RC Makati’s Hope Mission Deploys; Hope Mobile Truck Passes Road Test with Flying Colors
Updated: 4 days ago
More than 800 flood-affected families in Hagonoy, Bulacan, and San Fernando, Pampanga received food, rice, mats, and blankets and, most importantly, hope—the assurance that they are not alone during this difficult time.
For days, reports of severe flooding across parts of Northern Luzon dominated the news. Floodwaters inundated communities and even portions of the North Luzon Expressway, causing massive traffic jams and making access to some of the hardest-hit areas extremely difficult.
But where the need was greatest, RC Makati’s Hope Mission was determined to go.
That is why on September 2, the Hope Mission team embarked on another full day of service, bringing relief, compassion, and renewed hope to families severely affected by typhoons and flooding in Hagonoy, Bulacan, and San Fernando, Pampanga.
After traversing several flooded areas in Bulacan, the team reached the National Shrine and Parish of St. Anne in Poblacion, Hagonoy, where 500 families were waiting. The team immediately went to work, distributing food packs containing two kilos of rice, canned goods, and noodles to each family.
The Hagonoy Hope Mission site was endorsed by Fr. Anton Pascual of Caritas Manila, an invaluable partner of RC Makati in its disaster-response efforts. Caritas Manila provided logistical assistance and helped ensure an organized and orderly distribution. RC Makati likewise thanked the Rotary Club of True North E-Club and the Bureau of Fire Protection (Bulacan) for their steadfast support and assistance in helping deliver the mission on the ground.
With the Hagonoy distribution completed before lunch, the team thereafter proceeded to San Fernando, Pampanga. The journey itself demonstrated the difficult conditions confronting communities in the area. The team passed through the heavily flooded portion of NLEX in San Simon, enduring near-standstill traffic before finally reaching the G4 Arena past 3:00 PM.
Another challenge awaited them upon arrival. Thick mud made the distribution site inaccessible to vehicles, requiring the team to manually carry the relief goods into the area. Despite the conditions, the mission continued.
Hope Mission distributed 130 sets of mats and blankets, while its partner, the Laus Group, provided two kilograms of rice to each affected family. Due to high water levels and the time required to reach certain areas in San Fernando, the remaining relief sets were turned over to the Philippine Red Cross for distribution to other flood-affected communities in Pampanga. RC Makati extends its sincere gratitude to the Laus Group, whose CEO, Lisset Laus, responded swiftly and positively to Pres. Chris Ferareza’s call for partnership, as well as to CLTV 36 News for covering the mission and helping highlight the needs of affected families.
The team was originally scheduled to continue to Macabebe, Pampanga, to assist another group of affected families. However, with the area still difficult to reach because of flooding and with daylight running out after a full day of operations, the team decided to reschedule the Macabebe mission for a safer and more accessible time.
The mission also put RC Makati’s Hope Mobile through a rigorous real-world test under some of the most challenging conditions. Carrying a full load of relief supplies, it traversed flooded roads, endured hours of heavy traffic, and navigated difficult terrain with reliability and resilience. Its elevated ground clearance and 4x4 capability enabled the team to reach inundated communities, demonstrating how a dedicated service vehicle can further enhance RC Makati’s capacity to deliver assistance efficiently and bring hope to those who need it most.
RC Makati is profoundly grateful to Mazda Philippines for its trust and partnership in bringing the Hope Mobile to life, enabling it to deliver service and hope to communities wherever the need arises.
Leading the Hope Mission were Pres. Chris Ferareza, Hope Mission Chair Nicky Ramos, and Rtns. Boy Arteche and Lester Kiong with Ann Chum Aquino, supported by CoS Ron, Al, and Aron.
The successful mission once again demonstrated the power of partnerships. RC Makati could not have reached as many families without the collective support of Mazda Philippines, Laus Group, Philippine Red Cross, Caritas Manila, RC True North E-Club, the Bureau of Fire Protection, CLTV 36 News, and the many partners and volunteers who wo rked alongside the Club.
Together, the mission reached more than 800 flood-affected families with essential assistance and a message of hope. Beyond the relief goods they received, families were assured that they were not facing the aftermath of the disaster alone. In times of hardship, hope endures because compassionate individuals and organizations are willing to step forward, serve, and help communities rebuild.
Seeing firsthand the extent of the flooding and its impact on families also reminded the team that much more remains to be done. Many communities continue to struggle with the aftermath of the disaster, while some areas remain difficult to access.
For RC Makati, the mission does not end when the last relief pack is distributed. Another round of relief operations is already being planned as Hope Mission continues to go where help is needed most. The team will not only bring tangible relief, but hope to communities in their most difficult moments.
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