PUSONG PINOY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: EAST MEETS WEST AT PSAC

Two people living thousands of miles apart, but celebrating their birthday together. In the East, LJ MARTINEZ, PP Hong Kong Team Leader Jay's son, and in the West, PP Admin and San Diego Team Leader OCHI TANEDO.

On September 28, 2009, their generous spirits joined together to celebrate their birthday at Parish Social Action Committee (PSAC) in Lipa City. Because of their sponsorship, almost 100 Tampoy kids of PSAC gave them the greatest birthday gifts - the joy and laughter of children removed from bitter poverty and enjoying a wonderful luncheon, games, and prizes. This is the ultimate birthday gift for Ochi and LJ!

PUSONG PINOY TEAM DUBAI STEPPED UP TO HELP TYPHOON ONDOY VICTIMS

Upon appointment as Team Leader in Dubai, Cherry Rose C. Tanedo, wasted no time. Within a few days, she assembled a dedicated group of enthusiastic volunteers. Her team went on to collect vanloads of clothes and food items for Typhoon Ondoy victims.

PUSONG PINOY greatly appreciates TL Cherry's family, friends, and former co-workers at Hyder/Holford in Abu Dhabi for donating relief goods. Special thanks to Mr. Paulie and Mr. Malony Silva for driving all the way to Dubai from Abu Dhabi to deliver the goods! Clothes and food items were turned over to GMA Kapuso in Dubai for its foundation's relief operations in the Philippines. Shipment of the donated goods was made possible by AFFAIR Organization of Emirates Airline crew.

TL Cherry salutes those who went out of their way to organize a donation drive in their respective offices/groups:

Kristine Marasigan and FEU Alumni Batch '04
Christina Carlos and Godwin Austen Johnson office

Leslie Martin and Flat 201 group
Madonna Aira Corpuz and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Group
Catherine Naoe Balza and DEWA group

Monetary donations were also received. In collaboration with Pusong Pinoy Team Philippines, the money will be used to purchase two 50 kgs. sacks of rice to be distributed to 30 families in the squatters area by San Francisco Del Monte in Quezon City.

To our new ka-PUSONG PINOYs, we're so proud to have you on board! PUSONG PINOY TEAM DUBAI, YOU ROCK!

PUSONG PINOY PAMPANGA TEAM LEADER CELEBRATED BIRTHDAY IN A GRAND WAY

Our very own Pampanga Team Leader NERISSA LUGUE celebrated her birthday in a grand way with the Transville kids of Parish Social Action Committee (PSAC) on September 19, 2009. The event was held at Divine Mercy Chapel in Lipa City, Batangas. Over 100 kids celebrated her birthday with food and games. What a way to celebrate her special day!

If you would like to celebrate your birthday in a grand way, please send us an email or contact the Team Leader in your area.

PUSONG PINOY TEAM BAGUIO-BENGUET TURNOVER AT KABUYAO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A group of 30 friends led by PUSONG PINOY BAGUIO-BENGUET Team Leaders Adi Lappao and Bede "Byd" Bawayan Jr. paid a visit to the Kabuyao Elementary School on September 18, 2009. Trekking the mountain and rocky roads, the team traveled for miles to bring snacks and school supplies to 152 students of the school. What was supposed to be a routine sight-seeing venture became a short outreach programs as the volunteers decided to collect what little they had in order to reach out to the students.

The volunteers were warmly received by the school. To welcome them and show their appreciation, the school's local dance troupe showcased some ethnic dances during the turnover ceremony. The students were all smiles as they interacted with volunteers and when they received the gifts brought by the team. The school got a taste of what's to come this December 2009 as a gift-giving program is being launched by PUSONG PINOY at this same venue. This will be the pilot project of Pusong Pinoy Baguio-Benguet team and thus marks the expansion of the group into the Cordilleras.

School Profile:
Kabuyao Elementary School is located atop Mt. Kabuyao, Santo Tomas, Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet. Located approximately 13 kilometers from the central business district of Baguio City, the locale has only one public utility vehicle serving the community, with its rough and rocky roads are prone to landslides during the rainy season. It is approximately 7,000 meters above sea level and has an area of more or less 7,000 square meters. Because of its high altitude, the locale is considered an area of rain with temperatures going as low as 3 to 16 degrees Celsius. During the summer, accessibility to water becomes a problem with the school's spring becoming the water source for the entire community. The school has enough rooms to accommodate one classroom for each grade levels 1 to 6 with full-time teachers mostly coming from the Tuba area. Parents and members of the community regularly pitch-in and help out as the need arises (e.g.: cooking snacks, accommodating visitors, etc). Although some students live closed to the school area, others have to walk a mile or two just to attend school. The school has a mini library with very limited resources and instructional materials. Some are obsolete books and cannot be used as a reference material. A satellite plate with a matching television set was once donated by the Knowledge Channel, but the satellite plate has stopped working and stands idly in the school yard. The school has one computer used for the documents and file-keeping of the teaching staff, but it does not have any printer.

Would you like to help the kids of Kabuyao Elementary School? If you do, please support our causes, so we, in turn, can support organizations like Kabuyao. Click here to find out how you can help.

PUSONG PINOY TEAM NEW YORK LAUNCHED ITS FIRST BOOK DRIVE

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UPDATE:   Pusong Pinoy officially ended this book drive led by our New York TL IVY ANTONIO and JTL NICOLE CAMPOS at St. Andrew Avellino Church in Flushing, New York on October 31, 2009.  Kudos to Team New York for exceeding their original goal of 250.  They collected a total of 859 children's books!

A message from CTL Ivy:

"Thanks to everyone for your book donations! My heartfelt thanks goes out to REV. JOSEPH HOLCOMB and MR. JOSEPH DORSA for their support. Thanks to my wonderful family, TERESITY TEKIKO, ANNE PUYO, and KERWIN PUYO for all your help!"

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PUSONG PINOY Team New York launched its first book drive in New York City on Sunday, September 6, 2009, at St. Andrew Avellino R.C. Church in Flushing, Queens (158th Street & Northern Blvd). Special thanks to Rev. Joseph Holcomb and Mr. Joseph Dorsa for their invaluable support.

PP Team New York is collecting gently used children's storybooks, picture books, or chapter books from preschool to 4th grade level. At this time, we are not accepting reference books, textbooks, or books with tears, rips, or lots of writing.

Book donations may be dropped off at this location until end of October. You may also send an email to New York Team Leader, Ivy Antonio, at agantonio68@aol.com for pick up/drop off arrangements.

PUSONG PINOY BOOK TURNOVER AT PSAC

A book turnover ceremony was held on Saturday, September 12, 2009, at Parish Social Action Committee (PSAC). De La Salle Lipa turned over 500 children's books collected by PUSONG PINOY to PSAC. The ceremony was attended by PP Philippines Team Leaders Susan Tan-Chua, Beng Dizon, and Jocel Estoque; PP Seattle Team Leader Dong Mamaril; and PP Liaison (DLSL) Ningning C. Doble.

A message from Liza R. De Jesus, PP Liaison for PSAC:
"From all of us...THANK YOU SO MUCH! We are so blessed na andyan kayo to help us. Maraming salamat po sa lahat! Kayo ang tunay na mga HEROES namin!" (We are so blessed that you are there to help us. Thank you for everything! You are our true HEROES!)

Pusong Pinoy commends Liza and PSAC volunteers for their continued work in improving the lives of indigent kids in their community. Special thanks also to De La Salle Lipa's Book Mobile & Reading Library for providing the reading program that these kids need. Mabuhay ang PSAC and DLSL!

PUSONG PINOY FOOD DRIVE CHALLENGE TURNOVER CEREMONY AT DAMASCUS

Photo Credits: Joey Rico (Photo Kalye)

Pusong Pinoy launched a FOOD DRIVE CHALLENGE between Team Pusong Pinoy and Team Edwin Dayrit Rodriguez in July 2009. The challenge was to complete a list of food items for Damascus Foundation. Both teams completed the list, but Team EDR came out as the winner! Total food items worth PHP100,000 (almost $2,100) were raised during this challenge. Thanks to Pusong Pinoy donors and everyone who participated in this challenge! The turnover ceremony was held on Saturday, September 5, 2009, at Damascus Foundation in Pulong Sampaloc, Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan, Philippines.

FOOD ITEMS DONATED:
Spring Oil 3.2 kg. (6 gallons)
SM Bonus Oil 3.2 kg. (6 gallons)
Bear Brand Powdered Milk 2000g (25 cans)
Bear Brand Powdered Milk 1000g (2 cans)
Bear Brand Chocolate Milk 800g (5 packs)
Milo 1 kg. (116 packs)
SSM Bonus Sugar 2.5 kg. (12 packs)
Ligo Sardines 155g (100 cans)
555 Sardines 425g ((145 cans)
Sunny Boy Full Cream Milk 5g (14 boxes)
Nido Fortified Milk 900g (3 cans)
Milo Free 80g (8 packs)
Multivitamins Hugs Syrup 120 ml. (240 bottles)
Anchor Family Milk 786g (26 packs)
Twinkle Sugar 1kg (30 packs)
Nissin Ramen Noodles Seafood Flavor 55g (72 pieces)
Nissin Ramen Noodles Chicken Flavor 57g (72 pieces)
Bear Brand Powdered Milk 770g (37 packs)
Nissin Ramen Beef Flavor 57g (72 pieces)
Instant Mami Chicken Flavor (12 pieces)
Payless Instant Noodles Chicken Flavor (130 pieces)
Payless Instant Noodles Beef Flavor (130 pieces)
Rice 25 kilos (34 sacks)
Rice 50 kilos (28 sacks)

Message from Robert Tiangco, Founder of Damascus Foundation:
"To The Wonderful people behind Pusong Pinoy on Facebook and people here in our beloved country, our deepest thanks!!! Even during the time na pinaguusapan palang ang food drive for Damascus, alam naming magiging successful ang drive na ito. (Even during the time that we were discussing the food drive for Damascus, we knew that this drive was going to be successful) We knew that God's hand was guiding the leadership of Pusong Pinoy to lead you wonderful people to help Us. Every single item we will get carries with it a spark of hope and God's love. Not only will it nourish the bodies of our wards but strenghten their faith, that they are not forgotten by their fellowmen. And there are people who still care!!!! To Edwin and his team, the challenge you took on was not just to collect food but to nurture the goodness and generosity of people. Hats off to you, guys!!!! We are all winners in God's eyes...we all just have to see it in ourselves. Maraming Maraming Salamat! (Thank you very much!)"

PUSONG PINOY @ PTS MEL & JAY 1044AM RADIO STATION

PUSONG PINOY was the highlight of PINOY TAYO SANMAN (PTS) MEL & JAY radio show in August and September 2009. PTS Mel & Jay is the hottest Pinoy Radio Program in Hong Kong. The show airs every Saturday 8:30pm - 9:00pm (GMT - Phil/HK time & 5:30am Pacific Time) To listen to PTS, go to http://www.metroradio.com.hk/ click on the AM1044 logo, then click on LIVE BROADCAST

August 15 - DONNA BERNARDO ROSARIO (PP Admin and Founder)
August 22 - BING MORDENO-PACCERELLI (PP Admin and Los Angeles Team Leader)
August 29 - IVY ANTONIO (PP Admin and New York Team Leader)
September 5 - DJ MEL & JAY MARTINEZ (PP Admin and Hong Kong Team Leader) announced the launching of the new PP project "Kariton Para sa DTC"
September 12 - JINKY SONSALLA (PP Hong Kong Vice-Team Leader)
EFREN PENAFLORIDA, JR. of Dynamic Teen Company & CHRIS (DTC’s 10 year old volunteer) were also interviewed by PTS Chief Michael Vincent. DTC is the recipient of Pusong Pinoy Team HK’s “Project Kariton”.

PSAC FIELD TRIP SPONSORED BY PUSONG PINOY

PUSONG PINOY sponsored a field trip of 50 indigent kids of Parish Social Action Committee (PSAC). PSAC kids and volunteers watched Wowowee, visited Nichols Airbase, and stopped by the resting place of Former Philippine President Cory Aquino and Former Sen. Benigno Aquino.

The field trip was made possible by generous Pusong Pinoy donors: Michelle de Leon-Leus, Dores Lagman, Tony Velbis, Nathan Rosario, and Patty Menor.

Pusong Pinoy commends Liza de Jesus (PP Liaison for PSAC) and the entire volunteers that make up PSAC of San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church in Lipa City for their tireless acts of kindness and generosity towards less privileged families around their area.

PUSONG PINOY LAUNCHED "KARITON PROJECT PARA SA DTC"

On September 1, 2009, PUSONG PINOY launched a fundraising project, "KARITON PROJECT PARA SA DTC" spearheaded by Pusong Pinoy Hong Kong Team: TL Jay Martinez and VTL Jinky Sonsalla. The goal is to raise funds towards the purchase of two karitons (classroom pushcarts) for Dynamic Teen Company.

Volunteers of DTC pushes a “kariton” or pushcart in the slum areas of Cavite. Instead of the stereotyped contents like garbage, the pushcart contains books and other educational materials that are being shared to the children in these slum areas; hence, the term "Kariton Klasrum" (classroom pushcart).

DTC has been nominated as a CNN Hero for 2009. To know more about DTC, click on the links below to watch the videos:

CNN Third Hero Nominee 2009
THE TRAVELLING TEACHER: Kuya F! and Kariton Klasrum
KALYE: Kariton Klasrum of Dynamic Teen Company
BANDILA: Efren Peñaflorida & DTC in CNN HEROES

For information on how to support this project:

HONG KONG RESIDENTS, please call Jay Martinez @ Landline (852) 2189 0014 or Mobile (852) 9772 7279. Team Hong Kong is currently having a baked good sales (cookies, brownies, and many more).

NON-HONG KONG RESIDENTS, please email donnabrosarion@yahoo.com for more information.