Cayman Bayanihan FILipino community (CBFC)

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The first-ever group named Cayman Bayanihan was not an organization at all from the very beginning. 

it was initially an individual effort by Dion in a personal capacity only to distribute some grocery items given by Miss Supriya Bodden that were dropped by Derwin Toraliza. Miss Supriya has her foundation and is a known philanthropist in the Guyanese community both here in Cayman and in Guyana, she asked Derwin to do so by dropping some grocery items to the Filipino Community that was desperately needing some food at the on-set of the total lockdown in Grand Cayman. Derwin, an essential worker at that time asked his roommates if they could do the distribution themselves but they were somehow adamant, and he decided to call Dion instead which he freely accepted. The day passed, and Dion did not even know how to start but later decided to target 50 packs only he was assisted by his tenants at that time Jr and Maricel Maceda to pack them up and get more grocery items that were likely useful for Filipinos like noodles, biscuits, and canned goods. 

The original plan to distribute to 50 was consumed in just 1 day, several people went to the house of Dion the next day and asked if they could also be helped. It was just a spontaneous and sudden change of gear in packing for another 100. Maricel's friends at that time, Celeste Borromeo joined in, Sheila and Ate Carmelita De Gala followed, Erlyn was invited by Celeste from time to time, and Jen the Bessie of Maricel came too.

Dion's instruction to them at that time was not to take any pictures or videos. There were no recorded pictures or videos from the 1st 3 weeks of distribution. 

There was increasing clamor to post all works on Facebook not only to thank those who helped but also to acknowledge the enormous support the community has poured into it.

Dion created an FB Group and named it CAYMAN BAYANIHAN, the FB group was formed only to separate or centralize all the efforts done by all volunteers, donors, sponsors, and the needy and to assist fellow Filipinos in the Cayman Islands. 

It started in a very small step to provide food packs for 50 people but went up to thousands.

After many weeks we have reached more than a thousand food packs. Donors, sponsors, friends, and anonymous people at all levels drop and share their blessings like rice, canned goods, noodles, boxed chicken leg quarters, hotdogs, chicken feet, pork meat, crackers, chips, gummies, blankets, pillowcases, sanitizers, shampoos, face masks, packed lunch, sodas, juices and so on.

We made sure that all government-mandated protocols were followed, especially social distancing and sanitizing.

On May 27, 2020, due to the exploding unemployment of the locals and ex-pats alike, many of our fellow Filipinos were at a tipping point to decide just to go back to our country. Many whose permits expired were never renewed anymore because the economic condition was at worse (Projected to shrink by almost 12%), since local unemployment is highest at about 8,000 it is just natural course for Cayman to prioritize - we can never blame them because this is their motherland.

Many were left unemployed for more than 2 months and some since December. Even paying rent they did not have.

A challenge was introduced to voluntarily assist at least 2 Filipinos who were mostly in need and had no means to get airfare tickets which cost US$1,500 at that time.

The first FB Live evolved! We somehow copied an infamous Filipino back home that challenged the wealthy to donate rice to millions of Filipinos suffering at that time. Ours was somewhat different, since, we had around 3,000 Filipinos at that time, why not challenge all to donate $1.00 each, a dollar then can accumulate $3,000.00 and can at least send 2 Filipinos who cannot afford to buy a plane fare at that time?

Dion started the FB Live with Maricel, Alex, Celeste, and Jhen. We were later joined by the first background director Miss Ahvic. Series and series of live information and fund drives happened. The Bayanihan Show evolved. More guests came in to make the show livelier. Marites Perida serenaded us, Jerry Taoingan, Alejandro Salindato, and Rochelle Myles. 

Fellow Filipinos and some locals all around Cayman took their unattended pennies in their homes and volunteered to donate.

Online garage sales were organized, and we even had a barber for a cause done and headed by the famous father Badong & son Acer Ferreras, Rita Hernandez also provided massages and peel & eyebrow work, mango for a cause, coconut for a cause, owner of Prodigy Jewellery Mr. David Ebanks courtesy of Cheryl a Filipina who just recently worked for him as a sales staff also heeded the call and donated CI$1, 200 and a lot more. Due to the enormous and overwhelming support, we were able to generate funds to send not only 2 as originally planned but 8 Filipinos. 

Bayanihan at its BEST! The community was blessed to have anonymous donors from all walks of life as well.

The sweetest thing we remember when a Caymanian kid probably he was 7 at that time gave his piggy bank to share, a Pinay who was about to get rolled over gave all her change and coins that she saved for more than 8 years! You know what is the best part? She did not even want to be known and get advertised for her genuine contribution.

We had our online or live shows at that time already, we had Victoria Harding who initially assisted Dion and Alex Pastrana. We were able to help a cancer patient look for a donor, an online donor donated US$1,000 on the spot.

The first Thanksgiving and get-together of the 1st group was held in Cayman Kai on June 21, 2020.

Due to some restrictions and the safety of our volunteers, the 1st ever group decided to cease operation by June 22, 2020, when the government lifted the restriction and reduced suppression to Level 2, or namely minimal suppression.

But again, people still reached out for help! In just 3 months, the wonderful work continued. Cayman Bayanihan Filipino Community was registered as a Non-Profit Organization last September 25, 2020, by the Cayman Islands Government. Dion appointed great people in the Cayman Islands to join him on the 1st ever Executive Committee.

The first formal Thanksgiving as a CBFC Organization was held on October 18, 2020, at Prospect Youth Center

and the rest is HISTORY!!!!

Disclaimer: We tried our best to acknowledge and remember everyone who somehow was part of how the Cayman Bayanihan started. If you were part of it, kindly let us know, and will surely and gladly add you and your contributions.