Edmund Rice Ministries Foundation,Philippines,Inc

08/02/2026

Birthday greetings to ERMFPI President Mdm. Lucia Estella Grace Abaa.

05/02/2026

Thank you, The College of Maasin and IBP Southern Leyte Chapter for the inputs to the ERMFPI staff during our Legal Literacy training last February 2.

We look forward to other future collaborations for our assisted focal communities especially their rights and legal remedies.

05/02/2026

TRACKING THE DIRECTION OF ERMFPI

On January 31 until February 1, 2026, the Board of Trustees, Board of Management and management staff of ERMFPI gathered to answer the question: Are we getting to where we have set our sights (and sails) from 3 years ago?

The Strategic Plan Mid-Term Evaluation tackled the 2025 Status of the 8 Programs. A little adjustment was identified.

Thank you to our facilitator, Ms. Leah Narandan Samson, for guiding the discussions and workshops.

Indeed, when all agree the direction, its smooth sailing with all hands on deck!

Good luck to us all, ERMFPI. May Bl. Edmund Ignatius Rice pray for us in our endeavour to empower communities and liberating lives.

Live Jesus in our hearts, forever. Amen.

30/01/2026

One Tribe. Two Generations. One Relentless Journey.

This is the story of two Sama Bajau couples—separated by generations, united by purpose.
From the old generation, Julhari Sarabi and Margarita Sarabi stand as living proof that compassion has no age limit. Even in their senior years, they chose to lead by example, embracing environmental stewardship by propagating and planting mangroves in Dolho, Bato, Leyte. Their efforts did more than protect nature—it created livelihood opportunities.
Through the mangrove planting program and the modest but meaningful payments they received from Edmund Rice Ministries Foundation Philippines (ERMFPI), the couple was able to purchase fishing boats. These boats were not only for themselves but also for their children and grandchildren—strengthening family livelihood across generations.
As Julhari Sarabi shared:
“As Sama Bajau, we were given the chance to help the environment through mangrove propagation while earning—even if not much. But it strengthened our identity as Sama Bajau, especially through the making of fishing boats.”
The mangroves restored the coast; the boats restored dignity and continuity of their way of life.

From the new generation, the story continues with Bonna May Sabrani and Daniel Sabrani. They represent a younger Sama Bajau family eager to break cycles of limitation through learning and opportunity. Bonna May actively embraced financial opportunities provided by ERMFPI through their women’s association, supported by partner organizations.
Because of their full participation in livelihood programs, financial trainings, and development seminars, the couple was able to build a new and bigger fishing boat—supporting Daniel’s livelihood, a trade he has known since his adolescence and continues as a husband and father.
Bonna May often reminds the community:
“Financial freedom is what we want—not just for us as a couple, but for our children and their future. That’s why I grabbed the opportunity for savings and loans, and we practiced them graciously and religiously, the best we can.”
They believe that financial literacy, savings, and access to institutions are gateways to inclusion—not just survival.
Two couples. Two generations. One Sama Bajau tribe.
Both stories reflect a shared identity built on resilience, environmental responsibility, and a relentless pursuit of financial freedom. From mangrove roots to fishing boats, from elders to youth, their journey shows how opportunity—when matched with commitment—can transform families, protect nature, and strengthen an entire community.

20/01/2026

The FEEL Project held a training on the Principles of Marketing on its Core Concepts and Strategies. This was held January 19, 2026, a day right after the Cebu City Sinulog festival.

Defined as the set of activities to create and exchange of offerings for a value to others, the training expounded the roles in identifying, satisfaction and retaining the market, as well as functions to match target market and product to deliver. The discussion on pricing and branding that brings the identity rounded the training inputs.

Participants also learned proper positioning and placing of their goods and services to the Market. Together with that, discussion on Ethics and Social Responsibility in marketing served as the bridge to the entrepreneur's liability to the market.

Training resouce speaker, Mr. Gerardo Oraño, the Chairperson of Dewseco Cebu, engaged the training participants throughout the entire discussion.

A well-spent day!

-FEEL Project

19/01/2026

January 19, 2026

A Family-Level Budgeting Symposium was held at La Felomina Seafoods and Grill for 30 Sama Bajau families (Batch 2) from Dolho, Bato, Leyte.

This gathering marked a day dedicated to the least, the last, and the lost among the partner communities of Edmund Rice Ministries Foundation Philippines Inc., under the Building an Inclusive and Resilient Community (BIRC) Project.

This symposium served as the final financial capability training for Batch 2 of the BIRC. The next milestone for the participants will be their respective registration and membership with the community financial institution SLEMCOOP – Hilongos Branch, moving them closer to financial inclusion.

Financial freedom remains one of the core missions of the project inspired by Blessed Edmund Rice—empowering families not only to survive, but to build dignified, sustainable, and self-reliant futures.

19/01/2026

ATM...

07/01/2026

31/12/2025

Presence. Compassion. Liberation.
May the New Year bring peace and social justice to the vulnerable among us.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.

27/12/2025

Merry Christmas, Mother Earth!

On December 12, 2025, the ERMFP staff together with the volunteer planters from the Sama Bajau community, started the first of up-coming "mangrove fence" along the sea wall of Bato, Leyte.

The people in the community particularly the Sama Bajau and other inhabitants in the area will reap future benefits that the natural protection of the mangroves gives once it grows.

All is needed is patient care and guarding for the newly planted mangroves by the community.

Salamat Sama Bajau community for taking up the task of becoming the guardians of these fragile plants. The future is brighter!

27/12/2025

December 24, 2025

Edmund Rice Ministries Foundation Philippines Inc., together with the Indigenous People of Sama Bajau in Dolho, Bato, Leyte, celebrated a Christmas Party within the community itself. It was a meaningful day that reminded us of unity and our shared commitment to strengthening a long-standing partnership.

This year-end celebration was filled with development, love, and the true spirit of the season. The Sama Bajau community beautifully showed the simplicity of Christmas—joyful, heartfelt, and rich with tradition—through food prepared and cooked by the community themselves.

At Blessed Edmund Rice Ministries Philippines, we continue to live out our mission by being present, compassionate, and committed to liberation for the communities we serve and protect throughout the year.

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to All!
Always Live Jesus in all our Hearts.

22/12/2025

Presence.Compassion.Liberation.
May the love that came down from heaven inspire us to continuously work with and for the vulnerable among our communities.