We are in the monsoon season as we write this update letter to you. Due to worse typhoons that have hit the country in recent years, we have coordinated with the city government three months earlier and invited them to provide an interactive seminar for our center. The seminar on DISASTER  RISK  REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT (DRRM) discussed the need to lessen  the environmental impact of disasters like climate change, and promote the involvement of communities concerned, especially our communities in Pag-asa Social Center. The speakers who came stressed the implementation of actions and measures relating to all aspects of DRRM, which includes risk assessment and early warning, information awareness, the reduction of underlying risk factors, and preparedness for effective response and early recovery. By knowing what to do in these situations, people can then better cope with various calamities.

Dr. Giuseppe Poidimani dedicatedly helped us in medical consultations of children and families for 3 months. In between the consultations, he also helped us in the Italians translations of our children’s letters where he confessed that oftentimes he gets teary-eyed for reading the letters.

Three months after the DRRM, we have tried to deal with another kind of ‘disaster’.  After noting how some parents talked to their children in a negative way, we have decided to offer a talk about VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN. Verbal, physical, emotional, psychological and economic abuse, are all crimes of violence which  involve emotional anguish, public humiliation for the woman or her child and denial of financial support or custody towards minor children.  These women understood that they can always avail of protection to prevent further acts of violence from happening again and have access to necessary relief. The relief granted under a protection order serves to safeguard them from further harm, to minimize any disruptions to their daily life, and to give them the opportunity to regain control of their own lives. Since then, we have  continued this series of education for our mothers.

A big number of Pag-asa families still have infants and we were very grateful to learn that the objective of this year’s celebration of NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH is to encourage all sectors of society to help in promoting the proper practice of BREASTFEEDING.  By organizing a half-day of activity, we offered a small lecture to the mothers. We explained to them that breastfeeding not only saves their babies from sickness, but also provides them with long-term benefits. Studies show that breastfed babies do better in school cognitive tests. There is also a positive correlation between breastfeeding and children’s educational attainment, according to surveys.

In between those series of seminars, monthly meetings were held in 8 different communities. The meetings were organized and conducted by Irene de los Angeles. She is a lawyer at 80, and one of the founders of the 7 social centers linked to the Focolare Movement in the Philippines. Topics in this year’s meetings focused on God’s will and how to always love Him through the neighbours nearest to us. The monthly ‘Word of Life’ was also read and deepened  with the sharing of experiences from the participants. The ‘Word of Life’  is a chosen sentence in the Gospel by which the Focolare members try to live.  In addition to the meetings, some topics concerning the environment and nutrition were also discussed.

Irene was so impressed with one particular group with whom she commented was really “a community in the making”. Coming from far places, the communities comprised of families and the youth, all showed up at the venue despite strong rains. The venue became very quiet during the talks. The speaker thought that the number of participants was lesser because everyone was listening intently for fear of missing a word of information. Almost everyone was so moved by the meeting.

In about three months that you would be receiving this update letter, the graduation ceremories for our children would also be held.

GRADUATING IN A RECESSION 

We have several students whom you have helped up to their college graduation. They are all graduating in the midst of a global recession. It has been a difficult year for the economy as there is a very stiff competition between graduates, laid-off  employees, and job-switchers vying for just few available jobs. Global outsourcing, smaller wages and smaller career growth give the jobseekers very limited options. They are either forced to get underemployed by taking a job out of their own field or just take any offer even if it does not give them the salary and the career that they deserve.

Today’s economy and job market are both presenting discouraging situations to find jobs. There are simultaneous layoffs and forced resignations from big companies and a lot of unexpected scenarios. Unfortunately, a jobseeker would just always find himself spending a lot of time attending interviews and online applications. Hundreds or even thousands could be competing for just one vacant position.

After two and a half months of jobhunting, our graduate students considered taking an internship in their field—believing that this was a good way to get their feet on a company and a step which may lead to a full-time position.  Subsequently, our very first graduate, a nursing student, fortunately landed a job in a famous clinic that provides accessible, affordable and efficient quality healthcare. Also, two of our Information Technology graduates are now working in the central business district of Makati City on their own chosen fields.  One is a web designer and developer at an ultimate one-stop online bookstore in the Philippines, while the other graduate works as a System Engineer in a leading company that  provides  equipment and systems to the retail industry.

Irene de los Angeles & Dr. Giuseppe Poidimani

TEACHERS AND TEACHING

Periodically, we have a number of children who bring home a bad report card. This may not be too alarming, but after having seen a pattern of poor grades and teachers started notifying us that some of our children are struggling with specific subjects, we again considered offering tutorial services.

We know that children’s lives at home can be much easier if the bulk of their homework has already been done or at least discussed before dinner time. For those who have studying problems, a neutral homework coach with knowledge of what is being covered at school is a great ally and who else better fit to be coaches but the  students themselves. Together with our three graduate teachers who are all currently teaching in our day care center, we organized a LEARNING CAMP for 15 high school students who were willing to help around 20 slow learners of Grades 1 to 3 elementary students.

However, considering that non-participation during school lessons by these slow learners might also be the reason for their low grades, we taught them how to socialize by building a good relationship with their tutors. Later on, the students realized that their teachers can be their friends too and that they shouldn’t assume their  teachers are traditional teachers who are unapproachable.

One  of our graduate teachers expressed desire to leave classroom teaching. He explained that he didn’t want to teach on the standard  setup, but  that he intends to pursue teaching in ALS program or Alternative Learning System. ALS is a free education program which benefits those who cannot afford formal schooling and adapts to their available schedule. There are only two ALS teachers in Tagaytay and he hopes very much to be the third one, and to make a difference.

Special thanks goes to RITA ZANON for her donation of € 800,00 for the benefit of our center.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 

Ronald Manguiat, the very first beneficiary of Pag-asa Social Center

Our future SPED (Special Education) teacher, RONALD MANGUIAT, the very first beneficiary of Pag-asa Social Center, is blind and currently doing ‘practice teaching’ for blind children. He has been making a difference for many years now and this year he surprised us again!  Just about to graduate next year, he has already received public recognition as one of the three BAYANING GURO’s (a hero teacher) during the commemoration of World Teachers’ Day and National Teachers’ Month. The event was aired on local TV last October and inspired all our children, even those without disabilities—to work hard and study well (see also http://channel11.gmanews.tv/front-row-presents-bayaning-guro.)

For the second consecutive year, Joshua and Daryl, our two children with special needs, competed once again in the 9^th SPED Olympics, a sports contest for children with disabilities. Thirty-one schools joined in this competition whose primary goal was to make these children feel that they can also live and share with their communities like normal kids. Some of the games were badminton, gymnastics, track and field, and other sports that would reveal their athletic prowess, despite their condition.  Joshua and Daryl joined the track and field division.

Before ending this update, we are happy to announce to all of you that finally, we have our own website pagasasocialcenter.org , designed and developed for free by our friend Henry Angeles. Please take a look at it! We hope you’ll like it! Please see our website and new e-mail address on the footer.

Now Christmas is fast approaching and we leave you with this message:

THERE ARE MANY MILES BETWEEN US, BUT THIS SEASON’S GREETING IS FOR YOU, TO WISH YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES A WORLD OF HAPPINESS ON THIS BLESSED CHRISTMAS DAY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM DEEP DOWN IN OUR HEARTS AND A BIG “THANK YOU” FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!!!

- Frank, Arlyn and the staff of Pag-asa Social Center Foundation Inc.

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- Update Letter in English
- Update Letter in Italian (Italiano)

Letter from the Mayor of Tagaytay City

Letter from the Mayor of Tagaytay City 2

Original Christmas letter from Chiara Lubich (2003)

Translation of the Christmas Letter of Chiara Lubich

We have just finished the summer season while most of you are just about to enjoy summer vacation. Here we are again with some news about the months of December to June. We would like to thank you all for taking time to read our updates, for writing us and your children, and sending extra donations for the benefit of our children, the center, and our projects.

As Pag-asa Center moves on, it is always filled with novelty projects for the benefit of the children and their families. Almost every month there are things happening that we are proud to tell you about right away and we feel like we can-not wait for another six months just to let you know of our activities here. That’s why we created a social networking account (facebook) only for you. There you can

A nativity scene in one of the many beautiful Christmas presentations.

find us in galleries of photos and short write-ups. Several of you have already added us as friends and commented or “liked” us. Once again we invite all of you to check Pag-asa’s Facebook Page. If you wish to see recent photos of your supported children just tell us and we will be more than willing to grant your requests. Some of the news you will read now have been posted already to our facebook account.

Our months-long preparation for our Christmas party last December became: “The best Christmas Party ever of Pag-asa”! This was the remark of most people who approached and congratulated us during and right after the event. Some guests, due to conflicting commitments, told us beforehand that they would have to leave early. However, they couldn’t separate themselves from their seats because they were so glued to the presentations on stage. Barely a month after that we recalled our beginnings: after the Thanksgiving mass where Frank Schmelzer, the head of Pag-asa shared: “Pag-asa has no exact date of birth. We had no plan for starting something like this. We only came up with the anniversary January „09, because the death of Silvio (the son of Natalina Pellizzari, a foster parent who helped to start Pag-asa) is very relevant to the beginnings of Pag-asa, which, in 1997, did not even have a name yet.”

When Silvio died, Natalina was told: “Look, you lost one child, and only a mother can understand what it means, but you could have more than a hundred children back.” … and that‟s how something big like Pag-asa came to life.

Pag-asa is now 14 years old and in those years we have been acquainted with the way family members seek help. The help we extend is only for the studies, feeding and health programs of a child but usually here in Pag-asa when you officially support a child, the families assume that the support is meant for the whole family.

To make the familes realize that we can be partners in helping them and their neighbours we called for a meeting with the barangay officials on January 25 to discuss:

- Poverty alleviation – through income generation and livelihood projects.

- Food security – by promoting production and proper utilization of foods.

The mothers of our children received their certificates in Massage Therapy

After that initiative on our part, providence started pouring in: We received boxes of medicines from different donors. We had more than enough of them at that moment and to keep the providence circulating we distributed some boxes to the barangay health centers. A philanthropist from Manila who wished to remain anonymous donated a big amount for our livelihood programs and a member who acquired a special skill shared it with our mothers who were unemployed at that moment.

Speaking about unemployment, the number of unemployed persons in the Philippines is growing ever more, mainly among the youth. In addition, every year there is an estimated half million graduates who are out looking for a job. Pity to those who have not even finished a vocational course. Even worse, more and more are being displaced by companies everyday here and abroad.

Of course even Pag-asa is faced with this kind of problem among its members and they are left with no choice but to find other means to earn a living. With the hope of alleviating the growing unemployment rate, hand in hand we started a new livelihood training program in February with the help of Laura Novela, one of the mother beneficiaries of Pag-asa who first undertook training (outside Pag-asa) in massage therapy and later shared with Pag-asa what she learned. The first batch was made up of 14 mothers and even before they finished the course, clients had already started look-ing for them thus providing them a newly found source of income which they will be forever grateful for.

LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMS

One of the fathers of our children who acquired of the Cattle Fattening Livelihood.

Dear friends, you might know that many members of Pag-asa are also tenant farmers or farm caretakers and they are participating in cattle fattening schemes. They raise cows, and then they sell them at the market. This is a very important source of revenue for them. Most of them however don’t own the cows they are fattening because they cannot afford to.

With the help of a generous contributor, the Cattle Fattening Livelihood was realized in Pag-asa. We had 5  fathers who acquired this livelihood program and their hearts are overflowing with gratitude for this opportunity. Theirs (and also our) hope is, that one day with the income they will get from the sales they will be able to buy their own cattle to fatten!

Interested parents also took advantage of our newly launched livelihood projects on swine fattening and chicken poultry raising.

Even our FAVOLA shirt Livelihood Program is going ahead. Beside our already well known tourist T-shirts which we are selling throughout the country, now there are more and more requests for “made-to-order” printed T-shirts, not only by groups, friends, organizations, parishes and beach resorts within the Philippines, but also by friends, sponsors and organizations in Europe, who in this way want to help our Project and in return get quality at a reasonable price . If you or your friends are interested, just contact us through our website.

Favola Shirts

HEARTWARMING GIFTS

In March, after one year having enrolled their child in our pre-school, with many seminars for parents, our grateful parents wrote a collective letter of thanks to Pag-asa Social Center during the Family Day celebration. Here are some excerpts from their letter:

“Thank you… for teaching us to listen to the will of God and to be contented about the things we have. Slowly we are changing to become better parents. We have become closer and more loving towards our families, our spouses, and our children. …for showing us that nothing is impossible if God is with us. You have strengthened our communication with God. …and for helping us realize the importance of communicating with our children. You’ve taught our children not only academically but also, imparted to them with good values in life.

We were really touched by those words and to add to our joy, we were awarded by the Department of Education a certificate of recognition and appreciation for our valuable and continuous support extended to indigent school children.

Dear friends, because of your generous support, we are very proud to tell you that 5 of our university scholars have graduated this year: two of them are now teachers while the other 3 finished computer courses. Our happiness was really overflowing specially when two of our graduates passed the board: one in nursing and another in teaching.

Family Day: Some of our daycare children telling Frank what they wanted to be when they grow up.

SMILING SHOES

And then came April, a break from school..

Just because the school year has ended in April does not mean that the educational opportunities for our children are over as well. Since learning can take place throughout the year, even outside the classroom, we organized their vacations to include both fun and educational activities, helping them to learn with-out it feeling like a chore.

One of these activities is the basketball game… Team “Pag-asa”, our basketball team, is still at the beginning – but more than learning the fundamentals of the game, the team learned that playing basketball is not playing against opponents… They make friends with the opponents instead, remembering in every game the Cube of Love. After having played with our friends in Saint Gregory Academy in Indang, Cavite, they all came back home happy. They did not only win the game, but they also won friends. While they all wore smiles on their faces, their shoe soles were also smiling as they were slowly being torn apart from their toe-caps.

Some of our staff receiving a certificate of recognition from the Department of Education.

Team Pag-asa is an indigent team and buying a pair of even rubber shoes, in a flea market is difficult for them. Finding a used big box, one of us then turned it into a “Shoe donation box”. As it was displayed in the lobby of our Center, family members started to drop their extra and slightly used rubber shoes. Now only their faces are smiling because their shoes are better.

SUMMER OUTING 2011

School vacation will not be complete without the most awaited treat for our children, the summer outings! They say that children are like cement. Whatever falls on them while the cement is fresh makes an impression. To make less privileged children happy, by bringing them on an outing during this season

Teatro Pag-asa

(April and May) they deserve to enjoy too, is a way of showing them that there is hope, no matter how cruel life seems to them. Giving them hope encourages optimism in them, providing them a better chance to live happy and productive lives. If we do not show them kindness, they will take the path of hopelessness. Under the blazing heat of the sun, the children took time to go swimming. Everyone ate, sang, and played the day away. Then we wrapped the day up with multiple pictorial shots.

Dear friends, all this news was made possible because of your continuous support for us. Come rain or shine, you remain with us. Endless thanks to you!!! We know that some of you are sacrificing your vacation to help your needy children but may we still wish you a wonderful summer vacation! See you next updating!

- Frank, Arlyn and the staff of Pag-asa Social Center Foundation Inc.

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- Update Letter in English
- Update Letter in German (Deustsch)
- Update Letter in Italian (Italiano)

After only a few months, here again we have the latest news of our activities from July to November this year. Thanks through your continuous support and love, we are now able to improve the lives of 471 children from 274 families (October 2010)! Our gratitude also for all of you who gave us such encouraging feedback on our latest update-letter! We really feel more and more that we are one great family with all of you!

Blessing of the Medical Clinic October 29, 2010

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

During the earlier years of Pag-asa, we were organizing mass Church weddings to benefit many poor couples who had been living already together for years because of lack of money to get married. This program gives the couples the opportunity to have their matrimonial union in church and give them a decent ceremony without spending too much. We were able to accommodate most of them for their marriages except for those who had difficulties processing their papers. Last July, after a very long wait to have their papers fixed, three (3) of our poor couples finally exchanged vows during a mass wedding held at our local Parish Church.

We also discovered that many children were born to Catholic parents but grew up without having their baptism in Church. Lack of time, money, education and sometimes a question of faith were the reasons in most cases. Preparing the families on their way towards faith, this year we were able to celebrate a mass with baptism for five of our children.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION PROGRAMS

In Light, there is Hope…

Blessing

Chiara Luce Badano, a young girl from northern Italy, died 20 years ago at the age of only 18 years. She has been beatified last September 25, 2010 in Rome, and so she became the first member of the Focolare Movement raised to the Altar. During the mass they quoted one of her sayings “What matters is not so much speaking about God, but above all, I must proclaim him with my life.”

Inspired by Chiara Luce’s simple acts of love and strong faith to God, our youth put their voices into writing which you can also see in Facebook just add pagasacenter@yahoo.com

I feel happy whenever I am helping my family and my friends. I am helping my mother in cleaning our house. At school I am sharing my lunch with my classmate at times when she doesn’t have one. Whenever I do this, I feel happy because I feel like it is Jesus I am helping. – Iriks Maria Dalanon

 

 

While leaving the school ground one afternoon I saw a fellow student who unknowingly dropped his money. I picked it up and gave it back to him. – Jericho Eliazar

Chiara Luce

 

One day my father and I went to the market to sell our harvest. I saw a beggar asking for money. The money I had that time (20 pesos) was exactly the amount I needed to buy the basketball I had been longing to buy. However, I thought that I could still buy that some other time so I gave half of it to him. Right after that I saw my godfather coming in from the fruit section and he gave me 20 pesos, and so I was still able to buy the basketball. – Michael Eliazar

In memory of Chiara Luce as a model of modern sanctity for all young people and to remind us of her admirable courage and undying spirit, on October 29 her feast day, we finally had the blessing

Blessed Chiara Luce Clinic

of the small medical clinic in our center which will now carry the name Blessed Chiara Luce Badano Medical Clinic. Chiara Luce’s dream was to become a doctor and help poor children in Africa. Because of her deadly sickness she was not able to fulfill this dream…

The final realization of this clinic was made possible also through a big amount donated and collected during the 40th wedding anniversary of our faithful foster parents Nicoletta Panarello and Franco Zito from Milan, Italy. Thank you so much!

HEALTH PROGRAMS

After the pandemic AH1N1 virus last year, the Dengue (Hemorrhagic) Fever became the killer disease of 2010, affecting many Filipinos, especially children. Also some children of Pag-asa became victims of this mosquito-transmitted virus. To build awareness, our volunteer doctor, Dr. Sarcia, gathered the Pag-asa parents for an orientation about the disease’s background, prevention measures and its treatment.

Our Daycare children with vegetable-drawn masks

July is also the Nutrition Month in the Philippines. Pag-asa joined the campaign with the theme “A child with a bright future: Start it with a proper nutrition”. Our Daycare students paraded around the compound with their vegetable-drawn masks. They also watched a video about the benefits of nutritional foods and the disadvantages of not taking them.

Our nutrition-related activities, including daily feeding programs in three public elementary schools, are giving our children an edge in fighting malnutrition. We have been doing this for many years now.

PEACE-PROMOTING PROGRAMS

The 17 university students from Pag-asa, together with the youth of the Focolare Movement have joined the “Arms Down” signature-drive-campaign. With a pledge to shoulder one million signatures, they have linked up with other youth leaders across the globe in collecting 50 million signatures to lobby at the United Nations General Assembly for the abolition of nuclear arms production. Some of them even appeared on national television to promote this campaign which was originally organized by the youth members of the “World Conference on Religions and Peace” (WCRP), the world’s largest multi-religious organization.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

The upper-middle-class high school students of the “Community of Learners Foundation”, in partnership with 50 high school students of Pag-asa, have jointly conducted a Peace Camp aiming to undertake activities as a way to bridge cultures and socio-economic gaps. Together, they produced art work, games, read stories, and carried out activities promoting peace and camaraderie among teenagers across all economic classes. It was concluded by an exhibit of their written reflections, particularly on the concept of responsibility.

SPORTS PROGRAMS

A team of our high school students and their coach Vic Yayen play basketball not only to win games, but most importantly to win friends. He has been conducting training and work-outs every Saturday earlier this year. Last October, his team called “One Team, One Family” visited the St. Gregory Academy (a school with which we are also working together) to observe and plan a day of games with them.

VISITATIONS

Marco in our library

Among the many visitors at our center during the last 5 months a very special one was Marco Tecilla, the very first focolarino! At the end of his visit to Pag-asa last July 19, 2010 he wrote:

“Visiting Pag-asa and contemplating the marvelous work for the “favorite” of Jesus, I was moved!! It’s a real and authentic “Work of God”. I hope and wish that all the poor from this zone can find their home here, the hope in a world which is more just, according to the heart of Jesus! – Marco”

Also in July, Frank was invited to visit the foster parents group of Drs. Diether and Agnes Schenkel and the Rotary Club of Papenburg in Northern Germany. The Schenkel Family prepared a big “Pag-asa summer party” in their garden. They showcased a photo presentation of the Philippines and

Pag-asa summer party in Papenburg, Germany

the children whom they are supporting. The successful event was attended by more than 40 sponsors, friends and interested guests. Frank then updated them about the children and their families and was able to answer many concrete questions. A very big “Thank you” to them for this successful and beautiful evening!

Dearest friends, Inspired by Blessed Chiara “Luce” Badano, we would like to end this letter with this luminous Christmas message:

From Jesus’ words “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness”, we know that Christmas is a wonderful occasion where we can cancel all the mistakes of the year and everything is set right again when we forgive others and adopt as ours the culture of giving.. Christmas can also be better when we celebrate it by giving the LIGHT of love to those who need it the most.

Our real joy on this festive season is the opportunity to say thanks to you and to offer you and your family our best wishes for the coming Year!

May you have the real happiness of Christmas which is hope; the spirit of Christmas which is peace; and the heart of Christmas which is love.

- Frank, Arlyn and the staff of Pag-asa Social Center Foundation Inc.

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- Update Letter in English
- Update Letter in Italian (Italiano)