Cebu Pac brings Bronte and Frank to Dumaguete

MANILA, Philippines - Seven-year-old Australian-American Bronte Henfling has already brought smiles and comfort to thousands of kids in need. After touching the lives of typhoon “Sendong” survivors in Mindanao with thousands of toys donated to the Bronte and Frank Toy Drive, she brought even more toys to Negros Oriental, one of the provinces rocked by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake early this year.

Bronte, who was staying in the Philippines while her father Greg Henfling worked on the movie The Bourne Legacy, was shocked and upset by what she saw of the destruction of Sendong. Bronte made a video with her favorite teddy bear Frank and appealed for donations of stuffed toys for the survivors, and uploaded it on YouTube. 

“Before we knew it, the stuffed toys were filling up the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where we were billeted,” said Bronte’s mom Megan Worthy. “I think we’ve reached about 5,000 toys, and we’re still getting more donations from all over the globe.”

Bronte and new friends on her Dumaguete flight — a friendly Cebu Pac pilot Choy Arnaldo and Ceb, the airline’s lovable mascot.

The outpouring of support allowed the Bronte and Frank Toy Drive to extend help to even more children. Cebu Pacific jumped in and flew Bronte and her mom and their team of volunteers to Dumaguete so that they could personally distribute the toys to kids in La Libertad. “We wanted to be there for them. We wanted to show them that, ‘Hey, there are people who care about you. Hang in there and stay strong’,” said Megan. “We couldn’t have done that without Cebu Pacific’s help.”

Bronte also helped Hope Worldwide, a non-governmental organization, teach the children about their rights. With the support of the local communities, they sang songs and held other activities to uplift the kids’ spirits.

On the plane, Megan, Bronte and her teddy bear Frank hand-carried the most special stuffed toys, many of which had heartwarming stories. “Pre-loved toys are so much better than brand-new ones. They’re a little battered from all the hugs and kisses they have received from their previous owners. We hope that the love they carry will help the disaster survivors cope with their loss, and make them feel just a little bit better,” said Megan.

Megan said that the Bronte and Frank Toy Drive made her realize the true importance of a toy to a child. “They may not be a basic need such as food and clothing, but toys symbolize a kid’s right to play, the right to be a child,” she said.