Filinvest spends a day with the elderly

MANILA, Philippines - Filinvest helps charitable institutions or projects as a way of reaching out for abandoned elders in Montalban, Rizal.

There were close to a hundred Filinvest Land executives and employees who sang and danced with the Anawim elders and had fun with them through singing and dancing. Women gamely shared songs from their younger years to the visitors filling the cool mountain air with nostalgic and sentimental music. The male elders showed off their ballroom dancing skills in a makeshift dance floor with employees from Filinvest as their partners. The day was also filled with games, fun and laughter marking new bonds of friendship between people from Filinvest and Anawim.

“We are very thankful to Filinvest for spreading joy, love and material blessings to us,” said Anawim volunteer RC Vinohi. “This is truly a blessed time for us and one that will be cherished with fondness by all of us here at the center.”

Eighty-four-year-old Rosita Conrado, a resident of Anawim for the past three years, could not contain her happiness. “I am very happy that Filinvest remembered us. We enjoyed the bountiful food and fun games,” said Conrado.

 Anawim, a Hebrew word meaning “God’s poor,” was established 15 years ago by the Light of Jesus Community led by preacher Bo Sanchez to care for the poor and abandoned. The Anawim Lay Missions Foundation Inc., which Sanchez also founded and currently chairs, runs the facility that feeds hundreds of people each day.

Filinvest Land is not only committed to building the Filipino dream of owning their homes. The company has a tradition of reaching out to disadvantaged communities through charity projects and civic activities. In 2011, the company went to Hospicio de San Jose to spread joy to orphans and children with special needs.

Filinvest Land advocates education for poor children. Endorser Kris Aquino funded through Filinvest the construction of a classroom building donated to Itaas Elementary School NBP Annex in Muntinlupa City. In October, Filinvest and Kris turned over another school building to the Daniel M. Perez Central Elementary School in Bunawan District in Davao City. Both projects were constructed through the help of Aklat, Gabay, Aruga Tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa Foundation (AGAPP), which Kris supports. It will soon turn over classroom buildings in Ilocos Sur, Lanao del Norte and Quezon provinces.

Filinvest also supports the non-profit Educational Research and Development Assistance Foundation for the construction of pre-school learning centers in Muntinlupa City.