WATCH VIDEO
Tzu Chi Eye Center in Manila, Philippines, serves hundreds of patients per week, providing medical assistance to patients with eye diseases. A public school teacher was affected by cataracts, almost causing her to go blind. Following surgery at Tzu Chi Eye Center, Hazel regains her vision once again.
In the upcoming Lantern Festival, volunteers in the Tzu Chi Philippines Chapter are making glutinous rice balls to raise funds. These colorful rice balls are all made of healthy ingredients, and the proceeds will be used as construction and charity funds.
The year 2020 was one of the most challenging year in recent history. While Tzu Chi Philippines had its own share of trials, with the guidance of Master Cheng Yen, the support of Tzu Chi members throughout the world, and the perseverance of Tzu Chi volunteers, we were able to extend humanitarian services to Filipinos who were hard hit by the pandemic, and natural disasters like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and typhoons. Here is a review of 2020.
After Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Tzu Chi Philippines Branch built Daai Village in Ormoc to give the affected residents a place to live. After that, the volunteers opened various vocational training courses to help the villagers learn skills to support their families. The handicraft class was set up in February last year.
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines recently recognized the Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines for its support in humanitarian assistance. The recognition Tzu Chi has received also indicates that they will continue to cooperate in the future.
Tzu Chi Philippines Chapter volunteers used video conferencing to spend the Lunar New Year with the Master and global Tzu Chi volunteers. Last year, they delivered pandemic relief and carried out disaster relief in the aftermath of two typhoons.
Tzu Chi volunteers are celebrating the year of the Ox with special radish cakes which will be sold to support Tzu Chi charities in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, Tzu Chings and volunteers have prepared vegetable soup to be distributed to the villagers in Ormoc Great Love Village which was in conjunction with the World Vegetarian Awareness Day.
In the Philippines, a fire broke out in Quezon City in November, destroying many houses. Tzu Chi volunteers head over to distribute daily supplies and provided care to the affected residents.