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| the birthday girl at her gift giving post |
For many in Negros Island and its outlying provinces this remains a place where life can be a terrifying gamble. Families left to fend for themselves with rarely much support; where calamity moves faster than hope; and too many children have their lives and dreams cut short too soon.
In these neighborhoods, what catches the attention as we look around is a chilling observation — it is safer to be a soldier in the trenches than an infant in our islands.
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| at a local carabao dairy farm |
It is not just the poverty — this is a public health emergency hiding in plain sight. Children are underfed and malnourished, mothers lack basic medical and other support, and epidemics sweep through villages like wildfire.
Facing her own challenges and limits, Millie refuses to accept this as inevitable. Instead, she dives in with selfless service.
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| reclining carabao from Millie’s personal collection |
As she collaborates with teams and communities to defeat disease and improve health, she manages to remain hopeful and full of faith. Finding joy under a bright canopy even amid harrowing surroundings and hectic schedules.
Her inner child shines through in her attentiveness and leadership — enjoying as hard as working, always finding fulfilment and delight in every effort.
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| a new addition in stone |
Her growing collection of carabao figures is a grounding testament to her personal attitude and practice. Solid, constant, reliable — the carabao is a creature symbolic of our farm, farmers, and farming history. Giving all of itself to support and sustain us and our communities.
She steps into the chaos with a bold idea — prevention could be more powerful than cure. She builds systems that treats mothers as partners, not problems. She teaches safe nutrition care to exhausted women who too often lack guidance.
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| the smallest piece in her collection |
Along with her dedicated team, she creates clean feeding stations, trains mothers and carers, and advocates for basic life giving measures that seem obvious now but are often overlooked or absent.
The same areas that once lost too many of its infants is now watching them survive, grow, and thrive. Her efforts cross over beyond Bacolod, into and past other borders — shaping public health and disaster relief in ways we solidly rely on.
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| carabao art she first purchased for her lolo |
She proves that salvation is not about miracles — it is about giving people the knowledge, dignity, and power that is their divine right.
Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation, Inc. was established in August 2010 in Bacolod City. NVC is a Philippine registered and certified non-stock, non-profit organization pioneered and led by private citizens and teams of volunteers that serve distressed communities all over the country.
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| with #Goyito & her award from Philippine Daily Inquirer |
Providing nutrition, education, and livelihood where needed. With Millie Kilayko as its President and CEO, the communities and areas they serve are cared for and seen to. Millie is the gift that keeps on giving.
Originally published at https://baotheunbowed.blogspot.com on November 16, 2025.
Writer: Issa Urra
