Outreach Project To Ambulong Island

Fr. Joemar Sibug with the kids of Ambulong Island

I had no idea where Ambulong Island is until I got a text message from the barangay secretary of the place. I found out that Ambulong is an island barangay of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. I was on a radio interview with Mike Enriquez over DZBB that the barangay secretary of Ambulong was able to get my contact number. He wanted us to help the school children of Ambulong Island Integrated School.

By the middle of June, after we have finished our outreach projects to Banaue, Bontoc and Kalinga, Black Pencil Project and White Canvas decided that we can accommodate the request from Ambulong Island. We still have enough funds to buy school supplies for about 1,000 elementary school children and to support our logistical expenses to go to the island.

And so on July 1, 2015 we left Manila at around 9:30 AM on board Dimple Star bus bound for San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. I was with a group of 8 volunteers, which included a French student who had volunteered for Black Pencil Project for 2 months, while on vacation in the Philippines.

We reached San Jose at around 1:30 AM. It was raining when we arrived at the bus terminal in San Jose. We had to unload about 30 boxes of school supplies. Together with five members of the PNP and five crew members of the boat M/B Marjie, we reached Ambulong Island after about an hour of sailing on the calm waters of Occidental Mindoro.

We arrived at Ambulong Island at about 10:30 AM. It was a small island barangay situated on the shore. Officials of the barangay and teachers of Ambulong Island Integrated School welcomed us at the port and invited us for an early lunch at the barangay hall. They were very happy that we have visited their community. We were given a treat for lunch of freshly caught fish and squids. As soon as we started our lunch, there was a heavy downpour.

Afterwards, we proceeded to the school right next to the barangay hall and distributed the school supplies to the students. The volunteers, together with the PNP personnel, barangay officials and teachers of the school helped out in handing the school kits to the students. The school kits contained notebooks, pad paper, pencils, erasers, sharpener, ball pens, crayons and ruler. The smiles on the children’s faces were enough proof that they were very happy to receive their school kits. As soon as we finished distributing the school supplies and after a few souvenir photos with the students, teachers and barangay officials, we left the island at about 1:00 PM and bade goodbye to our new found friends from Ambulong Island.