Jun 12, 2019 at 03:12 pm

EDUCATING, FEEDING, SHELTERING AND PROVIDING HEALTH SERVICES TO THE POOREST OF THE POOR

Update posted by Pascualito Monsanto

UPDATE OF FUNDRAISING FOR EDUCATION, FEEDING, SHELTER AND MEDICAL CARE FOR THE IDENTIFIED POOREST SECTOR OF SOCIETY 2019 IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippines has a present total population of 108,027,632 about 70% of which lives in poverty.

Education is scarce to about 3.8 million children and youth age 7-24.

According to figures from the Department of Education and the National Statistical Coordination Board in the Philippines, 1 in 6 Filipino kids will not attend school. Further, only 7 out of 10 kids will complete elementary school. Of those 7 kids, only 4 will complete high school, and of those 4, 1 will proceed onto university.

The main reason for this? Poverty. Money plays a huge part in education.

According to an article: “Kids with really poor parents are so desperate to go to school that they’re willing to travel far and go through dangerous conditions to get there, like swim under a bridge, or climb onto an open-top school bus that’s already so packed. But some kids just can’t afford to make those trips.” And getting to school is only the first hurdle. “You pay for your books, paper, pens – the schools don’t provide that for you – nothing’s free.”

What would happen if kids turned up with no stationery, and no money to buy any. ‘Teachers buy things for them.’

Poverty doesn’t just affect the children – the teachers’ livelihoods inevitably suffer. Sadly, many teachers are choosing to move abroad, after being tempted by higher salaries. Inevitably, it’s the children that suffer.

‘Students always say that they couldn’t achieve anything without their teachers. If the teachers that they rely on begin to leave, so many children will see no other hope in life.’

Children are among the most vulnerable population groups in society. In 2015, 31.4 percent of children belong to poor families. Hence, there is really a need to look after their survival and living conditions, health and education as their rights, welfare and development are at the core of the country’s social development goals

Moreover, in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017 – 2023, the vulnerable sectors are highlighted in Chapter 11 – Reducing Vulnerability of Individuals and Families. The PDP chapter covers both women and children, as well as other sectors such as the persons with disabilities (PWDs), indigenous peoples (IPs) and older persons. It discusses strategies to reduce vulnerabilities by decreasing people’s exposure to risks and increasing their adaptive capacities.

It is for this reason that Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Pascual D. Monsanto, Jr., RPSY, JD launched this fundraising campaign to benefit initially the poor children and families of Sitio Lower Kilingan, Brgy. San Jose, Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines, the second most populated barangay of Antipolo City with a population of 103, 05, next to Brgy. Cupang with a population of 113,613. Another fundraising recipient is Brgy. Sto. Tomas, Calauan, Laguna where relocates say at Southville Subdivision with a total population of about 10,000 households who are in dire poverty.

Antipolo City has a total population of 776,386 plus and is politically divided into 16 barangays. The area where the boundaries of Barangays Dela Paz, San Isidro, San Jose and San Roque meet is the city proper or locally referred to as Bayan.

Fr. Monsanto hopes to assist these identified areas with education, nutrition, shelter and medical care services together with the two organizations he founded, the Philippine Orthodox Church union and Charities International (POCUCI) and the Missionary Servants and handmaids of St. Francis of Assisi, Inc. (MSHFI) THROUGH THIS FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.

The idea is build a school for children from nursery to grade 12 and on, establish libraries, physical and mental health clinic, a feeding program and habitable shelter for families and provide them livelihood with the help of philanthropists and other persons who care for the poor throughout the world.

Fr. Monsanto and the POCUCI and the MSHFI has a 3,000 square meters land in Sitio Lower Kilingan, Brgy. San Jose, Antipolo City and a one hectare land in Brgy. Sto. Tomas, Calauan, Laguna.

This is only the beginning. Should this fundraising campaign turn out positive, more areas in the country will be reached.

WE PRAY YOU HELP US WITH THIS NOBLE ENDEAVOUR AND CHALLENGE. OUR HIGH HOPES DEPEND ON YOUR ANSWERS AND RESPONSES.

Back to campaign page