Despite the long wait and the challenge of addressing the local port bureaucracy in the Philippines, I am happy that the WBFN Book Project Team can report that the shipment of books for the school children in Davao del Sur, Philippines was implemented successfully last November.
As a World Bank staff member working in the Office of the Vice Presidency for the East Asia and Pacific Region and a native of the Philippines, I have a strong interest in the welfare of the children in this area and not only initiated the shipment five years ago but also volunteered to help ensure that the books would arrive safely. Anxiety had run high for a first-time “distributor” like me, who had no idea what the challenges could be on the ground. But, after relentless follow-up and intense negotiations with the port and customs authorities in the Philippines, we were able to get the books out for distribution.
There was not much time, and much of it was spent waiting and negotiating. The action began with the night arrival of the shipment at the warehouse in the municipality of Bansalan, a good hour from the ports of Davao City. Commotion set in as about 20 young men, who had been patiently waiting, all let out a cheer the moment they laid eyes on the truck loaded with the container full of books. When the truck drew nearer, however, huge sighs replaced the cheers, and a heavy doubt enveloped, as the men began to wonder how they would be able to finish unloading all of the books in just one night. My husband Joel and I thus went to work quickly with the hired crew, choreographing and directing the flow of the action. We were immersed in a synchronized chaos trying to make a difference in this far-flung deprived society. By 1:00am in the morning, the task was completed—an excruciating 5-hour mission that had seemed to be unending. The men lined up gulping large amounts of cold water—still laughing and joking with one another. We gave all of them a small monetary token of our gratitude and off they went happy as could be.
And so we returned to the city only to wake up early in the morning to go back to the province and start the distribution. There was no time to spare. Logistics were a huge challenge, and we were lucky to have family, friends and the various communities supporting the effort. We formed three teams going to three different localities, delivering what we could to each of the schools as swiftly as possible. At each school, a short ceremony/acknowledgement and a photo op took place with the school principal. And then off we went again.
The books were heavy, but the whole operation was light and fun. The school children and the school administrators were very enthusiastic and very grateful for the whole effort. All of the schools have expressed interest in conducting an evaluation a year from now to assess the impact of the Book Project donation on the children. They all mentioned what an amazing gift they had received. Indeed, Santa arrived early in the Philippines this year for the school children of Davao del Sur. The beneficiaries could not have been more grateful.
Thank you, Book Project Team and Volunteers
by Evelyn Bautista-Laguidao