2025-09-30-accounts

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DARA BASCARA TRUST TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

The Trustees of the Dara Bascara Trust present their annual report for the financial period from 01 October 2024 to 30 September 2025 and confirm they comply with the guidelines set forth by the Charity Commission along with other applicable laws and regulations.

July 2026

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I.	Legal and Administrative Information.......................................................................... 2
A.	Overview ............................................................................................................................. 2
B.	Charitable Objects .............................................................................................................. 2
C.	Public Benefit ...................................................................................................................... 2
D.	Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 3
E.	Vision................................................................................................................................... 4
F.	Risk Management ............................................................................................................... 6
II.	Report of the Management Committee....................................................................... 6
A.	Activities .............................................................................................................................. 6
III.	Finances .............................................................................................................................. 8
A.	Overview ............................................................................................................................. 8
B.	Statement of Financial Activities ........................................................................................ 8
C.	Balance Sheet............................................................................................................ 9

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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: Frogmore House, Ormond Place Cheltenham GL50 1JD United Kingdom Phone: +44 2045772734 Email: darabascaratrust@gmail.com Trustees: Ryssa Magee Susan Cueva

Other trusteeship: Dr. Rachelle Bascara Foundation Other trusteeship: Southeast & East Asian Women’s Association (SEEWA)

Dr. Noemi Magnani Linda Vololona Colney

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 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.

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 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, a developing nation with a population exceeding 100 million, continues to face significant challenges in poverty reduction. In 2023, the highest poverty rates were observed among

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Indigenous Peoples (32.4%), fisherfolk (27.4%), and farmers (27.0%), indicating that these groups are the most affected by economic hardship, with a substantial portion of their populations living below the official poverty threshold (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024).[1]

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 contribute to the fabric of British society.[2] They work in a variety of sectors, such as healthcare, information technology, engineering, aviation, education, and hospitality. Meanwhile, around 20,000 British citizens live permanently in the Philippines.[3] Moreover, there are more than 200 Filipino community organisations and Filipino societies 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,[5] or approximately 8.4% of the population, are working and/or living abroad.

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.

Poverty in the Philippines continues to disproportionately affect specific sectors, with fisherfolk, farmers, and Indigenous Peoples consistently ranking among the most economically vulnerable.

1 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2025, March 21). Poverty statistics . https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/poverty

2 UK Government. (n.d.). The Philippines and the United Kingdom: Old friends, new horizons . https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thephilippines-and-the-united-kingdom-old-friends-new-horizons 3 Ibid.

4 Embassy of the Philippines – London. (n.d.). Filipino community organisations . Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines. - - - https://londonpe.dfa.gov.ph/com events/filipino community organisations

5 University of Innsbruck. (2024). Philippines in the focus of migration research . University of Innsbruck Newsroom. https://www.uibk.ac.at/en/newsroom/2024/philippines-in-the-focus-of-migration-research/

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Meanwhile, a 2024 World Bank report found that 59% of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines consider themselves poor, and 51% identify as "food poor", reflecting significant disparities in access to education, health services, and economic opportunities compared to non-Indigenous groups.[6]

Education-focused interventions remain essential in areas of the Philippines affected by poverty. One effective approach involves the provision of school supplies to reduce barriers to school attendance and learning engagement among children from economically disadvantaged families. Access to basic educational materials has been shown to improve school participation, self-esteem, and academic performance, especially in resource-limited communities.[7][8]

In terms of climate, the Philippines continues to be one of the most disaster-prone countries globally. According to the World Risk Report 2024, the country ranks highest in disaster risk among 193 economies. Approximately 60% of its total land area is exposed to multiple hazards, with nearly 74% of its population susceptible to the impacts of these hazards.[9] These disasters often have the most devastating effects on impoverished communities, where coping strategies typically include cutting back on essential expenditures such as education, healthcare, and nutritious food.[10]

At the household level, poverty is one of the most significant factors contributing to vulnerability. This is evident in disparities in access to basic services, insecure or hazard-prone housing, lower income levels, limited education, and lack of protective infrastructure.[11]

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.

6 World Bank. (2024, May 27). Access to education, health services, economic opportunities key to improving welfare of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines . https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/05/27/access-to-education-health-services-economicopportunities-key-to-improving-welfare-of-indigenous-peoples-in-ph

7 NVC Foundation. (n.d.). Education Projects . https://www.nvcfoundation-ph.org/education/

8 Outreach International. (2023, September). Supplies help children in schools in the Philippines . https://outreachinternational.org/blog/school-supplies-help-children-in-philippine-schools/

9 Asian Development Bank. (2024, November 26). $500 million ADB loan to bolster Philippines’ disaster resilience . https://www.adb.org/news/500-million-adb-loan-bolster-philippines-disaster-resilience

10 World Bank. (2021). Philippines – Vulnerability | Climate Change Knowledge Portal . https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/philippines/vulnerability

11 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2025, March 21). Poverty statistics . https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/poverty

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Second, we identify some preconditions and basic assumptions to achieve the long-term goal:
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 try to minimise the disruption in their lives, we enable them to go back to work at the soonest possible time, earn a sustainable income, and become selfsufficient.
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.

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We will continue to 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.

F. 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.

II. Report of the Management Committee

A. Activities

The Charity successfully opened its bank account in May 2025. Shortly thereafter, the Charity received its first funds from Kanlungan Filipino Consortium in the amount of 1,293.19 GBP. This amount was gathered from the Dara Bascara Memorial Fund, set-up during the wake and funeral services of the late Dara Bascara. Soon after, the Charity received a company donation in the amount of 1,000.00 GBP.

With the funds in place, the DBT Trustees set out to embark on its first project for the Charity with the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network, an organization dedicated to advocating children’s rights to education, particularly among the Lumads, an indigenous people group in southern Philippines with a long history of persecution and discrimination.

During Dara’s lifetime, she has worked with the SOS and the Lumad children. Thus, when we were approached by the SOS to support a major forum to be launched in Mindanao aimed at preventing and relieving poverty by advocating and upholding Lumad rights and education, the Charity did not hesitate to support the project, which was unanimously agreed on by all the Trustees.

In particular, the SOS initiative involved creating a programme for mental health and well being support for the Lumad children affected and their families, as well as school teachers who have been displaced after their schools were forcibly closed. According to the World Bank, “Education is a human right, a powerful driver of development, and one of the strongest investments for reducing poverty.”[12]

Some 10 – 12 family and community representatives from Lianga, New Bataan, and Talaingod participated in the programme. There were also 10 Lumad children and youth who attended. The programme was implemented and facilitated by a volunteer network educators/teachers and

12 World Bank. (2023,April 12). Ending Learning Poverty and Building Skills. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/9b9ecb979e36e80ed50b 1f110565f06b-0200022023/related/WB-EducationBrochure-APRIL-12-23-e-version-FINAL.pdf

DARA BASCARA TRUST Trustees’ Annual Report

psychosocial facilitators, as well as supported by SOS’ church allies, legal advocates, and sanctuary coordinators from NCR and Mindanao area.

In addition, the SOS Network also organised a photo exhibition to promote their advocacy and educational work on the need for schools for indigenous children in the Philippines. The exhibit was held on 27[th] of February at the University of the Philippines. It is being toured in different schools and universities, such as at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)on the 1[st] week of April 2026.

After completion of this first project, the Charity maintains contact with SOS and is monitoring the impact of its efforts and contributions.

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III. Finances

A. Overview

The Charity has sourced 2,293.19 GBP in donations to date and has utilized 1,000.00 GBP for its first project.

B. Statement of Financial Activities

	Unrestricte d funds	Restricted funds	Endowment funds	Total funds	Prior period Total funds	Further details
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies	2,293			2,293	0	A1
Charitable activities						A2
Other trading activities						A3
Investments						A4
Other						A5
Total
Expenditure on:
Raising funds						B1
Charitable activities	1,000			1,000	0	B2
Other						B3
Total	1,293			1,293	0

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

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Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined benefit pension schemes				D2
Other gains/(losses)				D3
Net movement in funds	1,293	1,293	0

Reconciliation of funds:				E
Total funds brought forward	0	0	0
Total funds carried forward	1,293	1,293	0

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.

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

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Investments			B3
Cash at bank and in hand	1,293	0	B4
Total current assets	1,293	0
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	1,293	0
The funds of the charity:			D
Endowment funds			D1
Restricted income funds			D2
Unrestricted funds	1,293	0	D3
Revaluation reserve			D4
Pension reserve			D5
Total unrestricted funds	1,293	0
Total charity funds	1,293	0

DARA BASCARA TRUST Financial Period 0110712024 to 3010612025

DARA BASCARA TRUST

I. Finances

A. Overview

The Charity has sourced 2,293.19 GBP in donations to date and has utilized 1,000.00 GBP for its first project.

B. Statement of Financial Activities

	Unrestricte d funds	Restricted funds	Endowment funds	Total funds	Prior period Total funds	Further details
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies	2,293			2,293	0	A1
Charitable activities						A2
Other trading activities						A3
Investments						A4
Other						A5
Total
Expenditure on:
Raising funds						B1
Charitable activities	1,000			1,000	0	B2
Other						B3
Total	1,293			1,293	0

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

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Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined benefit pension schemes				D2
Other gains/(losses)				D3
Net movement in funds	1,293	1,293	0

Reconciliation of funds:				E
Total funds brought forward	0	0	0
Total funds carried forward	1,293	1,293	0

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.

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

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Investments			B3
Cash at bank and in hand	1,293	0	B4
Total current assets	1,293	0
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	1,293	0
The funds of the charity:			D
Endowment funds			D1
Restricted income funds			D2
Unrestricted funds	1,293	0	D3
Revaluation reserve			D4
Pension reserve			D5
Total unrestricted funds	1,293	0
Total charity funds	1,293	0

Table of Contents

I. Legal and Administrative Information

B. Charitable Objects

C. Public Benefit

D. Strategy

E. Vision

F. Risk Management

II. Report of the Management Committee

A. Activities

III. Finances

B. Statement of Financial Activities

C. Balance Sheet

Trustees’ Annual Report

I. Finances

A. Overview

B. Statement of Financial Activities

C. Balance Sheet

DARA BASCARA TRUST