Bayanihan Foundation Impact in Iligan – Celebrating Dr. Vicente and Mrs. Luz Saavedra, Catalysts for Change

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

(from left) Rotary Club of Iligan South President Juel Songkit Honoring Fellow Rotarian Dr. Vicente Saavedra for his assistance in the water well and other projects. Dale Asis standing on the right.

In 2009, I started my giving with the Bayanihan Foundation in Iligan City, Philippines. Why in Iligan? I was fortunate to have my uncle Dr. Vicente, and my aunt, Mrs. Luz Saavedra inspire me in my philanthropic giving early on. In 2019, ten years later, the Bayanihan Foundation have leveraged individual donations and have touched thousands of lives in Iligan, in partnership with the Zakat Foundation and multiple Rotary clubs in Chicago and in Iligan. Dr. Vicente and Mrs. Luz Saavedra certainly has been a catalyst in my life. They have demonstrated the power of giving selflessly.

The Bayanihan Foundation has touched over 19, 000 people in Iligan with the help of Dr. Vicente and Mrs. Luz Saavedra. The foundation has a long laundry list of accomplishments in Iligan:

(standing far left) Iligan Central Elementary School librarian Idamarie Navarro eceives donated books for library from Bayanihan Foundation Evelyn Castillo (second to the right) and Dale Asis (standing far right) (August 2015)

built two libraries and two latrines;

Filipino Muslim families in Tambacan village, Iligan City receive food packages during Ramadan

Uncle Vic Saavedra (far left) of the Rotary Club of Iligan South distributing food packages to Muslim villages in Mindanao

delivered 5 tons of food to indigent Filipino Muslims;

Inaugurating new water well – Iligan City, Mindanao, Philippines

built six wells;

Rotarians from Rotary Club Chicago Far North donated dictionaries to Iligan Central Elementary School in 2012

hosted 23 NEXTGEN youth and Rotarians;

Filipino Christians distribute food packages to needy Filipino Muslims courtesy of the Zakat Foundation (2012 photo)

provided emergency food rations to 800 people after Typhoon Sendong in 2012;

(left to right); Mrs. Luz Saavedra, Evelyn Castillo and Idamarie Navarro-Abejo

donated 3,000 books;

(left to right); Vicente Saavedra and Evelyn Castillo enjoying the spread of native foods and delicacies during the welcome dinner in Iligan City

helped 18,000 people with rice and food donations to indigent Filipino Muslim families after the annual Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha celebrations.

Dr. Vicente and Mrs. Luz Saavedra have been catalysts for change in Iligan. Their accomplishments live on through the lives they’ve touched. Their inspiration of helping others will go on for many years to come as the next generation of diaspora philanthropy takes on the mantle of ‘Bayanihan’ community giving.