Australia Day Honours: "Never did I think I would be awarded for an act of charity"

"I saw the children were buried in the mud. I cried and cried and cried, and I said how can I help this people, I really want to help. It really affected me that they're so helpless and they've lost everything - their loved-ones."

Tasmanian resident Rachel Bessant vividly recalls how emotionally affected she was upon watching on the television how a landslide buried alive an entire school - 226 children and teachers - and took the lives of a total of 1,126 people in Guinsaugon, Southern Leyte.

A devastating natural disaster in 2006 that changed the life of Ms Bessant, a native of Ormoc City in Leyte. After recovery from the emotional stress of seeing the catastrophic event, she quickly mobilised and was able to raise $13,000 in fund which she used to provide help to those who survived the landslide in her province.

Since then Ms Bessant has been regularly sending items - from clothes, food to wheelchairs and hospital beds and eventually founded her charity the Filipino Needy Children’s Fund to provide more charity for children and needy people in the Philippines including feeding program for about 3,000 school children. A charitable act she never thought would give her recognition.

Filipino Needy Children Fund Inc founder Rachel Bessant OAM Source: FNCFI

On Australia Day in 2019, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division of the 2019 Australia Day Honours Lists for her service to children in the Philippines. Indeed a proud moment for Rachel Bessant to stand along with the other recipients some of whom are doctors and lawyers as she was the lone Filipino awarded OAM that year.

Rachel Bessant (right) after being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 26 January 2019 with co-volunteer and charity supporter Martha Beard with Mayor of Launceston Abert Van Zetten Source: Supplied

"When I walk to the stage, my name was called, I think there was about 250 guests, when I walked there and I'm the only Filipina, truly it's an honour. I stood up there with my head high and I thought 'Oh my God', thank you for giving me this opportunity," recalls Ms Bessant.

Rachel Bessant tirelessly continues with her charity works providing help to many children and people in dire need in the Philippines and helping raise funds for victims of the Australian bushfires in particular the animals affected, she shares with pride that "never in her wildest dream she ever thought she will get an award like this" for she only aims to help those in need.

With her hard works she has been awarded the Key to the City of Manilla, and recently as Pride of Ormoc along with other certificate of appreciations.

Rachel Bessant (in black dress) receives the Pride of Ormoc award from Leyte representative Lucy Torres-Gomes and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez Source: FNCFI