CFC & GK - Here We Go Again

The community is yet again embroiled in another dispute (although some would say that term is an understatement). This time the potential stakes are higher, the potential losses will be more deeply felt, and the feud potentially more bitter. Yes, even more than THAT.

Some faces are familar, some are new, but the enemy remains a constant. Guard your hearts and your minds my friends. Sometimes in our arrogance that our faith and prayers protect us well against the devil's plots and keep our intentions pure, we don't realize that it is in that arrogance that he finds his way in.


Everything I've said above is the extent of what I have to say on this. The emails/documents are below, I'll leave you all to discern for yourselves.


And so, with a heavy, heavy heart, here we go again:

First, a look at how this situation may have been instigated. The following are emails from GK leadership starting from November 3, 2009.
Gk Internal Emails
Download this document HERE.

One of the emails contained above is from Jose Mari Oquiñena, dated January 12, 2010 and entitled "WHERE SHOULD BE OUR LOYALTY?". Zeny Gimenez responds:

Zeny-Gimenez-Response-to-Mari-Oquiñena-open-letter
Download this document HERE.

Lastly for this entry, the IC statement dated January 15, 2010.

IC Statement - Preserving the Cfc Way of Life
Download this document HERE.



Some faces are familar, some are new, all are friends. All share a bond that has tied us together as family, through thick and thin. Let's not forget what brought us together, let's not forget that in our community, the thread the binds us together is much, much stronger than the temporary thorns that threaten to tear us apart.

I start my journey of discernment again, and I am inviting you to join me.

The Village That Frank Built Part III

UPDATE 09/05/08:
Delisting letter added.

Part I is HERE.
Part II is HERE.

In fairness to the Easter Group, Jun Junia, et al, here is their next response on the Remarville issue following the Mario Pareno response published in Part II. I am hoping for a response from the parties named, preferably with some documents to back up any claims, something the Easter Group is always noticeably short on. I personally would love to also hear from the FFL members themselves who were on site and not just from Jun Junia.

They've directed this response specifically at this blog and at the images and issues posted here. While it is my opinion that it doesn't hold water (because of the coinciding testimonies from several parties and not just from one), I am waiting for actual witnesses to speak up. I am also positive there is a video of the event in question somewhere. If you know how I can get to that video, I'll appreciate a heads up.

I've seen the calls for a "Blogger's GK Village" started by TE and it gladdens my heart. I feel tho that before we get started on that, we have to settle any injustices that are being committed now, lest it happens again. This is OUR watch now, we must do all we can to set things RIGHT before we move on.

I will be updating this entry throughout the week.



--- On Tue, 8/26/08, Easter Group wrote:

From: Easter Group
Subject: Fwd: CFC Global's 20 July CFC International Village (Remarville) Build
To:
Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 7:52 PM


Following our 1st reply to the CFC Global bloggers' comments and e-mails, more releases were made by them that needed some correction. We have the brother himself, Jun Junia, who wrote the e-mail account below to clear the air on this issue which has reached quite vicious and ugly proportions because of rather baseless accusations. With this correction, we hope all are now clarified with the true state of affairs in Remarville.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


To: Easter Group
Cc: junjunia@gmail.com


CFC Global's 20 July CFC International Village (Remarville) Build

A lot has been said about the foiled attempt of CFC Global for an alleged BUILD at the CFC International Village (Remarville) last 20July 2008. I would like to clarify that this 20 July affair was not a BUILD attempt but an INVASION of a site which CFC Global knew and accepted as a Restoration Village and not a GK site.

To get a better perspective hereunder is a brief background of said project. CFC International Village was started by members of North C Cluster 6, then under the headship of JUN JUNIA. There is no problem with the land acquisition as the land was purchased and is being paid for by the beneficiaries on an installment basis over 5 years (free of interest) and as of this date amortization payments for 2 years and 7 months have been made.

This social housing project really took off when Frank Padilla saw it as a chance to give homeless CFC members their own home. Frank Padilla then requested the CFC International community to adopt one house each, thus the name CFC International Village.

Work was started in January 2006 but because of differences in development approaches between Junia and Pancho Lopez Tan, GK National took over control of project development in December 2006. Raul Dizon was in charge of the area for eight (8) months and during that period he created his own clique which he called his TEACHER's PETS, and which group became his alter ego.

When the split in the CFC community happened the majority of the beneficiaries chose to align themselves with CFC FFL and the homeowner's association took over the project. Raul Dizon's Teacher's Pets (a noisy but numerical minority) aligned themselves with CFC Global and created divisions in the project while openly defying the homeowner's association. When caught with violations they would cry HARRASSMENT. This division in the Remarville community (FFL vis a vis Global) is the problem that the association had been trying to correct when the 20 July Build of CFC Global cropped up.

On 18 July 2008 I got a text from Tito Santos telling me that they had scheduled a BUILD in Remarville on July 20, 2008 and that permission had been given by Lito de Guzman. Tito Santos advised me that Ricky Santos, an awardee of one of the three houses to be built, would coordinate with the association.

Lito de Guzman, when contacted, told me that the message Tito Santos was circulating was misleading as he took back this positive comment when he learned that Tito Santos had not asked permission from the homeowner's association and had sent him a second text asking him to seek the association's permission first. In a dialogue with Ricky Santos on the evening of 18 July, he told us that he was asked to attend a meeting in Melo Villaroman's office and was surprised to see people identified as DIZON teacher's pets in that meeting where the plan for the 20 July Build was finalized. The Remarville homeowner's association then explained to Ricky Santos that on 20 July the beneficiaries themselves were scheduled to work in the site and the presence of 200 outsiders may derail this internal unifying process. Furthermore how do you place 200 people on three (3) small (3.5M x 7.0 M) lots over and above the 30 to 50 beneficiaries working there also. Finally it was explained to Ricky that you do not attain UNITY by the statement of Tito Santos that we will go there to build for the 3 members of CFC and if things work out we will also work on the houses of non CFC members. You do not start unity moves by going into FFL territory and calling them non CFC.

Ricky Santos understood and promised to do something. On the morning of 19 July, Ricky Santos sent me the text message that Melo Villaroman had cancelled the 20July Build at Remarville. I forwarded this message to Tito Santos together with the information that the homeowner's association had disapproved their 20 July build..

The reply of Tito Santos was that he did not know Ricky Santos and he would pursue their 20 July Build despite the disapproval by the association and whether I would be there or not. That is when I knew that Tito Santos was not coordinating the 20 July Build, but rather only informing us that they would proceed with the Remarville build despite the disapproval by the association, thus we called it an INVASION and prepared for such.

The pictures being circulated by CFC Global will readily show that we had women at the entrance barrier as we do not adhere to the DADANAK ANG DUGO theory and never said that. Neither did we have goons, unless CFC Global looks at FFL members as goons. We are however grateful to the barangay as they were a big help.

So my friends the 20 July exercise of CFC Global was not a build, but an invasion as

- They had knowledge that Remarville is not a GK site, yet they never sought permission from the association before they planned their BUILD.

- Tito Santos was not coordinating, but merely informing us that irregardless of the association's disapproval he would push through with the Build Tito Santos was in fact spreading distorted information while not heeding the advise of Ricky Santos that their 20 July BUILD HAD BEEN CANCELLED BY MELO VILLAROMAN.

- The mobilization of 200 persons was illogical as it would be physically impossible to place them on the site of three small lots (unless the purpose was the usual photo ops of GK)

- In the process of dissuading them from their 20 July build Tito Santos was informed that the beneficiaries affiliated with Global and FFL were working together as a group of 30 to 50 people, and they had a build scheduled also on 20 July; thereby making it doubly difficult for an additional 200 outsiders to work in the area. The beneficiaries themselves working together irregardless of affiliation was the real start of unity.

The highlight of this episode was when ERIC CAYABYAB attempted to forcefully enter the site. After trying to impress me that he was a doctor and head of GK he sarcastically asked me IF I KNEW WHERE THE MONEY BEING USED FOR THE MATERIALS THEY WERE SENDING TO REMARVILLE CAME FROM? He was implying that it was their (GK) money and I amusedly answered it was Remarville funds (not GK). I had been informed that donations for the 130 units in Remarville had been fully made. This is in the custody of GK and they are releasing this only to beneficiaries who would affiliate with CFC Global. Then Eric Cayabyab directly coordinated with Arlene Castor, a beneficiary who is being delisted for having built a house more than three times the standard size for Remarville. Castor claims to have spent Php 200,000.00 of her personal funds (over and above the Php 80,000.00 plus of free materials she got from FFL and Global inventories). If Eric Cayabyab were a true GK practitioneer he should have relocated Arlene Castor in Camella Homes, considering the violations Arlene Castor has made and the money she claims to have spent, instead of letting her spearhead the 20July affair. GK/CFC Global has not spearheaded a move to relocate her to a regular subdivision, but has in fact provided her a lawyer in the delisting proceedings filed by the association against Castor. It is by this act that I wonder if GK has changed its qualification standards.

Finally I feel that the LORD really knows how to play jokes on us.. This 20 July Build is personified by what I call THE UNHOLY TRINITY. You see the main characters in the whole affair are holy people as

- One of the houses programmed for construction in the 20 July invasion is that of RICKY SANTOS

- The person pursuing the unauthorized BUILD/INVASION is TITO SANTOS

- The person currently circulating libelous statements against me from a self assumed high perch of moral authority but in total ignorance of facts of the case is MIKE SANTOS, a son of Tito Santos

Today Remarville is completely polarized and vividly depicts the conflict between CFC Global and CFC FFL being lived on a day to day basis by persons/neighbors who take pride in calling themselves Christians while being unchristian to one another. This is the reality of what CFC or we have become.

I pray that you can pass this on to our brothers in the community so that lessons in christian behavior may be learned and current moral standards being used/practiced be reassessed.

JUN JUNIA




* * *

I believe it is time for our beneficiaries to speak up. Jun Junia speaks of Christian Behavior. Please be fair then Mr. Junia. Sana po hindi lang salita yan. Payagan nyo po ang mga apektado na magsalita at mag bigay ng kanilang panig, na walang takot ma de-list.

Is that fair? I've published your side and I believe the they have a right to respond in kind.

UPDATE 09/05/08
Sample delisting letter added

Now I am certain this isn't the only one given out. At this time, I have had no updates so far on the situation inside save for the comments left anonymously by residents of Remarville. Please keep it up, we are doing this for you.

We Wish You Well

Now can't you do the same for us?


Friends, if you remember a few weeks back in the Pulp Bits entry, I wondered what the Easter Group was up to, since it appeared they were escalating attacks on GK. I figured it was because they had a competing product and needed to bash GK to raise the profile of theirs. Good business sense? Yes, I'd have to admit, but is it Christian conduct? You be the judge.

Personally, I've always felt that the best way for a product/company to succeed is to let its quality speak for itself. Positive word of mouth after all, is one of the most prized aspects of a good promotional campaign.

So I guess it comes as no suprise when I saw this:

Let me just take you back to the hints that made me feel that something was up.

Lets start with Perry Diaz's "Quo Vadis, Gawad Kalinga" article written in September of last year, which Nonong Contreras felt compelled to respond to. Mr. Contreras does the usual song and dance ("veering away", financial accountability, partnering with pharmas who promote contraceptives, etc.) and then hints at his own future partnership:

WE ONLY HAVE OUR BEST WISHES FOR CFC/GK AND MR. DIAZ IF THEY PURSUE THEIR MISSION WITHOUT CFC. THE ALL INCLUSIVENESS OF GK SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF PROUDLY UNFURLING ITS CHRISTIAN BANNER AND CALLING IT CFC, THE WAY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HAS BEEN VERY OPEN IN PROCLAIMING ITSELF AS A CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION.

Read complete response HERE.

On Frank Padilla's own Multiply site, a March 31, 2008 article talks about the future partnership:

"Also off site, the RV will benefit 374 families, mostly CFC-FFL members, that will be relocated in 24-square meter lots subdivided from a total area 15,505 square meters. A partnership with Habitat for Humanity is being worked out for the site."

Then, back in May 12, 2008, Nonong released his own article entitled "Where Really Is The Rub", which I guess is his idea of a witty response to Conrado De Quiros, he once again brings up Habitat:

"The rub lies in GK veering away from the life and mission of CFC by overprotecting its benefactors and donors to the extent that CFC members were told to avoid "unfurling its Christian banner in public" (quote from Mr.Esposo in a past column) while Habitat for Humanity proudly proclaims that it is a Christian organization."

Finally, we have the emails from the Salvador Macias and Mario Pareno ghostwritten entities forwarded by the Easter Group, which not only attacks GK, but manages to once again spew unsubstantiated claims. The thinly veiled July 9, 2008 Macias rejoinder to Meloto's I Want To Be A Good Catholic given at Ateneo and covered HERE, and a long delayed response to a dredged-up-from-the-past article by Michael Tan. This was what rang the alarm bells for me. I figure the fabled Mr. Badong Macias had to dig that up because they needed something to base a GK attack on.

There are several points of interest on those Macias commentaries by the way (and those from the haplessly uninformed Mario Pareno) , one of which is the insistence that the IC distributed the supposedly internal GK-3 paper. I don't know why they keep perpetuating the lie, when this email says it all (note the date):

Subject: gk
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 02:47:33 EDT

Because of its real frank nature, Bro. Frank Padilla (the eternal Pacifist and one who would not want to put down a brother) has withheld the all-out circulation of this, his 3rd paper on CFC and GK. We however believe that this paper should really be out especially so That our brethren will know the real score re: why there is tension bet. CFC and GK.

Some GK leaders' propaganda is that CFC leaders are just sourgraping Because of GK success. That CFC leaders are just displaying the typical Filipino crab mentality. That CFC leaders are simply envious of GK fame and Tony Meloto's awards. We believe in bringing out the truth. Unless the truth is out, our CFC members will always be misinformed and confused. So here it is. Frank's 3rd, no holds barred paper --- for the information of brothers and sisters in the community.

Please use your discernment on whether you wish to pass this to others in the community. Note that the date Bro. Frank made it is April 8, Easter Sunday. After two weeks of prayers and discernment on my part, I have decided to share this paper with you. May the truth set us free! May God and His Mother protect CFC!
Let us keep on praying for our beloved community.

Sis. Ding Contreras

But I digress (we'll get more into that later).


Anyway, I don't know if Habitat for Humanity know what they are getting themselves into. I need not mention that GK and Habitat has been peacefully co-existing all these years, until the Easter Group saw it fit to create drama between the two. The object of either group is to improve the lot of those less privileged, and put a roof over Pedro's head while giving him a chance and a vision to accomplish more, not just for himself but for his progeny. I have absolutely nothing against Habitat. None of us should. Before GK came into being, I've always respected what they've done, and still do. I wish the FFL (and their WWP program) well in their partnership with Habitat, may they house many, many poor Filipinos and give them hope and a chance at a good life.

There is however one thing that we all should be made aware of now, because everything up to this point has led to a specific conclusion, and it is this:

We need to finally realize that the conflict between Frank Padilla and Tony Meloto, between the Easter Group and the IC, the supposed veering away, or partnering with pharmas, all those points brought up by Frank Padilla as the reasons for his departure from CFC - ALL OF IT, were fabrications designed to hide the real devil's fruit that made him do it. PRIDE.

Wow, how can I say that, you may ask?

Easy, we've come full circle.

I'll ignore the fact that they are still thanking the anti-life proponent Cynthia Villar for their offices at Star Mall. I mean, they've never acknowledged it or at least tried to explain the hypocrisy blatantly displayed there, so I don't expect to hear any now.

Lets just concentrate on the here and now. Habitat and the FFL are now partners. That's a fact they've established well on their own. Right?

Well, considering all you have accused GK of, how do you now develop a partnership with an organization that works arm in arm with...

Pfizer
http://www.habitat.org/jcwp/2000/sponsors.html

And I quote:

“This joining together of workers within a company to do something outside enhances the sense of teamwork and makes for better relationships while at work.” – Doug Warner, Pfizer, Inc.

Habitat also deals with the Mormons, which if you remember the Easter Group raised a big deal about with GK:

Latter-day Saints joined many other community groups in a project to build two homes for local families. The article describes more about how Habitat for Humanity works.
http://www.mormonstoday.com/000514/D1LDS&Habitat01.shtml

Let me reiterate, this is not an attack on Habitat, I believe they have the right as a CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION to partner with whomever God steers them to to achieve their means. I am merely pointing out a hypocrisy in the Easter Group's actions and in their ability to do exactly the opposite of what they say, and how this has wreaked havoc on the lives of innocent CFC members.


I guess that says it all. Shall we consider the case closed?

(Thanks to Divinos for the links and the heads up.)

Hear Their Plea

I just wanted to draw your attention to these comments.

GK Beneficiary ng Remarville has left a new comment on your post "So It's True":

Ang kinatatakot ko lang po paano kapag sa amin nangyari yun! ano ang gagawin namin? Saan kami pupunta? May tutulong ba sa amin? natatakot talaga kami kay Jun Junia kasi isang sabi lang nya HOA officials ay sumusunod sila kahit alam nilang mali na!

Alam nyo po sobrang SAYA namin ng maging beneficiary kami sa Remarville NOON kasi sa wakas may sariling bahay na kami, ngunit ang SAYA na naramdaman namin NOON ngayon ay nababalutan na ng LUNGKOT AT TAKOT NA BAKA BUKAS AY WALA NA ANG BAHAY NA IBINIGAY SA AMIN NG PANGINOON

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "So It's True":

Bilang isa sa mga GK beneficiary, nais ko pong ipaabot ang liham na ito kay Tito Jun J. at sa lahat ng bumubuo ng Kapit bahayan ng GK Remarville. Lubos po ang aking paniniwala sa kabutihang loob na taglay nyo, minsan na po tayong naging isang pamilya sa bubong CFC, at maaring nag iba man tayo ng landas na tinahak ngunit hindi ang maiaalis kabutihang loob na naitanim sa puso nyo.

Isa lamang po ako sa maraming bilang ng mahihirap na naghangad na magkaroon ng sariling tahanan. Kaya’t naging lubos ang aking kasiyahan ng malaman kong ako at ang aking pamilya ay mapapagkalooban ng tahanan sa GK Remarville. Sa totoo lamang po ay napaluha ako ng marinig ko ang balita. Naisip ko agad ang mga anak ko. “Sa wakas mabibigyan ko na rin sila ng maayos na tirahan at tahanang matatawag kong amin”. Lingid pos a inyong kaalaman ay nangungupahan lang po ako sa kasalukuyan. Sa hirap po ng buhay makailang beses na rin kaming lumipat ng tahanan, para lamang makahanap ng murang marerentahan. Bagamat may trabaho po ako at ang aking asawa ay di pa rin ito sapat para matugunan ang lahat ng pangangailangan namin sa araw-araw. Bilang isang ina gusto ko pong ibigay ang lahat ng makakabuti sa anak ko, masakit pong isipin na hindi ko man lang matugunan ang ilang pangangailangan nila dahil na rin po sa kakapusan. Makakatulong po sana talaga ng malaki kung ang perang binabayad namin sa upa ay mailaan na lamang po para sa mga anak ko. Ngunit sa kasawiang palad maaring manatiling pangarap na lamang ang PANGARAP kong ito. Dahil isa po ako sa mga nakatanggap ng DELISTING notice mula pos a inyo. Maaring may mga desisyon po kayong di ko lubos na nauunawaan. Hindi ko rin naman pong hahayaan ang aking sarili na humantong sa galit. Tingna nyo na lang po ako bilang isang tao, bilang isang Pilipino, bilang isang mahirap. Isang kababayang nangangailangan.

Hindi man po tayo personal na magkakilala, pero alam ko pareho tayo ng pananaw pagdating sa ating mga pamilya. Hindi po sana maging kalabisan sa inyo kung hihilingin kong maipagkaloob po sa akin sampu ng aking pamilya ang isang bahay sa remarville. Hindi ko man po kayo mabayaran dito sa lupa alam ko pong may nakalaan na biyaya ang May Kapal. Gayun pa man po taos puso akong magpapasalamat sa inyo. Pinapaubaya ko na po sa inyo ang katuparan ng mga pangarap ko…

Salamat po,
GK Benificiary

GK Beneficiary has left a new comment on your post "So It's True":

Bilang GK Benificiary ng Remarville ako po ay nagmamakaawa kay Tito Jun. J. at sa GK Int’l Restoration Village Homeowners Association, na sana kami ay mapagbigyan na matupad aming pangarap na magkaroon ng sariling bahay. Kami po ay mahirap lamang, di naming kayang bumili ng lupa at bahay. Ang kinikita naming mag-asawa ay di pa minsan sapat sa gastusin sa araw-araw: pagkain, gamit ng mga bata sa eskwela, tubig, kuryente at renta sa bahay.

Nung naging GK Benificiary kami, tuwang-tuwa kami aking pamilya. dahil malaki ang maitutulong nito, Nagpapasalamat kami sa Maykapal , sa mga Sponsors na ginamit ng Diyos upang tulungan kaming mahihirap. At alam kong, di lamang bahay ang binigay ng ating Panginoon kundi isang tahanan. At pananalig na madama at lubusang makilala, kung paano maging mabuti at tunay na kristyano.

Alam ko sa dito sa Remarville mayroong CFC at FFL. Pero nanalig ako na magiging maayos ang lahat dahil iisa lamang ating Panginoong Maykapal.

Bilang CFC Benificiary kami ay umaattend ng Homeowners Meeting. Sa mga meeting, nababanggit ni Tito Jun J. na wala sya pinapanigan CFC o FFL, ang panawagan lamang nya ay makaisa ang mga members ng Homeowners lalo na sa pagbayad ng amortization sa lupa.

Hanggang sa dumating yung araw July 20 – GK Build para sa CFC Home Office ng 3 Beneficiaries. Kami bilang CFC members na gustong tumulong, GK at ibang pang members ng West C, pati ilang kapatid sa GK ay nagpunta upang tumulong sa pag gawa ng bahay. Ngunit di natuloy ito dahil nagbarikada ang Homeowners at ilang FFL members.

Makalipas ang dalawang linggo, nakatanggap kami mga CFC Benificiaries ng delisting notice ang mga CFC Benificiaries. Ang Tanong Namin Bakit, ano ang nagawa naming mali.

Mali ba yung TUMULONG PARA SA MGA KAPATID NATING CFC Beneficiaries.

CFC-GK Beneficiary

Mike Santos gives us an update:

mike santos has left a new comment on your post "A Call To Arms Pt 2":

in light of the recent event --remarville delisting and eviction--

My dad sent a SMS to Jun Junia and requested a dialogue that reads

... There is far greater joyful reason to UNITE, than to DIVIDE.. let's meet and resolve issues Re: remarville, gk magsaysay and other concern...

let's pray for this to happen!!!

Friends, this Remarville issue is far from over. I know we've committed to prayers and gatherings on their behalf, please help me keep this issue at the forefront. If only half of the things I'm hearing about the International Village beneficiaries and their plight are truly happening, it is still a major WRONG that must be put RIGHT.

Let us pray for God to touch the souls of the men at the root of this travesty, and allow them to care once again for their less fortunate brethren, without prejudice to what community they choose to belong to.

The Village That Frank Built Pt II: The Issues

UPDATED 08/11/2008
Blogger Round Eyed Toddler queries Mario Pareno and gets a detailed response.

UPDATED 08/08/2008
Easter Group emails a response, by a certain Mario Pareno.

UPDATED 7/31/2008 2:00AM
Document on the land acquistion and amortization scheme added.
Report detailing issues added.
Full translations of Salaysay added.
Pictures from the 7/20 build attempt.

UPDATED 7/29/2008 9:00AM
Partial translation of Salaysay added.

To those who've been following this blog since last year, you might remember the first hints of strife at the CFC International GK Village at Remarville, when some comments were posted back in October of 2007. The first was in the Time To Wrap It Up entry. I quote:

Anonymous said...

FFL said that there is no coercion in making people attend there activities...well maybe they have to ask jun junia and pancho lopez tan what they are doing with the beneficiaries of gk remarville...if they will not attend they will b ejected...and for the young ffl...why is it that if a ftw doesnt join you binabastos nyo...(xavy dont do it again ha)...and what kind of community are you building that is based on putting others down and labeling them us un christian?
I have 2 appeals for FFL to consider...
1. Can we all please move forward without maligning others.
2. tito frank pls stop acting like your God.

The next comment showed up in the Another One entry:

neokidntown said...

From what I heard, FFL is now managing former GK sites like the GK CFC International Village (Remarville).

The beneficiaries were asked to sign the petition paper that GK turns over the site to FFL.

I was told everyone signed the petition paper.

I’d like to know, is it true that failure to sign would mean ejection from the village?

Can anyone shed light on this?

Obviously, this isn't a "new" issue. People have known what the FFL (as represented by Jun Junia) have been up to, since last year.

You've seen the pictures in the first part of this series. Take a look at how CFC International GK Village looks like now:


We'll start this story with an account of events from within:





Download Salaysay as a pdf HERE.
English translation HERE and HERE.

Many thanks goes to our translators!


There have already been several comments in part 1 that were interesting (and gave us an update of events), one of which asked the pertinent questions:

What are the leaders of FFL saying about this?

Are they condoning the stoppage of the build? Why?

As obviously displayed by the coercion going on since October of last year, is it logical to assume that this is with the blessings of the Easter Group since they claimed the site, rechristened it "restoration village" and are apparently the sole authority there. I am hearing reports that now, the FFL are attempting to wash their hands of this and distancing themselves from the whole affair, with even Jun Junia claiming he is CFC and not FFL. We MUST NOT let them get away with this. The record of events goes back almost a year, with a finger pointing to the FFL and Jun Junia clearly showing attempts at coerction, harrassment, and incredibly unchristian conduct.

I am appalled.

Addition:
As usual, I will welcome any communication from Jun Junia et al to air their side.

LAND ACQUISITION DETAILS AND AMORTIZATION SCHEME




Download this document as pdf HERE.

A PARTIAL SUMMARY OF ISSUES



Download this document as a pdf HERE.

JULY 20, 2008 BUILD ATTEMPT

Here are some images taken from the attempted build at Remarville that was reported first here, here, and the aftermath reported by Mike Santos here.

The first alarm sounded:

cfc international restoration village update!!!!!
this sunday july 19,2008, may build po sa dating gk village na ito but sadly to tell that they rejected our request to build the 3 houses for the 3 home office beneficiaries and they tell us under the command of dictator Jun Junia and his alliance group(atty.Ogie Bautista and the home owners board of directors na hilaw)to back off kasi daw ffl na daw ang lugar na ito kaya they will not allowed any attempt to build with other gk benefeciaries and of course with West c sector team to be lead by tito santos and delfi geraldez.Jun J, tell us if we will not comply his recommendation he said! dadanak ang dugo dito!!!! and he even called some names working in the nbi to give him support this sunday kasi daw sigurado na magkakagulo, pati barangay po pinapaalarma and he also instructed two of the board who working in ABC5 and Channel 2 to document the possible clash kasi daw tito s. insisted daw to enter the perimeter to build...he even instructed also na pagpumilit na pumasok ang mga cfc global at gk volunteers pukpukin na daw agad kaya nga kagabi sa meeting nila gumawa na sila ng letter for whatever happen this sunday may pan laban sila...he(Jun) even hired bugoy or tambay just for bakbakan daw sa sunday.....nasaan na po ang spirit ng cfc....200 expected volunteer to come, they come to support the build not to dimolish the area...oh! comm'n ffl drop ur pride and be united with us for the sake of the poor people living there....he admitted that they dont have funds anymore for the construction....kong sabagay wala silang pakialam kong wala silang pondo kasi kong ayaw mo na sa lugar na yan then you back out as homeowner and then they will sell your lot na mas mahal, i think 5000 or 5500 na yata per sqr.meter don before it was only 3500 per sqr.mter, kaya daw mahal kac na develop na ang lugar..ang tanong po? sino po ba ang nagdevelop ng lugar na yon, di po ba gk....they also said na lahat na cfc-gmfi sa lugar ay hahanapan daw ng butas para maalis...calling the attention of gk national to step up to this issue...taposin na ang dapat taposin...tama na!Sobra na!Palitan na!! walang iwanan di ba!!!!!


cfc remarville

Reported by Mike Santos:

About the Remarville Build tomorrow July 20,2008.

The build is initiated and coordinated by GK National. And is intended for the CFC full time workers who are beneficiaries and lot owners in this site.

CFC West C GK workers and volunteers are part of the team who will support the build. All volunteers were asked to gather at the basketball court.

Tito Jun Junia is aware of this scheduled build.

Before the build was scheduled, talks were ongoing between the FFL (Lito De Guzman) and CFC (thru CFC West C GK Tito Santos). Also Tito Santos (my dad) is constantly communicating with Tito Jun Junia about the site and its benficiaries.

FFL (thru Lito De Guzman) has agreed to it and Tito Jun will refer it to the Homeowners Association of remarville.

-- one of my dad's SMS message to Tito Jun ---"GK natl has scheduled a build on Sunday 9am to 5pm at remarville, hope to make the start of uniting our hearts again even with 2 organizations"---

Let's pray for this and may all our hearts be melted and peace reign as we strive to follow Jesus' way...

And the report of what happened after:

Remarville update:

CFC Volunteer workers were not allowed entry.

CFC leaders decided not to do build today.

CFC will be arranging a meeting with Remarville Homeowners Association and Jun Junia.

Note the kadena (chain)

08/08/08 CFC-FFL Response

A certain Mario Pareno gives his side of the story.

From: "Easter Group"
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 20:04:17 -0700
From: m_pareno@yahoo.com.ph
Subject: Remarville and GK Manolo Villages: A Study in Contrast
To: eastergroup@gmail.com

Just as one gets the feeling both communities seem to be moving on their own comes an issue somehow blown out of proportion by CFC Global/GK regarding Remarville Village. The latter site apparently was taken over by CFCFFL upon the strong clamor of the KB officers themselves, the caretaker team, and even the beneficiaries. The apparent reason offered by the parties concerned was alleged and apparent neglect on the part of CFC/GK to continue with the houses. Bro. Frank apparently took pains raising the money for 132 houses but up to this time, only 55 units have been built. We were told that the KB itself formally requested CFC-FFL to take over in writing.

Upon closer scrutiny, it was allegedly discovered that what CFCFFL inherited from GK had still some pending land documentation issues and it was altogether premature and hasty for CFCFFL to take over without proper exercise of due diligence from the former caretakers, the CFC/GK. So the continuous building of the houses just had to stop pending the resolution of the issues.

Now, Bro. Frank again bears the brunt of potshots, malicious charges and baseless innuendoes that he built the village with a lot of problems. ALL HE DID AT THE TIME HE WAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS TO RAISE THE FUNDS AND IT WAS UP TO GK TO BUILD THE HOUSES. Of course,the rest is history because came the split and the site was left with GK until the very recent takeover which was not without its attendant problems left by GK to CFCFFL.

Contrast this to another GK village in GK Manolo, Valenzuela where the same situation hangs and persists. The number of promised houses have not materialized after 2 years. Apparently irked by the non-delivery of the houses as promised, some beneficiaries have resorted to building their own homes from borrowed funds, without help from CFC/GK. Still others have gone beyond the official design and in the site are now dwellings with more than one floor, apparently now a common site to see in other villages as well.

But what was more disturbing was the continued ostracism received by two families because they chose to affiliate themselves with CFCFFL. It goes without saying that they were told that they cannot hope to see their houses built because of their affiliations. Instead of making these cases a federal issue, the community just quietly raised the necessary funds to complete these houses. Now, the two families are happily settled in their new homes built by their CFCFFL brethren.

A contrast in approach: Remarville and Manolo villages and how two communities responded to the call.

You be the judge.

Mario

Note that practically everything claimed in this email, ie:

"..upon the strong clamor of the KB officers themselves"

"...what CFCFFL inherited from GK had still some pending land documentation issues and it was altogether premature and hasty for CFCFFL to take over without proper exercise of due diligence from the former caretakers, the CFC/GK."

Etc.

have already been covered in the "Salaysay".

He's asking us to be the judge. I believe we need to be supplied with evidence to make our own proper judgement, correct? First but certainly not the least, please explain the FFL's Jun Junia and his actions.

UPDATED 08/11/2008
Blogger Round Eyed Toddler queries Mario Pareno and gets a detailed response.

----- Original Message ----
From: Round-Eyed Toddler <roundeyedtoddler@gmail.com>
To: m_pareno@yahoo.com.ph
Sent: Saturday, August 9, 2008 10:12:12 AM
Subject: Remarville and GK Manolo Villages: A Study in Contrast

Bro Mario,
What role did you play in Remarville? Just curious. Then how do you explain the issues presented in these documents?

How do you explain the pictures of Remarville residents who blocked the entry of Couples for Christ volunteers to build the houses of home office workers? Click here, and here, then here, here, and finally here! Tell me why the sensibilities of relatively newer members of the community should not be affected by the brazen display of unChristian defiance of these residents? What does your Most Honorable and Most Humble Servant General Frank Padilla, the name above all names in the Catholic renewal movement for Christian couples, say about all these?

The Round-Eyed Toddler

Mr. Pareno responds:

On 08 10, 08, at 10:23 AM, Mario Pareno wrote:

My,my you are frothing all over. Not surprising for a toddler.

I am just as curious who the round-eyed toddler is. No one who hides under the skirt of anonymity (no pun intended as toddlers are wont to hide under the skirts of their moms) has any right to ask about roles if he is not willing to come up front and reveal his real identity... Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Bulatro, whatever.

Besides, ever heard of investigative journalism? More to come in our sequel coming from the residents themselves.

RET:

On Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 10:22 PM, Round-Eyed Toddler <roundeyedtoddler@gmail.com> wrote:

My name is inconsequential. Would you have cared if I told you my name? You won't see my name in any of the pages as I am someone new to the community when GK started. But now, I just happen to be someone who feels strongly about this whole thing and none of the actions in Remarville is helping anybody, not even you in FFL. What do you think all this brouhaha will accomplish? Prove that someone's right and someone's wrong, as if Christ is smiling at everyone at the gate of Remarville on July 20? You gave a very "brotherly" reply. I wish you luck in your newfound community. A certain "spirit" appears to be working in you. We, in Couples for Christ, will move on. You certainly have the prayers of my community.

{RET's real name, CFC Chapter and Mobile number was indicated here in the actual email}

It would be interesting to see what Mr. Pareno will dig up. To him and the commenter who said,

"Imagine you do not have enough evidence and yet you wrote things against whomever you can put based on your sources."

I say, bring it on. I welcome ALL evidence. Let the chips fall where they may.


To be continued.

The Village That Frank Built

This is the 1st in an ongoing series on the CFC International GK Village.

Part II is HERE.
Part III is HERE.

Overview




Location
CFC International GK Village is located along Zodiac St., in Remarville Subd., Brgy. Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City.

I'm hoping this will be the start of the online mapping of all GK sites across the globe. It took me about 30 minutes to pinpoint using visual references on WikiMapia and Mapcentral.ph

View Larger Map

I've also added its location in WikiMapia.

Frank Padilla gives us the gist:

Frank Padilla wrote:
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 21:24:05 +0800
To: COUNTRY COORDINATORS ,
COUNTRY HEADS
From: Frank Padilla
CC: , Pancho & Marilyn Lopez-Tan <>
Subject: [Countrycoords] int'l GK village

Hello brethren. The Int'l GK Village is a go. It will be located in Remarville in Quezon City. The total lot area is 4,904 sqm. and we will build 132 houses. This village is for CFC members including about 10 of our own employees. We will build row housing, with each house having two floors of 18 sqm each or a total of 36 sqm. So it is larger than the normal 20 sqm house. The beneficiaries have already been identified and are currently undergoing values formation. The Kapitbahayan is already in place. Some site development work is already ongoing, but formal groundbreaking will be on Feb 4.

For the houses in this village, our material cost will be about 75,000 pesos. At a peso-dollar exchange of 52.65, that would be about US$1,425. You of course know that there are many more costs involved aside from just the raw materials. These will be covered by local padugo. You also know that our sponsorship cost for the 20 sqm house, starting 2006, was already raised from $1,000 to $1,200. I am asking for a sponsorship amount of US$1,300 for the Int'l GK Village. For this particular project, there will be no retention, either by Ancop abroad or by GK locally. The full $1,300 will be given to the GK site.

Our target is one country, one home. Please let me know if CFC in your country is going to sponsor a home. The money may be remitted as soon as you are able to raise it. The amount should not come from what has been raised by Ancop or by CFC from partners and contributors. It should come from our members. You should have a special drive to raise the amount, and hopefully in the process get our members (in those countries that are not yet that involved in Ancop or GK) to be more cognizant and appreciative of our work in GK.

You are invited to the Int'l GK Build and hopefully dedication on June 18. We will all go to the site and have our brethren from all over the world participate in building and finishing this village.

The privilege of those countries that opt not to sponsor a home will be given to the other countries until we fill up the sponsorship of all 132 homes. I will be waiting to hear from you.

God bless you all.

frank

"For to me life is Christ, and death is gain." (Phil 1:21)

Highlights in bold are mine.

And so it began:

From Vision

To Reality

The call was answered; from our own UP students to people from overseas

Homes were completed, and CFC International GK Village was gradually populated.

In part 2, we'll dig into the story behind the anomalies, the FFL's involvement, and stories from those who actually live there.

Resources:

I've used or referenced photos from the following Multiply accounts:
Veran1222
Mia12Polka
CFC North C
Bikey
Sleekchic87
lmujunebug
Lolacat

The Hearts of Eagles

Lets take a little diversion from the Fr. Tulabings and "Restoration" villages. I think maybe they'll need a little time for thinking and listening to their hearts.

Fr. Tulabing, I hope, will take a look at this blog, open his eyes and discern with the heart the Lord gave him. I am also hoping our hard hearted brothers who blocked entry at the Remarville GK site will look beyond greed, prejudice, and pride, and figure out that this issue goes beyond a mere name or title. I'm collecting documents, images, and evidence, but I'd like to give them some time to have a change of heart.

I draw your attention now to another speech made by Tony Meloto at the All Ateneo Alumni Convention that was held in Chicago, USA last July 5th.

The Eagle is Not Too Old to Fly
By Antonio Meloto
July 5, 2008
All Ateneo Alumni Convention held at Hyatt Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Image from lightwalks.com

Please pardon me for looking odd as your guest speaker in my khaki pants and tight barong on this gala night of the All Ateneo Alumni Convention. My plane lost an engine and had to land in Seattle instead of Detroit . I lost my luggage and had to fit in this shirt from a generous soul who is twenty pounds lighter.

Thank you Ateneans USA President, Dr. Jun Farrales, for inviting me. Greetings to Ateneo de Davao President Fr. Ting Samson, S.J., the man who made me look intelligent by giving me a PhD in Humanities Honoris Causa last year. Good evening to all co-alumni and guests. While this is a mixed age group of Ateneo Alumni, a gathering of the brightest and the best of our graduates of all ages who now call America home, the focus of this message is for those who are over fifty years old, if there are any around besides myself. I hope those below fifty listen well because there is a lot of inspiration and lessons to be learned from the journey of my generation.

Career-wise, most of us reach our peak at fifty. At that point, we are at the summit of our life in experience and influence. We who have traveled far and struggled hard to get there still have much energy left to fly, no longer for self, but for greater causes that can harness the expertise and resources we have built over the years.

I believe that this is the reason why I was invited to speak to you tonight. After building your American dream, the apple of your eyes now is the Philippines and you want to explore new ways of expressing your affection for her. Not that you have stopped caring or helping in the past, but most of you are eager to do it at this point when you have the time to really make a difference. What is clear to me is that the eagle is not too old or too tired to be a hero for our country. Many of you have passion for golf or basketball which is good for the body. I hope you can add to this the passion for nation-building which is good for your soul.

Being a hero to your family is no stranger to you. You have slaved long hours, endured the worst bosses on the planet, and survived the coldest winters in America that your body is not accustomed to for the love of family. That is heroism that every human parent is designed for, especially Filipinos. To do otherwise would be a betrayal of that nature. Filipinos in America have succeeded exceedingly well in that field of struggle – building the most comfortable nests that are probably empty when they reach fifty and raising children equipped with the best education and a sense of independence to make it on their own.

Now you have the freedom to retire and relax here to enjoy your success which you deserve or to extend yourself beyond family and beyond this country and share your success with the people and the places where it will matter most in the land of your birth.

We are inviting you to come home and be a hero to our people, to be hope to the hopeless, to visit the abandoned and the forgotten, to help us seek the least and the lost. Tonight, I honor those who have responded to this call and the many others who will follow.

We are inviting you to visit our Gawad Kalinga communities and discover what is good and true in the Filipino because every village is built with nobility and the greatness of the spirit of our people that inspire even foreigners to help. Many Fil-Ams and foreigners have come to build, others to experience and study the phenomenon, some for their masters and PhD dissertations. The recent builders came from Georgetown and Yale; six non-Filipinos from Loyola University of Chicago stayed for six months as members of the first GK Builders Corps. Something good from the Philippines is catching global attention.

Yes, this is an invitation for us to build a nation that we can all be proud of, raised not just by our collective genius but by our common resolve to stop living in shame as a people. Many Filipinos, starting with myself, are guilty for what our country has become, but feeling guilty alone will not bring a nation out of poverty. We have to convert regret to reform, concern to action, shame to honor. We have to raise Filipinos to be first-class citizens in the Philippines so none of our people will feel second-class anywhere in the world.

Wherever I go in the United States, I sense a longing here for our homeland. This growing nostalgia is opening channels for philanthropy and investment unseen before. Almost four hundred out of our 1,700 GK villages are funded and visited by partners and volunteers from the United States , and more are coming. Gawad Kalinga is bringing out the best in the Fil-Ams by showing them the best in our people at home.

They are inspired when they meet former istambays who give up vices and start to work, some even taking two jobs like Filipinos abroad. They now understand what many of us knew all along: the Filipino is not lazy when he is in the right environment. The problem of poverty in our country is not the lack of work but the lack of motivation to work when there is no hope or aspiration. GK provides them the environment, the values, and the motivation to be productive citizens. In our experience, poverty and corruption are behavioral, cultural, and moral issues before they are economic.

Our resident Pilosopo Tasyo from Ateneo Class of ‘69 remarked about this phenomenon in GK, “When it was clear to me that poverty was not primarily about economics, when it was clear to me that corruption was not primarily about law, it also became clear to me that despair perpetuates poverty, perpetuates corruption. I learned this because the entry of hope changes everything, as though hope were the light that transforms night to day. I learned that what Gawad Kalinga does, which is the most important, is to rearrange the ingredients of life so that hope can emerge with basis.”

Gawad Kalinga brings great hope to the nation because it inspires great generosity from an army of volunteers who help the needy when they themselves are in need. Many are building homes for the homeless when they themselves are still renting or living with relatives.

Gawad Kalinga invites trust because it inspires Filipinos to be trustworthy, even politicians. One truly bright spot in our country today is the emergence of young and capable leaders preparing their towns for investment and development by land banking and building sustainable GK communities and farms to address homelessness and hunger. This removes a major roadblock in our effort to scale up as lack of trust is oftentimes the excuse of many for not helping although the heart wants to.

To build a nation is to have direct impact on the lives of the poor, fifty million of them in our country as of the last count, and to influence those who have the power and the means to help them. The effort has to be visible, transformative, and empowering; otherwise, it will not be massive or sustainable. It can start with charity but it must be a work of social justice to even the playing field and to recognize that all Filipinos are equal in worth and dignity. It begins with the heart where love resides, but it must be sustained with excellence and stewardship. Without love, there is no justice; without justice, there is no peace. Despite our abundance in material resources and talent, our nation will not prosper unless we learn to love our country and work for justice for our people.

Philippine Daily Inquirer, in choosing me as Filipino of the Year in 2006, cited Gawad Kalinga as a gift from God to the Filipino people, which one day will be the gift of the Filipino people to the world. In receiving this award, it was clear to me that I was just doing so on behalf of the multitude of heroes who have made this miracle possible. It has not been my habit to speak about my role in a work that humbles me, but tonight I will give you a glimpse of my life as a late bloomer in social development who discovered that it is never too late to love country beyond self. Perhaps it will help you find new expressions of what it is to live for others.

The first fifty years of our life is an invitation for success; beyond that is an invitation for greatness. Success is to accomplish for self; greatness is to accomplish for others.

I come from Ateneo class ’71, AB Economics, the batch of Jun Ross, the more famous one among us in college who needs our prayers now in his battle against cancer. Please pray for his quick recovery so he can continue to fly with us. This year I turned fifty-eight, normally a good age to slowdown and reduce the amount of stress in a man’s life. But I am a restless fifty-eight. I am consumed with two goals at the second phase of my life. First, I dream that the Philippines will be the first Christian country in Asia that will rise from poverty. Second, I want my children to be among the first generation of Filipinos who will live with pride and honor in our country.

These are big dreams that have captured my heart at this time when my blood pressure is no longer stable without maintenance from Pfizer, and my psoriasis is uncontrollable without the aid of Wyeth. I mentioned these two pharmaceutical companies because their CEOs are Ateneo graduates and close friends who are concerned with my health and those of the poor in our Gawad Kalinga communities.

They, too, are not too old to dream of a better life for our people. Unlike most of you, my being Atenean was more by destiny, not by privilege of birth. It was Fr. Thomas Steinbugler, SJ, the Dean of Admissions forty years ago, who broke convention and changed history by opening the door of the Katipunan campus to ambitious young men like myself from public schools who had no pedigree; only big dreams and the determination to build a better life than the one we had.

More than the equipment for success in whatever career path I chose, Ateneo planted in me the seed of what it is to be Filipino and Catholic – to be a man for others.

As part of the scholarship package, I worked as a porter in both Cervini and Eliazo dorms with other scholars like respected columnist Conrado de Quiros. In my four years at the university, I was accepted as a friend and equal by everyone who knew that I came from the lower class and a different background. It was my first taste of a non-discriminatory, inclusive community in what was a traditionally exclusive environment. It was liberating for someone like myself who always felt second class in Bacolod City where I came from. The rich were not unkind to me, but somehow I never felt I was an equal to them. I did not blame them either. Somehow I knew it was not their fault that they inherited a way of life where human value was measured by the size of one’s land or the sound of one’s name.

My time at the Ateneo was also a period of societal change. The dark clouds of the First-Quarter Storm were brewing in the campuses, and there was growing unrest in the countryside. Jesuit Fr. JJ Jesena, my guardian and relative by affinity, shocked the public and upset the landed aristocracy of my home province with his revealing and disturbing book on the miserable life of our sugarcane workers; the sacadas of Negros . What was disturbing to others was normal to me because I grew up with them.

All the social conscientization of the time plus my deep admiration for friends and martyrs, Emman Lacaba and Ed Jopson, were not compelling enough for me to drop my ambition and join the cause. I was the young eagle then who was eager to fly away because I had nothing to give back to those I left behind in Negros . There was no reason for me to go home. I had no land, no money, no pedigree. There was only massive hunger and insurgency waiting for me.

So I stayed in Manila and tried to build a life, just like the squatters who flock to the city because there is no hope for them in the province. The big difference was that I had an Ateneo education while most of them barely had anything. I raised my family inside exclusive subdivisions; they raised theirs in squatter colonies outside my walls. Heaven and hell were just a few meters away from each other. Like most Filipinos, I found comfort in religion but had no time to give comfort to poor Lazarus outside my gate.

Oftentimes, we curse the squatters for making our world ugly, for the threat to our safety, and for being a burden to society. Yes they are…because we forgot to practice our Christianity on them. Our failure in social justice deprived them of land and home, of dignity and honor, of dreams an aspirations, to build a future in the towns where they were born. They are impoverished squatters in a country with so much land and wealth in the possession of a few.

It is the same migratory pattern like most of you who flew to the United States as poverty, corruption, activism, and militarization grew in our country. It is but natural for us to escape threats to our safety and comfort and to search for our oasis where we can thrive and prosper. No one has the right to judge anyone of you for leaving the country, as no one has the right to judge the poor for leaving their province to seek survival elsewhere.

Unlike them, you were driven by hope because you were designed to succeed while they were forced to leave out of desperation, oftentimes because of calamity, conflict or hunger. You prospered in the most competitive economy in the world with your strong motivation and great capacity for hard work, while the poor, who are congesting our cities, failed to make life better for themselves and for everyone else. They know how to fish, but the big city is no fishing ground for them. Our goal in Gawad Kalinga is to make life in the province more attractive for them not to leave and for those in the city to go back. And for those who do well to come home and help.

Like this eagle who flew back to Negros, In 2003, a young Englishman, who fell in love with GK, my country, and my daughter…in that order, gave my wife and me an unusual gift on our silver anniversary – one hundred homes to give to the poor in our respective hometowns. We built fifty homes for her in Concepcion , Tarlac, where she hails from, and fifty homes for the farm workers where I come from in La Carlota City. Today, there are thirty-two GK villages in nineteen towns and cities in Negros Occidental and more to open up…and more hacienderos giving land for homes and farms to the poor. I am finally home.

We are now calling on all patriots-in-exile in the US and Canada to come home and help us build our nation. The Philippines is claiming back her best talents on loan to other countries with interest. Please go back to your towns and provinces, not just to your families but to other families in need, not just with your balikbayan boxes but with your balikbayani hearts.


Our local heroes are waiting for you. The thirteen Blue Eagle GK villages in Quezon City, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Bicol, and Davao look forward to your visit and support. We have over 400 mayors and governors and thousands of volunteers and GK residents willing to match your heroism – love for love, sweat for sweat, skill for skill.


We need immediate help for Panay which was devastated by typhoon Frank last week. Relief agencies are all over the island easing the misery of 80,000 families needing food, medicine, and temporary shelters. Soon Gawad Kalinga will start building sustainable GK communities in relocation sites, safe from floods, landslides, and earthquakes. We will need a big army of heroes to do this on a massive scale in partnership with our town officials. We call on all Ilonggos particularly to help Panay and all of you to help the poor in the region where you come from. Let us not allow the Filipino to remain a victim in his country forever.

In this room are the natural leaders of an initiative that will raise the image of Filipinos from Third-World to one that many other countries will follow in order to confront and defeat poverty in their own respective homelands. It is in the hands of Filipinos privileged by wealth or talent to take leadership positions, but they can do so only if they have the heart of heroes.

It is only heroes who can rescue a failing nation and a suffering people. It is only heroes who will extend their power and resources to help others, beyond themselves and family. To love our family is a gift; to love the poor is grace. Caring for our family brings us closest to them; caring for the poor brings us closest to God. It is only the hero in you that I appeal to, to bring our people out of poverty and you nearest to God.

In the past, nations were built by young heroes in their teens because fighting for the motherland was their purpose in life. Their average life expectancy was short at thirty-five years old, war being their main business. Now our young are pressured with college, career, and family with little time to think about their country. Those who do are extraordinary.

So we call on those over fifty, who have fewer responsibilities, more resources, and longer life expectancy. Those at fifty today are at their prime, equivalent to a fifteen-year-old two centuries ago. It is to all of you that I make this appeal. Be a hero to the poor in our country.

Show the world that the eagle is not too old to fly. Use all your energy to lift our country out of poverty and our people out of shame. Make this your offering when Ateneo celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2009, in tune with its theme, “Building the Nation.” When we all do, our national hero and the greatest Atenean, Dr. Jose Rizal, will finally get his wish. And we would have been justified: With an Ateneo education comes great responsibility for God and country.


God bless the Philippines.