Some families with successful overseas members have formed foundations to help their hometowns.
One is the Palana family of Tolosa, Leyte. Vicki Palana Rollins, a successful nurse now running a string of 12 nursing homes and daycare centers in Los Angeles, California, and her two brothers—former Mayor Cesar Palana and Fr. Abe Palana—decided to set up the Corporal Works of Mercy Foundation. It began outreach programs two years ago for disadvantaged citizens of Tolosa, a town 25 kilometers from Tacloban City.
Pooling their family’s resources, the foundation has put up a vocational and technical school, and daycare centers for poor families. It has undertaken medical missions and offered scholarships and livelihood opportunities.
The foundation is now mobilized to help their townmates rebuild their lives in the aftermath of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”
In the past weeks, the foundation conducted relief operations and gave out cash to thousands of typhoon victims. It installed water purifiers and solar powered cellphone chargers during the days right after the storm.
“We must help our townmates rebuild their lives and stand on their own feet since they cannot continue to rely on relief handouts,” said Cesar Palana.