World Vision Acknowledges Corporate Partners and Individual Sponsors for over PHP60M Funding for COVID-19 Emergency Response

Amidst the current health crisis, World Vision in the Philippines has allotted the total amount of ₱60,254,512.70 from different funding sources and donations including corporate partners and individual child sponsors to fund its ongoing COVID-19 Emergency Response. 

“World Vision is so grateful for the support of all our generous donors in the battle against COVID-19. Like in our past initiatives, your donations are definitely a big help to the Filipino children and their families, and even to the frontliners that we are assisting during these difficult times,” said Rommel V. Fuerte, World Vision National Director.

One month on in its health emergency response, World Vision has served and assisted over 1.4 million people nationwide.

Joining Forces Alliance On The Elimination Of Violence Against Children

Child rights organizations call for the prevention of physical and humiliating punishment against children during the COVID-19 pandemic

Physical and psychological violence, particularly at home, are among the most pervasive types of abuse experienced by Filipino children. Both can be worsened by the COVID-19 enhanced community quarantine.

In fact, 3 in 5 children have experienced some form of physical violence, the 2016 National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children revealed. Sixty percent of these cases happened in their own homes, with 1 in 2 children experiencing corporal punishment. 

Joining Forces Alliance On The Elimination Of Violence Against Children

A global alliance of child-focused international non-government organizations calls on the national and local governments to intensify efforts against online sexual exploitation against children (OSEC).

Taking advantage of the quarantine situation, perpetrators could easily groom children online and coerce them to send and receive sexually explicit messages, images, and videos.  

“With the indefinite suspension of classes due to COVID-19, children are spending more time on the internet, exposed to the dangers of OSEC,” said Euan Crawshaw, Philippine Country Manager of Terre des Hommes - Netherlands. 

Joining Forces Alliance on the Elimination of Violence Against Children - Philippines

Child rights organizations call for the protection of all Filipino children during the COVID-19 pandemic

We are facing an unprecedented global public health crisis. While children’s health appears to be less directly affected by COVID-19, it must be recognized that the outbreak will deeply affect the environment where children grow and develop.

“Sadly, what is often overlooked is the impact this situation will have on children, especially those who are most deprived and marginalized,” said Rowena Cordero, Joining Forces Alliance Convener. 

World Vision Shares Ways to Help Children in Dealing with Stress during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Children around the world become vulnerable to risks posed by the current COVID-19 outbreak. Besides possibly contracting the virus, children may likely be affected by other harmful factors such as disrupted education, loss of income for parents due to the enhanced community quarantine, and other negative triggers to their emotional, social, and physical well-being which can result to great amount of stress for young people especially the school-aged kids.

 “Children are not exempted to the effects of this pandemic especially those who are directly affected and currently living in the most vulnerable and poor conditions," says Rommel V. Fuerte, National Director of World Vision Philippines, a child-focused NGO. "As long as there is an avenue for us to help these children, we will not stop in ensuring that they are safe and healthy," added Fuerte.

World Vision urges the world to focus on those who are invisible and most at risk from COVID-19 pandemic

World Vision in the Philippines has conducted awareness campaigns on COVID-19 in various rural areas where many families have limited means to get information.

A united global effort is needed to help prevent COVID-19 from having a massive destructive impact on the lives of child refugees, migrants and the very poor, warns aid agency World Vision, as a pandemic is declared by the WHO (World Health Organization).

World Vision health specialists are urging governments not just to focus on the impact of the virus on its own citizens, businesses, travel and trade, but to rally to support war-torn and poverty-affected countries where coronavirus outbreaks will potentially cause misery.

World Vision in the Philippines wins Anvil Awards for Social Innovation Challenge and Mother-Baby Friendly Philippines

Child-focused organization World Vision in the Philippines together with its PR and Social partner ComCo Southeast Asia recently won Anvil Awards for its landmark projects in the country.

World Vision and its PR partner ComCo Southeast Asia bagged Gold and Silver Anvil Awards at the recently concluded 55th Anvil Awards. In photo are (from left) Mr. Justin Harvey Llamosa, Executive Initiatives Officer – ComCo Southeast Asia; Mr. Rommel Fuerte, National Director – World Vision; Mr. Ferdinand Bondoy, Regional Integration and Chief Executive Director – ComCo Southeast Asia; and Mr. Matthew Escosia, Brand Communications Associate – ComCo Southeast Asia. 

Kapuso star Bianca Umali visits children affected by Taal Volcano eruption

Kapuso star Bianca Umali joined child-focused NGO World Vision in Laurel, Batangas last February 7 to visit and help distribute learners’ kits to about 400 school-aged children from Grade 1 to 7. Each kit contains a school bag, school supplies, and art materials to help hundreds of children who temporarily stopped schooling due to the eruption.

As World Vision’s Youth Ambassador for Education, Bianca Umali hoped to inspire the children with a message of hope amidst difficult times brought by Taal Volcano eruption. 

Typhoon Kammuri affects 14 million children; World Vision stands ready to support

Typhoon Kammuri made its first landfall in Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon at around 11PM on December 2.

Kammuri intensified just before it hit the landmass with a maximum sustained winds of 165km/h near its center and 230km/h gustiness. 

"I wasn't able to sleep well last night not because the strong winds and rain bothered me but because I was worried about the families in evacuation centers and their deserted homes made of light wooden materials," shares Rey Montimor, World Vision Program Manager of Albay and Sorsogon. 

World Vision launches response to Mindanao quake

Following the recent earthquakes in southern Mindanao, child-focused development and humanitarian agency World Vision launches its relief operations for the affected people of Northern Cotabato, including the city of Kidapawan and the hard-hit towns of Makilala and Tulunan. 

“We are committed to support the government-led response in Mindanao. World Vision in the Philippines is particularly concerned for the well-being of children“, says World Vision’s National Director Rommel Fuerte.

In the morning of October 16, magnitude 6.3 earthquake of tectonic origin, hit the province of North Cotabato, with the epicenter located in the town of Tulunan. Days after, another quake of greater magnitude occurred from almost the same location. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded a 6.6-magnitude earthquake, followed by another equally strong quake on Oct. 31 at 6.5 magnitude with a shallow depth of 2 kilometers which triggered more destruction and risk in the province.

Join Jasmine Curtis-Smith Bring Joy To Families This Christmas

Christmas is truly in the air as World Vision in the Philippines kicks off its Noche Buena campaign for 2019, the child-focused organization’s annual initiative aimed at making Christmas celebrations more meaningful and joyful for the most vulnerable children and their families.

World Vision Ambassador Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Advocate Erwan Heusaff showed their support by teaming up in doing the Noche Buena with a Twist challenge. They produced an online vlog where they cooked their own version of one of the young Filipinos’ favorite Noche Buena dishes, Spaghetti. 

World Vision, DSWD distribute 66,000 sacks of rice to Marawi crisis-affected families

World Vision, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the government of Taiwan, held a rice turnover in Region 10, donating 66,000 sacks of rice to at least 620 families affected by the Marawi crisis.

“This is just the first batch. In the coming days, more families will also receive the 30-kilogram sack of rice,” shared World Vision’s Executive Director Rommel Fuerte, reiterating the organization’s support to the on-going response, especially to the well-being of the affected children.

World Vision, in partnership with DepEd, strives to address the literacy gap in the Philippines with “Brigada Pagbasa” project

In celebration of the National Literacy Month this September and in preparation for November’s National Reading Month, World Vision Development Foundation in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) launches Brigada Pagbasa, a movement that seeks to enhance the reading skills of the Filipino children.

The project, an extension of the Brigada Eskwela campaign that promotes community participation in time for school opening, will bring together experts, change makers, policy-makers, and other stakeholders across all sectors from international and local agencies, as well as public and private organizations to spread reading literacy among Filipino children.

Advocates of AgriBusiness and Education Technology win World Vision Philippines’ first-ever Social Innovation Challenge

The agribusiness Plantsville and the education-focused organization Edukasyon.ph emerged as winners in Social Innovation Challenge (S.I.C.), World Vision’s competition for innovators creating sustainable solutions to challenges identified in real communities.

Plantsville, represented by November "Tina" Canieso-Yeo, is a joint effort with local government units (LGUs), eco-tourism organic bee and cinnamon groups that seek to flourish organic farming among youth by planting more “Food is Medicine” products, comprised of “healing foods” such as cinnamon and honey.

World Vision Inks Partnerships with Corporate Donors to Support Children’s Programs

World Vision Philippines together with several corporations continues to help thousands of Filipino children in need through partnerships aimed to support the organization’s child-focused projects in the Philippines.

In line with the back-to-school season, World Vision and Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines launched the “Pag-asa sa Basura” campaign, a sustainable waste collection and recycling system targeting several areas in Metro Manila. The pilot implementation of the project will be done in 25 schools in Malabon and Quezon City.

The Lion King musical child actor JJ Dolor announced as new World Vision ambassador

Promising Filipino singing 12-year old stage-actor Julien Joshua “JJ” Millanes Dolor, was unveiled as World Vision’s newest and youngest ambassador for children in the Philippines. 

In photo during the contract signing are (from left): Mr. Jun Godornes - World Vision Resource Development Director, Mr. Rommel Fuerte – World Vision Executive Director, and JJ Dolor – World Vision Ambassador with his family.

Dolor captivated many-a-heart and followers with his highly acclaimed portrayal of “Young Simba” in the hit Disney musical classic The Lion King, produced by Cassel Group in association with Disney Theatrical Productions, which successfully toured in Asia including the Philippines and the gala premier in Singapore last 2018. 

World Vision aims to sponsor 2,000 children in 1,000 hours

International humanitarian organization World Vision introduced its new child sponsorship campaign in a press launch last August 22, 2017. Entitled “2,000 Children in 1,000 Hours,” the new campaign stresses the urgency of World Vision’s cause by posing a challenge to everyone who supports child advocacy; that is, to help World Vision secure a better future for 2,000 children within 1,000 hours.

Share Christmas joy; give a Noche Buena

Our fondest and earliest memories of Christmas -- aside from the usual ornaments like the Christmas tree, parol, and the anticipation of gifts from Santa, will always be the feast on the table that family members enjoy together on that special eve.

Noche Buena always brings us back to good memories shared with family and loved ones. Truly, no Pinoy Christmas celebration is ever complete without it!

KakaoTalk aids relief efforts with World Vision

This Yuletide season, the whole world and the nation is one in lending a helping hand to the victims of the recent calamities in the Eastern Visayas. Typhoon Yolanda has left the country with high death toll rates and devastated lands, but the Filipino spirit of resilience and optimism remains to be untarnished.

KakaoTalk Philippines, in cooperation with World Vision Philippines, an international humanitarian aid, development and advocacy organization, initiated a relief effort campaign to help aid typhoon Yolanda survivors. KakaoTalk will be matching user donations made through World Vision from November 27 to December 10, 2013.

“Christmas is just around the corner, and we want everybody to feel the true spirit of Christmas - which is giving and receiving,” said Jean Lee, KakaoTalk Country Manager. “With everyone’s help we aim to make them feel loved and comforted despite of all these disastrous events,” adds Lee.

World Vision Culminates "Celebrities for Children: Race For Hope"

I have high regards of respect to celebrities who does make an effort to do advocacy work which has always been a tough but noble act for anyone. Partnered with a reliable organization World Vision Philippines, celebrities Christine Bersola-Babao, Cristalle Belo Henares, Anne Curtis and Miriam Quiambao responded to that call and went into a friendly competition where whoever win is also the triumph of the beneficiaries.

With months passed for the challenge to get more sponsors, it also means more Filipino children have that chance to go back to school without worries which makes their school performance better and sometimes exceeding expectations. And most of the sponsored children grow up to be productive, intelligent, and God-fearing citizens.