After more than a century, the church bells taken by the US Army from Balangiga, Eastern Samar in 1901 will be returned to the Philippines. Many are excited about the bells’ return. Philippine President Duterte said, “It ain’t here until it’s here.”
2018 NEXTGEN Fellow Camillo Geaga was inspired in more ways than one. He completed his Associate Degree at the Los Angeles City College and plans to continue his education at the California State University Northridge and attain his bachelors degree in Public Health. His mother, Vicky Geaga was also inspired to encourage her friends and family to give to the foundation.
Filipinos in the diaspora send over 4.8 million “balikbayan” boxes full of goodies to their relatives and friends back in the Philippines, becoming a billion dollar industry. But balikbayan boxes became more than that – it became a symbol of Philippine colonial history and Filipino ideas about family.
2018 Nobel Prize winner in Economics says climate change is real. The Philippines ranked 3rd in the world most vulnerable to climate change.
Bayanihan Foundation co-sponsors free film screening on November 4, 2018, 12 PM in LA: “Vapor Trail Clark” about the unfinished business of toxic wastes left behind in Clark and Subic, former US bases in the Philippines
In 2013, Bayanihan Foundation has partnered with with Visayas Mindanao People’s Resource Development Center (VMPRDC) and planted over 30,000 mangrove seedlings in Liloan, Cebu. In 2018, some of the seedlings have matured into mangrove forests protecting fish, wildlife and help local fisher folk community. However, challenges remain and support needs to continue.
US Secretary of Defense recently notified US Congress of their plans to return the Bells of Balangiga back to Samar after 110 years. The bells are often seen as a divisive symbol of the Philippine-American War. Filipino Americans should contact their Congressional Representatives and hasten the return of the bells.
On September 2018, NEXTGEN Fellow Camillo Geaga traveled back to the Philippines. He wrote an essay of his personal thoughts of his 2017 trip at the same time reflecting on his recent trip.
Willard Dix, Juvenile Protective Association (JPA) donated over 2,400 children’s books to the Bayanihan Foundation’s ‘Balikbayan Box’ Book Drive. The books will be used to build two libraries in Giporlos, Samar and Iligan City. The generous book donation will hopefully motivate others to donate https://bit.ly/2MEdsu1
Bayanihan Foundation launched NEXTGEN ‘Balikbayan Box’ Book Drive with plans to send 3,000 books to Samar and Iligan and build libraries there. Filipino American kids also put together mini-balikbayan boxes of book & supplies, hopefully spurring others to donate and help support education and long-term sustainability.
