Last updated on :
January 30, 2012

Some of the projects and activities of Bayanihan are supported by:

Commissie PIN

Philippine Women’s Center in the Netherlands

Bayanihan celebrates 15^th-year as a self-help women organization: a look at her story

(Cecilia D. Nalagon, Research & Publications)

[To celebrate this milestone, Bayanihan will be launching a series of activities, the first of which is a benefit concert on 24 May. Please see advertisement.]

In June 1991, Bayanihan was born as a non-profit foundation. She was the daughter of DAMAYANG Pilipino sa Nederland (DAMAYAN), also a non-profit service organization established in 1986. Bayanihan’s birth was intentional. Her purpose: to assist the migrant Filipinas with their various problems by motivating them to manage and handle these problems themselves.

During the past 15 years, Bayanihan has been transformed from a small self-help organization primarily helping Filipinas in crisis situations, to a (still) small but professional organization with a wider and more active range of programs supplementing and complementing crisis intervention. Her mission, in general, remains the same: to help all Filipinas in the Netherlands. This mission, however, is now much sharper and more comprehensive, under the framework of a preventive approach.

In pursuing her mission to contribute to the empowerment and integration of Filipinas and to their becoming active participants in this society, Bayanihan has relied on several actors: persons as well as institutions and organizations.

The road Bayanihan has travelled in the last 15 years has not been an easy one, far from it. Despite the challenges – both within and outside the organization – she grew and moved on. Undoubtedly, funding and other support organizations contributed to her survival. However, the real protagonists in this journey are the women (both Dutch and Filipinas) who supported Bayanihan, especially when the going became (very) rough. It is largely thanks to the dedication, determination, strength and will power of these women that Bayanihan is where and what she is right now.

On this her 15^th year, we choose to (re)tell Bayanihan’s story. It is after all, in a very important way, a story about the women. In doing so, we are not merely re-telling a story, we are paying a tribute to the dedicated women who have nurtured her and, as a result, made serious sacrifices for her.

Small beginning with big-hearted women –

Back in 1988, Bayanihan was known as Damayan Social Service Committee (DSSC). As the name suggests, it was the social service arm of DAMAYAN, assisting the migrant Filipino community in general. Apart from rendering social service assistance to victims of domestic violence, DSSC also spearheaded campaigns involving human rights. There were six members of the committee, all women. Cora Alarcon-van Campenhout was the first coordinator of DSSC. Norma Javellana and Diana Oosterbeek-Latoza later followed.

Due to the growing requests for help and the resulting realization that only a more extensive array of social services can properly respond to these requests, the members decided to transform DSSC into a foundation or stichting. In this new “clothing”, DSSC would be able to expand the range of its social services and be able to reach out to organizations, to organization-oriented as well as non organization-oriented individuals. This change in the status of DSSC was approved after long and serious consultations within DAMAYAN.

On 14 June 1991, DSSC became Bayanihan: Stichting Welzijn Filipinos in Nederland. Norma Javellana, the late Margriet Lap and Diana Oosterbeek-Latoza framed Bayanihan’s constitution and are considered the organization’s founders. A (working) Board was formed, with Diana Oosterbeek (Chairperson), Nenita van Wirdum-Palmes (Secretary), Margriet Lap (Treasurer), Cora van Campenhout, Letty Drexhage-Baldevia, and Beulah Snijders-Japitana (Members).

Not being able to afford to rent an office, the foundation’s secretariat and correspondence address at this time was Diana’s home. One of the ways the women shared the burden of having an organization was to rotate the place where the Board & Staff meetings took place. For some reason, however (her generosity most likely), Beulah’s home in Utrecht was the most frequent venue for these meetings.

For the first year, Bayanihan functioned entirely on the voluntary efforts of these generous women. A year later, in 1992, thanks to funds mainly from the religious sector, the tenet “empower women” was put into practice: Cora van Campenhout was hired (for 2 years) as the foundation’s first salaried part-time staff. The rest of workforce functioned on and were remunerated by sheer inspiration and love.

Throughout the 15 years, many other committed and hardworking women promoted and cultivated Bayanihan’s growth and development. They did so as either part of the working Board, as staff, office volunteer, advisors, or as part of the Council (later Network) of Volunteers. For the first seven years, there were women like Beulah Snijders who was the tireless chairperson for more than 10 year; Marlene Buwalda-Macatangay (secretary, 1992-1998); Margriet Lap who was with Bayanihan from 1991 till she passed away in 1997; treasurers Marci Hermsen (1994-‘95), Tessie de With (1995-96), Hermie Erasmo (1996-97), Myrla Danao (1997-98; member 1994-97); Board members Linda van de Klauw (1994-95), and Maya Schrier (1995-96). Letty Drexhage also served as treasurer for 1 year in 1992. 

The women volunteers then were: Adela Amerongen, Josephine Apperlo, Mercy Ashford, Lein Balaoing, Veronica Balbuena, Trini Blanken, Gloria Bosman, Vicky Cordero, Cristy Estanislao, Irma Galias, Elvie Goedhart, the late Rosalina Gordola, Malou Heek, Amy Jaspers, Becky Jolbot, Vangie de Jon, Fe Jusay, Hermie Kolijn, Lita Klumper, Susie van Kralingen, Ching Lansang, Liza Lansang, Maria Paz van Lieshout, Cory Llamas, Wenda de Man, Rowena Marquez, Gemma Meijer, Natty Mook-Otico, Yeng Nacion, Thelma Nielsen, Malen Pauw, Grace Punongbayan, Luz Rio, Zeny Sajot, Esper Sanders, Mherzy van der Steen, Nia Tolentino, Elvie Tsai, Mercia Verstegen, Limbane de Zwart. The following gave trainings to the volunteers: Maya Butalid, Herma Esselink, Feniks de la Fosse, Marlies Lammers and Mercy Palpalatok. Lulu Altamirano, Paula van den Burg, Rohlee de Guzman, Maitet Ledesma, and men like Wim van Leeuwen, and Wim van Kalkman supported Bayanihan through their invaluable advices. Remarkable as well were the husbands of many of these women who, in different ways, volunteered their services in the interests of Bayanihan.

Many of these generous individuals, although no longer occupying formal positions within the organization and are now pursuing other paths, are to this very day still active advocates of Bayanihan’s cause. She is indeed lucky that many more of such individuals would continue to appear in her life in the next 7 to 8 years.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Bayanihan Foundation
 Netherlands
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E-mail: info@bayanihan.nl

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