Solidarity in the Philippines 

We want to thank  the social worker, Mrs. Marissa Lendio who greatly aided us in our solidarity toward reaching our brothers and Sisters in Pulpogan

We were able to help lot of people. We would like to especially thank the secretary of the Parish of Consolacion, Mrs. Cherry Villono, the cordinator of all the cathechist, Mrs. Terry Rosales, the principal of High Scool in Pulpogan, Mrs. Violeta Dabalos.

Solidarity Mission' Story 

   I had been in the Philippines, precisely in the island of Cebù in 1994 and in 1997 for two years. The Cardinal of Cebu, S. E. Rev. Card. Vidal suggested that I collaborate in a parish in the district of Consolation.

There is a village in Consolation that is very needy called Pulpogan. I decided to do something for the people living there.  

Neither in the '94 nor in '97 had we  succeeded in doing anything for them.  

On the 25th of July in 1998 I departed for Cebù with the intention of giving the poor some offerings that sponsors donated to me in January.  The question I thought about was: to donate the offerings and to definitely close or to start up a project to help these poor brothers?  

The first solution would have been more comfortable, but my conscience would have rebelled: You can’t see the sufferings of our brothers and sisters and to be in peace just by giving them some alms.

I thought that it would have been more adherent to the Gospel, even if it was more of a commitement, to begin a discourse that made it feel to these brothers the presence of the provident God  of whom Jesus spoke.

And then before leaving Cebu I created a team of references formed respectively  by the secretary of the parish of Consolation Mrs. Cherry Villono; the coordinator of all the catechists of the parish, Mrs. Terry Rosal; the principal of the high school in Pulpogan, Mrs. Violeta Dabalos and the social worker, Mrs Marissa Lendio . They would be the ones who would be responsible of taking care of the: "Mission of Solidarity" ("Solidarity Mission").                            

When I came back from the Philippines I spoke to many people about the possibility to more concretely help our poor brothers and sisters in Pulpogan and indeed the answer was unbelievable! So many people answered to the call of solidarity. As a result, in 10 months we had received almost got 19 million lira. We immediately sent two million to the Philippines while a million was sent to the Comboniani fathers for the emergency in Sudan. 

I brought the remainder of the money to the Philippines myself.

   A great result 

In August of 1999 I returned to Cebù. I met S. E. the Cardinal Riccardo who showed appreciation for our concern and for the project in Pulpogan,  however his first and only difficulty was: “father Bruno how many months or years do you think you can stay here  to carry out  the project? Given the impossibility for me to stay there, the problem was: who can carry out the project? There was a silence moment while the cardinal was thinking what to do then the cardinal said: " Maybe the Nuns of Mother Ignacia who already have a small house in Pulpogan could carry out the project since they too have a project to built a free clinic for the community of Pulpogan. At this point I had no doubts: I delivered the money to the cardinal. 

I asked the Cardinal if he could give me a letter addressed to the Cardinal of Naples S.E Card. Michele Giordano to advise about the project and to reassure all the sponsors about their money.