04 November 2004 – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo commended the Filipino communities in Canada, the Nordic Region of Europe and the United States, as well as the Philippine Foreign Missions, under whose jurisdiction they fall for coming together in the spirit of bayanihan to help their less fortunate kababayans here in the Philippines.  “I am always delighted when reports from our foreign posts reach me of efforts made by expatriate Filipinos to help the plight of Filipinos back home.  These show that that the spirit of bayanihan is still very strong even among Filipinos who find themselves far from their motherland and is something worthy of emulation by all Filipinos,” Secretary Romulo said.

Filipinos in Ottawa, Canada to Donate Two Classrooms

Philippine Ambassador to Canada Francisco L. Benedicto reported to Secretary Romulo that the Filipino community in Ottawa, Canada pledged to donate two more classrooms under the Classroom Galing sa Mamamayang Pilipino Abroad (CGMA) Program.  This brings to eight the total number of classrooms donated by the Filipino community in the areas of Ottawa and Kingston.

The two classrooms are to be constructed in schools in the National Capital Region, particularly in Tondo District, Manila.  The Filipino community raised the amount of Cdn$10,000 (roughly US$8,000) from donations of private individuals residing in Ottawa for the two classrooms.  The amount was remitted to the CGMA Secretariat’s account on 29 October.

Ambassador Benedicto hosted an appreciation dinner for the classroom donors.  During the reception, leaders of various Filipino community organizations such as the Philippine Heritage Foundation of Canada renewed their support for the CGMA Program.

Filipinos in the Nordics Turn over Classrooms

Philippine Ambassador to Sweden, Norway and Finland Victoria S. Bataclan also reported to Secretary Romulo that Filipino organizations in Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki turned over three deeds of donation amounting to US$5,600 for the CGMA Program locally known there as the Adopt-a-Classroom Project of Filipino Communities.  The amount represents proceeds from the concerts of the De La Salle University Chorale in the Nordic Cities, which were organized in June and July 2004 by the local Filipino community, in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Stockholm.

The donors have chosen to support the Kadigasan Elementary School in Midsayap West, North Cotabato, which has a classroom to pupil ratio of 1:335.  Under the CGMA Program, the school has a construction target of six classrooms.  It is anticipated that more classroom donations would materialize within the next 12 months as a result of a work program that will be formulated at the first-ever Nordic and Baltic Regional Conference of Filipino Associations set for 12-13 November 2004 in Helsingborg, Sweden.

According to one Filipino community leader, “this project brought together Filipino communities and associations in unity, solidarity and support for our native country.  We supported this project not just to build a classroom but also to help widen possibilities for Filipino pupils to develop their own capacity, creativity and self-confidence so that they would be molded to become responsible citizens.  This is just a beginning...we have a lot more to do.”

Ambassador Bataclan expressed elation that despite the modest amount initially raised for the CGMA project, various Filipino organizations have come together as active partners of the Embassy in projecting a good image of the Philippines and contributing to national development.  "It is a very good indication of Filipinos in the Nordic region to contribute to the 10-point development agenda of President.  Our thanks also go to the De La Salle University Chorale for sharing their talents for a worthy cause,” Ambassador Bataclan said.

Filipinos in the US Give Donation to Quezon Institute

The Federation of Independent Legions of Immigrant Philippine-Americans in the North Americas (FILIPINAS) led by its President, Dr. Crispin Fernandez recently donated US$2,500 to the Philippine Consulate General's Program for Poverty Alleviation to benefit the Children's Pavilion Fund of the Quezon Institute (QI) in the Philippines.

Launched by the Philippine Consulate General in early 2000, the Program for Poverty Alleviation has since mobilized more than US$100,000 from the Filipino community for the benefit of the poor in the Philippines.  The Program's two components are the expansion of the QI pediatric ward and a micro-finance support program for livelihood projects, targeting women as its main beneficiary.

The QI primarily serves underprivileged Filipinos who are suffering from various forms of lung ailments, specifically tuberculosis. The hospital's pediatric department, traditionally referred to as the Children's Pavilion, is the beneficiary of the FILIPINAS donation.  END