David Parker (ADB 1976–2004)
The money that was provided through the SCF was given to two well-organized channels, the Virlanie Foundation, Inc. in Quiapo (P55,000) and the New Faith Family Children’s Home in Cainta, Metro Manila (P275,915), for assisting many poor families who remained seriously affected by the floods.
Virlanie Foundation, Inc. The P55,000 given to the Virlani Foundation bought basic food supplies that were presented in ADB tote bags to 33 very poor flood-affected families at the Virlanie Foundation Open Day Center in Quiapo on Saturday, 19 December 2009. Children also received stuffed toys donated by ADB staff members. AFE’s Hans-Juergen Springer and David Parker, the SCF’s Sue Hooper and Karen Lane, and Yin Yin Lam participated in presenting the food bags and toys, and watched as the parents and children alike delighted in the games and entertainment.
Virlanie Foundation is a private, nonsectarian nongovernment organization (NGO) in Manila. Its mission is to care for very poor children needing special protection, including abandoned children, street beggars, young prostitutes, physically and emotionally battered children, mentally handicapped children, and incest victims. Virlanie gives them shelter, food, education, and love, and provides developmental services to help them become self-reliant, productive, independent individuals using a family atmosphere and reintegration to normal community life. Virlanie’s vision is to empower the children with hope for a bright future.
Many of the beneficiaries of the Virlanie Foundation’s outreach programs lost almost everything in the floods that followed typhoon Ondoy. The happy faces of the recipients of the food supplies and gifts at the Open Day Center on 19 December 2009, and the gusto with which both adults and children participated in the games and entertainment, were a heart-warming sight, especially given the hardships they have endured.
New Faith Family Children’s Home Foundation, Inc. The New Faith Family Children’s Home is a home for abandoned, neglected, and abused children. It was started in February 2005 by Jeff and Colene Long, missionaries from the US. Now, 38 children live in the orphanage. The Children’s Home was not affected by the floods, as it is on a hill, but most of the surrounding communities were devastated, as Cainta was one of the worst affected areas. After the floods, the Children’s Home was feeding about 1,200 people, particularly targeting children, and looking after their basic medical needs. Many of the people were living in terrible circumstances, with no hope of returning home for several weeks.
The remaining P275,915 of AFE members’ donations that were passed on to the SCF was handed to Jeff Long in two separate checks. He received the first check, for P141,334 at ADB headquarters. The proceeds were used to buy rice, vegetables, canned meat, cooking oil, and basic necessities such as soap, toothpaste, and shampoo.
Hans-Juergen Springer, the SCF’s Sue Hooper, and I gave Jeff the second check, for P134,581, on 30 January 2010 when we visited the Children’s Home. Proceeds from the check will meet a large part of the construction cost of separate small, durable homes for three families seriously affected by the floods as part of the Foundation’s outreach to the neighboring communities. During the visit, Jeff Long showed us around, explaining the Foundation’s work in detail. We were greatly impressed by Jeff’s accomplishments of establishing and running the orphanage and by the contented expressions of the children living there. Hans, Sue, and I participated in serving nutritious meals to a long line of children from the nearby communities. During a walk along narrow paths through the community served by the Foundation, Jeff showed us two small homes typical of the ones planned to be constructed from the proceeds of the second check.