MANILA, Philippines – In line with the coming season of Lent, the Pondo ng Pinoy (PnP) will launch a feeding program through its Hapag-Asa to feed Filipino children nationwide next year. The PnP intends to feed a quarter of a million hungry and undernourished children. In order to do so, the PnP is asking the public to fast during the entire Lenten season and the proceeds to be saved will be donated to feed the children. The PnP program provides food subsidy of P5 to P10 per day or Php600/1200 for six months per child. The program feeds children six-months old to 12-years old once a day, to be implemented five days a week for six months. While the children would be given nutritious food, their parents would be provided basic skills to improve their capacity to care for their children. The parents would undergo livelihood skills training to increase their chances of gaining employment and make them provide better for their families. Hapag-Asa has reportedly fed more than 1 million hungry and malnourished children since 2005. In his pastoral letter for the archdiocese, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said that participating in Fast2Feed is a “good opportunity to intensify the act of charity, which is faith in action.”

Pondo ng Pinoy, a poverty alleviation program initiated by Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop-Emeritus of Manila will celebrate its 14th year anniversary on August 12, 2018. The celebration will begin with a motorcade going to Manila Cathedral. The thirteen vicariates in the Archdiocese of Manila are expected to participate in the motorcade. At 11 a.m., a Thanksgiving Mass will be held at the Manila Cathedral to be presided by His Eminence Luis Antonio.G. Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila. On its fourteenth year, Pondo ng Pinoy continues to aspire to reach more people and create greater awareness of its existence especially in the parish communities. In his letter addressed to parish priests in the Archdiocese of Manila, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo of the Team Ministry of Pondo ng Pinoy asked the priests and its parishioners for full support and cooperation in the said activity.  “Your participation with your fellow parish priests/priests in the vicariates and communities in the parish and urban areas, religious congregations and schools (administrators, faculties, staff amd students) in evangelization and social development programs of Pondo ng Pinoy will be highly appreciated,” Pabillo said. The prelate also asked the parish priests to incorporate Pondo ng Pinoy in their homilies in August. Pondo ng Pinoy was launched in 2004 by then Archbishop of Manila, Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales during the Manila Archdiocesan General Pastoral Assembly (MAGPAS). With its motto, “Anumang maliit basta’t malimit ay patungong langit,” Pondo ng Pinoy encourages the faithful to do small acts of kindness and solidarity in the simplest way by saving 25 centavos a day. (Jheng Manalang Prado/RCAM-AOC)