About four hours away from Manila lies Sitio Dam in Balaybay, Castillejos, Zambales — home to survivors of the Mount Pinatubo eruption. Among those who relocated to this resettlement site is the Aeta community, an indigenous people group believed to be among the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines. Aetas are typically of small stature and frame, with dark skin and curly to kinky, Afro-textured hair.
This year, BAC’s local church partner, To God Be the Glory Church, continues its ministry among the Aeta community. One of the families they serve is that of Bonna Flores.
Bonna, a 26-year-old mother of two, is no ordinary mom. She works hard as a crafts maker in their family’s souvenir shop — a small business started by her parents 10 years ago. Bonna helps create coin banks, flutes, and other bamboo products that are sold to tourists. Though the business helps them get by, there are still days when they earn nothing.
“On rainy days when there are no tourists, we have no income,” Bonna shared. “We’ve been doing this for 10 years, but the business has only remained stable. It never grew. We never got rich… Some days, we literally have zero earnings.” During those times, she resorts to buying and selling vegetables around the village — but sales aren’t always good either.
Bonna’s common-law husband works as a construction worker, but his jobs are only occasional and not consistent.
Together, they raise their two children, Ashly (6) and Jhobhen (8). On top of that, Bonna also cares for three of her nieces. Their parents — Bonna’s siblings — are no longer capable of supporting them, so she stepped in to provide for them.
Due to their limited income, Bonna often struggles to provide proper meals for the children. “Sometimes, when we have absolutely nothing, we just eat rice with soy sauce,” she said. “That’s why my kids were skinny, weak, and often sick.”
Despite these nutritional challenges, little Ashly radiates charm and cheerfulness. When she grows up, she dreams of becoming a policewoman so she can buy her parents a new house.
At home, Ashly eagerly helps with household chores, especially washing the dishes — her favorite task. She enjoys visiting the nearby sari-sari store to buy snacks, which she shares with her brother, cousins, and friends. She often volunteers to lead their family in prayer before meals, something she learned in Sunday school.
Ashly is just as bright in Sunday school as she is at home. Polite and always smiling, she warmly greets everyone she meets. She loves singing, dancing, and playing with her friends. At school, she’s excited to attend class and meet new people.
However, due to poor nutrition, Ashly’s immune system is weak, and she gets sick easily. When she’s unwell, she loses her appetite, which makes her even weaker and less able to absorb her lessons. Still, she insists on going to school. Seeing her daughter’s perseverance breaks Bonna’s heart. No matter how hard she tries, resources are often simply not enough. All she can do is pray — that God would send more customers to buy their crafts and vegetables.
And God did answer.
Bonna’s family became part of BAC. Through the Bless-A-Child (BAC) project — a collaboration between Orphan’s Promise and Operation Blessing — malnourished children receive holistic care. The project provides nutritious meals, quarterly medical check-ups, follow-up labs when needed, school supplies, and hygiene kits. Parents also receive training on meal planning, food preparation, and family development.
“Since the BAC feeding started, my children learned to eat vegetables. They also became healthier and don’t get sick as often as before!” Bonna testified. With improved health, Ashly is more focused in class, able to absorb lessons, and still has the energy to play after school — essential for her social and motor development.
Parents, including Bonna, are also involved in meal preparation, which broadens their knowledge of nutritious cooking and builds a sense of community among families.
The BAC project has also eased Bonna’s financial burden. With two fewer mouths to feed during feeding sessions, she can allocate more of their budget to other needs — and even save for emergencies.
To Bonna, the BAC project is a blessing from God — an answered prayer not just for Ashly and Jhobhen, but for their whole family and the Aeta community in Sitio Dam.
But there’s more.
BAC also extends livelihood assistance to deserving families. After a careful screening process, Bonna was selected to receive this livelihood support.
This project is in partnership with Gintong Aral Ministries, an organization that helps communities improve their quality of life by equipping them with business skills.
“Pastor Jack of Gintong Aral told us that he’ll help improve our souvenir business so that even when it rains, we’ll still earn,” Bonna shared. This gave her immense hope. For the first time in 10 years of crafting, there was real potential for growth.
On October 2, 2024, the Livelihood Project was officially turned over to the community. This came after several training sessions by Gintong Aral, covering topics such as business management, meat processing, food farming, and crafts making. Finally, this often-marginalized indigenous group is being given dignity and a better chance at life.
Jackson Natividad, Executive Director of Gintong Aral, remarked,
“The Aetas are highly interested and eager to learn. They are cooperative during training sessions and comply with requirements. With the right guidance, I’m confident this will take off.”
Operation Blessing and Orphan’s Promise also partnered with government agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to further support this Aeta-led initiative.
From the training, Bonna realized,
“We didn’t know how to price our products properly. We never considered the hours we spent crafting, or the transportation and other costs. That might be why the business never grew.”
Now, Bonna is excited to sell her own souvenir designs.
“I thank God for sending people to help us improve our livelihood. Thank you so much, Operation Blessing and Orphan’s Promise, for helping me and my family!”
