Thursday, August 16, 2007

Scene 1 "The Straws That Broke the Camel’s Back"


It was a time of joy, GK was making headway in showing the world how to help the poor, one house at a time. Tony Meloto, as the face of GK, was being internationally acclaimed. GK is one of the pillars of CFC (Couples For Christ), one that was fast becoming a phenomenon in the world of community and people empowerment. Award after award was being bestowed on the organization.

February 08, 2007.

An article in The Philippine Star by Boo Chanco comes out. In it, Chanco details Tony Meloto's work in GK and GK's successes.

This article elicits an email from a certain Lorenzo Cruz from San Francisco, CA:

Click on image to enlarge

One wonders who this Lorenzo Cruz might be. It is interesting to note that the email address was created on Feb 7, the day before this email was sent.

It is also interesting to note that Gerry Padilla had been heard in certain circles commenting disparagingly about Dylan Wilk and his "second-hand" BMW.


Tony Meloto's reply to Boo Chanco's understandably concerned email appears below:


Click on image to enlarge

Page 1



Page 2



Boo Chanco's follow-up article defended his first article and reiterated his support for Tony Meloto:

"And so, Mr. Cruz, I did not stop being a journalist when I wrote about Tony Meloto and Gawad Kalinga. As a journalist I am committed to report on what is new and as a Filipino, on what is good for our country. I saw both in Tony Meloto and Gawad Kalinga. I saw more than a social entrepreneur. I saw a successful social entrepreneur. That, I thought, was worthy of being written about. And if he gets compensated for doing good, so much the better. That’s a model career young people should aspire for.



Next: More Straws as the Plot Thickens.



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can somebody comment or explain what and who is Snow White and who are the 7 dwarfs as well as the fairy god mother in the CFC center.

Anonymous said...

There are probably some truths to what Lorenzo Cruz had to say as well as was Tony Meloto said. I have to laugh alittle bit as to what is happening to CFC. I was a member and from the beginning I said to myself.. where are these tithes going ?? I also thought to the church , but something told me perhaps somewhere else.. and now we care getting a hint as to where. Bottom line is that both Meloto and Padilla had hidden agendas.. what they are who knows. I blame the members themselves for continuously lifting both Padilla and Meloto to god like status. Now the members are left with mud on there face for forgeting that what they were doing was in a sense idolatry. As for Dylan.. i am sick of hearing about his BMW,,, he is a developer of computer games that kids get hooked on. Instead of learning about christ he gave them a form of distraction away from christ.

Anonymous said...

I just heard it from the grapevine...but if we will analyze the personalities in this whole frank padilla-cfc fiasco, it might have truth to it:
7 Dwarfs - the 7 man CFC council
Snow White - Maribel Discaller
Fairy God mother - Gerry Padilla (no less)
Think about it...

Anonymous said...

oh by the way, where did you heard or read about those fairy tale characters of the cfc center?

Akongano said...

Akong's views...

If CFC will be two groups there will be a lot of hidden repercussions that will arise in the future of both CFC's.

1) that a precedent had been laid not to follow the directives of future Elders. That if there is a
question of personal approach, legalistic procedure or whatever cause, there will have no more
room for tolerance, forgiving and reconciliation but outright request of resignations because
of difference of strategies.. consequences will be greater once there is a precedent.

2) CFC-GK & CFC-Foundation will have identity crisis ... will be confusing in getting the right
credits if they have done something worthwhile or maligned if one group have erred in their
actions, the other is also blemished. There will always be finger pointing on each other and
competition will arise in terms of achivements in quantifiable matter. e.g # of members, # of
CLP's, etc.

3) That it would be misconstrued that the Elders have one edict for themselves and their downline
another.That their ability to talk for unity and apply all the teachings they have provided for their members went down the drain. As they can be percieved to be high over this talks.. as the saying goes "walk the talks. More so true with the Elders.. as more is given more is required..

4) That it would imply that the council Elder members who have been with CFC for as long as the
founder have not really matured spiritually or morally and therfore are not qualified to be called as anointed elders. If the elders are not qualified then who else can qualify for surely all of us would err in our human ways as St Peter have erred when he refused Jesus three times.

5) Credibility and integrity of both CFC's will be subject to question everytime one conducts CLP's or brotherly/ sisterly correction.. the participants or offender would always counter " you speak of righteousness and correctness but your so called Elders can not even correct themselves properly in accordance with their teachings" and that to me is the greatest challenge for all of us who will try to defend our CFC community's name.

6) Solution : Have the original council elders sit down and list down the good things CFC /GK
have done against the things that is causing CFC~GK to drift, suffer or deteriorate in its mission and vision then work out the best options to agree on the terms of solution.
** Any items that is not reconcilable between the council members is then put forward
for a refrendum for the rest of International country assembly to democratically elect the
recommend solution proposed by the Elders council; or if not a solution is solicited from
the assembly themselves and a vote is then ratified. If there is still a deadlock then
here comes the spiritual advisers or Bishops to do the honours for selecting the best solution for the deadlock. If there is till a dead lock everyone leaves this for the Lord to act on. Amen! that prayers will be stronger than our human ways..

Well there you are a simple recommendation for the Elders to act on.. The moment the CFC separates into two is the day that i too will separate from CFC and what it stands for.. To me CFC lost its value and its soul.. and all of us will surely be accountable.

In the name of Christ Jesus our salvation our life,
Akong DG