Baseco's streets are still wet and mudy from the last flood.

As almost everybody in Manila, people living in Baseco experienced serious flooding this summer. Five times type-5 typhoons swelled the Pasig River and made it breach its banks (see previous report on Don Bosco). Our Baseco Centro is located less than 100 meters from the waters. When the dams are breached, the flood arrives quickly. Despite our elevated ground floor, bigger floodings hit us as well. The kitchen looks clean and crisp again thanks to the tiles we used for the construction. The water reached two feet during the worst typhoon.

Flooding here is a normal occurence. Until the Port Authorities complete the increase of the dikes, they will continue to happen. Everybody at the Baseco Centro knows what to do when the water rises. Food is moved upstairs, the gas cookers lifted on stalls. The kitchen crew - all volunteer mothers of our program children - prepare the meals standing in the water. They prepare lunch for 550 children every day and make sure that even during times of high waters the kids get all the vital nutritions they need.Part of the kitchen team with two girls from the Chalice program. The program covers school fees, uniforms, school materials, health checks, dental hygene and after school activities (home work and playing).

A few months ago, Eunice Cheng Chua, Managing Director at the Centro Salvador and the Baseco House, decided to move a few social and field workers to Baseco. She noticed that many parents could not attend the mandatory parent sessions which come with the Chalice sponsorship. The walking distance from Baseco to the Centro Salvador is 45 min one way - a time our parents often do not have. We want our social workers to stay close to the families to ensure the success of all program children. Four desks for our social and field workers with all the necessary office equipment were installed on the first floor of the Baseco House.Mothers filling in the paper work to register their children for the Chalice program. As of today, there are 2'160 children enrolled, of which 750 from Baseco

Eunice's latest project is the opening of a small dental clinic here. The ambitious goal of a zero cavity rate can only be achieved by regular dentist visits. One chair has already arrived. The second is due to arrive shortly. Both are second hand and sponsored by local supporters. Our dentists from the Centro Salvador will work part of their time in Baseco thus increasing the coverage for the program children here.