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GAWAD KALINGA VISITORS

By Dir. Bob Hecks
August 6, 2008

Chris Bellinger was there – returned to us after only three weeks since his surgery for a brain hemorrhage. What a wonderful surprise it was. Romy Dizon showed up and gave his usual witty performance as moderator. Our guests were the senior people from the Gawad Kalinga movement who are the implementers of the construction and maintenance of our Ave Maria G.K. village in Tanay, Rizal.

In President’s Time Pres. Klink also acted as introducer of the guests. He stressed how important it is to visit the G.K. Ave Maria site and announced a working visit to Tanay on Saturday, September 6. He noted how those who have been there are much more willing to offer support – when they know more about it.

The visitors from Couples For Christ / Gawad Kalinga were:

Chito Nepomuceno CFC Rizal Provincial Area Head Dennis Arcilla GK Rizal Head Bobon Topacio Total Ventures Bong Ocampo Project Director – G.K. Ave Maria Chito Puno Jr. Chapter Head – Couples For Christ

Dennis Arcilla, speaking first, and presenting the Gawad Kalinga video compared GK with the traditional cooperative spirit of bayanihan, in which communities help each other in many ways, typified by the manual shifting of a whole house when necessary. He drew attention to the emphasis on the good effects of GK communities on individual values systems, as mentioned in the video by Globe Telecoms Chief Gerardo Ablaza.

Bobon Topacio told us about how Gawad Kalinga started through Couples For Christ and how links established with Vic Magdaraog, PP Joe Reaño and PP Porong Herrera. From this, and help from PP Bert Lingad, came the commitment at the Ave Maria site. Bobon mentioned the Rotary Foundation Matched Grant from RCMN’s sister clubs RC Raffles City, Singapore and RC Hong Kong Island East which is helping to install the water supply system at Ave Maria.

Questions from Daniel Wiedmer, Chris Bellinger, PP Ed Mijares, Ariel Rivera, PP Ric dela Torre, Romy Dizon and IPDG Ato Magadia elicited a lot of useful information about how well organized and grounded in law Gawad Kalinga is. We should all increase our support for it.