Bayanihan Foundation Worldwide

Tue-Day is the day! #GivingTuesday!

Posted on December 1, 2015 by

Thank you for your continued interest in the Bayanihan Foundation Worldwide. I am glad that you are partnering with us in promoting the Foundation’s mission of Filipinos abroad helping Filipinos at home. The Foundation’s NEXTGEN Program encourages young Filipino Americans learn more about their homeland and eventually become more involved in philanthropic efforts to help back in the Philippines. The program provided cultural experiences and enrichment for Filipino Americans (Fil-Ams). We need your support! We cannot do it without your help to encourage Fil-Ams to make a difference back home. Jeselle Santiago, NEXTGEN 2015 Fellow shares her personal story of how the NEXTGEN Program affected her life:

Jeselle Santiago, NEXTGEN 2015 Fellow planting mangrove trees in Cebu

“When I think of the Bayanihan Foundation and its NEXTGEN program, words seem to fail me. They mean so much to me that the clichés that tend to come to mind simply do not do them justice…but to not share my story would be even more of a disservice, so I will attempt to convey their impact on my life.

For me, the NEXTGEN program has been a truly transformative experience and a catalyst for change. It awoke parts in me I was unaware of and reinvigorated my soul. It reunited me with my birth mother-land and revealed how desperately I needed my roots for stability. It helped me redefine who I want to be and reframe how I view my interaction with the world.

Before NEXTGEN, I had not given too much thought to my Filipino identity. While I was born in the Philippines, I was raised in America since I was only a year old—so to me, America was the only home I’ve ever known. However, when I stepped foot in the Philippines, I was overcome with the warmth of a mother’s embrace. People I had just met for the first time treated me as life-long family. As we shared our stories, though we grew up worlds apart, we saw ourselves in each other. However, I felt my shame as I recognized that while I’ve also gone through hardships, I’ve had privileges to ease the burdens. Yet I tend to wallow in my weakness, whereas my Philippine brothers and sisters revel in their resilience.

Before NEXTGEN, I was hung up on how it took me 5 years to complete my undergraduate studies and frustrated because I was going to take a year off to weigh my options before pursuing graduate school. I kept feeling inadequate because I wasn’t sure what to do with my life…

After NEXTGEN, I achieved some clarity and rekindled the fire in me that wants to be of service to others. Since coming back to the states, I have worked with Bayanihan’s president and founder, Dale Asis, to see how I can give back to this wondrous organization. Already, we managed to send over 150 books to our partners in Iligan and raised $3,000 towards the Pamasko, Tubig, and next NEXTGEN programs. I’ll also be helping out with our partner organization, DIWA, in conducting community outreach and raising awareness of mental health issues among the Filipino American and Asian American communities. In addition to volunteering for Bayanihan, I have also started my year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA as part of Asian Americans Advancing Justice’s initiative to empower Asian Americans in Chicago. Further still, I will be starting my master’s work as a Social Work student at Loyola next month to pursue my dreams of becoming a clinician for mental health.

After NEXTGEN, I have gained much more self-confidence and assurance that I want to use my life to promote social change for the better. I hope to do what I can to see this program continue to thrive and be a pivotal point for others’ lives.”

Your donation of $10, $100, $1,000 or whatever amount you can afford will make a difference in making sure that the NEXTGEN Program continues beyond its first launch. Your donation of $10 will provide two hours of leadership orientation for Jeselle and other NEXTGEN Fellows to help them in to learn more about the Philippines, connect and give. Would you consider donating today and make a difference? Donate today: http://bit.ly/1MYoP5u Your donation is being matched by the Foundation’s board members and dedicated donors. You can also check if you company could double your donation: http://bit.ly/1NWDFcr You can also donate by typing #donate on Facebook and Twitter. ‘Like’ us on Facebook and social media. Thank you for your support!

Posted in Chicago, Diaspora Donors, Diaspora Giving, philanthropy | Leave a comment

Giving Tuesday is December 1, 2015

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Dale Asis

Tuesday December 1, 2015 is “Giving Tuesday,” a movement to create an US national day of giving on the first Tuesday of December. Would you consider donating any amount to the Bayanihan Foundation this holiday season? The Foundation’s ‘Pamasko’ (Gift Giving) For Indigent Children plans to give over 1,000 food packages to street children and their families. Did you know that over 37% of Filipino children and their families live on less than $3 a day? (Poverty Headcount Ratio, World Bank, 2012)

Evelyn Castillo and Dale Asis distributing food to street children in Tacloban City, Leyte Philippines

The ‘Pamasko’ (Gift Giving) Program plans to give food packages to street children, provide books and computers to different libraries and offer educational opportunities for indigent children so they could have a brighter future. Will you consider donating $10? $10 will provide 10 square meals for one child living in the streets, otherwise would have scavenged for food in a trash dump. Your donation of $10, $100, $1,000 or whatever amount you can afford will make a difference in these children’s lives. Would you consider donating today and make a difference? Donate today: http://bit.ly/1MYoP5u Your donation is being matched by the Foundation’s board members and dedicated donors. You can also check if your employer could double your donation by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/1NWDFcr You can also donate by typing #donate on Facebook and Twitter. ‘Like’ us on Facebook and social media. Thank you for your support!

Posted in Diaspora Donors, Diaspora Giving, Philippine poverty | Tagged philanthropy, Philippine poverty, street children | Leave a comment

Filipino American Artist Confronts Issues of Race

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Dale Asis

(left to right): Antonio, Olivia Santiago, Cesar Conde and Dale Asis during the preview exhibit of “The Bang Bang Project” at University Church Chicago

On October 30, 2015, I attended a preview of my Asian American artist friend, Cesar Conde, newest exhibit “Bang Bang Project.” In 2013, Cesar has been a major supporter of the Bayanihan Foundation and its efforts to plant over 10,000 mangrove trees in Liloan, Cebu to combat climate change. The moment I saw the first painting of his new exhibition I knew “The Bang Bang Project” is different from his other shows. I was confronted by larger than life, haunting faces of professional African-Americans wearing hoodies. Cesar’s inspiration was the result of the shooting of African-American Michael Brown by a white male officer. On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African-American male, was fatally shot by Darren Wilson 28, a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. The shooting of Michael Brown and the disputed circumstances of the shooting of the unarmed young man sparked existing tensions in the majority-black city. Consequently, protests and civil unrest erupted in many major cities around the US.

Bang Bang art exhibit by Cesar Conde (photo courtesy of Cesar Conde)

I know that the topic of race and racial discrimination is almost a taboo subject in the Filipino American community. No one really talks about it openly even though it exists. The Filipino Amerasians in Clark and Subic, Philippines face discrimination and the stigma of being different everyday. Cesar Conde confronted these difficult questions of race, racial discrimination and racial profiling. I asked Cesar why is a Filipino American asking these questions of race and racial prejudices especially among African-Americans? Why should we as Filipino and Asian Americans be worried? Aren’t Filipino Americans and other Asian Americans part of the “model minority”? Didn’t we ‘made it’? So shouldn’t we just be happy that we’re not like ‘them’ (the blacks)?

Cesar looked me in the eye and said, “We have to do something about it. We should talk about the elephant in the room called racism. It looks you in the eye and asks ‘How are you part of the problem? How are you part of the solution?’ I admire Cesar for being brave. We all have to be brave sometime in our lives. I remembered the poem by pastor Martin Niemöller who spoke against being complicit through silence during the Nazi imprisonment, persecution, and murder of millions of people during World War II:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Thank you Cesar for being brave for all of us and for talking about the elephant in the room – race and racial discrimination. You can see the “Bang Bang Project” art exhibit at the Zhou B. Art Center, fourth floor 1029 W 35th St, Chicago, IL. You can also contribute to the Bang Bang Project at this link: http://bit.ly/1OeJYfU

Posted in justice, race | Tagged race, social justice | Leave a comment

NEXTGEN Program Featured at new TV Program “Fil-Am NOW”

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Dale Asis

Bayanihan Foundation NEXTGEN Program featured at Fil-Am NOW TV Show with host Donna Reyes (standing left) with Dale Asis (center) and Jeselle Santiago (standing right)

In November 2015, the Bayanihan Foundation’s NEXTGEN Fellowship Program will be featured at a new upcoming Filipino American online and TV Program “Fil-Am NOW“. The brief segment will feature 2015 NEXTGEN Fellow Jeselle Santiago and Bayanihan Foundation President Dale Asis. He shared briefly his personal story on why the Bayanihan Foundation is encouraging young Filipino Americans to learn more about their homeland and eventually connect them to philanthropic efforts back in the Philippines.

(left to right): Fil-Am NOW! hosts Mark Dinglasan and Donna Reyes interviwed Dale Asis and Jeselle Santiago

(left to right): Fil-Am NOW hosts Mark Dinglasan and Donna Reyes interviewed Dale Asis and Jeselle Santiago

NEXTGEN Fellow Jeselle Santiago shared her life changing experience going back to the Philippines and her continued plans to continue helping back home. In October 2015, Jeselle sent a box of used high school textbooks to help continue furnish a library in Iligan City, Philippines. The NEXTGEN Fellowship Program promotes diaspora philanthropy among second generation Filipino Americans to know more about their Filipino heritage and develop their potential to connect to sustainable projects back in the Philippines.

The new Fil-Am NOW TV program is a newly launched TV program produced by Rome Nichols and co-host Donna Reyes. The new show features lifestyle programming for and by the Filipino American community in North America. It is an ambitious media project to connect the generation of the lolos and lolas (grandparents) with their millennial apos (grandchildren). Consider donating and supporting the Fil-Am NOW Indiegogo fundraising campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/fil-am-now-first-season/x/229768#/

Posted in Diaspora Giving, philanthropy, Youth leadership development | Tagged philanthropy, Philippine giving, youth leadership development | Leave a comment

Community Grows in Chicago’s Little Village Neighborhood

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Dale Asis

Dale Asis (sitting far right) joins the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) staff and community members at their end-of-summer community dinner (left to right: Mayra Galvez, Anahi Tapia, Kim Wasserman and Dale Asis)

Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) Community Dinner October 2015

On October 7, 2015, I joined an end-of-summer community dinner hosted by a local environmental justice organization, the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO). I was pleasantly surprised that it was more than just a potluck event where neighbors get together and share their favorite dish. In 2008, the garden where the dinner was held was an abandoned toxic dump site. Now, the brownfield site has been turned into a flourishing community garden where neighborhood residents, mostly Latino, plant their favorite vegetables in community plots. Children play in the small playground while residents celebrate the true meaning of community with a meal made from their own home-grown crops.

Children playing at the community garden hosted by the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)

Children playing at the Troy St. community garden hosted by the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)

In 2008, this land was a mess; chemicals from underground storage tankers had polluted the ground. After removing contaminated soil, contractors replaced it with gravel and soil suitable for a garden. Now, neighboring residents enjoy organic fresh produce and their children play in the garden (Garcia, A Garden Grows in Little Village: Chicago Sun Times, August 2014).

LVEJO takes pride in being organic, using fertilizers derived from a worm composting system. Fermin Meza, LVEJO Urban Agriculture Organizer, works part-time for LVEJO overseeing the community garden even as he works full-time in construction by day. He also grew up in the Mexican countryside.

Community resident of Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood carved out a boat of fruit for the community dinner celebration

Residents say the gardens are a great place to unwind and celebrate. That evening, two families brought cakes to celebrate their children’s birthdays. LVEJO Organizers Vivian and Karen Canales made the best soup (caldo) and LVEJO Senior Organizer Kim Wasserman grilled sausages and hotdogs.

Little Village is a present-day gateway for Mexican immigrants, popular for its authentic Mexican restaurants and stores. Yet it is similar to other low-income communities afflicted by gang violence, low education levels and poor social services. However, the communal garden represents the community at its best. “It is a resilient neighborhood,” Antonio Lopez, Executive Director, said, “One that is doing a lot with little means.”

NEXTGEN and Kaluluwa Kolectivo join group discussion in Liloan, Cebu Philippines

I cannot help but connect this wonderful resource with the long-term work that the Bayanihan Foundation has done in planting mangrove trees, promoting youth leadership development and supporting the fisher folk community in Liloan, Cebu Philippines. In July 2015, I also joined a community dinner there with the participants of Kaluluwa Kolectivo and the NEXTGEN Fellows. That evening, I also experienced the meaning of community.

Can you replicate the true spirit of community and giving across the seas? Yes. The key ingredient is to support community residents dedicated to the common good, ready to build the community from the ground up. That evening in Chicago was the last warm summer night of the season. Next year, the residents of Chicago’s Little Village will again be back reinvigorating that former toxic site turned community garden into a plot of land full of life, love and community.

Posted in environmental sustainability, philanthropy, Uncategorized, Volunteerism, Youth leadership development | Tagged community involvement, giving, youth leadership development | Leave a comment

Giving Hope Goes Beyond Race

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Dale Asis

Dale Asis (standing left) attends the Beyond Borders International fundraiser with founder Sharon Charleston (standing right)

On October 3, 2015, I attended a luncheon fundraiser benefiting Beyond Borders International with my friend Sharon Charleston. She founded this tax exempt public charity to help educate needy children in the Philippines, with donations going towards a Christian school located outside Manila. Proceeds also go towards training for the schoolteachers; tables and chairs and equipment; and much-needed books and supplies.

Dale Asis saying a few remarks during the Beyond Borders luncheon October 3, 2015

I was invited to say a few remarks during the luncheon. When I got up onstage I immediately realized that almost everyone in the room was African-American; there were only two other Filipinos in the large banquet hall. I had never addressed a group about issues in the Philippines that wasn’t primarily Filipino, yet here was a room full of African-Americans who wanted to help school children in the Philippines. They had been moved by their faith to help others in a good cause, regardless of their background. I realized that giving knows no boundaries. Giving hope goes beyond race.

I was filled with joy to know that there are people out there like Sharon Charleston and her husband, Jerry, who give unconditionally to help children thousands of miles away. Many years ago, Jerry served in the US military and they both saw the deep poverty in the islands. Hundreds of thousands of American GIs and their families have passed through the former US military installations in the Philippines but few and far between were moved like Sharon and Jerry to help.

Many Filipinos have negative stereotypes of African-Americans, primarily fed by negative images from the media. But Sharon Charleston’s charitable work shines above all that and defies those stereotypes. Maybe Sharon and her public charity, Beyond Borders International, can be the new norm for the 21st century, where hope goes beyond race and we all see the common bond of helping each other beyond borders.

Pictures of school children sponsored by the Beyond Borders International

Please consider donating to help school children in the Philippines and support the work of Beyond Borders International by donating by going to their website: http://beyondbordersinternational.com/

Posted in Diaspora Giving, Education | Tagged education, Philippine giving, Poverty | Leave a comment

Jeselle Santiago: Seizing the Opportunity to Help Locally and Globally

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Dale Asis

NEXTGEN Fellow Jeselle Santiago collected used books for elementary school in Iligan

On July 2015, the Bayanihan Foundation enabled a new generation of Filipino Americans to “return” to the Philippines for the first time so they could have the opportunity to learn more about their heritage, connect with their family, and provide potential opportunities to help back in the Philippines. In June 2015, NEXTGEN Fellow Jeselle Santiago graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago and she traveled back to the Philippines with the Bayanihan Foundation. She joined a group of young Filipino Americans, many of them “coming home” for the first time. Upon returning to Chicago, Jeselle immediately seized upon the opportunity to help right away. Moreover, she wanted to help both locally in Chicago and globally in the Philippines.

In 2008, I won the Chicago Community Trust Fellowship for Community Leaders and I was fortunate to help others including sending my cousin’s son to nursing school. In September 2015, Jeselle fulfilled that same promise. She has proven the assumption I always had: young people have the power and the potential to help others if they are only given the opportunity to do so. Jeselle collected over 150 used elementary books to fill one balikbayan box. My partner Will Dix and Loyola University Chicago student Jennifer Fieten also contributed some books and school supplies to fill the box.

Loyola University Chicago graduate student Jennifer Fieten donated used elementary school books

In addition, she plans to help conduct community outreach to Filipino American teens and young adults on mental health issues with “DIWA,” a diverse group of individuals who are concerned with attending to the emotional, social, psychological, and physical well-being within the Filipino American and Asian American communities. In November 2015, Jeselle also plans to start a year of local community service with the AmeriCorps Program, a civil society program supported by the U.S. federal government engaging adults in intensive community service work. I am proud of Jeselle of what she has accomplished. The books she sent will help hundreds of children in Iligan and will provide them the gift of education. I believe in the ripple effect of giving – small things could lead to large results.

Jeselle also shares her personal reflections of “coming home.” She shared these comments at the Bayanihan Foundation Report Back last August 2015:

Embracing the Filipina in Me:

**My Personal Pagbabalik (Coming Home) Story**

(left to right): Jane Baron, Crystle Dino and Jeselle Santiago prepares for a home visit in Liloan, Cebu

(left to right): Jane Baron, Crystle Dino and Jeselle Santiago prepares for a home stay visit in Liloan, Cebu

“I am learning to find peace with who I am and my place in this world.” Jeselle Santiago

“When I first applied for this program, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect or even if I had a fighting chance of being accepted. Then and even sometimes still now, the thing felt so surreal and something that would only ever be a drifting dream…but when my family and friends look at me…when I look at myself—I cannot deny the reality of this experience…for it has truly transformed my life, imprinting itself on me in such a way that it demands to be known.

Before all of this, my identity can be reduced to just some kid stumbling her way through her unsure path and forever feeling as if she was defined as a failure. Now, I can say that I have taken more ownership of myself and that I am no longer in pieces but learning to find peace with who I am and my place in this world. Perhaps the most significant thing that I have come to realize is that I am not restricted to belonging to just one place, but that I can feel comfortable wherever I am and that home need not be limited to just where I live. I was born in the Philippines, raised in America, and while America has been all I’ve ever known, the Philippines has also welcomed me home. Before, I felt internal conflict, wondering if I can legitimately claim either because I was both and neither at the same time. A Filipina crippled by her inadequate knowledge of the Philippines and an American who doesn’t necessarily share the same history that she learned about in school. Now I can see that I AM FILAM.

Jeselle Santiago enjoying ‘halo halo’ mixed tropical fruit, shaved ice and coconut dessert

I may not have seen the Philippines growing up, but because of the generosity the Bayanihan Foundation, I got to see it as a grown-up and at a time where I can really appreciate everything I was experiencing. I could not have asked for better timing because it is now, as a recent college graduate that I am in the midst of the “finding myself” stage of my life. I have already developed the maturity and faculties to analyze and reflect on my experiences and to apply the lessons I learned to better everything about myself. After much processing and internalizing, I have come to see that I come from a people whose resiliency and fighting spirit cannot be put out by the forces that try to suppress it. Though I am at a crossroads with how to reconcile my past and how to proceed with my uncertain future, I need not feel overwhelmed, but just rest my mind and trust that I can handle this.

Though I admit that I do not face the same struggles as many of the people I met in the Philippines, I know that I cannot face them again if I succumb to my obstacles when I now know—no, not know but have merely witnessed a sample of some of theirs. How can I stand to whine about the daunting list of choices for post graduate life when most of them are robbed of the chance at education? How can I dare complain about my first world problems, when some of them do not have running water? I do not say this in mockery, but to convey that I, as a Filipino American, should realize my privilege and find a way to use it for good. Instead of wallowing in shameless self-pity, I should think of ways I could share my resources with my Philippine brothers and sisters…because at the end of the day, while I live in the diaspora, I am still the daughter of my birth motherland—and it is not just my duty, but my pleasure to try to return her kindness.

So, as I contemplate what the future has for me, I recognize that my future is not just my own, but I intend to share it with everyone I have come in contact with and those who I will. Thank you for letting me share just a bit of my story with you now. With just a few moments I could not fully express everything, but I hope that you found this worthwhile. Thank you.”

Jeselle Santiago ready to plant mangrove seedlings in Liloan, Cebu

I’m asking you to donate to the Foundation’s Indiegogo fundraising campaign:http://igg.me/at/bayanihan so that young Filipino Americans like Jeselle Santiago can have opportunities to reconnect with their homeland, learn the importance of “reaching back” to help others, and gain a larger sense of their responsibilities in the world. Through NEXTGEN they will learn about the foundation’s sustainable projects and learn to develop their own potential sustainable projects. Your contribution will enable us to bring more and more of the next generation of Filipinos back to the Philippines, where they will continue these projects. Maraming salamat po!

Posted in Chicago, Diaspora Giving, Philippines, Youth leadership development | Tagged Chicago, diaspora giving, philanthropy, youth leadership development | Leave a comment

Marc Butiong: In “Returning Home,” I Found Myself

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Dale Asis

In July 2015, the Bayanihan Foundation enabled a new generation of Filipino Americans to “return” to the Philippines for the first time. The next two posts feature the personal reflections and experiences of the NEXTGEN Fellows that traveled to the Philippines. Mark Butiong shares his personal reflections of “returning home” and finding himself in the process:

Marc Butiong (center) tries out a traditional sombrero with Stephanie Camba (left) and Crystle Dino (right) in Balayan, Batangas

“I had the chance to learn so much about myself in the process.” Marc Butiong

My first-ever trip to the Philippines was filled with constant intrigue and excitement. I had the honor of traveling as a NEXTGEN Fellow along with my fellow scholars and the amazing group, Kaluluwa Kolectivo. Together, we joined the Bayanihan Foundation on a trip that opened our eyes to the homeland of the Philippines. From day one, we were fully immersed in a transformative experience and are fortunate to have the opportunity to share it with others.

Marc Butiong (standing far left) joins NEXTGEN Fellows and Kaluluwa Kolectivo in conducting an environmental education workshop in Giporlos, Samar

The itinerary was constant, allowing for a multitude of locales to maximize our experience in the Philippines. From Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Mindanao, Manila, and others, we had plenty of travel within the trip. Each island presented something different, its own beauty and distinctions. We had memorable moments with the people and groups we met. From the fisher folk of Liloan in Cebu, to the Rotary Club of Iligan South in Mindanao, we were treated with warmth and hospitality on each island we visited. The food, history, and genuine love for one another was a constant throughout our time and I’m so fortunate to have shared those experiences with our group. Those characteristics shape who we are as Filipinos, a proud people with a love for sharing with others. The interactions with the locals will stay with me forever. I will never forget the kids of Liloan or the time spent with the Muslim Filipinos of Mindanao. Each group of people we came across all shared the resilience and spirit of togetherness that inspires me to remain active in contributing my time and efforts to improving my communities. Just a testament to our culture and all the positivity that stems from it.

Dr. Vicente and Mrs. Luz Saavedra hosted the NEXTGEN and Kaluluwa Kolectivo welcome dinner in Iligan City, Mindanao

I absolutely loved the food experiences we shared. From the chicken, courtesy of a street vendor in Giporlos, to the fresh buko (coconut) and champurrado (chocolate rice pudding), courtesy of Tito (Uncle) Boy of Iligan City, my culinary desires were sated and surpassed. I never have had so much rice in my life! But I feel so fulfilled because of it. Mangoes will never be the same, and neither will sinigang na hipon (shrimp in a soup broth). Unreal.

Marc Butiong (center) takes a photo of the lechon with host Mrs. Luz Saavedra (standing right)

On a personal level, I had the chance to learn so much about myself in the process. My love of food, family, friends, sharing, faith, and basketball perfectly parallels those of Filipinos. I was not as “Americanized” as I thought! Even though my Tagalog is conversational at best, I was enthralled to pick up new phrases and learned so much of the language during my time there. I had the opportunity to visit my father’s hometown of Balayan in the Batangas province. Hanging out with his childhood friends felt so surreal. Meeting family members for the first time helped me put life into perspective and filled a void that beleaguered me all these years. This really was “coming home.” I have so many memorable moments that will remain with me forever.

Marc Butiong (center) poses with participants of NEXTGEN and Kaluluwa Kolectivo

I need to acknowledge the amazing group I had the pleasure of sharing this trip with. From Dale Asis, James Castillo, Maria Ferrera and the rest of the Bayanihan Foundation, NEXTGEN, to the awe-inspiring group of the Kaluluwa Kolectivo, you all made this trip memorable for me. We spent every meal, activity, break, and evening together. Through the bouts of jet lag, fatigue, sickness, and discomfort, we made it through together and we took care of each other in the process. One of my hopes for the end of our journey was to help cultivate a community that we can call on for the rest of our days. I truly believe we established an unbreakable bond within our group that will always keep us together no matter where we are in this world. I can truly say that I found a new family through the Bayanihan Foundation, figuratively and literally (Ate Irene Juaniza, haha).

Marc Butiong ready to plant mangrove seedlings in Liloan, Cebu

The goal now is to find ways to contribute to help the people and groups we’ve met in the Philippines. Having experienced their lives and work first-hand, we have to leverage our networks and resources here in the US to find a way to continue the amazing work of Dale Asis and many others over there that are making a difference. I am excited at the prospect of working with our group to support a project of our own, allowing us to collaborate once more and to keep us together working towards a common goal. I will be there every step of the way by contributing my time and effort. It is the least I can do after being awarded with this life-changing experience. Anything I can do to support the Bayanihan Foundation and the rest of our group, I’m all in!

Marc Butiong hosting the REPORT BACK after the trip to the Philippines at DePaul University August 2015

I’m asking you to donate to the Foundation’s Indiegogo fundraising campaign:http://igg.me/at/bayanihan so that young Filipino Americans like Marc Butiong can have opportunities to reconnect with their homeland, learn the importance of “reaching back” to help others, and gain a larger sense of their responsibilities in the world. Through NEXTGEN they will learn about the foundation’s sustainable projects and learn to develop their own potential sustainable projects. Your contribution will enable us to bring more and more of the next generation of Filipinos back to the Philippines, where they will continue these projects. Maraming salamat po!

Posted in Diaspora Giving, Uncategorized, Volunteerism, Youth leadership development | Tagged philanthropy, Philippines, youth leadership development | Leave a comment

Jane Baron: On Building a Bond with My Homeland

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Dale Asis

In July 2015, the Bayanihan Foundation enabled a new generation of Filipino Americans to “return” to the Philippines for the first time. The next three posts feature the personal reflections and experiences of the NEXTGEN Fellows that traveled to the Philippines. Jane Baron shares her personal reflections of on building a bond with her homeland:

NEXTGEN Fellow Jane Baron gets ready to plant mangroves in Liloan, Cebu July 2015

“When I first received an e-mail from the Bayanihan Foundation in May 2015 about a trip to the Philippines, I jumped on the opportunity so that I can finally return home after 10 years. At that time, I was still unsure why I wanted to go, but my gut told me to apply. After I found out that I was one of the recipients of the NEXTGEN scholarship, I was ecstatic, but nervous. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and I didn’t know what to expect.

Jane Baron (standing center) pose with participants of Kaluluwa Kolectivo and NEXTGEN during their trip to the Philippines July 2015

It was only during the end of my Pagbabalik (Coming Home) trip did the reason why I applied became clear. I remember the moment so vividly. I was in church with my Lola (grandma) and pinsan (cousin) listening to a Kapangpangan (Pampanga language) sermon. My Lola was fanning her two apos (grandchildren): my 7-year old cousin and the 23-year old me. At that moment, I started to tear up because I realized that I didn’t get the experience that most grandchildren received from their grandparents. I grew up separated from my Lola, my pinsans, and my Titos & Titas (aunts & uncles). My parents separated themselves from the rest of our family in order to give them a better life in the Philippines. It was also at that moment when I realized that the different communities in the Philippines and in the U.S. are all trying to achieve the same mission. We are all trying to fight for our right to exist in our homeland. In the communities that we visited with the Bayanihan Foundation, families and individuals were advocating to keep their homes safe from being invaded by the government, foreigners, and people who had the power and money to buy their land. Meanwhile in the U.S., the diaspora is working hard to make the homeland a place where immigrating is no longer needed to find opportunities because resources are available at home.

Jane Baron (standing left) poses with other NEXTGEN Fellows Marc Butiong and Jeselle Santiago in Tinago Falls, Iligan

It’s been a month since I got back, but I’m still processing everything that happened on this trip. When family or friends ask how my return home was, it becomes difficult for me to express and articulate my visit. In simple terms, I spent time with different communities in the Philippines and family. We shared food, exchanged stories, learned from each other, and built community. But the bond we formed cannot be explained in words; it has to be felt and experienced.”

I’m asking you to donate to the Foundation’s Indiegogo fundraising campaign:http://igg.me/at/bayanihan so that young Filipino Americans like Jane Baron can have opportunities to reconnect with their homeland, learn the importance of “reaching back” to help others, and gain a larger sense of their responsibilities in the world. Through NEXTGEN they will learn about the foundation’s sustainable projects and learn to develop their own potential sustainable projects. Your contribution will enable us to bring more and more of the next generation of Filipinos back to the Philippines, where they will continue these projects. Maraming salamat po!

Posted in Philippine travel, Philippines, Youth leadership development | Tagged Filipino diaspora, Philippines, youth leadership development | Leave a comment

Salamat po! to Bayanihan’s Supporters & Friends

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Dale Asis

(left to right): Rebekah Lomahan, Maria Ferrera and Shirley Pintado enjoying the Report Back last August 29, 2015

Maria Ferrera (standing center) welcomed all the guests during the Report Back including (left tor right): Rebekah Lomahan, Shirley Pintado and Vivian Santiago.

In July 2015, the Bayanihan Foundation enabled a new generation of Filipino Americans to “return” to the Philippines for the first time. On August 29, 2015, Bayanihan Foundation board member Dr. Maria Ferrera of DePaul University welcomed everyone to the Report Back event where participants from Kaluluwa Kolectivo and NEXTGEN shared their stories and experiences during their journey. The seven participants were: 1) E Armea; 2) Jane Baron; 3) Marc Butiong; 4) Stephanie Camba; 5) Crystle Dino; 6) Irene Juaniza; and 7) Jeselle Santiago. Salamat po! (thank you). I also shared a heartfelt thanks to all the Foundation’s supporters and friends that made this project possible.

The participants also put together five different interactive display tables to highlight special moments of their trip, including:

"Tabi tabi po (please let me pass through) exhibit

“Tabi tabi po” (please stand aside) exhibit

‘Tabi tabi po” (please stand aside) table, organized by Irene Juaniza
Slide show of photo highlights, organized by E Armea
Water and rain samples exhibit, also organized by E Armea
Information display of various organizations they’ve met during the trip, organized by Jane Baron
Art and journal tables, organized by Crystle Dino and Jeselle Santiago
Display of malongs, traditional hand-woven “tube skirt” made of multi-colored cotton cloth

NEXTGEN Fellow Marc Butiong moderated the event and my Mom, Shirley Pintado, prepared all the refreshments and food that was served. Board member James Castillo also shared his reflections during the trip. Board member Ted Kirpach encouraged the audience to donate and continue to support the Bayanihan Foundation through its Indiegogo crowd fundraising campaign “Change A World, Change The World“: http://igg.me/at/bayanihan The participants shared their heartfelt reflection of the trip and how their visit of “returning” for the first time affected them.

Marc Butiong (center) moderating the Report Back event

Marc Butiong (standing center) moderating the Report Back event

Participants of Kaluluwa Kolectivo, NEXTGEN and guests enjoy the Report Back last August 29, 2015

Maraming salamat po! Thank you to the many people who made this project possible, including:

Foundation board members: James Castillo, Maria Ferrera, Ted Kirpach and Vincent Saavedra

In Cebu: Emz Aliviano, Norms Alonso, James Castillo; community leaders of the Carbon Market, Cebu City; Visayas Mindanao People’s Resource Development Center (VMPRDC); youth & community leaders of Liloan, Cebu

In Iligan: Dr. & Mrs. Vicente Saavedra; Imam Atty. Saidali Gandamra, Nor Shida and Mrs. Marsanca; Rotary clubs of Iligan East and South; Zakat Foundation of America; the 100s who helped package food

In Manila: Adamson University; Bahay ni Isis (Isis International Women’s House); Kaya Ko Collaborative

In Samar: Evelyn Castillo; Dr. Antoinette Cui & The Rotary Club of Borongan; Barangay captains and leaders of Giporlos; the municipal government of Giporlos & Vice Mayor Fritzie Odron; “the Angels” nieces and nephews of Evelyn Castillo

In Balayan, Batangas: Geraldine Baral & extended family of Irene Juaniza

In Chicago: my partner Will Dix who wrote and edited an accompanying photo book; my mother, Shirley Pintado, who cooked tirelessly and fed the participants during their workshops, meetings and the Report Back event

Finally, maraming salamat po – thank you – to all the Bayanihan Foundation donors and supporters around the world.

Posted in Diaspora Giving, Philippines, Uncategorized, Youth leadership development | Tagged Philippine giving, Philippines, youth leadership development | Leave a comment

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