SPORTS EXTRA - "I want to be a hero . . . for poor people in our country," said Manny Pacquiao, in a message posted by non-profit Gawad Kalinga earlier this week. "With my partnership with Gawad Kalinga, I will undertake the job of being a champion for Gawad Kalinga around the world."
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Gawad Kalinga, a non-profit organization which has built 50,000 homes and has provided low-cost shelter for over half a million Filipinos, is regarded as one of the most respected NGOs in the country.
"I will bring the message to all Filipinos and to the whole world that poverty is my enemy. And that, for my people, I will do my best to knock it out," said the boxer-congressman. [ Article: Pacquiao declares war on poverty ]
VIDEO: Fighting poverty is Pacquiao's biggest challenge
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." - Samuel Johnson (American author, novelist)
GK was formed in 2003 by Antonio "Tony" Meloto. Related: Pacquiao partners with Gawad Kalinga
House Bill 4374 >
"Manny and his [ congressional ] chief of staff, Jeng Gacal, are reviewing House Bill 4374 to determine if Manny will co-author the bill," Rob Peters told International Sports Examiner.
"The essence of HB 4374 is nation building and volunteerism . . . . The goal of the legislation is to eradicate poverty in the Philippines by 2024 and now GK hopes to have "the champion of the poor" to help accomplish this difficult task."
Organizers and thousands of supporters want to end poverty for five million families by 2024. The World Bank estimates that 45 percent of the Filipino population live on less than $2 per day.
Peters, Pacquiao's U.S. security chief, is an active organizer with Gawad Kalinga. [ Article: Rep. Pacquiao acquiring ambulances for his district ]
Philippine President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III will likely support Pacquiao's bill, Examiner.com has learned. Congress resumes its session on May 8 and Pacquiao will be in attendance from May 13 onwards, a day after arriving from Los Angeles.
P H O T O S [ Pacquiao-Mosley ]
The boxer joined Aquino's Liberal Party soon after the May 2010 elections.
"My biggest fight is not in boxing. My biggest fight is to end poverty in my country," Pacquiao said last week at his pre-fight conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. [ Article: Rep. Pacquiao to build hospital in Sarangani ]
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"Three Filipino icons can work together to get the job done, Manny, Tony Meloto and President [ Noynoy ] Aquino," said Peters. "Each has a different job and will take a different path, but each will try to arrive at the same destination: unity in the Philippines."
"No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt ( American President, 1901 - 1909 )
Through Gawad Kalinga, individuals, institutions, and overseas Filipinos provide funding for housing materials. Volunteers and would-be residents then work together to construct shelter and to build communities.
GK members believe that by providing safe housing, citizens are encouraged to seek employment and to raise families within a nurturing community. [ Article: Hospital visit for Manny Pacquiao after Margarito bout ]
Infrastructure Projects >
Congressman Manny Pacquiao, 32, is also helping to build roads and highways in Sarangani Province, considered one of the poorest in the country. On Wednesday, the Department of Public Works and Highways announced that Pacquiao's district has completed 10 of 12 infrastructure projects worth $463,000 aimed at boosting development in rural towns. [ Photos: Rep. Pacquiao receives medal of honor from Congress ]
In Sarangani, ten projects have been completed between March and April 2011 including:
- Rehabilitation of farm-to-market road at Barangay Kiambing
- Construction of multi-purpose buildings at Barangay Kalaneg, Barangay Wali, Barangay Datal Anggas, Barangay Alegria
- Construction of multi-purpose building at Malalag
- Other completed multi-purpose buildings were completed in Barangay Poblacion, Barangay Spring, Barangay Poblacion and Barangay Poblacion
Funds were provided under Pacquiao's Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), considered pork barrel for elected congressmen and senators. Philippine President Aquino is also allocating funds to accelerate rural development in Pacquiao's district. [ Article: Pacquiao's motivations for visiting Pres. Aquino ]
Projects slated for completion this June include the construction of a multi-purpose building at Barangay Poblacion and a road project at Datal Anggas to Sitio Latian, Alabel. ( Sources: Philippine Information Agency )
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