Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

No other foundation could ever be as hardworking and zealous in its mission to build a better world for the next generation of Filipinos than ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.  (AFI).  The socio-civic arm of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, one of Asia’s biggest media conglomerate, AFI offers outreach programs for children, their families and their families, and their community.  

Extending its reach to Filipinos here in the United States, AFI USA is dedicated to raising funds to help improve the lives of abused and disadvantaged children and women in the Philippines.  Through the backing and programs of AFI in the Philippines, AFI USA accomplishes its mission to alleviate problems like poverty, calamity relief, education and environmental concerns.  

AFI Managing Director Gina Lopez believes that it is important for Filipinos overseas to extend help to their kababayans.  “Because the Philippines is their heritage,” she said and explained, “Helping is not limited to physical locations.  Even though you’re not here, you’re still part of the history, sharing common bondage of being Filipino.  It doesn’t mean you stop doing your responsibility.”

Projects

Although AFI USA has a number of programs in its fold, two major projects now being pushed aggressively.  One is the BayaniJuan initiative (Country of Juan), which was launched in May 2008. BayaniJuan brings together all of AFI’s programs and more in a comprehensive campaign designed to rehabilitate the most impoverished regions and communities in the Philippines.  

“BayaniJuan is about building the country from the bottom up in the spirit of bayanihan,” said Lopez and added, “Education, nutrition, environment, money – these are simple, important things that make life complete.  The (economic) numbers alone don’t translate the nation’s progress.”

Another program that is in its planning stages is the Pasig River rehabilitation project, which will roll out in the first quarter of 2009.  Lopez explains AFI’s mission and vision in pushing for cleaning up Manila’s major waterway.  “The project’s impact is beyond Manila,” she said and added, “We have 400 river systems in the country, and we have to act together.  This project shows there is a way.”  She also mentioned that the project has symbolic benefits, that Pasig River is part of our history.  “Tagalog actually comes from the word, ‘taga-ilog.’ We are essentially river people...But would we want to be called mga taga-ilog na madumi?”

Other programs espoused by the foundation are the Bantay Bata (Child Watch), a 24-hour child abuse rescue operation, Educational TV (ETV), a value formation and curriculum enhancement program for public elementary school children, Bantay Kalikasan (Nature Watch), an environmental campaign promoting and protecting the country’s natural resources, Bayan Microfinance (Community Microfinance), a community-based, poverty-alleviation program equipping deserving individuals and groups with the skills necessary for start up industry and Sagip Kapamilya (Saving the Family Members), a calamity relief and rehabilitation program.

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