There is an initiative by Ayala Foundation, Inc. that you might want to support.  I will understand if you have other causes that you already support, but if you aren’t supporting any specific organization or movement, and would like to give back to the motherland, this is a very doable effort that has huge impact on the lives of kids here in the Philippines.  For $7 or P300, you can feed one child for a month.  Feeding programs may be a temporary solution to the various social ills of our country, but while we continue to work on permanent solutions, our children still need to eat.  There are many options to donate (listed on the page linked to below).  Please know that you can also pledge a monthly donation (for example, you can pledge to give $7/P300 every month for one year); you just have to write me an e-mail pledging that and we can work out the details.  The kids we are directing your support to are children of The Center of Excellence in Public Elementary Education (CENTEX), a project of the Department of Education and Ayala Foundation, Inc., that offers bright students from marginalized communities quality education comparable with the best private schools in the country.  I know the people who run this program, and I can vouch for their commitment and passion to help these talented but financially-disadvantaged kids.

We cannot count on the Philippine government to address all the issues of our fellow Filipinos; organizations like CENTEX and Ayala Foundation, Inc. give ordinary citizens like you and me the chance to do our part, give back, and take part in nation-building.  We aim to engage Filipinos everywhere, as a better Philippines starts with responsible and active citizenry.  If you are interested in other causes in the Philippines and would like more information or direction, please do not hesitate to e-mail me.  Please keep in mind that money is not the only type of contribution you can give to the country, you can give your time, knowledge or expertise, and other intangible resources you have; I’d be happy to help you help the Philippines in any way you can.

For more information on Feed the Future, please visit http://feedthefuture.centex.org.ph/.