MANILA, Sept. 1, 2012— Many people continue to open their wallets to a Catholic Church-based charity program, but not as generous as the previous years.
Church officials said Pondo ng Pinoy (PnP), a poverty-alleviation program of the Archdiocese of Manila, is experiencing a decline in donations this year.
“We don’t know the factor. It might be due to the recent calamities or maybe some people thought the program has ended,” Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said.
As of June 30, the program, which was started by retired Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales in 2004, has generated around P40.5 million, which is lower compared to the P45 million in June 2011.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle on Saturday led the Pondo ng Pinoy’s 8th anniversary celebration at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavillion in Manila.
Since its inception, the program which calls on Catholics to donate 25 centavos a day to support livelihood projects for the poor has already generated a total of P163, 853, 738, said Fr. Edwin Mercado, PnP executive director.
It also has supported around a thousand projects that have helped feed and improve nutritional levels among children, provided education for the underprivileged, created healthy living conditions in depressed areas and provided people with jobs.
Although led by the Manila archdiocese, all its suffragan dioceses also contribute to the program which supports projects to improve lives of the poor not only in Metro Manila but across the country.
Pabillo stressed that although PnP is a fundraising program, the continuing demonstration of strength and power of “crumbs” is what matters most.
“It’s the molding of the character of the people. It means that the program aims at the heart of every individual… for us to help each other,” said Pabillo. [RL/CBCPNews]
