Articles by T.J. Blackburn published at Metro News Atlanta

Some GFI Board Members with PHCG Ray Donato (2009 GFI file)

Galing Foundation, Inc. is thankful for the full support by Philippines Honorary Consul General Raoul "Ray" Donato to our programs. Since the early beginnings of the Youth Leadership Awards ceremonies, PHCG Donato also gives his remarks as a Consular Officer sharing the state of economy of the Philippine as well as consular matters.

One of GFI partners, T.J. Blackburn has published the following articles via Metro News Atlanta featuring the 8th Youth Leadership Awards and 1st Fil-Am Teachers of Georgia ceremonies held last January 30, 2015 (click link for details):

Filipino-Americans contributed to rise in Philippines’s GDP - PHCG Donato's speech

Georgia Filipino-American Non-profit honors Georgia students, educators

Feature story: School of Living Tradition class at Lamlifew Elementary School

Class is applicable to both sexes

Adult women in the community are the resource persons

Kids are in their traditional Blaan costume and accessories

The costume of the kids were part of the output of the skills transfer done by LTWA

LES Principal with LTWA women members

Majority of the students at Lamlifew Elementary School (LES) belong to the Blaan Indigenous Peoples (IP) groups. The Department of Education has declared LES as an IP School of Living Traditions. One of their activies is having once a week skills transfer (every Friday morning) on embroidery and bead works. Their teachers are the members of the Lamlifew Tribal Women's Association (LTWA) whom most of the students parents are also active members. More info about Lamlifew in this website, http://lamlifew.weebly.com/

The school welcomes donation for materials (threads, needles, clothes/textiles, chalk beads) used in the skills transfer.

Photos courtesy of Sir Ireneo Caya, LES Principal.

Community Reading at Lamlifew

Lamlifew Elementary School (LES) teachers has engaged the  parents, children and village officials in their outdoor storytelling time.

Mrs. Florecia Bago, a Blaan teacher was the reading teacher.

Some village leaders as reading teachers.

"This book is used by our Kindergarten school. I also use this book as a resource on how to take care of their kids and especially on proper hygiene as well as the importance of cleanliness of our surroundings for healthy living when we have Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meeting." - Ireneo Caya,  LES Principal

Students have so much fun reading picture books.

"I am so happy that they're really appreciated the reading/learning materials given to the school by Galing Foundation, Inc. Thank you so much." - Ireneo Caya, School Principal 

Photos courtesy of Sir Ireneo Caya, LES Principal.

Delta Air Lines amenity kits benefitted Lamlifew Elementary School

Below are some photos from Lamlifew Elementary School during the turn over of Delta Air Lines amenity kits donation.

Thank you Delta Air Lines and Sarangani Province! The project was implemented in 2013.

Photos courtesy of Sir Ireneo Caya, LES Principal.

GFI boxes 256, 257, 258, 259

February 4, 2015

Smyrna, GA - 4 GFI boxes of K-12 books, teaching aides and some school supllies were sent via Phoenix Cargo. The educational resource materials were donated by Derek and Gladys Piper, Cross Culture Church Children's Ministry, and the Turner family.  Lots of the resources were also scientific experiments/laboratory manuals.

The 4 boxes will benefit Lamlifew Elementary School, Lamlifew Day Care School, Amado M. Quirit Sr. National High School and some for the 2 former GFI assisted schools (Maligo Day Care School and Landan National High School for duplicates of the resource materials collected). Some stuffed toys were sent to offset weight of the boxes and that will benefit the day care schools.

Thank you to Cecille Diesta-Fajota (originally from Maitum, Sarangani Province but now based in Leesburg, GA) who came to help in the process of boxing the books.

Thank you to book donors as well as Cross of Life Church for funding the shipment of the boxes.

2014 GFI Year End Report Presented during the 8th Youth Leadership Award and 1st Filipino-American Teacher's Appreciation Ceremonies

Some deaf students with their teachers. Visual aid materials are helpful for them.

Students from both schools are predominantly Blaan, one of the Indigenous Peoples Group of Region 12 Philippines.

K - 12 books and educational resource materials sent and some toys to offset weight. Boxes are numbered and assigned to recipient schools each shipment. For the Mindanao Outreach, 19 boxes arrived in Gensan and shipments made in the last quarter of 2014 will arrive first quarter 2015.

Northwest Phil-Am is having annual book & school supplies drive to benefit GFI

Graduates wearing their traditional Blaan costume. Kids are all happy recieving books. The community is also home to the Blaan Mabal Tabih (ikat weaving like the background of the presentation document) where most mothers of the kids are actively involved in skills transfer as well as cultural enterprise for the different crafts (bead works, embroidery, weaving) to the younger generations.

Recent guests of the school include the Basilan LGU and educators and the American missionaries from North Carolina. The school and the community is great for all to visit on leisure trip, or missions/outreach activities.

Predominantly Blaan students in a remote Barangay of Kihan in Malapatan.

Sulong Karunungan and Sulong Tribu Program staff of Sarangani did great job in books turnover.

Becca is the one that facilitated for the school to apply as GFI recipient. She also came from this village.

Dump truck, "weapon", "habal-habal" (motorcyle) are just examples of transportation that teachers, villagers, students and government agencies use to reach very remote villages from town center to deliver services. Bulky books turnover are often transported using four-wheel drive vehicles like dump truck due to the road difficulty and terrain in far lung communities. Teachers usually use the "habal-habal" and sometimes horses too if no vehicles available.

Sulong Tribu Program Manager Toto Tirando and Sulong Karunungan Program Ping Gomez along with staff of each program  under the Office of the Governor are appreciated for their pro-active response in the books turnovers as well as documentation.

Awarding done last year at the residence of Philippines Consul General Ray Donato.

Two schools participated last year. Each YLA recieved a plaque like the one above.

GFI wanted to promote English literacy and we give recognition for students who showed excellence in this subject. Maligo Elementary School is one of the recipient schools for LDERA cyle 2008-2013.

Turnover of Certificate of Recognition from the Department of Education-Sarangani Schools Division to Delta Air Lines Executive for the donation implemented in 2013.

Different Christmas trees featured from the International community in Atlanta.

Year End Report presented by Arjho Carino Turner, GFI Secretary & Mindanao Outreach Director. Photo credits to the following: Toni Daya-Luetgers; Cornerstone Baptist Deaf Academy, Lamlifew Elementary School c/o Sir Ireneo Caya; Amado M. Quirit Sr. National High School c/o Maam Jen Dela Sierra (& Jaymore More via FB post); Becca Dayag Rodriguez; Bon-Bon Quino, Iner Toguin, Cocoy A. Sexcion, Jake Narte, Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon FB Page, Sulong Tribu and Sulong Karunungan Program.