2022-09-30-accounts - Dara Bascara Trust

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

DARA BASCARA TRUST TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

The Trustees of the Dara Bascara Trust present their annual report for the financial period ending on 30 September 2022 and confirm they comply with the guidelines set forth by the Charity Commission along with other applicable laws and regulations.

May 2023

DARA BASCARA TRUST Trustees’ Annual Report

Table of Contents	Table of Contents
I.	Legal and Administrative Information.......................................................................................... 2
	A. Overview .................................................................................................................................. 2
	B. Charitable Objects ................................................................................................................... 2
	C. Public Benefit ........................................................................................................................... 2
	D. Strategy ................................................................................................................................... 3
	E. Vision ....................................................................................................................................... 4
II.	Report of the Management Committee....................................................................................... 6
	A. Activities .................................................................................................................................. 6
	B. Risk Management .................................................................................................................... 7
III.	Finances............................................................................................................................................. 8
	A. Overview .................................................................................................................................. 8
	B. Statement of Financial Activities ............................................................................................. 8
	C. Balance Sheet ........................................................................................................................ 10

DARA BASCARA TRUST

Trustees’ Annual Report

I. Legal and Administrative Information

A. Overview

Charity Name: Dara Bascara Trust Charity Registration Number: 1196985 Date of Registration: 07 December 2021 Governing Document: CIO – Foundation Constitution Registered Office: c/o Bahay Kubo Housing Association Hackney Cvs The Adiaha Antigha Centre 24-30 Dalston Lane London E8 3AZ Phone: 02081445184 Email: darabascaratrust@gmail.com Trustees: Rafael Joseph Maramag Chair Susan Cueva Other trusteeship: Kanlungan Filipino Consortium Linda Colney Dr. Noemi Magnani Dr. Konstantin Rozanov Other trusteeship: Dr. Rachelle Bascara Foundation

B. Charitable Objects

The Dara Bascara Trust (the “Charity”) was established in 2021 by friends and colleagues in honour of the late Dr. Rachelle Bascara to carry on her humanitarian work.

The Charitable Objects of the of the Charity are:

“The Charitable Objects of the Dara Bascara Trust reflect the humanitarian work of Dr. Rachelle Bascara (“Dara”) during her life, with a particular focus on her homeland, the Philippines. The mission of the Dara Bascara Trust is the prevention and/or relief of poverty by (i) providing or assisting in the provision of items and other necessary support designed to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be selfsufficient; (ii) undertaking relief projects during a crisis and/or natural disaster; and (iii) pursuing such other activities that fulfil the Charitable Objects of the Dara Bascara Trust.”

The Charity’s mission, following Dr. Bascara’s example not only in what it does but also in how it does it, is to achieve the greatest positive impact among those in need utilizing the fewest resources in an effective and responsible manner. This summary business plan outlines the main elements of how the Charity seeks to achieve its Charitable Objects.

C. Public Benefit

The Charity aims to benefit the poorest and most disadvantaged individuals and communities in the Philippines. It aims to benefit those who lack even the most basic essentials to sustain life, and it aims

DARA BASCARA TRUST

Trustees’ Annual Report

to aid communities in the wake of a natural disaster or an emergency. It also seeks to benefit the most vulnerable members of poor communities such as but not limited to children and women.

The Philippines is a developing country of over 100 million people with more than 16% of the population living below the poverty line according to the latest publicly available statistics and other reputable sources.[1][2]

The Philippines and the UK have strong bilateral ties that rest on people. There are over 200,000 Filipinos living and working in the UK, many of them have acquired British citizenship and contributing to the fabric of British society. They work in a variety of sectors, such as information technology, engineering, aviation, education, and hospitality. Meanwhile, around 17,000 British citizens live permanently in the Philippines.[3] Moreover, there are 200 Filipino community associations / charities in the UK registered with the Philippine Embassy.[4]

The Filipino community is growing significantly worldwide, positively influencing economic and social relationships between the Philippines and destination countries. To date, more than 10 million Filipinos, or about 10 percent of the population, are working and/or living abroad.[5]

D. Strategy

The Charity is established primarily to prevent and relieve poverty in the Philippines.

Fundamental to the success of the Charity in achieving its purpose is having a deep understanding of the scale, scope, and nature of needs from multiple perspectives, ranging from studies conducted by multinational organizations and NGOs to local knowledge of the affected communities.

In order to better identify specific beneficiaries and their charitable needs, the trustees consult relevant studies and research and develop a robust plan for each initiative that includes active participation of community stakeholders in decision-making.

The Charity identifies its beneficiaries and their charitable needs through the following criteria:

(i) Examining publicly available information, research studies of local and international experts, including works of other organisations, and the historical and actual experiences of the trustees
(ii) Conducting interviews and using the testimonies of community stakeholders

Specifically, as examples of the above, the trustees regularly review local and international studies on identifying and responding to charitable needs of Indigenous Peoples (IP) in the Philippines and monitor news and official reports on natural disasters / crises in the country.

1 "Population, total – Philippines," The World Bank, accessed November 5, 2021,

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?end=2020&locations=PH&start=1960&view=chart

2 Borgen Project. 2020. "Combating Poverty in The Philippines". The Borgen Project . https://borgenproject.org/tag/poverty-in-thephilippines/.

3 GOV.PH. 2015. "Philippine-British Bilateral Relations". Londonpe.Dfa.Gov.Ph. https://londonpe.dfa.gov.ph/bilateral-relations.

4 GOV.PH. 2019. "Filipino Community Organisations". Londonpe.Dfa.Gov.Ph. https://londonpe.dfa.gov.ph/com-events/filipino-communityorganisations.

5 Maruja M.B. Asis, “The Philippines: Beyond Labor Migration, Toward Development and (Possibly) Return,” Migration Information Source, July 12, 2017, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/philippines-beyond-labor-migration-toward-development-and-possibly-return

DARA BASCARA TRUST

Trustees’ Annual Report

In the Philippines, the IP communities remain among the poorest and most disadvantaged peoples. Because they have retained their traditional pre-colonial culture and practices, they were subjected to discrimination and few opportunities for major economic activities, education, or political participation.[6] As a result, they have been resistant to development and information, thus have been driven to geographically isolated disadvantaged areas with no adequate and accessible basic services.

A study shows that public schools are either inaccessible or non-existent in IP communities. IP groups live in the mountains and isolated rural areas.[7] Thus, education interventions become necessary in these areas. One form of intervention is the provision of school supplies in order to support entry to schools.[8]

In terms of climate, the Philippines is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world. At least 60% of its total land area and close to 74% of its population are exposed to multiple natural hazards, including typhoons, earthquakes, floods, storm surges, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.[9] The poorest often suffer the most serious consequences of disasters and the losses of livelihoods, as the coping strategies in the Philippines include reducing spending on education, medicine, and nutrient-rich food. At the household level, poverty is one the most important factors determining vulnerability, which is reflected in the access to basic services and resources, location of housing, yearly earnings, education, safety, and so on.[10]

Part of the process of identifying specific charitable needs is engagement with the victims of poverty themselves, through an evaluation and monitoring process. For example, volunteers may collect basic socio-economic information through surveys after presenting the project to affected persons. The following criteria may be used to identify the neediest individuals, families, and/or communities in terms of housing conditions, income, family size and composition, health condition, and access to social networks. A final interview could be conducted to complete the selection process.

On the basis of these criteria as well as the judgment and experience of the trustees, the Charity seeks to identify specific charitable needs and determine who the organisation should help in fulfillment of its Charitable Objects.

E. Vision

The long-term goal of the Charity is to have a measurable and meaningful positive impact on the communities most affected by poverty in the Philippines while operating an economically sustainable and well-governed organisation.

We measure the tangible positive impact of our activities through the Theory of Change:

First, we identify the desired long-term goal, that is, lifting the poor out of poverty.
Second, we identify some preconditions and basic assumptions to achieve the long-term goal:

6 "Community Organizing for Indigenous People in the Philippines," published June 29, 2021, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.24.21259509v1.full

7 "The Indigenous World 2021: Philippines," IWGIA, published March 18, 2021, https://www.iwgia.org/en/philippines/4243-iw-2021philippines.html

8 Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples (ECIP) (2014). Indigenous Peoples Education: From Alienation to Rootedness. Pasig City: Department of Education, Indigenous Peoples’ Education Office.

9 Building a Resilient Recovery," The World Bank, accessed November 5, 2021,

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/34899/Philippines-Economic-Update-Building-a-Resilient-Recovery.pdf 10 "Disaster Risk Reduction in the Philippines," UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, accessed November 5, 2021, https://www.unisdr.org/files/68265_682308philippinesdrmstatusreport.pdf

DARA BASCARA TRUST

Trustees’ Annual Report

The poor must have access to education. We assume that the provision of school supplies to children belonging to indigenous groups in the Philippines, for instance, would enable them to attend school.
The poor must have access to employment. We assume that by providing emergency relief to victims of natural disaster or crisis, including food supplies, cooking sets, bedding, tools, and materials, we enable them to go back to work, earn a sustainable income, and become self-sufficient.
The poor must be involved in community decision-making. We assume that providing essential supplies and basic necessities to the poor would improve their living conditions and would allow them to become active participants in shaping society and their future.
Third, we develop indicators (population and threshold) to measure the implementation and effectiveness of the initiative.

For example, indicators may include:

Outcome 1: Access to education Indicator: School enrolment Population: IP elementary students Threshold: Remain in school until elementary graduation Outcome 2: Access to employment Indicator: Employment Population: Victims of natural disaster / crisis Threshold: Remain in job at least X months and earn a minimum wage Outcome 3: Participation in decision-making Indicator: Attendance Population: IP communities Threshold: Missing more than three meetings

Finally, we identify interventions to demonstrate how our work is going to change the community. One to three years after the first project, the organisation shall have mechanisms for data collection and evaluation to provide an overview of the outcome and to inform stakeholders. A successful Theory of Change requires effective coordination among non-profit organizations, administrations, local authorities, businesses, and civil societies.

We will continue promote compassion and altruism through public awareness campaign and raising funds for poor communities. We will continue to identify and benefit the most vulnerable members of poor communities. We will continue to monitor the situation in the Philippines.

DARA BASCARA TRUST

Trustees’ Annual Report

II. Report of the Management Committee

A. Activities

Typhoon Relief

The Philippines is a typhoon-prone country due to its geographical location. It sits just above the equator and faces the western Pacific. Nearly one-third of the world’s tropical cyclones form within the western Pacific. The Philippines is visited by an average of twenty (20) typhoons each year, of which five (5) are destructive.

During her lifetime, Dr. Rachelle Bascara was involved in various poverty alleviating and relief operations, the most notable of which was the “Haiyan Relief Operations” when the Philippines was hit by super typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda). Dr. Bascara chaired the UK Filipino Disaster Coordination Group (composed of a network of UK based Filipino charities and non-government organisations), which raised much needed funds for the rehabilitation of the town of Albuerra, Leyte, a province in the Visayas that was gravely affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan.

Thus, when news of another super typhoon hit the Philippines in December 2021, soon after the Charity was approved for registration in the UK, it was an easy decision for the Trustees to agree that this would be the first project of the Charity.

Super Typhoon Rai (locally known as Odette) was the 15th storm to hit the country in 2021. Making its first landfall in the afternoon of 16 December 2021, Super Typhoon Rai, brought torrential rain, violent winds, mudslides, floods, and storm surges to central-southern Philippines, especially the Visayas and Mindanao Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 195km/hour and gusts of 260km/hour. Contrary to predictions, Rai intensified from a tropical storm to a super typhoon within hours before making landfall. It exited the Philippines Area of Responsibility on 18 December as the 3rd ever strongest recorded storm in the Northern Hemisphere.[11]

The onslaught of Typhoon Rai came at such unpropitious times when the Philippines was already coping with increasing poverty and unemployment following two years of the pandemic.

The Trustees saw the opportunity to be involved in the relief mission through Damayang Migrante , a local NGO based in the Philippines. Damayang Migrante has a network of volunteers in the affected areas, specifically in Central Visayas. The Charity chose the island of Olango, based on the recommendation of Damayang Migrante , because the island was facing accessibility issues that had made it difficult for them to receive the much-needed and timely help they required.

Volunteers on the ground held discussions with local residents and identified the most basic of needs of the typhoon victims, which was rice. It must be noted that rice is the main staple food in the Philippines, consumed by 90% of the population. In addition, the aftermath of super typhoon Rai destroyed the fishing boats of the locals. Many of the residents rely on fishing for livelihood. Thus, with depleted cash and resources, the locals were not able to buy rice to feed their families. The state of poverty of the target beneficiaries cannot be over emphasized.

As a response, as the Charity was still organizing its activities, individual Trustees of the Charity volunteered to support in the provision and distribution of packs of rice per family, provided much

11 UN’s Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

DARA BASCARA TRUST

Trustees’ Annual Report

needed commodity to the residents and helped relieve hunger in the aftermath of the natural disaster that occurred. The relief mission covered twelve barangays or boroughs in the island of Olango. Six kilos of rice were distributed per family. More than Two Hundred families benefited from the relief mission.

Two members of the Trustees were present at the island to personally distribute the packs of rice. They were able to witness the joyful smiles of the beneficiaries that speak of the deep sense of gratitude and appreciation they felt. The relief mission served as a stopgap measure until the relief efforts from the city government reached the island. In the future, the Charity aims to provide more substantial and long-term support to the communities affected by natural disasters.

At the time of the relief mission, the Trustees received support from well-established organisations such as Damayang Migrante and Kanlungan Filipino Consortium . Through this collaboration, the much-needed assistance and relief arising from the natural disaster was successfully achieved.

B. Risk Management

The Charity has established a Risk Management Plan which provides a framework and policy for how risk will be managed within the organisation. The Risk Management Plan is based on the guidelines provided by the Charity Commission for England and Wales as well as other applicable laws and regulations.

The Risk Management Plan addresses risks across the following categories: governance, operational risk, finance risk, environmental and external risk, as well as compliance risk.

The Trustees have given consideration to the major risks to which the Charity is exposed and managed such risks through following the risk management procedure: risk identification; risk assessment; risk response planning; risk monitoring, controlling, and reporting, pursuant to the Risk Management Plan.

DARA BASCARA TRUST Trustees’ Annual Report

III. Finances

A. Overview

The Charity has not sourced nor used any funds to date.

B. Statement of Financial Activities

	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Endowment funds	Total funds	Prior period Total funds	Further details
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies						A1
Charitable activities						A2
Other trading activities						A3
Investments						A4
Other						A5
Total
Expenditure on:
Raising funds						B1
Charitable activities						B2
Other						B3
Total

Net gains/(losses) on investments						B4
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds						C
Other recognized gains/(losses):
Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed assets						D1
Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined benefit pension schemes						D2
Other gains/(losses)						D3
Net movement in funds

Reconciliation of funds:						E

DARA BASCARA TRUST

Trustees’ Annual Report

Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward

A1 Income from donations and legacies;
A2 Income from charitable activities;
A3 Income from other trading activities;
A4 Investment income
A5 Other income; Analysis of income in the notes to the accounts;
B1 Expenditure on raising funds;
B2 Expenditure on charitable activities;
B3 Other expenditure;
Analysis of expenditure in the notes to the accounts;
B4 Gains/(losses) on investments;
C Transfers between funds;
D1 Gains/(losses) on revaluations of fixed assets;
D2 Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined benefit pension schemes;
D3 Other gains/(losses); and
E Reconciliation of funds.

DARA BASCARA TRUST Trustees’ Annual Report

C. Balance Sheet

	Total funds	Prior year funds	Further details
	£	£
Fixed assets:			A
Intangible assets			A1
Tangible assets			A2
Heritage assets			A3
Investments			A4
Total fixed assets
Current assets:			B
Stocks			B1
Debtors			B2
Investments			B3
Cash at bank and in hand			B4
Total current assets
Liabilities:			C
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year			C1
Net current assets or liabilities			s
Total assets less current liabilities
Creditors: Amounts falling due more than one year			C2
Provisions for liabilities			C3
Net asset or liabilities excluding pension asset or liability
Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability			C4
Total net assets or liabilities
The funds of the charity:			D
Endowment funds			D1
Restricted income funds			D2
Unrestricted funds			D3
Revaluation reserve			D4
Pension reserve			D5
Total unrestricted funds
Total charity funds