Stories of faith, hope, and charity

Tess Pantaleon had almost given up hope of getting cured. Tess suffered from complete heart block, and her doctors said she needed to raise P200,000 for a life-saving pacemaker. In desperation, Tess wrote to Operation Damayan, The Philippine STAR’s socio-humanitarian arm. The STAR contacted Tess and after verification, her story was published.

On the same day, Tess received a pledge for not one but four pacemakers. Philippine General Hospital cardiologist Dr. Rogelio Tangco implanted in Tess a state-of-the-art pacemaker. After her operation, a grateful Tess returned to The STAR to give back P5,000 for other beneficiaries of Operation Damayan.

Eliza Gets Her Wish

In another case, Marilou Agapito asked The STAR for assistance for her daughter’s chemotherapy. Nine-year-old Eliza has been suffering from leukemia. When asked by The STAR what her wish was, Eliza whispered, “I want a big doll.”

Eliza’s story appeared in The STAR  last year, and was also available online (www.philstar.com). While at the hospital undergoing chemotherapy, Eliza received word that she had been given cash donations and five big dolls. Although Eliza has grown bald and weak, she is grateful for her dolls and bravely faces her treatment.      

Operation Damayan

The STAR’s founding chairman, the late Betty Go-Belmonte, conceptualized and set up Operation Damayan in 1988. At that time, a strong typhoon struck Leyte and The STAR helped raise millions of pesos for the victims. During the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, The STAR also built 100 houses for the displaced victims.

After Mrs. Belmonte’s untimely passing in 1994, her son, STAR president and CEO Miguel G. Belmonte, continued her legacy of helping the poor.

The STAR is a unique newspaper because it does several charitable works throughout the year, namely 1) helping sick children, 2) building classrooms and libraries, 3) giving free education for adults, 4) conducting medical missions, 5) giving gifts on Christmas, 6) raising funds for calamities and disasters, 7) publishing patients’ appeals, and 8) helping preserve the environment with tree-planting projects.

Charity For Sick Kids

Since 1988, The STAR has been giving medical and financial help to countless sick children. The STAR’s main beneficiaries are those admitted at the Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, and National Children’s Hospital.

Adopt-A-School

Another continuing endeavor of The STAR is the Adopt-a-School project, which began in 2003. Every year, The STAR chooses a depressed area and helps it build a classroom and library. Previous beneficiaries of these school buildings were Tagkawayan, Quezon and Tarlac, Tarlac. In 2008, Operation Damayan spent P500,000 to build a classroom and renovate a library at the Bagong Silang Elementary School in Gapan, Nueva Ecija.

‘Abaka-damayan’

Working with the Department of Education, The STAR initiated “Abaka-Damayan.” This program helps adults over 18 years old to earn an elementary or high school diploma. Since its inception in 2003, many adults have received their diplomas. The oldest graduate is Danilo Catayok, a 59-year-old driver, who wanted to teach his grandchildren.

For this time-consuming project, The STAR trained 20 employees as volunteer teachers. According to principal Melita Dioso, the Department of Education has given several citations to The STAR’s unique educational program.

A Legacy Of Betty Go-Belmonte

From 1988 to 1994, Betty Go-Belmonte published hundreds of appeals from poor patients in her daily column “Pebbles.” Mrs. Belmonte even insisted on publishing the pictures of patients to increase their chances of getting sponsors.

During Mrs. Belmonte’s illness in 1993, she would publish these patients’ appeals almost every day. According to sources, these articles would sometimes elicit the scorn of other newspaper people.

However, unknown to many, Mrs. Belmonte’s columns helped save hundreds of lives, like patients needing heart valves, colostomies, surgeries, chemotherapy, leg prosthesis, and many more. Among her anonymous donors were former President Cory Aquino, Kris Aquino, and former First Lady Ming Ramos.

When asked why she does it, Mrs. Belmonte would simply say, “It is all because of Him.”

Like a loyal son, Miguel Belmonte has diligently continued and expanded on his mom’s charitable works. The STAR CEO says, “The secret of The STAR’s success comes not just from the quality of our newspaper. I believe it is because of the many poor patients we help every day.”

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