Category: ICM Bases

It’s been a month since Typhoon Odette hit Bohol and other provinces in the central Philippines. Even with roads cleared and power is back in some cities, many of the affected communities — especially the ultra-poor ones — are still far from recovering. Most families are still struggling to recover from the traumatic experiences they...

Stories from the survivors of the recent Typhoon Odette are coming in. Typhoon Odette, 2021’s strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines, cut a swath of destruction across the provinces where ICM has been holding Transform programs among ultra-poor communities. Too many of our communities are now suffering in the aftermath of the typhoon, including our...

Typhoon Odette (international name “Rai”), the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2021 had carved out a trail of destruction across several provinces in the central Philippines last December 17. It left 407 dead as of January 3, and over half a million displaced. The provinces are far from recovered. Power is still not...

Fancy a boat for an everyday ride?   While other people nowadays invest in bikes, motorcycles, and sidecars, former Transform participant Merabel from Bohol chose a boat as her go-to everyday transportation. Thanks to her husband, the 27-year-old housewife learned how to pilot a boat in just two days.  Merabel and her husband sell sea...

ICM’s work in the communities would not be possible without the help of our frontliners in this pandemic — our staff and pastor network. Many of them found themselves at the forefront of this crisis, wearing multiple hats to bring help to the poorest of the poor. Here are just a few of the stories...

Many mothers from ultra-poor communities are housewives who are dependent on their husbands’ small incomes. The pandemic, which caused job and income loss, has made their situations even worse. Through ICM’s 2R (Refresh and Renew) program, we were able to help these women through a difficult time.   Catherine, a mother in her early twenties,...

Single mother Annafe has not had an easy year, but she is still holding onto hope! It is hard enough raising two children with no partner, and being pregnant during the pandemic made things even more difficult.  She moved in with her mother and father who both lost their jobs due to the lockdowns. The...

Scattered in small communities throughout the mountainous island of Negros Occidental are an indigenous people called the Ati. They are the first settlers of the island but being a small minority, they are seldom seen and almost forgotten. Like many other indigenous peoples, they are among the poorest in the Philippines, often experiencing neglect and...

In the fight against poverty, we are thankful for our local staff here in the Philippines. They are the ones at the frontlines, doing what it takes to reach communities in need. Most of them know first-hand the struggles our participants face. In fact, Jason of our General Santos base was even a participant in...

While these are common necessities to most, tubes of toothpaste can sometimes be scarce in households where the ultra-poor live. To help them develop healthy habits, part of ICM’s Transform program educates participants about proper hygiene. Since 1992, ICM has been in the business of transforming lives from a physical, social, and spiritual standpoint. Indeed,...