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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.

Stronger together: women driving resilient seaweed farming in Palawan

  • Tanya Mariano
  • Blog, Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories

Roseline Jimenez holds up a seaweed line she just checked for diseases. A good harvest for their livelihood group, economic security for their family in the coming months. Photo: Kathleen Limayo for ACCORD

Story by Detsy Uy/ACCORD; Photos by Kathleen Limayo/ACCORD

While many see Palawan in the Philippines as a tropical paradise of pristine beaches, lush forests, and abundant seas, for locals like Roseline Jimenez and Rovelyn Espinoza, it is more than a destination – it is home. It is where they earn a living, sustain their families, and help produce food that reaches communities far beyond its shores. 

One of these is seaweed, farmed in coastal waters and central to local livelihoods. Once a lucrative source of income, seaweed cultivation has been impacted by strong typhoons and a changing climate, making it difficult to ensure a good, healthy yield. 

Seaweed farming under pressure 

Like many in their community, Roseline and her husband have experienced the highs and lows of farming seaweed. Rovelyn, who has been cultivating seaweed for 14 years, has faced the same uncertainties, having to find ways to earn during periods of low production – from taking on additional work such as tying seedlings for replanting to selling homemade rice delicacies. 

Rising water temperatures leave seaweed vulnerable to “ice-ice” and “siring-siring,” conditions that turn it white, brittle, and unfit for harvest. A good season once meant stability even during lean months.  In recent years, incomes have become less predictable, while the cost of living continues to rise. 

Rovelyn Espinoza tying seaweed lines, a vital step in cultivation that ensures healthy growth and sustainable harvests for her family and community. Photo: Kathleen Limayo for ACCORD

Finding new income sources, support through the Farmer Field and Business School 

Roseline was among the first women to join the Farmer Field and Business School (FFBS) for Fisheries Program – implemented by ACCORD and CARE Philippines in Palawan – which helps small-scale fisherfolk, especially women, through hands-on learning, climate-resilient practices, and basic business skills. Alongside fellow fisherfolk like Rovelyn, she attended training diligently, sharing her experiences and struggles to find ways to strengthen and protect their livelihoods.  

One strategy her group developed was forming a collective to help each other diversify their income sources. Now, apart from improving their seaweed farming practices, the women are exploring other income-earning activities such as aquaculture.

Roseline Jimenez (left) and an FFBS staff member check a seaweed line on their farm. Regular monitoring helps detect and address crop issues early, improving overall yield. Photo: Kathleen Limayo for ACCORD

Moving towards collective action 

They’ve also shifted how they work: instead of each family managing their own farm alone, they now share both the burdens and the rewards of their co-managed farms. 

This shift toward collective action has strengthened not only their livelihoods but also their relationships within the community. As Rovelyn shared, “Before the seaweed demo farm, we worked individually. Now, we have an association where we work together for our livelihood. Before, we didn’t really pay attention to our neighbors. Now, we know who needs help.”  

Growing in confidence and leadership 

Once shy and hesitant to participate, Rovelyn is now an active member, gaining confidence and renewed motivation to improve her family’s income. 

Roseline has become one of the group’s leaders. Through practical knowledge, a deeper understanding of environmental degradation and climate change, and a new appreciation for collective action, she and the other women feel more confident and secure – ready to sustain their families and communities despite uncertain seasons ahead. 

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.

At Nexus Forum 2026, communities shape how humanitarians rethink aid

  • Tanya Mariano
  • Blog, Disaster Response, Featured Stories, Humanitarian, Latest News & Stories, Peacebuilding

On March 25, 2026, representatives from government, civil society, and humanitarian organizations gathered to discuss how to better support communities facing overlapping risks.

Photos by Cindy Aquino for CARE Philippines

The Philippines faces increasingly frequent, overlapping, complex risks, even as aid budgets tighten globally. To keep up, humanitarians need to move faster and work more closely with each other and the people they serve.

Against this backdrop, the Nexus Forum 2026 gathered more than 150 representatives from government, civil society, humanitarian networks and coordination bodies, technical experts, and the academe to discuss how the country’s humanitarian system can adapt.

Convened by the organizations behind the EU-funded ACCESS and BRIDGE Projects, together with the Philippine Inclusive NGO Network (PINGON), the March 25, 2026 event featured plenary presentations, panel discussions, the launch of a data analytics platform, and an interactive exhibit space.

Reiza Dejito, CARE Philippines Country Director, opened the forum with a candid reflection: “The Nexus Forum is not a celebration or a showcase. It is a reckoning. It is a deliberate, honest, overdue conversation about whether the way we work is good enough for people depending on it. And if we are being honest, the answer is ‘not yet.’”

Reiza Dejito, CARE Philippines Country Director, delivers the opening remarks at Nexus Forum 2026.

Global shifts, local impacts

Following a message of solidarity from Théo Prestavoine of EU Humanitarian Aid, Office of Civil Defense spokesperson Emerito Junie Castillo set the stage with a Philippine humanitarian situationer, highlighting how climate extremes and global disruptions make local communities more vulnerable, and why humanitarian response needs to be more locally led and focused on resilience, not just reaction.

Théo Prestavoine, Desk Officer for Bangladesh and the Philippines, EU Humanitarian Aid
Office of Civil Defense Spokesperson Emerito Junie Castillo

This set the tone for a panel discussion on the future of humanitarian aid, which explored global and regional trends shaping local contexts.

Moderated by DRRM Specialist Juan Blenn Huelgas, the session drew insights from Director Christopher Mathay (Disaster Response Management Bureau – Department of Social Welfare and Development), Arnaud Peral (United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines), Pascal Arthaud (PINGON and People in Need), and Noemi Cabaddu (St. Paul University Philippines – Community Development Center Foundation).

The speakers emphasized three priorities: communities must lead, preparedness needs greater investment, and coordination across actors must improve.

Christopher Mathay, Director III, Disaster Response Management Bureau, DSWD
Juan Blenn Huelgas, DRRM Specialist, Nexus Forum 2026 moderator
Pascal Arthaud, Country Director of People in Need and Vice-Chairperson of the Philippine Inclusive NGO Network (PINGON)
Noemi Cabaddu, Executive Director, St. Paul University Philippines – Community Development Center Foundation
Arnaud Peral, United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines

Lessons in coordination, anticipatory action, and peacebuilding

Panel discussions on key topics centered around gaps, challenges, and ways forward.

On coordination and information management, Hannes Goegele (World Food Programme), Jeonoah Kali Fornoles (UNICEF), Francisco Vassalo Monteiro (IFRC), Jennifer Furigay (ACCORD), and Ma. Lourdes Eudela (Monday.com Foundation) examined how organizations and systems are adapting to changing risks and coordination mechanisms.

A separate discussion on anticipatory action, with Ruth Honculada-Georget (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Criselda Longga (Philippine Red Cross), Arvin Caro (Start Network), and Erica Chester Bucog (CARE Philippines), focused on the realities of turning forecasts into early action, including challenges in data, financing, and coordination.

In a session on peacebuilding, Noraida Abo (United Youth of the Philippines – Women), Betcheba Ellorico Prochina (Department of Education, Agusan del Sur), Maricar Tiban (South Upi National High School), and Mai Lagman (Oxfam Pilipinas) shared how indigenous and Bangsamoro communities navigate conflict and natural hazards, and how women, youth, and culture can bridge humanitarian, development, and peace efforts.

Strengthening existing systems

Across all discussions, common challenges emerged:

  • Systems struggle to keep pace with increasingly complex and overlapping risks, with data often fragmented and difficult to share and use to make timely decisions
  • Preparedness is widely recognized as essential, but remains unevenly resourced and not consistently institutionalized
  • Local actors already lead response and recovery efforts, but are not always adequately supported by coordination, financing, and decision-making structures

These point less to a need for new systems, and more to making existing ones work better through stronger coordination, sustained investment in preparedness, and decisions grounded closer to communities.

Launch: Nexus Tracker

The forum also marked the introduction of the Nexus Tracker, a platform that uses data analytics to understand hazards – such as typhoons, flooding, and conflict – and displacement across the country.

Originally built for use within ACCESS, with ACCORD leading its development, the tool is being shared with the wider humanitarian community to support shared situational awareness and timelier, coordinated interventions.

Jennifer Furigay, Program Quality Lead at ACCORD, presents the Nexus Tracker

Learning and exchange at the Nexus Space exhibit hall

At the exhibit area, forum participants tested the Nexus Tracker at a hands-on booth, set up alongside exhibits from Action Against Hunger Philippines featuring the EU-funded EARTH Project and other initiatives, Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI) highlighting the “rights of nature” movement, CARE Philippines featuring the Emergency CARE Package, PINGON, Plan International Pilipinas, and Start Network/Humanity & Inclusion Philippines.

‘A checkpoint, not an endpoint’

Reflecting on what comes next, Mark Brayn Yaung, CARE Philippines Humanitarian, Disaster Resilience, and Peacebuilding Coordinator, emphasized that the work continues beyond the forum: “This is not an endpoint but a checkpoint for all of us. Communities cannot wait for perfect systems, and we can never be perfect. But we can always practice so we come in with progress.”

Mark Brayn Yaung, Humanitarian, Disaster Resilience, and Peacebuilding Coordinator, CARE Philippines
Atty. Alberto Muyot, Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children Philippines

To close the event, Atty. Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines, called on fellow humanitarians to move forward with purpose: “Let us continue to build a humanitarian system that acts earlier, learns continuously, and is firmly anchored in the needs and strengths of the communities we serve.”

Participants at the Nexus Forum 2026

To learn more about the Nexus Tracker, visit: https://rilhub.org/nexus-tracker/

About the Nexus Forum 2026 convenors

ACCESS

ACCESS is multi-year, multi-sectoral humanitarian and disaster preparedness initiative funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid and implemented by a consortium of 14 local and international organizations: ACCORD, Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), Humanity & Inclusion Philippines, Integrated Mindanaons Association for Natives (IMAN), Kadtabanga Foundation for Peace and Development Advocates, Mindanao Organization for Social and Economic Progress (MOSEP), Oxfam Pilipinas, People’s Disaster Risk Reduction Network (PDRRN), Plan International Pilipinas, Save the Children Philippines, United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD), and United Youth of the Philippines – Women (UnYPhil-Women). 

BRIDGE

The BRIDGE Project is funded by the European Commission and implemented by ACCORD Incorporated, CARE Philippines, Community Organizers Multiversity, and Oxfam Pilipinas.

PINGON

PINGON serves as a venue to coordinate the provision and delivery of humanitarian aid by international, national, and local NGOs in times of major disasters and emergencies in the Philippines, ensuring that basic humanitarian principles are firmly upheld.

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.

A young mother builds a secure future for her family

  • Joy Daman
  • Blog, Featured Stories, Latest News & Stories, Women and Girls, Women and Girls
  • 3 Comments

Nina Rica Calapati, a 25-year-old mother from Agoncillo, Batangas, wakes up every day with one goal: to build a secure future for her daughter. Growing up in a home where money was scarce, she learned early to work hard to help her family thrive.

Before joining CARE Philippines’ EMPOWER Project, Nina’s income was unpredictable. She sold vegetables door-to-door and worked as a laborer on a mango plantation, but the money was rarely enough. Her husband’s seasonal construction work offered little stability, and their small fruit-vending business often stalled when their motorcycle broke down or monsoon rains kept customers away.

“I wanted to build something more stable—something that would help my daughter grow up with fewer struggles than I had,” Nina says.

New Skills, New Opportunities

When her sister told her about the EMPOWER Project, Nina saw it as a major opportunity to improve her business. She joined the project and immediately appreciated how it supports women’s participation in the local economy.

Through hands-on training, Nina learned how to manage money, plan for the future, and build a resilient business. She realized these were the same areas she had struggled with before. These new skills gave her the tools and confidence to turn her small shop into a lasting livelihood that can support her family.

Growth and Leadership

Nina’s husband Joseph paints the new motorcycle sidecar they procured from their New Year’s sales.
Photo: Mary Therese Norbe/CARE
Nina sells a customer fruits at her new mobile fruit-vending shop.
Photo: Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

Using a cash grant from the project, Nina improved her “Fruit on Wheels” business. She and her husband, Joseph, turned their motorcycle into a mobile shop to reach customers in nearby areas, selling fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, and fish. They also set up a stall twice a week at the local market to help their sales grow even more.

Last year, they earned a 10,000.00 profit during the New Year celebration. They used this income to improve their mobile shop, buy a sow that has already produced piglets for sale, and cement their kitchen floor. Beyond running her business, Nina has taken on a leadership role as the chairperson of her local Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) group. She now encourages fellow members to practice financial discipline, build savings, and support one another.

A Vision for Tomorrow

Nina cleans the pigpen where the sow they bought from their sales are with her piglets. Photo: Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

Today, Nina’s business does more than just cover daily needs—it has opened doors once thought closed. She has already achieved a major goal: sending her child to a better school.

Looking ahead, she is focused on protecting her home. Because they live near Mt. Taal, falling ash often damages their roof; she plans to use her future earnings to replace it with more durable materials. With her growing piggery and the success of her mobile shop, she is no longer just working to get by—she is building a legacy of strength and independence for the next generation.

This Women’s Month, we celebrate Nina—and all women who keep rising, rebuilding, and leading with strength and hope.

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The Empower and Mobilize Potential Opportunities for Work, Entrepreneurship, and Resilience (EMPOWER the Youth Project) is an initiative by CARE Philippines, in partnership with the Tijori Foundation, dedicated to strengthening the livelihoods and resilience of young people in Batangas.

How a mother of three became the heartbeat of her community’s health

  • Mary Therese Norbe
  • Featured Stories, Healthy Mothers & Children, Latest News & Stories, Women and Girls

Lanie Lacao, a mother of three and longtime community health worker, has become the first person who families call when they need help. She supports 24 households, guiding her community members through urgent and everyday health concerns.

In the quiet community of Brgy. Tubigan Ilaya, Macalelon, Quezon province, people turn instinctively to one person—Lanie, who has become her community’s steady source of care.

She was a homemaker for years, picking up small jobs cleaning houses and doing laundry to earn extra income. Her former partner worked as a tricycle driver, and in emergencies, neighbors would rush to their home to ask him to bring patients to the hospital in town.

“Even in the middle of the night, we would rush patients to the hospital.”

Those late‑night dashes opened her eyes to how often people needed immediate help and how few people they could call. That is when she decided to volunteer as a Community Health Worker (CHW) in 2017.

She worked for several months without pay. She visited households, checked on mothers, and accompanied families through health concerns. In 2018, the Q1K (First 1,000 Days of Life) Program started in their town. It is designed to ensure the health of both the mother and the unborn child – from the baby’s delivery until the child reaches two years old with free medical services. Lanie became the Q1K president in Macalelon, coordinating with fellow community health workers to enroll pregnant women, explain their benefits, and ensure they received prenatal care.

Lanie Lacao assists a young mother during a health check up at their community hall. Photo: @2026 Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

“I love helping out, especially other women. As a mother myself, I know exactly what it’s like to be pregnant and feel like you aren’t ready for it.”

She remembers how she and her former partner had to save slowly for baby clothes, diapers, and delivery expenses. But many women in her barangay faced far more difficult situations, worried not only about childbirth but how to feed and care for a newborn. These stories strengthened her commitment to help.

Lanie visits a patient who suffered a stroke to monitor her blood pressure level. @2026 Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

Photos: Lanie visits a patient who suffered a stroke to monitor her blood pressure level. @2026 Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

In 2021, Lanie became an accredited BHW after an older volunteer retired. Her monthly honoraria of PhP 533.00 (USD 8.80) could barely sustain a family for a day, yet she continued. The Rural Health Unit team, trained her in CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, blood pressure monitoring, and taking vital signs. Over time, she became one of the most relied‑upon CHWs by the RHU team and by her neighbors, who knew they could come to her at any hour.

Her house became an unofficial waiting area.

“They come to me because they know I do my best to make sure they get medical attention,” she says. She would call the RHU ambulance, arrange transportation, and make sure families reached the nearest hospital or facility that could help.

When CARE’s HEAL Hub project arrived in their community to train community health workers, Lanie was curious. She downloaded the app, studied its modules, and quickly realized how many misconceptions she had simply accepted over the years.

Photos: Lanie and fellow CHW reviews the cancer modules at the HEAL Hub app. @2026 Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

One of her biggest surprises was breastfeeding. She learned she latched her babies incorrectly.

“I thought that what I did before was right,” she says, laughing at herself. “But I was mistaken.”

Now, in her learning session with mothers, she plays the HEAL Hub breastfeeding videos so other mothers can learn proper techniques too.

Today, Lanie is the first point of contact for 24 households in her community. She conducts house‑to‑house visits, checking on pregnant and lactating women and families managing non‑communicable diseases or cancer. One family close to her has a nine‑year‑old boy battling blood cancer.

“He used to play here in my house with the other children,” she recalls softly. “Now I visit their home to reassure his mother that they are doing the right thing by choosing treatment.”

Through HEAL Hub’s cancer module, she learned how to speak with families dealing with fear and uncertainty, and how to encourage them to continue seeking medical help.

The national government has since launched the PhilHealth YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program), an expanded primary care package offering outpatient services, lab tests, cancer screenings, and access to more essential medicines. She helps neighbors understand their benefits and guides them through the registration process so they can get the support they need.

Outside her duties, Lanie makes handcrafted wigs at home. She can finish one in about a week—juggling her health work and household responsibilities—and sells each for around ₱3,000, supplementing her income.

Photo: Lanie works on a wig at her artist’s desk at home. @2026 Mary Therese Norbe/CARE

Despite her dedication, she hopes for greater recognition for community health workers.

“It’s really a voluntary role, but the amount of work is overwhelming,” she says. “I’m just concerned that when we get older and can no longer serve, no one will take over because it doesn’t pay much.”

Still, Lanie keeps going. Because in her barangay, she is the first call, the steady hand, and the quiet reassurance that help is always close.

Bridging health and harvests: Mayflor’s journey to success in life and business

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

Starting my business was difficult, but with persistence and the support of my neighbors, friends, and farmers, my agri-shop gradually grew. In the first four months, sales were small, but now they have reached over ₱100,000.00!”

Photo: Mayflor Buena tends to her agri-shop in Pangil, Laguna. Photo: Alren Beronio/CARE

Mayflor Buena was already a trusted leader in her community in Pangil, Laguna, long before she opened her agri-shop. As a Barangay Nutrition Scholar, she worked closely with health workers and local families, monitoring children’s nutrition, advising mothers, and supporting community nutrition programs. But while she helped others, her own life became increasingly difficult.

The pandemic brought heavy challenges. She fought for her life and the survival of her newborn during a complicated childbirth, spending nearly a month in the hospital. Shortly after she recovered, a powerful storm destroyed her family’s crops, their main source of food and income.

During this difficult time, Mayflor joined the Asenso sa Good Agriculture Package Social Enterprise (aGAP SE). She saw an opportunity to change her family’s future and signed up to be an aGAP “Roving Agent,” a role that combines community leadership with business.

Mayflor joins other ARAs in one of their trainings.
Through training in basic bookkeeping, Mayflor records financial transactions at the store.

She learned to run a sustainable agri-shop by building strong relationships with reliable suppliers and creating a local market for crops gathered from nearby farms. This business now supports her family’s income while ensuring her neighbors have easy access to quality supplies and fair prices. By consolidating and selling local produce, she has established a reliable trade hub that benefits the entire community.

By applying Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), she improved her crop yields and grew healthier, more consistent harvests. These vegetables now provide both a steady source of food for her family and an additional source of income.

Mayflor now bridges the gap between health and harvests. Because she has spent years caring for the well-being of local families, farmers trust her agricultural advice. She is a constant presence in the fields, leading training sessions and visiting farms to help neighbors troubleshoot their crops. Women, in particular, find a mentor in her, feeling comfortable asking her for guidance on everything from growing vegetables to starting a small business.

The impact of her leadership is spreading throughout the village. More families are adopting better farming techniques, leading to higher yields and a wider variety of food on their tables. Women who once felt confined to the home now see themselves as leaders and entrepreneurs, often looking to Mayflor for encouragement. For her family, life has stabilized. The income from her agri-shop means they can pay for education and save for future planting seasons with confidence.

Beyond the financial gains, Mayflor has rediscovered hope. By building a network of farmers, suppliers, and partners, she no longer feels like she is facing the future alone. She knows her community is now better prepared to weather whatever storms may come. Today, she balances her roles as a health advocate, a business owner, and a community mentor. Her journey is a testament to the fact that when you invest in one woman’s leadership, you strengthen an entire community.

“Do not rush success. Welcome opportunities, stay positive, and trust that with perseverance and faith, every challenge can be overcome.”

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