Taytay Search and Rescue Group in Need of Ambulance

In the aftermath of tropical storm Ondoy, rescue efforts from government agencies as well as private groups were in full swing.

Among the first to respond was the Taytay Search and Rescue Group, making rounds at Taytay, Rizal, rescuing people stranded by high waters.

The Taytay Search and Rescue Group, founded and headed by Mr. Rene Logatoc, has 60 volunteers trained by Red Cross. Apart from the rescue efforts during tropical storm Ondoy, the Taytay Search and Rescue Group has done 365 rescue operations in the last 7 months.

To maximize their rescue and relief operations, the Taytay Search and Rescue is in need of a vehicle - used or brand new - to function as an ambulance.

Anyone interested in donating a vehicle, or know of anyone who would be interested in donating or selling a second-hand vehicle which can be used as an ambulance can contact A Better Chance Foundation at telephone numbers 636-4153 / 632-9664 or e-mail at abetterchance_foundation@yahoo.com.

Activities After The Storm

The past month was a very busy time for us, with a flurry of different activities.

Last month, the country was taken by surprise by tropical storm Ondoy and the devastating blow it dealt most of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. Many people lost their homes, possessions and even their lives from flash floods or landslides brought on by Ondoy’s torrential rains.

Fortunately, response from the government, private organizations and individuals was immediate. Those who were able did their part in helping those in need. Donations in the form or foodstuffs, cash, time and resources poured in from the country and from abroad.

We also did our part in coming to the aid of Ondoy victims. We collected donations from different companies and individuals and gave out relief goods to our affected scholars in Taytay, Rizal, Bagong Silangan and San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City and Pulilan, Bulacan. We distributed relief goods in the form of groceries, used clothing, beddings, medicines, and personal hygiene supplies such as toothbrushes, soap and shampoos.

We teamed up with our partner schools in Siena, Taytay, Quezon City and St. Dominic in Pulilan, Bulacan to identify families who were affected and gave emergency relief goods to those who needed them most. We did the same for our pre-school and elementary scholars with ERDA Foundation. Our pre-school scholars were among the most needy – all being from Bagong Silangan, one of the areas hit hardest by the typhoon.

Almost all our scholars and their families lived in evacuation centers around the community for a few weeks, with their homes underwater and everything they had either covered in mud or washed away by the flood.

Fortunately, none of our scholars or their families died, and most of them now have their houses back up and are leading normal lives.

October 24, we went to Bagong Silangan with ERDA and a sponsor to distribute some of our last donations of used clothing, beddings and other useful items.

As relief efforts wind down all over the Metro, we have also started to shift our focus back to our scholarship program and other outreach projects. We have stopped actively collecting donations for victims of tropical storm Ondoy, but if anyone is still interested in donating for that cause, we will be more than happy to recommend you to ERDA Foundation who will give donations to families of Bagong Silangan.

One of our regular outreach programs that we did recently was our Eyeglass Project, which we do twice a year. We completed our second one October 21 and gave out 360 pairs of prescription eyeglasses to the boys and girls of Baseco Elementary School in Tondo, Manila.
This eyeglass project was done in partnership with our good friends at Springboard Foundation and 2 very good Charity Partners of ABC Foundation, who paid for all 360 pairs of eyeglasses given.

Baseco Elementary School has a population of more than 4,600 students with only 77 teachers. The campus is cramped but clean and the administration and teachers all work hard in providing for the needs of the students. Most of the students are undernourished but the school has provided feeding programs with the help of government institutions and other private organizations.

The eyeglass program was a huge success and we are looking forward to doing it again next school year.

We are very grateful for all of the donors who have continually supported us, not only our regular programs, but also emergency projects like helping out Ondoy victims. We were overwhelmed with the positive response we received.

On a lighter note, the most unique donation we received for the relief of the typhoon victims were 2,000 pieces of ice cream bars, which we successfully distributed to very happy families at Taguig, Metro Manila. The ice cream bars may not have fed families for a week or a day, but instant smiles on the faces of the recipients and the happiness it brought were just as real as if we had given them a weeks’ worth of groceries.

Help for victims of Tropical Storm Ondoy

In light of the recent tragedy which has befallen many Filipinos in the country brought on by Tropical Storm Ondoy, we would like to ask everyone who is able to please extend your assistance to those in need.

ABC Foundation is collecting relief goods for our scholars, their families and others in dire need of food, clothing and other essentials, living in affected areas of Taytay, Cainta, Marikina and Quezon City.

We are accepting donations of:

- Food
o Canned goods
o Rice
o Noodles
o Etc.
- Clothes
- Shoes
- Blankets, beddings
- Cash

You may bring your donations to our office at:

3rd Level, Topy’s Place
Industria cor. Economia Sts.
Bagumbayan, Quezon City

Tel: 632-9664 / 636-4153
Fax: 683-0280
E-mail: abetterchance_foundation@yahoo.com
Lewis.edwards@abetterchancefoundation.org.ph

We can also drop by your office / home to pick-up your donations.

Thank you. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

ABC Foundation Celebrates its 8th Anniversary!

ABC Foundation is now 8 years old! We celebrated our 8th anniversary August 26, 2009 by inviting people who have helped us get to where we are now – school administrators, partner foundations and organizations, sponsors, scholars and friends, for a short program to show our appreciation, followed by lunch.

Our ABC family has grown over the years - from one class of 40 Night High Scholars at Siena College, Taytay, Rizal, School Year 2001-2002, to 1,109 scholars with the ERDA Foundation and 4 Siena College campuses for School Year 2009-2010 and since our first Eyeglass Project in 2001, we have given over 2,000 pairs of prescription eyeglasses to needy elementary and high school students.

Our sponsors and supporters have also grown over the years, and for that we are very grateful.

We’d like to thank everyone who made it to the event, especially Fr. Pierre Tritz, S.J. and everyone at ERDA Foundation, Mo. Teresa Examen, O.P., Prioress General of the Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, Sr. Aurelia Navarro, O.P., Sr. Mesalina Cloma, O.P. and everyone at Siena College, Taytay, Rizal, Sr. Sophia Taguinod, O.P. and everyone from Siena College, Quezon City, Sr. Gina Galang, O.P. and everyone from Siena College, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Ms. Annette Helbig and Springboard Foundation, Dr. Jeson and Ms. Anne Viñas, ABC Board of Directors, Dr. Bayani Delos Santos, Mr. Rene Logatoc, Dr. Tes Mercao, Atty. Walter Young; sponsors, Ms. Dinah Salonga, Mr. Rolly and Mrs. Linda Quintos, Mr. Jay Quintos, Atty. Nemie Peralta, Mr. Ted Mercado, friends and scholars. Thank you for sharing this special day with us!

Our gratitude goes out to everyone who believed in us. We are encouraged by your support and trust and we look forward to many more years of working with you in helping disadvantaged but very deserving Filipino children.

Photo: Mo. Teresa Examen, O.P., Prioress General of the Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena (far left), Mr. Lewis Edwards, President / Founder of ABC Foundation (back), Leonardo Dimatalo, Night High School alumus (left), Fr. Pierre Tritz, S.J., President / Founder of ERDA Foundation (right) and Ms. Jett Flores, Social Marketing Officer of ERDA Foundation (far right).

Completion of Eyeglass Project in Caloocan North Elementary School

August 6, we completed our first Eyeglass Project for School Year 2009-2010. With our partner optometrist, Dr. Jeson Viñas, we returned to Caloocan North Elementary School and gave out 200 pairs of prescription eyeglasses to needy boys and girls.

Thank you to everyone who donated to this Eyeglass Project: Saint Ignatius de Loyola (SIDL), Ms. Rhian Ramos, Mr. Melito Salazar, Mr. Bill Evans, Mrs. Mary Evans, Ms. Diane Carpenter, Ms. Lara Santico, Ms. Nora de Guzman, Ms. Anna Biscocho, The Rotary Club of Diliman, Mr. Cris Fanugo, Mr. Dave Tulino, Ms. Rosemary White, Mr. Nemie Peralta and BVidA Inc.

Special thanks to: Dr. Jeson Viñas, Ms. Anne Viñas, Dr. Ailene Canoy, Principal of Caloocan North Elementary School and all the teachers and staff of Caloocan North Elementary School.

Photo: Elementary school boys and girls of Caloocan North Elementary School, Caloocan City.

Jack and the Beanstalk

Repertory Philippines Presents:

Date: October 24, 2009
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Place: 2nd Floor, Greenbelt Mall 1
Paseo de Roxas Street, Makati City

Ticket Prices:
P500 - Upper Orchestra Center
P400 - Lower Orchestra Right
P300 - Balcony Center

Proceeds for the benefit of A Better Chance Foundation.

For ticket inquiries, please call A Better Chance Foundation at (02) 636-4153 / 632-9664 or e-mail us at abetterchance_foundation@yahoo.com. Look for Marie or Hidie.

OGB Group of Belle Corporation, Tagaytay Highlands hosts party for ERDA Pre-school Scholars

July 28, 2009 the OGB Group of Belle Corporation, Tagaytay Highlands sponsored a day of fun, games and food for our 42 ERDA pre-school scholars at Bagong Silangan, Quezon City.

The OGB Group put together a little party at the ERDA pre-school in Bagong Silangan, hosted and catered by Jollibee, with the special participation of Jollibee himself, much to the delight of our little scholars.

They prepared games and prizes for the scholars, food provided by Jollibee, and gave book bags filled with school supplies and other goodies.

It was a real treat for our scholars, evident from their beaming faces!

Thank you, OGB Group of Belle Corporation – To those who were at Bagong Silangan: Ms. Amor Cortez-Ramiro, Mr. Oliver Bautista, Ms. Jo Bautista, Mr. Cocoy Andres, Ms. Cathy Canela, Mr. Henson Chua, Ms. Jackie Fong, Mr. Randall Tan, Ms. Lara Santico, Mr. Paolo Obligado, Mr. Robert Ferrera, Mr. James Yu, Mr. Boogie Romero and OGB members who were not able to join the activity, Mr. Clark Tan and Mr. Rom Sombrio.