DIOS MABALOS PO FOUNDATION, Inc. (DMPF), a non-stock and non-profit organization based in Daraga. Albay is engaged in philanthropic, humanitarian, and charitable activities. Functioning as a disaster response organization since 2007, its network has grown and reached victims of calamities beyond the Bicol Region, to Aklan, Iloilo, Cagayan De Oro, Manila, Tuguegarao, Laguna, Antique, and Romblon. Its disaster relief teams have prepared cooked meals, distributed packaged food, and provided clothing, shelter, water, solar lamps, and medicines.
Dios Mabalos Po Foundation, Inc., conceptualized after Super Typhoon Reming (aka Durian) ravaged Albay province and the Bicol Region in 2006, was subsequently established in 2007 by Daraga, Albay native, Mary Mediatrix Vallejo Villanueva and her daughter Elaine, now Sister Elaine Madonna Villanueva, RNDM (Congregation of Notre Dame of the Missions). At first, they managed Ayuda Albay – a mechanism set up by former Albay Governor Fernando V. Gonzalez (term 2004 – 2007) to ensure integrity in the delivery of goods and services intended for the typhoon victims.
At that time, Super Typhoon Reming attained its peak intensity late on November 29, 2006, just off the Pacific coast of the Philippines with winds of 195 km/h. It brushed the southern coast of Catanduanes on November 30 with sustained winds of 120 km/h, but gusts peaking at 320 km/h, the highest value recorded in the Philippines. Reming made landfall in northern Albay with winds at 165 km/h. In its wake, it killed hundreds of people across Bicol. Its heavy rainfall triggered mudslides and lahar from Mayon Volcano that buried whole villages. The river system could not hold the water from the watersheds.
Corporate mission
DMPF’s health and nutrition programs are in accordance with its primary corporate purpose. Aiming for a kinder and gentler community, it cares for the poor, the sick, the old, the hungry, the imprisoned, and the dying. As a charity organization, it develops and instills in its staff and clientele the attitude of gratitude for the gift of life and love and God’s providence.
Its corporate mission includes the care for the sick and those in need of surgery, for the malnourished children, their malnourished moms and the lactating mothers, for children in their weaning years, providing medicines for mother and child.
It meets co-workers in schools’ community organizations and parishes. It works with the LGU’s, indigenous people in programs and projects identified for them. It gathers the elderly for eye screening and with co-workers and partners and provides surgery for cataract and pterygium.
It gathers the young with strabismus and children with cleft lips and cleft palate for surgery by their partners. It seeks to help parents who bring their children with children and those in need of surgery. It works on neurological and cardio cases (hydrocephalus and spina bifida) with its healthcare partners.
Its disaster management team employs a disaster response template that is applicable to many areas of the country and includes collaboration with concerted multi sectoral action and efforts. It is characterized by unconditional giving and the pay-it-forward spirit to build communities that are bound by an abiding respect for human dignity and the commitment to responsible stewardship of all creation.
Mercy and medical missions
In June 2019, ten water filtration tanks for Mandaon, Masbate, provided by the Water Filtration Ministry of San Diego, CA (Robert Aragon, co-founder; Sarah Espano, project proponent). Later in the year ten additional tanks were set up in elementary schools and barangay communities as part of its Mercy Mission in Masbate. The water filtration system has been deployed in other places in the country, such as the Aeta community in Zambales.
In accordance with its humanitarian mission, DMPF partners with social service organizations, such as Nutrition for Pregnant and Lactating Moms. Its Mercy Missions in various impoverished Bicol communities are supported by CARE, Assisi Development Foundation which has provided Manna Fortified Rice from Risen Saviors Mission and Multi Vitamins from Vitamin Angels. Its medical missions include surgery for cleft lips and cleft palates.
On August 28, 2022, during the 48th Foundation Anniversary of the Diocese of Virac, Catanduanes, DMPF’s Prison Ministry Outreach Program supplied snacks and toiletries to the PDL’s (Persons Deprived of Liberty) and Bureau of Jail and Penology Management (BJPM) staff in the Virac and San Andres District Jails. Donor partners included the Parish of the Anawim Covenant Community of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception in Virac and the St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in San Andres. There are 162 inmates in the provincial jail and 302 in the city.
On April 12, 2024, DMPF facilitated the Grace on Board donation of fishing boats to the fisherfolk of San Pascual in Masbate in collaboration with CHARI, a charitable NGO. At that time, school uniforms for San Pascual National High and San Pedro National High School students were donated, and vision screening for senior citizens was conducted to identify error or refraction, cataract, and pterygium.
Typhoons Kristine and Pepito in October and November 2024 saw the deployment of DMPF disaster relief teams going to the communities of San Isidro in Libon, Albay with cooked meals, Joroan in Tiwi, Albay with filtered water, packaged food, blankets, banig, diapers and clothing for children, Sakolyn tarpaulin (through the Shrine of Our Lady of Salvation), and Catanduanes with water containers, blankets and Sakolyn tarpaulin for weather protection. Crew men from the Philippine Navy came to assist in the delivery of the relief goods. Recently it shifted supplies from a warehouse in Naga City that served their calamity response in Tabuco, Panicuason; Tinambac, Minalabac, Del Gallego, San Fernando, Calabanga, Pili, and. Buhi to Albay as transit station as it focused its relief operations on Catanduanes that was hit hard by Typhoon Pepito.
About Shelmed Cottage Treasures
Mary Mediatrix “Med” Villanueva’s connection with Bicol and its people run deep as she and husband Sheldon “Don” Villanueva helm SHELMED COTTAGE TREASURES in Daraga, Albay, the multi-awarded manufacturer and outstanding exporter of Philippine handicrafts made of abaca and other natural fibers. It is a major employer of Bicol artisans and source of livelihood for many abaca farmers and natural fiber suppliers in Albay and Catanduanes.
Med, as she is fondly called, comes from an abacalera family. Her father was the first to use braided abaca fiber to make floor mats which were introduced in the market as “Vallejo” rugs. Her mother focused on weaving abaca fiber into sinamay. The Vallejo couple was among the country’s pioneering exporters in the 1950s. True to her abacalero family tradition, Med, then in her early twenties, married Sheldon Villanueva and the couple established Shelmed Cottage Treasures in 1973, becoming the country’s youngest abaca exporters.
Driven by Med’s keen business acumen and Sheldon’s innovative designs, Shelmed expanded its product lines from placemats and rugs to home furnishings, baskets and storage bins, exporting them to foreign markets. The couple’s dedication and commitment to quality and innovation earned them business awards from government trade agencies and their peers, notably the 1983 Golden Shell Award for outstanding performance in exports from DTI, the 2001 Gawad Saka Natatanging HVCC Entrepreneur award from DA, and the KATHA Award for product design from CITEM.
Sadly, disaster struck in November 2006 as Albay was hit hardest by Typhoon Reming. Communities came under tons of rocks and mud that rushed down the slopes of Mayon Volcano. Many houses and schools were buried, hundreds perished and over thirty thousand hectares of abaca land were damaged in the region. It was the worst year for the town of Daraga as it was hit by three other major typhoons. The Shelmed company building was destroyed and needed much repair. Raw materials and finished products stored in the bodega, including company documents, were rendered useless. The typhoon also destroyed materials and supplies distributed among abacaleros who work from their homes.
The business recovered, but it was slow and costly. Sticking to its core values of quality and innovation. Shelmed continued to push for product research, staff development, and design functionality and has since then expanded into women’s fashion accessories.
In addition to its social responsibility and community service through the establishment of Dios Mabalos Po Foundation, Med is a strong advocate for abacaleros working together with government agencies to sustain the abaca industry. Shelmed has sponsored industry forums and led consultations with abacaleros, covering concerns like skills trainings, extension services, credit, abaca nurseries, pricing, transport, storage, worker’s benefits…
Shelmed works with Philippine Textile Research Institute and Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) to increase abaca production, develop natural dyes, and promote abaca as a natural fiber for eco-friendly products. It coordinates training for abacaleros from the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment.
Because of Med’s involvement in charitable and social causes, she has been given due recognition: nomination for the 3rd Gawad Haydee Yorac Annual Award for Outstanding Public Service in 2009, the Gawad Geny Lopez Jr. Bayaning Pilipino Award in 2010 and the most Inspiring Bicolano Entrepreneur Award in the same year. Shelmed supports student scholarships and faculty incentives for Don Bosco Agro Mechanical and Technology Center.
Med has sought assistance from USAID, through its Action for Enterprise (AFE), to train persons with disability (PWDs) in the Sagip Kapamilya Simon Village and Tambak an Biyaya Dumpsite in her town of Daraga, Both FIDA and AFE support her work with indigenous people in developing an abaca plantation in their ancestral domain. Land was donated to their employees for free housing. Shelmed partnered with Li and Fung, an export buying agency, to repair an elementary school.
In addition to the founding of Dios Mabalos Po Foundation where she serves as Chairperson, Med is also active in the Assisi Development Foundation’s Hapag Asa Integrated Nutrition program and the Simon of Cyrene Children’s Rehabilitation and Development Foundation which assist PWDs. Shelmed trains them in abaca braiding and weaving and hires them later as skilled workers. Shelmed also conducts training on sewing, stitching and other hand skills for making placemats, rugs, bags and other abaca products for the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Legazpi. Med also works with the Bicol Small Business institute where women are encouraged to be abaca entrepreneurs and processors.
This article was written by Jojo De Jesus for Dateline Ibalon based on references which include: “Mary Mediatrix Vallejo Villanueva, 2012 Gawad Saka Most Outstanding Agri-Entrepreneur” by Yolly A. Diokno, March 13, 2013, Dept. of Agriculture, Bicol; “Cottage Treasures” by Patti Sunion, April 20, 2021, FAME+, published by the Center for International Trade Expositions & Missions (CITEM); websites of DMPF and Shelmed Cottage Treasures; and FB posts of Badeth Mitra, Finance Officer, Shelmed Cottage Treasures. The header features images that reflect DMPF’s mission: Feeding (food and water for Catanduanes relief), Healing (cleft lips surgery in Estevez Hospital, Legazpi City), Teaching (donation of school uniforms in San Pascual, Masbate).
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