PUSONG PINOY'S BOOK TURNOVER AT IRISAN

On April 30, 2010, Pusong Pinoy turned over 125 children's books to the Irisan Day Care Center & Primary School. Baguio-Benguet Team Leader ADI LAPPAO and Vice-Team Leader MAJOY TOYAON, together with Batangas Team Leader NINGNING DOBLE and Vice-Team Leader JING PUNZALAN were present for the turnover. (Update: Additional 175 children books were given to Irisan on July 2010. Books donated to date: 300)

PTA President Mrs. LETICIA LOSNONG and Head Teacher Mrs. MARIE SILLATOC gratefully received the books. They will be opening a book corner at the school and will have the books available for the kids this coming school year. During DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read) as mandated by the Department of Education, the kids will enjoy the books through free reading, storytelling, guided reading, and story reading activities.

Thanks to all the Pusong Pinoy heroes for the book donations! For other heroes who still want to donate, our book drive is ongoing. We are collecting gently used children's storybooks, picture books, and chapter books for preschool to 4th grade level. If interested, please send us an email or contact the Team Leader in your area.

SCHOOL PROFILE: The school is located in the center of the Irisan Dumpsite, the repository of Baguio City's waste. Although the dumpsite had been closed since the latter part of 2008, there are still piles of trash in sacks and its stench sticks to the skin. Children and adults alike toil in the site to pick up garbage, which is the source of income for the residents of this area. The day care center caters to 20 children while the primary school caters to approximately 60 Grade I and II students. There are two small classrooms in the building, but no comfort room/restroom is available for the kids. One classroom is for the day care center and the other will be shared by both Grade I and II students. This is a typical classroom scenario in the Philippines public school structure called the multi-grade system. In this system, a makeshift division is placed in the middle of the classroom (e.g. curtain or plywood) as a teacher skillfully juggles lessons from one side of the classroom to another. Hearing the lessons taught on the other side is inevitable and teacher exhaustion is often a consequence.

PUSONG PINOY DONATED 500 BOOKS TO KID'S HOPE MINISTRY

Photo Credits: DAN MACARANDANG & LESTER SHIH of PHOTOKALYE

On April 24, 2010, a book turnover ceremony was held at the Kid's Hope Ministry (KHM) in Paranaque. Pusong Pinoy donated 500 books to assist KHM with their reading program. Goodie bags were also distributed to 50 kids. The goodie bags were donated by Philippines Quezon City Team Leader LANCE BUCOY and Vice-Team Leader SHARON BARRIOS. As a token of gratitude, KHM presented Pusong Pinoy with a Certificate of Appreciation.

KHM focuses on impoverished children 3 to 16 years old from squatters areas, slums, and other poverty-stricken areas in the Philippines. These children are oftentimes left to fend for themselves - hungry, malnourished, and left vulnerable to the allures of a life of crime, drug addiction, and prostitution. It is their mission to give this children a chance in life by providing them educational opportunities, feeding program, and basic needs (clothes and food). They also provide home and shelter to orphans and abandoned kids. KHM currently serves 135 kids in their centers in Paranaque, but they actually serve more during their feeding programs at Smokey Mountain, Mangyans in Mindoro, squatters in Paranaque, etc.

We salute Kid's Hope Ministry for their mission which is in line with ours - to promote literacy to eradicate poverty. We would like to thank PETER ALLAN MARIANO, a KHM Advocate, for introducing this organization to Pusong Pinoy!

Here is a statement from Mr. Mariano:

"I would like to thank all the Pusong Pinoy heroes who donated books and to the Superheroes who took an active role in the turnover. I salute you people for taking the time out and going the extra mile to share your time, talent, and treasure to these less unfortunate beings -- angels who should not deserve this kind of life. It is up to us to do whatever we can to alleviate the lives of these little angels here on earth, even without reward or recognition to motivate us except the similar goal of making lives better for these little ones."

We would also like to thank PP Australia Team Leader NENITA LANARIA, PP Hero GEORGE MILARAN, and Philippines Rizal Team Leader BEDETTE VILLANUEVA for sponsoring the food for 70 children and volunteers during the turnover. Also present during this event were Philippines Charter Team Leader JOCEL TANEDO, Core Team Leaders SUSAN CHUA and CLAUDETTE LAGMAN, and Quezon City Team Leader LANCE BUCOY.

Please continue to support our book drive, so we can, in turn, support organizations like Kid's Hope Ministry. We are collecting gently-used children's books from preschool to 4th grade level. If you need dropoff or pickup information, please click here for the team leader in your area.