Happy Early July 2026 news

“No dream is too big. Dreams do come true.”

Alex Eala is not only bringing her own personal dream to Wimbledon. She is joined by millions of Filipinos all over the world and their dreams for themselves/their families, their country.

Alex still has more rounds to hurdle but already she has given our people, our country so much pride and reason for celebration!

Go, go Alex! Padayon!

Win or lose, you are a champion we are all very proud to embrace! Thank you for believing in your dreams and thank you for inspiring millions of our people to keep on believing that dreams do really come true, with grit, with grace, with bravery.

Another early happy July development is Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro’s ?140-million drive against child malnutrition and food insecurity, with the theme “Nutrisyon at Kalikasan, Ating Pangalagaan.”

Launched within the Nutrition Month of July, this drive versus child malnutrition includes “the distribution of 600,000 Vitamin A capsules/300,000 iron supplements to Rural Health Units (RHUs) across every Cebu city/municipality, directly intervening in the crucial early development phases of toddlers.”

According to Capitol Piso Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan, “the data on malnutrition in Cebu is not something we can ignore; it should disturb us, but more importantly, it should move us to act. Malnutrition is not only a health concern; it is a governance concern.”

This nutrition drive will also be accompanied by the deployment of seven state-of-the-art mobile kitchens to provide food for rural and vulnerable sectors throughout Cebu Province.

To recall, Gov. Pam rolled out Cebu’s first mobile kitchen October 14 last year as part of her vision of Cebu where no Cebuano goes hungry, “to bring fresh meals, comfort, and hope to every Cebuano ” - a dream she has long championed through their Simply Share Foundation.

Hunger remains a continuing local, national, and global challenge that needs to be solved.

Results of a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations last March 24-31, 2026 showed that 23.2% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger --being hungry/and having nothing to eat-- at least once in the past three months.

The Visayas posted the highest hunger incidence at 28%, followed by Luzon outside of Metro Manila at 22.4%, Metro Manila at 22%, and Mindanao at 21.7%.

Hunger is very clearly in our midst. Even without the statistics, the faces of the hungry are all over.

There is still so much that needs to be done to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of No Hunger for all, including here in Cebu.

July 27 last year, multisectoral partners launched the #Zero Hunger/Malnutrition Cebu event at Plaza Sugbu which “was transformed into a joyful space for sharing food, laughter, and compassion,” according to our partner, Amitabha of HealthyU Food To Go.

“Makabusog sa kasingkasing seeing the joy of serving/feeding, especially our hungry children, with our partners present for the event – our food producers (Agricooph Federation/ Pestales Agriculture Coop/Lamac Multipurpose Coop/Cebu City Farmer Association/more), our healthy-food-interfaith providers- (Ananda Marga/Healthy U’ Vegan & HU Foods To Go/ SPROUT COOP - Economic Well-Being), government agencies (DSWD-7/NNC-7), academe (Lapulapu Cebu City College/USJ-R/Philajames-Cebu), CSOs (Pagtambayayong/RCE-Cebu/All-R-UP/Akbayan), local/global-donors (Mark Chong-Cebu Landmasters, Inc., others), AND, government officials – Cebu Gov. Pam (represented by Atty Ed Lao)/Balamban Mayor Amos Cabahug/Tuburan-Former-Mayor Aljun Diamante/Asturias former-VM.

“The smiles/gleeful laughter/squeals of the children at play (with USJ-R volunteer, Marilyn Patriarca, Ananda Marga’s Dada Dharma, Lapulapu Cebu International College Team composed of English Professor Mark Rhayen Anderson/Joemari Orbeso/Lyka Alvia/ Hannah Canque/Pagtambayayong team and more) made the whole event precious/ memorable/so worth it all!” (July 31, 2025 Perspective)

Happily/gratefully, DSWD has launched, last June 22, their Walang Gutom Kitchen in Cebu City that will offer daily free hot meals at Pier 4, OKK Square Unit, Arellano Boulevard corner Gen. Maxilom Extension.