Draft:Filipino Bayanihan

Bayanihan, a Filipino word derived from the root word bayan which means community, town, etc. What makes this phenomenon special is that it is so uniquely Filipino. One of the earliest examples of bayanihan in the Filipino culture is in the rural areas, wherein residents of a nation helped new residents move in. Men would carry the house of the new resident (bahay kubo) on their backs through the use of bamboo sticks.

This Filipino trait shows how much Filipinos like to help each other, especially in times of need. In modern times, we can see bayanihan especially during calamities. An example of this is shown during the 2013 typhoon Haiyan, aka Yolanda. This typhoon hit the Philippines hard during the days of November 3-11. Filipinos gathered in support for their fellow kababayans in need by donating food and clothes, and creating fundraising initiatives to help those who were struck heavily by the typhoon.

A more specific example of bayanihan during typhoon Yolanda is how the Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development, Inc. formed teams to rove around and check the status of houses in areas struck by Yolanda. These teams ensure that the houses are well-prepared and have disaster risk reduction techniques to prevent big damages during calamities. Some families refuse, while others do not have enough money to fund these improvements. The team then adjusts to the needs of each family to ensure that everyone is safe and protected.