclusive NGO Network and actively participates in the Humanitarian Country Team organized by the United Nations.  

For interview set-up and additional information:  

Mary Therese L. Norbe  |  CARE Philippines Communication Specialist 

+63 919 911 7534  |  marytherese.norbe@care.org 

7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Philippines, aftershocks felt, tsunami warnings issued

CARE Philippines stands ready to respond alongside partners

Manila, Philippines, June 8, 2026 — “Our hearts are with every family in Mindanao and across the broader region waking up to fear and loss this morning. When a disaster of this scale strikes, the first concern is always the same: saving lives and keeping people safe.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani province in the southern Philippines early today, leaving at least fifteen people dead and injuring 129 others, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). Shaking was felt across five regions – from SOCCSKSARGEN and the Davao Region to the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and as far as Eastern Visayas – with the strongest intensities recorded in Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Davao Occidental. The earthquake also triggered tsunami warnings across nine coastal provinces, prompting immediate evacuations.

When emergencies like this strike, the most urgent concern is loss of life. The situation is still evolving, and the full scale of the impact is not yet known. Strong aftershocks continue to be reported, and commercial buildings have collapsed in hard-hit areas. Coastal communities in fragile housing face the greatest risk from tsunami surges, while disrupted access to water, health services, and shelter deepens the vulnerability of those already living on the margins. We urge everyone in affected areas to stay alert and follow the guidance of local authorities.

CARE Philippines, together with partners in the EU Humanitarian Aid-funded ACCESS Project and the Humanitarian Partnership Platform (HPP), is coordinating with local governments and disaster risk reduction authorities to assess needs and stand ready to support communities as the situation develops. We are committed to making sure that assistance reaches those who need it most – quickly, safely, and with dignity.”

For years, the Philippines has been ranked as the most disaster-prone country in the world, according to the World Risk Index. Over the last year alone, our country has been hit by multiple strong typhoons and high magnitude earthquakes.  In late 2025, back-to-back earthquakes in Cebu and Davao Oriental affected nearly 2.3 million people. CARE and its partners have responded to both, and communities have shown remarkable resilience in rebuilding their lives. Yet many families are still transitioning out of temporary shelters, and the psychological toll of repeated disasters is real and ongoing.

We know from these experiences that every time disasters occur, the hardest hit are women and girls. They face complex, compounding risks long after the ground stops shaking- in their homes, in their health, and in their ability to recover. CARE is committed to ensuring that assistance reaches the right people, at the right time, with the right resources.”

– Reiza S. Dejito, Country Director, CARE Philippines, June 8, 2026

For media inquiries:

Mary Therese L. Norbe

Communication Specialist

CARE Philippines

Email: marytherese.norbe@care.org

Contact number: +639199117534

A farmer stands in a green vegetable farm surrounded by leafy crops, with trees and hills visible in the background.

After the storm: How one mother rebuilt her farm and future in Catanduanes

  • CARE Philippines
  • Blog, Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Women and Girls, Women and Girls

Analyn Añonuevo, 37, is a mother of five from Virac, Catanduanes. She and her husband relied on abaca farming for their family’s income. But Catanduanes, the country’s top producer of abaca fiber and often called the “Land of the Howling Winds,” faces destructive storms almost every year. Abaca takes years to mature. So, a single typhoon can erase years of work and investment. This became reality for Analyn when Typhoon Goni, locally known as Rolly, struck in 2020. It destroyed her family’s entire abaca farm. With four children in school and a toddler at home, the loss was staggering.

Rather than giving up, Analyn chose to focus on the possibility of a fresh start.

“What we lost could not be recovered but we believed that starting over was still possible”, Analyn said.

In late 2024, Analyn joined CARE Philippines’ Women and Youth Economic Empowerment (WEE) project. While her husband later moved to Manila to work in construction, she stayed behind to manage their farm and lead their local farmers group. Through the project, Analyn realized that relying only on abaca left her family at risk, since the crop takes years to recover after a major storm.

A farmer bends over eggplant plants, harvesting long purple eggplants in a green vegetable field, with trees and hills in the background.
Analyn checks the eggplant from her diversified farm in Virac, Catanduanes. By growing vegetables alongside abaca, she has strengthened her family’s food supply and income in a province regularly affected by typhoons.
A woman makes a twine out of Manila hemp (abaca) fibers.
Analyn makes abaca twine out of fibers harvested from her abaca plants. Abaca remains their primary source of livelihood.

The project’s training encouraged her to diversify their livelihood. While she continues to make twine from abaca, Analyn began growing vegetables such as chilies, squash, eggplant, and string beans. The vegetables provide food for the family and regular income from selling what they do not consume. Meanwhile, abaca remains a long-term source of earnings. Since December 2024, she has harvested several times, creating a steady cash flow that was not possible when she depended on a single crop.

As a farmer leader, Analyn now shares her experience with others. She manages the community demonstration farm and encourages fellow farmers to adopt diversified farming. When challenges arise, the results from the demo farm remind the group that they are no longer dependent on one harvest. Their farms are becoming productive, multi-crop spaces that support both their families and the local economy.

About the project

Supported by the Tijori Foundation, the WEE project aims to improve women’s economic empowerment and the social well-being of abaca and root crops farmers, processors, traders, and workers. It is being implemented by CARE Philippines in 17 barangays in Bato and Virac municipalities in Catanduanes province to help rebuild livelihoods and support local abaca farming communities.

A young man finds his footing through steady work in Baguio City

On a construction site in Baguio City, the work is repetitive and demanding. Cement is mixed, walls rise slowly, and progress shows only after hours of physical effort. For Jonathan Sabio, 22, known to friends as Atan, this steady rhythm means something he once thought was out of reach: stability.

Atan hails from from Rodriguez, Rizal. He finished elementary school, but finding regular work proved difficult. Days without income stretched into months, and uncertainty became his norm. Without stable employment, his life felt directionless.

“My life wasn’t good,” he said. “I had no job and was getting into vices.”

With few options, Atan relied on informal labor when it was available. The lack of steady work left him dependent and frustrated, and caused strain at home, especially with his mother.

Things began to change when Atan joined skills training under the Households Economic Resilience Strengthening (HERS) project, supported by CARE and partners. Through the project, he trained in construction masonry and secured his first formal job, complete with benefits.

Moving to Baguio for training and work became an important turning point. Being away from home gave him space to focus and step away from habits he wanted to leave behind.

“I was able to get away from our place,” he said. “I was able to avoid all the bad things I used to do.”

For the first time, Atan had steady work. After working consistently for four months, he began saving money and sending support home to his mother. What once felt impossible became routine.

“I was able to help my mother, unlike before, when I only caused her worry,” he shared.

The job brought more than income. The physical work helped improve his health, and working alongside others strengthened his communication and interpersonal skills. Over time, he grew more confident in his abilities and in his future.

With practical skills and on‑the‑job experience, he now sees construction as a long‑term livelihood. He knows that when the current project in Baguio City ends, other opportunities are likely to follow.

Looking back, he sees a clear line between who he was and who he is becoming.

“What I won’t forget is that, despite my old way of life, everything changed when I joined the HERS Project,” he said.

Today, Atan takes pride in steady work and in being able to support his family. His story shows how access to skills and formal employment can help young people regain direction and build a more stable future, one day of work at a time.

A recipe for resilience: The women of Momshies’ Hapag Kainan

  • CARE Philippines
  • Blog, Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Women and Girls, Women and Girls

Before the sun rises over the busy streets of Antipolo, the aroma of sautéed garlic and fresh ginger begins to waft from a small, brightly painted storefront. For Emelyn Dije and her three close friends, this scent is more than just the promise of a good meal; it is the smell of a hard-won independence that once felt out of reach.

Emelyn spent 16 years working as a restaurant cook in Quezon City before she stopped to raise her six children in Antipolo City. To keep her family afloat, she balanced an exhausting schedule of selling balut (fertilized duck eggs) at night and taking on laundry and ironing jobs during the day. Her story was mirrored by her friends Sheena, Sherine, and Cristhaline. All of them struggled to make a tight weekly budget last, often worrying if they could provide the basic needs of their families, especially, their children.

“It’s difficult because odd jobs are not sustainable,” Emelyn shared. “Sometimes, people are not buying balut. Washing and ironing just happens when the client needs you.”

The turning point came through the Households Economic Resilience Strengthening (HERS) project by CARE. This project helps women and youth across Rizal province build better livelihoods by providing training in how to manage their finances and run a small businesses. Equipped with new skills and a cash grant, the women saw an opportunity in a vacant space at the front of Emelyn’s house.

They transformed the empty space into “Momshies Hapag Kainan,” a vibrant eatery that opened its doors in September 2025. The grant allowed them to repair the leaking roof, apply a fresh coat of paint, and install a professional cooking counter.

Located near a tricycle terminal and the local gym, the shop quickly became a favorite spot in the neighborhood. “I am happy because I can use my cooking skills to earn money,” Emelyn said.

The change in their workspace was only the beginning of a deeper shift in their lives. The team now starts their day at 3 a.m. to buy the freshest ingredients, ensuring they are ready to serve breakfast by 6 a.m. to workers starting their day. Because the meals are both nutritious and affordable, they consistently sell out by noon. This schedule provides them with a steady income while still leaving them time to care for their families in the afternoon.

Emelyn cooks chicken while Sheena attends to customers buying food at their eatery. Photos: @2026 Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

By the end of 2025, the group had doubled their original savings. This success led to a Christmas celebration unlike any they had experienced before.

The profits turned into real milestones: Emelyn and Cristhaline bought laptops for their families, Sherine made a down payment for a motorcycle to help her husband earn more, and Sheena bought a washing machine to save time on chores.

Sheena loads laundry to her new washing machine while Cristhaline checks her online shop on her laptop. Photos: @2026 Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

For these women, the success of Momshies Hapag Kainan is measured in more than just money. Sherine feels a profound sense of relief, noting that “everyday meals are no longer a problem.” Emelyn no longer fears the days her husband is out of work, explaining, “I no longer need to borrow money when my husband loses work, because I now have my own source of income.”

They have built a bond of trust and a safety net that gives them the freedom to make their own choices, even when it comes to simple joys.

“We can eat in restaurants, and go to the mall together without asking our husbands for money,” Sheena shared.

What began as a small eatery has become proof of what is possible when women have the tools to lead. Together, they are cooking up a future that sustains their entire community.

The HERS project is implemented by CARE Philippines in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with support from the Tijori Foundation.