Welcome Remarks of REAP Chairman PP Susing Pineda

President Bobby Joseph, President of the Rotary Club of Manila, Ms. Menchie Silvestre, Managing Director of Alagang Kapatid and TV5, Co-Chairman Romy Nones, IPVP Hermie Esguerra, Chairman of the RCManila Foundation, Inc., Esteemed Lambert Fellows headed by BLA Dean Amading Valdez, Esteemed Donors, Fellow Rotarians, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Afternoon.

Since last year when the CoVid-19 pandemic started, together with its lethal consequences of a complete lockdown in the Philippines, the committee on the Rotary Club of Manila Educational Assistance Program explored how we can be an active participant and be of service to the people who are severely affected by this toxic virus which has disturbed and claimed lives and livelihoods.

We finally zeroed in to focus our efforts and resources on the virtual educational program that was mandated by the Department of Education. Hence, we partnered with Alagang Kapatid Foundation and TV5 whose goals and objectives are aligned with our committee’s commitment to better education for the Filipino youth. Likewise, we focused on the frontliners of various public hospitals whose children are dependent on virtual technology which TV5 can provide through their Smart Mobile Network together with Globe Telecom where Smart cell sites are not present. We empathize with the frontliners who deliver medical services amid the CoVid-19 pandemic.

To this E-project, REAP has allocated to fifty (50) students, a load of Php 500 per month per student from Smart or Globe, to be given to the student-beneficiaries for the duration of the virtual school year! The students will use the loads to avail of data promos of the mobile network that are dedicated to online learning. We intend to increase the students to two hundred (200) located in different geographic locations all over the Philippines whose parents are working as frontliners in different public hospitals. REAP will coordinate directly with the foundation on the update and “work in progress” of this E-project. At the end of the school year, the foundation will submit a report to us on the benefits and impact on the educational life of the student/participants during this pandemic environment.

We are honored and proud to partner with Alagang Kapatid and TV5 for this humanitarian cooperative endeavor to help school children who are less blessed in life, a legacy of educational service by the Rotary Club of Manila and the RCManila Foundation, Inc.

Finally, I wish to thank my esteemed Co-Lambert Fellows and esteemed and respected donors to the Rotary Club of Manila Educational Assistance Program whose contributions touched the lives of students who have less in life and will make their lives more meaningful and productive. Thank you to all the great men of the Rotary Club of Manila and our honorable donors whose generosity will always be remembered by the people we have shared our blessings with during this devastating pandemic environment.

Maraming salamat at mabuhay ang Alagang Kapatid Foundation and TV5, and of course, Mabuhay ang Rotary Club of Manila!