Featured Social Enterprise: Tahanang Walang Hagdan, Inc. and House With No Steps

For about five days two weeks back, I suffered a debilitating pain on my groin caused by erstwhile unknown reasons.  I could only surmise that it was a hernia brought about by an intense physical activity during training for a mountaineering course.  A couple of trips to the doctor soon revealed that the pain was caused by urinary tract infection…at least based on the countless tests I had undergone. 

The doctor presrcibed mild antibiotics as cure.  Seven days later and I was back at 100 percent…with pus count at 0-2. 

The pain was so intense that it could not be placed out of mind.  I was almost bed-ridden because the pain increased two-fold while standing.  I was, for a few days, disabled…not able to make 100 percent use of my body.

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Thanks for another round of enlightenmen…*t

The following is a blog post on my Multiply site dating back to March 2007.  The conversation itself took place in 2006.  To date, I have not received word regarding the welfare of the women involved in this discussion. 

The real issue at hand is apathy.  This has been going on for years and the activities have gone around community circles as matter-of-fact.

This is about foreign grants to Mindanao being pocketed by unscrupulous individuals.
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Oak Park man returns to the Philippines to help rebuild villages

By Sophia Fischer - The Acorn

As a child growing up in the Philippines, Edwin Velarde waited in lines for food and for vaccinations. He had no idea that one day he would help provide some of those same services.

Velarde, who owns Oak Park Family Dentistry with his wife, Dr. Cristina Velarde, has worked on several community service projects in the Philippines through the Rotary Club of Westlake Village.

“I know how it affected me, and I ended up being okay,” Velarde said. “Maybe I can help an individual like myself.”

Read more of the article on The Acorn’s website.

Featured social enterprise: Shelterbox

Shelterbox respond instantly to natural and manmade disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who who are most in need.  Each box supplies an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless.

100 ShelterBoxes were despatched to the Philippines to give shelter to people affected by typhoons Chan-Hom and Kujira which struck the north of the country in early May 2009.  It was estimated that 13,800 homes were totally destroyed and 11,000 partially destroyed by the disaster, leaving thousands of people homeless. 

The boxes were taken from pre-positioned stock in Melbourne.  After arriving in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, they were trucked to the Pangasinan Province which was one of the worst affected areas. 

Read the latest article about the organization on today’s Inquirer.net post “Tents also give hope to typhoon victims” by Yolanda Sotelo.

Filipino Named ‘Outstanding Community Leader’

By Phil Bolton - Global Atlanta

Didi O’Connor, a past president of several Atlanta-based Filipino business and civic associations, received the “Outstanding Community Leader” award on the 111th anniversary of Philippine independence.

The Philippines’ honorary consul general, Ray Donato, presented Ms. O’Connor with the award on June 12 at the Mansion in Atlanta for 26 years of service to the Philippine community.

Ms. O’Connor was the president of the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce in 2004 and is serving in that position again this year.

Read more of the article here.