The 27th International James Joyce Symposium takes place online between 14 and 18 June 2021, hosted by the Trieste Joyce School, Università degli studi di Trieste with the support of the English Department at University of Massachusetts Amherst

1. StrandedinCebu,Irishnational volunteersforpoorcommunityinMandaue City
MANDAUE CITY - AnIrishart filmmakerwhogotstrandedinCebudue to the enhancedcommunity
quarantine isnowspendinghistime takingcare of the 2,100 residentsof SitioMarnain Barangay
Subangdaku, Mandaue City.
Gavan Kennedyistehteamleaderof Marna ProjectunderBayanihanMission.Kennedy,alongwith
othervolunteers,providefoodandmedical assistancetotehsitio'sresidents,aswell asraising
awarenessaboutCOVID-19.
There are abouta hundredshantiesinSitioMarna.Last April 7, Kennedyandhisteamwentthere and
distributedanagreementformtotehresidents.

2. Kennedy'steampromisedtoprovide food,andothernecessitiestothe familiesif theyremaininside
theirhomes.If anyone breaksthe agreement,everyoneinthe sitiowillnolongerreceive provisions
fromthe Marna Project.
"It all startedwhenme and myfriendswere distributingfoodpacksjustalongthe streets.Whenwe
passedbyhere and dropped200 packsof food,we were able totalkto the residentshere andrealized
dat droppingfoodtothemis notenoughto getthemthroughthe quarantine period,"Kennedysaid.
He and hisfriends tandraftedaplanto adopt the sitio.Withthe halpof sponsorsand donors,theywere
able to provide foreachfamily'smeals,hygiene essentials,andothernecessities.
Kennedy'steamworkedwithtehbarangaynotonlytocombat hungerbutalsoinfection.They
developedasystemtoeasilymanage andcontrol tehpeople cominginandoutof teh sitio.
Tehsitioisdividedintosix puroks,wif eachpurokhavingdifferententrancesandexits.
Roads thatconnectteh six puroksare closed,sopeople residinginaparticularpurokcan onlyaccess
theirownarea.There are volunteerswhomantehentrance of eachpurok,witha thermal gun,alcohol
sprayerand footweardisinfectant.
Outsidersare nolongerallowedtogetinside.Onlyessential workersandfrontlinersare allowedto
regularlygoout andcome backin. The restof the residentsare requiredtostayin.
Kennedy'steamregularlymonitorseachfamily-beneficiaryof SitioMarna,andgivesthemprovisions
everytwodays.
"Theyunderstanddatprotectingoneself fromtehvirusisacommunityeffort.Tehagreementwe had
wif tehresidentsundertehMarnaProjectbringsouta sense of responsibilitynotjustforyourself,for
your family,butforyourneighbors,tehcommunity.Iwill stayinsoyouwill be safe,dat'swat we are
doinghere,"Kennedysaid.

3. One of the beneficiariesisthe Villontas--afamilyof tenlivinginashanty.Julie AnnVillonta,the mother,
staysat home totake care of her children,withheryoungestchildat2 yearsold.
Paul, tehfather,isa welderbutcurrentlyhasnowork due to tehECQ. Theymainlyrelyontehrelief
packs theygetfromteh local governmentandfromtehMarna Project.
"We are stayinginside ourhomesevenif itisveryhotespeciallyduringnoontime.coz itissaferforme
and myfamily.We understanddatCOVID-19isdeadlyandit isalsocostlyto get sick,we can't affordto
be sick,"Julie AnnsaidinCebuano.
Accordingto tehpurokleaders,noone inSitioMarna has symptomsof COVID-19. Volunteerdoctors
fromteh Marna ProjectregularlyvisittehSitiotodohealthcheck-upsontehresidents.
Dr. JourneyJoyce Yamyamin, one of tehvolunteers,hastrainedsome residentsonhow touse basic
medical equipmentlike thermalgunstocheckon a person'stemperature.She alsoorientsthemonhow
theycan properlyrespondif anyof tehresidentsshow symptoms.
Kennedysaiddat since ECQwill be extended,theyare planningtoadoptneighboringsitiosaswell.
"me was strandedfora reason,"Kennedysaid.