HELPING FILIPINOS

There are many Fil-Ams who do so many good things for our kababayans back home. These Pinoys heroically give their time, money and effort without fanfare. Here is one example. You can also be a bayani to our kababayans back home by sponsoring a wheelchair. Instructions on how to help can be found below. ---Yong

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WHEELCHAIRS DONATED TO LEYTE RESIDENTS

Ten brand new wheelchairs were donated to needy children and one adult in Leyte by the Wheelchair Foundation of California last January at a turnover ceremony held in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Two Leyte children with disabilities attended the ceremony. They are Vanessa Bernal, 12 years old from Barangay Hiluktugan, Carigara, Leyte; and Raymark Galit, 7 years old from Barangay Santol, San Miguel, Leyte.

The Wheelchair Foundation has been donating wheelchairs all over the world and finally chose to come to the Philippines to give aid there. The foundation has offered to pay half of the cost of a wheelchair for other wheelchairs in the Philippines while part of the shipping cost will be covered by Knightsbridge Foundation. Donors are encouraged to contribute $135 for each wheelchair to be given to an individual. In Leyte there is a waiting list for 100 individuals requiring wheelchairs but are unable to afford one.

Donors are wanted to provide the wheelchairs to any of the towns where the needy people are from: Baybay, Dulag, Alangalang, Leyte, Burauen, Tabontabon, Tolosa, Pastrana, La Paz, Tunga, Julita, Jaro, Palo, Carigara, and Dagami. The list was prepared by Provincial Social Worker Clotilde Malatbalat.

Contributions for Leyte may be sent in the name of Knightsbridge International and addressed to PO Box 12186, La Crescenta, CA 91224. The contributions will be coordinated by Art Pacho of the Leyte Development Advisory Council and forwarded to the foundation (a non-profit organization) so that one lot order could be made for the province.

Two children received new wheelchairs from the Wheelchair Foundation of California. Shown in the photo seated in the wheelchairs are: Vanessa Bernal and Raymark Galit. Standing next to them is Leyte Provincial Social Worker Clotilde Malatbalat who accompanied the children.