Empty Stomachs No More!

When my grandparents started the school 44 years ago, the farm kids not only studied for free but they were also provided with free meals. I know of several students who work after school selling pork barbecue and the like just so that they can have money for lunch in school. There are even students who go without lunch! And many just skip breakfast and eat rice and dried fish for lunch and dinner every single day! That's not very healthy! The foundation realized that what good would our scholarship program be if the free education being given to the children is wasted on empty stomachs! These students can’t concentrate and study well if they are HUNGRY or MALNOURISHED!

Hence, the Food Program was “brought back” in October of last year where we provide daily free lunch viand to 135 scholars from 1^st grade to 4^th year high school. Mothers take turn in preparing and cooking different nutritious meal each day. Vegetables and meat are sourced from different backyard growers so the program as well provides an extra source of income for the families in the farm. An average meal costs Php5 or US$0.12. We are hoping to generate more funds for the program next school year to include rice and some fruits / snack food. The program is also planning to let the students grow some of the vegetables in the school garden to help further bring down the cost and feed more children!

A Once in a Lifetime Experience!

Lea Salonga, international singing star, after a very long time came back to her mother's home province and gave a concert at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum last January 26. She sang favorites such as "The Promise and "Journey" but captivated the audience with "Ahay Kalisud." Jed Madela, an Ilonggo singer, joined Lea Salonga on stage.

Joining thousands of fans at the coliseum were faculty members Sir Ariel, Ms. Karen and Ms. Leda. Jeremy Deogracias, Micho Santillan and Danica Dimanalata were among the ten lucky students who attended this major event organized by Gawad Kalinga. All the profits will be used to build more houses for the less fortunate in Negros Occidental.

Thanks to the Tapulanga Foundation who sponsored the tickets, 20 teachers and students were fortunate to have experienced this once in a lifetime concert of Lea!

Ang Macaroon

ANG MACAROON


Ang macaroon nga akon natilawan,
Kanamit gid, ang akon nasaboran,
Pareho sang chocolate nga akon nalasahan,
Daw ara lang ako sa heaven nga akon ginaluparan.

Sang ginhikap ko ang macaroon nga ina,
magarasgaras gid kag nagamantika,
Pero sang ginbutang ko na sa akon baba,
Daw gusto ko magsiling kung may ara pa?

Ang macaroon nga akon natilawan,
Sa lubi gid ang iya ginhalinan,
Gintimpla sa maayo nga paraan,
Para ang lasa aton gid manamitan.

Ang isa ko pa gid nga naobserbahan,
Kanami gid sang ila nga ginsudlan,
Lainlain nga color ang ila ginputsan,
Kag kanami lantawon nga daw rainbow tanan.

- written by Elma Acuesa, 3rd year scholar of SFAS
This poem was written for Elma's writing class where students could write in either English or Ilonggo. This option was given to the students to encourage them to express themselves more freely. "Ang Macaroons" is the result of this choice. The Writing class, taught by Ms. Ging Graham, meets twice a week.

An Extra-Special Christmas for Some Children

It was truly an extra-special Christmas for some of the students of SFAS as their sponsors sent Christmas gifts to them. From school supplies to school bags to personal items (e.g. shirt, sandals, hair accessories) to bags of groceries! Some wrapped the gifts themselves. Some even mailed the gifts to the children. It was such my pleasure as I gave each child their gifts! I sure felt like SANTA ... thank you for all of you who remembered your "adopted child" this Christmas season!

Infant Feeding Program

The Tapulanga Foundation started a new program last October 2007 called the Infant Feeding Program. As the name suggests, we provide FREE formula milk to farm children ages 4 months old to 2 years old. Our first beneficiaries are the following: Ruby Aberia, Crisna Macahilig, Richard Buensuceso, Loreto Ferreras III, Cedric Macahilig, Geop Antolo and Nasel Montillano. Mothers (who can) still breastfeed and we just provide additional milk. The foundation noticed most of the kids coming from the farm did poorly in school. Adequate milk during the first two years of a child may be a factor in one's intellectual capacity.
For the holidays, the foundation shared some used baby clothes and toys to these 7 babies.

Christmas Blessings

This Christmas season, we at Tapulanga Foundation are especially thankful to all those who have supported us and continue to make our work possible. The students at St. Francis of Assisi School have been busy the last 2 months making Christmas cards that some of you may have received in the mail. This was part of their art project and every single card was unique and made from the heart. And thank you to those who purchased our Filipino Artwork Christmas Card and helped us spread the Filipino Christmas spirit to those who received these cards this Christmas.

Our wish to you this Christmas season and the coming New Year is a renewed sense of God's love that brings peace, hope and joy. Enjoy the rest of the season!

eBay's MicroPlace for MicroFinance

eBay just launched MicroPlace, a website that allows people from all over the world to invest with small business owners. What a novel idea. An earlier site called Kiva started something similar but what makes MicroPlace different is investors can earn interest back on their money. MicroPlace is a for-profit entity while Kiva is a non-profit. And MicroPlace channels the money to MicroFinance institutions who use the money in their lending programs. Investors can lend as little as $50 to small business owners around the globe.

MicroPlace's maxim is "Invest Wisely.End Poverty".

Another great example of technology helping to make the world better everyday, and harnessing the internet to allow people from every corner of the globe to help each other out.