Dear Fellow Rotarians,

In our journey towards fulfilling our mission, I humbly realized that people who made a difference in the lives of the less fortunate and the poor are not the ones with most credentials, the most money, or he most awards. They are the ones that truly CARES... you FELLOW ROTARIANS.

We never cease to find ways to show our care and concerns to our less privileged brethren. Last week, the five (5) malnourished pupils/recipients of our Sponsored Feeding program at Arevalo Elementary School were presented to us by the School Principal and the key PTA Officials. We have released the financial assistance for the five (5) recipients covering the month of February 2011. Similarly, we have also refunded Dir. Paul Francia of the amount of P25,000.00 representing Japanese donation to our five (5) MIRACLES scholars. This obligation has long been overdue. We commend Dir. Paul for silently working and sustaining the program out of his pocket. We hope this noble endeavour could gain support in the succeeding rotary year.

Today, we will finally turn over the rehabilitated clinic of Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School. We will also give out donated books, old toys and clothes. We hope these materials could help address the need of the school children. We are working on the possibility of reactivating the potable water system of the school. IPDG Edgar Sy pledged to provide the electric motor pump.

As approved by the Board during our last meeting, we will sponsor the twenty five (25) ALS (Alternative Learning System) students of Colegio de San Jose, Jaro, Iloilo City. They are poor out of school youths, school drop outs who desire to pursue their studies to any course in college. They will undergo special teaching instructions every Saturday starting last week until July 30, 2011. Upon completion of the program they will be given examination and if passed it will give them a ticket to any chosen course in college.

Similarly approved was the sponsorship in the Skills Training and Livelihood (Baking and Food Processing) project at Brgy. So-oc , Arevalo, Iloilo City. There are twenty (20) to fifty (50) parents of the Day Care of the said Barangay who are participants of this program. This is also in partnership with Colegio de San Jose’s community outreach program.

Further, we also agreed in principle to support the ALS PROGRAM and SKILLS TRAINING AND LIVELIHOOD program of TALONGADIAN, STA. BARBARA, ILOILO. There are 35 indigents parents who qualify the program. The target of the program is to teach them skills for their livelihood and hopefully to increase their daily source of income to support their family.

It brings great inspiration to serve Rotary being used as channels of your generosity and kindness. In spite of our limited funds, I know there is a SUPREME HAND behind us whose generosity cannot be outdone.