Here's our video, this time with narration by one of our residents.

Meet the Residents of Bahay Pag-asa in our New Video

Your BPYC Scholarship Donations At Work

Hary, former BPYC resident and one of our Bahay Pag-asa Scholars just sent these photos from his course of studies in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  He is attending Central Philippines University in Kabankalan.  Bahay Pag-asa is providing financial assistance to Hary in his studies and his family is also supporting him to the extent that they can.  We wanted to share these with you, not just to make you hungry, but so that you can see the great work your scholarship donations are doing here.

Please pray for the Fernandez Family.

Dear friends, we have some very sad news to share with you.  The mother (pictured on the left in the photo) of Jason Fernandez, a former Bahay Pag-asa resident, was killed tragically yesterday when the tricycle she was riding in was struck by an armored car.  Jason now has the responsibility of caring for his younger brother and sister and working to complete the construction of their house.  We are very grateful to Mrs. Betty Bond from California who made a generous donation to help finish the home construction project.  Her donation is especially timely, given these very sad events.  Bahay Pag-asa is committed to accompanying Jason as he takes on the difficult responsibilities of being the head of the family.  We will be working with him to find employment that can provide the basic needs for Jason and his siblings.  Please pray for the soul of Jason's mother and also for Jason and his family during these difficult times.  Anyone in the position to offer Jason assistance or opportunities is welcome to contact him through us.

Meet the Runners! Choose one to sponsor!

These are the Bahay Pag-asa residents who are participating in the Tran-Pacific Masskara Marathon.  One the same day that Br. Patrick will be running his marathon in Santa Cruz, California, our runners will be participating at Bahay Pag-asa, Bacolod, Philippines.  In order to protect their privacy and safety, our residents are behind masks which they made to represent an animal "avatar" that they are using for this event.  Please look through this gallery of photos and descriptions, and consider sponsoring a boy for a certain amount (for instance, $1 per mile).  Post your pledge here or on our Bahay Pag-asa Bacolod page on Facebook.  Scroll to the bottom for detailed directions.

Runner #1:  Red Carabao with Striped Horns

I am 14 years old and in Grade 5.  My mask is of a carabao or water buffalo - a very important animal to farmers in the Philippines.  Before I came to Bahay Pag-asa I did not go to school regularly, but now I am working to continue my education.  I hope to be a policeman or navigator when I finish my schooling and I want to help my younger brothers and sisters to get their education.  I hope that you will sponsor me in this event.

Runner #2: Gray Elephant

My avatar is the elephant - a very big animal, which is funny because I am very small in size.  I am 15 years old and I am at Grade 4 level in school.  I want to get my education through high school and then continue to study so that I can be a seaman or a policeman.  If I can get a good job than I can help my family repair their house.  I hope that you will be my sponsor for this marathon.

Runner #3: Green and Yellow Cat

Hello, I created this mask of a cat or "kuring" as we say on this island.  I am 15 years old and have finished my first year of high school.  I would like to become a seaman or navigator because I could visit many places and could earn money to help my family.  They need my help to have enough food and to fix our house.  I hope you will sponsor the cat!

Runner #4:  Philippine Eagle (Gray)

My mask represents the Philippine Eagle, a very large and strong bird that lives here.  I am 17 years old but have never been able to go to school, so I am only at grade level 2.  I want to keep learning, even though it is difficult for me.  I hope to be a policeman someday.  I want to be able to help my family and especially my siblings.  I want them to have their education early in their lives.  Please sponsor me and I will do my best.

Runner #5: Red Carabao with Black Horns

I am 15 years old and I have chose to make a mask of a red carabao with black horns.  I have finished grade five and I plan to continue with my education.  My hope is that someday I will be in the army or the navy in the Philippines.  My family needs my help just to have food and to fix their house.  My plan is to help them with their problems.  Please sponsor the red carabao with black horns!

Runner #6: Monkey

We have many monkeys in the Philippines, so I decided to make this mask.  I am 15 years old and have finished my 2nd year of high school.  I plan to continue on to college and study business or criminology.  If I am successful, I will help my family improve their house.  Please sponsor the monkey!

Runner #7: Red Hawk 

People are telling me that I look like an angry bird...but I am a red hawk.  I am 16 years old and in grade 6.  My plan is to finish my elementary and high school education and then study culinary arts.  If I can become a successful chef, then I can help my mother, because her house is almost falling down.  Please sponsor me and I will keep doing my best to reach my goal.

Runner #8: The Spider

I chose a spider ("damang" in our language) for my mask.  A spider is a good runner because it has 8 legs, but it would need 4 pairs of running shoes.  I have finished my 1st year of high school and my plan is to go on to college eventually and study navigation and/or culinary arts.  I like to use my skills to make interesting designs and I hope to use all my talents to become a productive citizen.  If you sponsor me, I promise not to crawl into your house.

Runner #9:  The Red Wolf

We don't have wolves in the Philippines, but the wolf is a favorite animal for me.  I am 14 years old but I lived far away from schools and I am just beginning my education.  Someday I hope to be a successful businessman.  My grandmother raised me and she lives in a very small house made of bamboo and nipa.  When I am successful, I will build her a stronger house so she will be safe during the typhoons.  Please sponsor me, the wolf!

Runner #10:  The Philippine Dog

There are lots of dogs in the Philippines and they are good at finding food.  I am 15 years old and am at high school level (1st year).  I like to learn and my dream is to be a math teacher.  I want to have a steady job, to teach many boys and girls how to do math, and to be able to help my mother.  I hope that you will sponsor the dog.

Runner #11: The Philippines Rooster

There are many, many roosters in the Philippines and every morning you can hear them waking up the neighborhoods.  I am 18 years old and my goal is to be a math teacher or a policeman.  I want to do well so that I can help my siblings to get a good education.  I hope that you will sponsor me!

Runner #12: Brown Philippine Eagle

My mask is of a Philippine Eagle which is the national bird of the Philippines.  It is also called the "monkey-eating eagle."  I am 16 years old, in 3rd year high school and my hope is to be a graphic artist.  I would like to work on animation projects.  I want to be successful so that I can help my mother fix her house.  Please sponsor me!

Runner #13: The Ant

Ants are small, but when they work together they can do anything.  I am 16 years old and in 2nd year high school.  I really enjoy music - I play drums and guitar.  I would like to be a musician and also study to be a civil engineer.  I want to succeed so that I can help my family with their business and to improve their house.  I hope that you will sponsor the Ant!

Runner #14:  Elephant with Red and Blue Eyes

Some people think that all elephants look alike - but mine has one red eye and one blue eye.  I am 16 and hope to be a chemical engineer or a doctor someday.  I am in 2nd year high school.  I enjoy dance and like to learn new dances. I want to find success in my life so that I can help my siblings go to school.  Please sponsor the elephant with the colorful eyes!

Runner #15: The Horse

Horses can run a long way without getting tired.  I have a long way to go in my life, but I believe that I can make it.  I am 19 years old and in high school (1st year).  I like to cook and want to study culinary arts so that I can be a chef in a restaurant.  I want to help my family because their house needs a lot of work and my siblings need to go to school.  Please sponsor the "kabayo."

Runner #16: Carabao with Red Horns

My carabao mask has a black face and red horns.  I am 16 years old and in 2nd year high school.  My plan is to go to college to study engineering.  I have a big family but they live in a very small bamboo house.  I want to be able to help them build a better house and I also want to make sure that my younger brothers and sisters get to attend school.  Please sponsor me in the Transpacific Masskara Marathon!

Runner #17: The Blue Eagle

I call my mask, the Blue Eagle.  I am 14 years old and in grade 5, because I could not go to school for while when I was living on my own.  I like reading, music (I am learning piano) and science.  I would like to go to college someday and study architecture.  I also hope that, someday, I can find my brother and that we can be together again.  I hope that you will sponsor the blue eagle!

Runner #18: Decorated Elephant

In India, elephants are decorated sometimes, so I wanted to decorate my elephant.  I am 15 years old and at grade 3 level, because I have not had many opportunities to go to school.  My hope is that someday I can be a policeman or a doctor.  When I have a job, I plan to help my grandmother buy rice so that she can have something to eat.  Please sponsor the "decorated elephant."

We will be posting additional runners soon!

The Trans-Pacific Masskara Marathon

Brother Patrick Martin, FSC is running his first marathon (The Surfer's Path Marathon and Capitola Half Marathon) on May 17 in Santa Cruz, California.  He has decided to run to benefit Bahay Pag-asa Youth Centers.  He sent us this photo of his custom shirt created with the help of Ang Dynasty Arts.  You can see the Bahay Pag-asa logo, but what else is interesting here?  Note the "De La Salle" signature and Lasallian Star on the running shoe.  St. John Baptist de la Salle is the Founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers) who have developed schools, colleges, and educational centers for young people in over 80 countries around the world.  The Bahay Pag-asa Youth Centers are part of the Brothers' global educational mission.  The mask behind the running shoe represents the Masskara Festival of Bacolod City, home of the first Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center.  We are using masks in our publicity so that our residents (children in conflict with the law) can participate without compromising their privacy and safety.  It also allows them to showcase their creative talents in the production of their hand-made masks.  The marathon is "Trans-Pacific" because while Br. Patrick Martin is running his marathon in California, the staff and residents of Bahay Pag-asa will be running, jogging, or walking our marathons (or half-marathons) on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, at Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center, Bacolod City, Philippines.  Our goal is to allow our boys to creatively work toward supporting the center which provides them with their daily needs (food, clothing, health care, etc.) as well as their education and training for continuing education and future employment.

What does home look like?

GREAT NEWS!  A GENEROUS DONOR IS PROVIDING WHAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT!  THANK YOU MS. BETTY BOND and W. M. LEVICH!

In January of this year, the volunteer team from Saint Mary's College of California visited the house of one of our former residents who has since finished his program at Bahay Pag-asa and earned a certification in Massage Therapy from the University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod.  As of yet he has not found employment but is volunteering his time at the local health clinic taking blood pressures of patients.  A big concern of his has been the problem of the house in which he, his mother, and younger sister and brother live.  The lack of any kind of substantial walls has resulted in intruders entering the house in the middle of the night and during rough weather, it is impossible to keep the rain from entering the house.  The kitchen (shown below) is rudimentary at best and there is no floor except for the dirt that the house stands on.

The volunteers were very much concerned about the safety and health of the family and so Ms. Margaret Brown-Salazar and several of the college student volunteers left some donations to help with the improvement of the house.  We also had some funds sent from Br. James Joost in California.  The University of Saint La Salle was generous in giving us access to their materials recycling center and so we began by collecting lots of wooden poles, beams and also plywood sheets with the use of a university truck.

We then drove the lumber to the house and talked to a carpenter who lives across the street from the family.  We arranged for two workers in addition to the family members who could help build walls and we went shopping for hollow blocks at the "factory" where they are made.  These sell for about 10 pesos each and we bought a big supply.  

We then went to the village hardware store (certainly not "Home Depot" but surprisingly well-stocked with what we needed.  We bought steel reinforcing bars, nails, wire, shovels and assorted other supplies.  We also bought rice for the family and for the carpenter's family. 

Next, it was out to the quarry to buy a truckload of sand and a truckload of gravel.  We brought all this back to the house and emptied our truck into the street.  By this time, quite a few neighbors were watching the activity.

When we left, just before dark the house was in disarray but the occupants were very excited that this was the beginning of a project that would give them a safe and weather-proof home.  We were even able to leave two bunk-bed sets that we got from the university and these were a hit with the neighborhood kids.

A week later we returned to find the walls under construction in preparation for a house the would have much more usable space.  We were able to purchase more hollow blocks, more cement and other supplies.  We also provided money for the workers and rice and other groceries for the family.

And now, after three weeks, the outer walls of the house and enclosed area behind the house are in place (with the front wall and door still to be built).  The next projects will be, and in this order: (1) the roof of the house, (2) the floor of the house, and (3) the internal walls / dividers and some fixtures.

Construction will continue through this week and then will stop for a while until we can find donations to purchase the final materials. Here's the list of what we need to get...

32 steel reinforcing bars - $73.00

2 kg of #16 wire - $ 3.00

15 bags of cement - $82.00

5 cu. meters sand - $ 74.00

3 cm. meters gravel - $ 65.00

32 pieces wood (2X2, 2X4) - $86.00

Nails (various sizes) - $ 5.00

5 kg. umbrella nails - $ 8.00

PVC pipes - $ 22.0

Solvent for PVC - $1.40

3 Qts. Vulcaseal - $28.00

Labor, until finished (2 workers) - $300

We hope to raise these funds by June so as to help this family finish their house. If you'd like to help, please contact Br. Dan Fenton (brdanfenton@hotmail.com) for information about wiring donations.

We are delighted to announce (and deeply grateful) that we have received a check from Ms. Betty Bond and W. M. Levich that will cover these expenses as well as some additional needs.  This is a great gift for this family!  The funds for the check are being held at De La Salle Institute until one or our summer volunteers can act as courier in June. Ms. Betty Bond was my employer and mentor was I began teaching and she is still making hope happen in my life and the lives of those most in need!  God bless you!

---Br. Dan Fenton, FSC