Foundation solicits help of Filipino community

Last year was a very successful time in our life as we celebrated the 26th year of the Filipino Community Foundation Inc.’s existence here on Saipan.

Our Simbang Gabi Committee extended its help in completing several Mount Carmel projects. This year there will be a lot of meaningful projects that our group is thinking of. Our objective and focus is to also extend our helping hand to our needy kababayan in the Philippines.

The nine-days novena committee had successfully achieved its goal, pledging an exact amount of $4,000 that will be used to build a half portion of a school classroom building. We had chosen the Lalawigan Borogan Eastern Samar Elementary School as beneficiary. The committee had unanimously decided and agreed to completely donate one whole classroom building of the typical “Duplex Classroom Building.” This is being done in coordination with the office of “Classroom Galing Sa Mamamayan” and Federation of Pilipino Abroad (CGMA) project manager Elena L. Calingasan, who is in close coordination with the office of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII). Calingasan was assigned to execute and administer the construction project in the Philippines under its Tacloban, Leyte Region and the office of the Governor of Eastern Samar.

With respect to this, I am again appealing to all our kababayan here in Saipan for your support and generosity to continue and be with us for this noble project while celebrating the traditions of our Catholic faith. The funds that we will gather shall be more concentrated on the above project as we believe in the noble cause of helping improve the education of our youths back home. To ensure that this donation goes to its intended purpose, we will be working closely with the Philippine Consulate.

We are very thankful to our donors and also to Bishop Camacho who always gives us his blessings and support for the utilization of Mt. Carmel Cathedral as our venue for our Simbang Gabi.

This is also to request the reconfirmation of sponsorship with your respective coordinators. For further information, we are providing herewith the listings of names and contact numbers of each of the nine-day novena coordinators:

Date: Coordinators: Telephone/Fax:

Dec 16, 2004: United Filipino Organizations (UFO) & Philippine Consulate c/o Ms. Nelida Atalig/Mr. Ed Reyes: 322-0691 or 234-0484

Dec 17, 2004: Mr. Danny Domingo, Totoy Francisco & Joe Velarde: 288-1657, 235-1068, 235-4808

Dec 18 2004: M/M Rommel & Raquel Mostales: 234-3369 or 234-7937

Dec 19, 2004: M/M Vir/Alice Abueme: 322-3366 or M/M Briggs Hernandez: 322-6190

Dec 20, 2004: M/M Eddie/Helen Caranzo: 234-8476

Dec 21, 2004: M/M Romy & Celia Pagapular & Couples for Christ c/o Charlene Pagapular: 234-8569

Dec 22, 2004: M/M Rosel/Linda Torres: 234-7732 or M/M Lito/Malou Mendoza: 234-6735

Dec 23, 2004: Ms. Ella Vitug & family c/o Island Delight: 234-1409 or 234-8382

Dec 24, 2004: Ms. Nenette Delos Santos & Bro. Rene Atienza: 235-3949 or 235-5009

For those of you who wish to share and would like to be one of our sponsors for any of the given Simbang Gabi sponsorship dates written above, please call any of the coordinators listed above or kindly call the undersigned.

Eddie C. Caranzo
Overall chairman
Simbang Gabi Committee
234-8476 or 287-8476