Luncheon Held To Honor And Remember Filipino WWII Veterans
GK Executive Director Tony Meloto speaks to the Filipino-American community in San Francisco.
Gawad Kalinga (GK) Executive Director and recent Ramon Magsaysay
awardee Tony Meloto and his son-in-law Dylan Wilk spoke to the
Filipino-American community at the Philippine Consulate General
in San Francisco on Wednesday, 2 August 2006. The two discussed
with the members of the Filipino-American community present,
the inroads Gawad Kalinga had made and continues to make in
the fight against poverty not just in the Philippines, but also
in other parts of the world.
Mr. Meloto spoke of how GK is transforming the landscape of
the country to one with no more slums. He said that “a
slum environment breeds a slum mentality.” GK is not only
building better and more beautiful homes for the poor but they
are also teaching them how to make a living for themselves so
that the “cycle of mendicancy” in the country can
finally be broken.
One GK village consists of several houses complete with a community
center, a school, and other necessary facilities which make
up a complete family environment. GK’s success has attracted
so much positive attention that foreign governments including
the People’s Republic of China and Canada have been or
will be giving money to GK to establish various villages.
“Because of GK’s work, foreign governments are starting
to trust the country once again,” said Mr. Meloto whose
son-in-law spoke right after him.
Dylan Wilk a GK advocate who gave up his luxurious lifestyle
in the United Kingdom to be of service to the Filipino people,
spoke of the important Filipino value of “bayanihan”
which for him means being heroes for one another, helping each
other out. He said that “the Banaue Rice Terraces are
for me the eighth wonder of the world because it was built by
free Filipinos for each other in the spirit of bayanihan, unlike
the Pyramids in Egypt which were built because of slavery.”
Mr. Wilk talked of the success of GK in transforming the lives
of many Filipinos and both he and his father-in-law encouraged
members of the Filipino-American community here in Northern
California to do the same.
Consul General Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez congratulated and
thanked the two advocates “These men are responsible for
the very positive changes going on in the motherland. Their
efforts and those of the other members of Gawad Kalinga and
the thousands of volunteers have helped uplift the lives of
so many of our kababayans.”
“The Philippine
Consulate General in San Francisco has been, is and will be
very supportive of all the efforts of GK for you have provided
a viable solution to the debilitating poverty that has gripped
our country for far too long. Your organization has indeed answered
the cry of the poor and for this we are very proud and grateful,”
she added.
