On December 8, 2020, it was raining hard in Lamut, Philippines. Despite second thoughts, seven Rotary Club of Lamut members joined staff from Ifugao State University (IFSU)-Lagawe campus, as well as members of the 1404th Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army Reserve Command and the Hingyon Municipal Police on a long and slippery hike to Humalophop Elementary School located in rural Hingyon in Ifugao province. To get to Humalophop one must hike through the forest, mountains, and rice paddies on a narrow path for 2 to 4 hours, depending on whether it is dry season or wet season. Bridges over creeks are often two slippery logs laid next to each other. Why would seven Rotary Club members walk through the hard rain during the wet season, up mountains and through rice fields, going to a very far place with university staff, soldiers and police? This is our story.
From Kansas, USA, to Lamut, Philippines: United in Service Above Self
by
Kristin Eldridge, Past-President of the Rotary Club of Lawrence, Kansas, USA
Vince Kalaw, President of the Rotary Club of Lamut, Philippines
M.J. Mango, Chief Librarian, Ifugao State University, Philippines
Kathryn Mayumi, Librarian, Ifugao State University, Philippines
Rosemary O’Leary, Peace Corps Response Volunteer and past member of
The Rotary Club of Lawrence, Kansas, USA
Karen Joy N. Salvador-Kalaw, Past-President of the Rotary Club of Lamut, Philippines
Dizon Tayaban, Associate Professor, Ifugao State University Philippines
On December 8, 2020, it was raining hard in Lamut, Philippines. Despite second thoughts, seven Rotary Club of Lamut members joined staff from Ifugao State University (IFSU)-Lagawe campus, as well as members of the 1404th Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army Reserve Command and the Hingyon Municipal Police on a long and slippery hike to Humalophop Elementary School located in rural Hingyon in Ifugao province. To get to Humalophop one must hike through the forest, mountains, and rice paddies on a narrow path for 2 to 4 hours, depending on whether it is dry season or wet season. Bridges over creeks are often two slippery logs laid next to each other. Why would seven Rotary Club members walk through the hard rain during the wet season, up mountains and through rice fields, going to a very far place with university staff, soldiers and police? This is our story.
A U.S. Peace Corps Response volunteer, University of Kansas professor, and a past member of the Rotary Club of Lawrence, Kansas, Rosemary O’Leary, was assigned to the IFSU-Lagawe Campus. (Peace Corps Response places professionals in short term volunteer assignments throughout the world when invited by communities.) At one time, she heard librarians MJ (Mibatanmayamo) Mango and Kathz (Kathryn) Mayumi, as well as IFSU faculty member Dizon Tayaban, talking about the Humalophop elementary school, which is so remote that the three elementary school teachers - for children from preschool to 6th grade - live at the school. Dizon was interested in starting a reading extension program placing IFSU undergraduate education majors at the school as reading helpers. The librarians were interested in starting a small library there. Vince Kalaw, current President of the Rotary Club of Lamut, is also on the faculty at IFSU and joined the conversations. They began brainstorming with attorney Karen Salvador-Kalaw, then-President of the Rotary Club of Lamut, how they could be of service. Rosemary reached out to her hometown Rotary Club of Lawrence, Kansas, for ideas, inspiration, and assistance.
The Humalophop barangay is part of the municipality of Hingyon in the province of Ifugao. The latest data on Ifugao show a 51.07 percent literacy rate, the lowest in that region of the Philippines. In addition, in November 2019, the Philippines was ranked last in reading among 79 countries, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Often times the impediments to learning to read are higher in Humalophop because of the lack of books and the absence of a library.
In one conversation, Rosemary described the Lawrence, Kansas, public library to her Filipino friends. Rosemary’s sister, Kathleen Morgan, is a former Rotary Club of Lawrence president, as is her brother-in-law Scott Morgan. Kathleen also is Director of Development for the Lawrence Public Library. The Filipino group was impressed with the wide variety of programs and services offered at the Lawrence Public Library, including books, video games, movie nights, board games, a welcoming atmosphere with chairs for students to hang out if they wish, and extension services.
The Rotary Club of Lamut began to dream big with the IFSU faculty and staff, brainstorming ways to jump-start literacy in the desolate Humalophop area. After discussions with teachers, they decided to request a $2500 grant from the Rotary Club of Lawrence for the purchase of children’s books, bookshelves, chairs, and a rubber mat for children to sit and read on in the library room at the Humalophop elementary school. In addition, to stimulate creative thinking among these isolated children, they asked for chess sets, checkers sets, and a game of scrabble. Tied in with this, to emulate the Lawrence Public Library’s movie night, they requested a laptop computer and a smart TV to be used for these purposes. They knew that the three teachers at the Humalophop elementary school who had no computer access also would be able to use the laptop for Power Point and other visual presentations in class. Finally, because the ceiling in the room that would house the new library was falling down, they requested plywood and paint to repair the ceiling.
The Rotary Club of Lamut was able to secure the funds from the Rotary Club of Lawrence through a generous donation. All of these items were purchased as were plastic bins to protect the books, a computer desk and chair, and children’s chairs. IFSU donated printer paper and cloth face masks. Through a family friend in Manila, Rosemary was able to connect the group to the nonprofit Adarna Publishing that sells locally printed children’s books at half the price of books published in the United States. Adarna provided a 50% discount and free shipping to Lagawe which really stretched the funds, allowing for 1000 books to be purchased. IFSU librarians catalogued all the books for a school card catalog.
Then Covid-19 overtook the world. Rosemary was evacuated by the Peace Corps in March, 2020, and towns throughout the Philippines went on lock-down. The project was seemingly at a stand-still. The plans to hike to Humalophop school with the Rotary Club books and supplies during the dry season were put on hold.
But by December the group decided they would not be deterred. Rain or shine, this group of determined Filipinos would hike to Humalophop, books and supplies in tow. But it was now the wet season and it rained constantly. Help was needed. Dizon is in the Philippine Army Reserves and was able to get 15 members of the Army Reserve to carry the heavy boxes for the hikers. The Hingyon Municipal Police also hiked with the group for protection from guerrillas. Together they joined the 7 members of the Rotary Club of Lamut, as well as 5 faculty and staff from Ifugao State University. On December 8, 2020, this group went on the hike of their lives, transporting the books and supplies through slippery slopes for the children at Humalophop elementary school.
Karen put the challenge this way: “I have always thought of myself as a hiker and I have experienced hiking 7 hours one way, but this was the hardest hike of my life because it was very slippery. I fell twice and some fell three times, as the soil was very sticky. It made our shoes heavy and there was a constant downpour.” MJ, the head librarian, ended up taking off her flip-flops and walked most of the way barefoot.
But it was all worth it. The Rotary Club is dedicated to "Service Above Self" and that is what the group experienced. And by the way, it was a 3.5 hour hike one way.
Thank you to the Rotary Club of Lamut, Philippines, and the Rotary Club of Lawrence, Kansas, USA: This was a true international collaboration. Thank you to the members of the 1404th Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army Reserve Command and the Hingyon Municipal Police, the U.S. Peace Corps, and the faculty and staff of Ifugao State University who were crucial partners in this important project. Thank you to Philippines Rotary District Governor D.G. Bienvenido “Jon” Alonzo and Robert C. Poblete Jr. of the Philippines Business Bank for assuring the safe transfer of the funds.
This generous Rotary Club gift will go a long way toward increasing literacy in this area of the Philippines. The Rotary Club has already made a difference in the lives of the children and teachers at Humalophop School.