A is for advocacy ...and that is where you begin

MANILA, Philippines - I went to the dictionary on my computer and secured the actual meaning of the word “advocacy” and its definition is “public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.” There are dozens of advocacy causes offered to my husband and myself to endorse, recommend and/or make time for, and it has been tough having to turn down quite a number simply because of time limitations.

“The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” The need of our fellowmen is overwhelming and it is totally frustrating that there is just so much to do, but not only are the workers few and support from the government is limited, the resources are weak as well. Advocacy requires major resources for it to create the kind of impact necessary to make a difference in society and change lives positively. 

Time. Money. Equipment. Government and corporate connections. A lot of faith. And a committed team that will plan and implement the goals of the organization. 

Looking back, my romance with advocacy began during my high school involvement with St. Joseph Cupertino and Boys’ Town many years ago. We brought so much joy to these beautiful minds who lived together in compounds that we visited regularly. That was my baptism of fire and I fell in love with the idea of volunteerism. It occupied a special place in my heart, and little did I know that I would end up being married to a celebrity singer who I would partner with for fundraisers and benefits and that he would be able to touch lives not just through his time but likewise through the many inspirational and love songs he recorded and released.

Because Gary has been a Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic for 32 years now, and by God’s grace, complication-free at that, his life has become an inspiration to many disabled Filipinos who see his victorious struggle over diabetes as an example to emulate. Many would run to us with a cause to embrace and there came a time when we just had to institutionalize. Having been involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation for a number of years, Gary and I decided to form the Shining Light Foundation over 20 years ago with some friends like Freddie Santos, Mari Kaimo, and Carla Martinez, among others, and we embarked on something none of us knew anything about – advocacy! 

We wanted to support a Christian radio station, spread the love of the Lord, and support donees who needed medical assistance. Our first major challenge was to support a lady who had 20 street children with no legal documents or licenses! We learned the hard way, so to speak. Don’t jump into situations that you have no professional research on nor the professional experience to manage. Good intentions are not enough. It was quite a task to embark on a leap of faith and commit to feeding, educating, and housing these children picked up from the streets. 

We remember the Scandinavian Children’s Mission and how we partnered with them in order to help professionalize our operations and correct our amateur efforts to embark on our “home.”

I recall another Type 1 diabetic Tito Micosa, who came to us 17 years ago at the age of 13, and how I broke down when I saw what the disease and diabetic coma did to him the day I met him. His brain was damaged at the age of 13. The need to support your patient with medication, love and prayer is non-negotiable. Sadly, he passed away last July due to complications of the disease. 

In the early 90’s we were also invited by Tita Rosa Rosal to join the Philippine National Red Cross and I became a member of the Board of Directors for the Rizal Chapter and it was such an enriching experience. We had a ballroom project entitled “Dancing Donors” that raised funds for PNRC.

In 1994, Gordon Robertson of CBN USA flew to Manila and invited me to join the CBN Asia Board and a few years later the Operation Blessing Foundation (OB). With OB, Gary and I traveled to places like Davao to inaugurate wells, do outreaches, and to meet our fellow Filipinos who live in tents or temporary shelters or merely to perform in mini-concerts and benefit dinners. Touching the soul of one who lost his entire family in a landslide can be life-changing. The visits blessed us I think just as much as Gary inspired the victims! 

I was also invited by Dr. Augusto Littonjua of Makati Medical Center in the late 90’s to join the Philippine Center for Diabetes Education Foundation as a trustee.

Gary was then invited to be the first National Ambassador of Unicef in 1998 and for 12 years, in between tours and tapings, we have been traveling to areas like Bicol (after typhoon “Reming”) and Samar (after the landslide), health care centers in Cotabato, juvenile detention centers in Cebu, or to check the education facilities of Sitio Avocado with Teacher Monica in Negros or all the way to Sagada, Mountain Province where we were encouraged to interact with the tribal folk.

Gary acknowledges the honor of being part of Unicef, but, he says “it is not so much because of the position but because of Unicef’s mission to reach, teach, care for, inform, and even at times provide for the rights of the country’s most precious asset – its children.” 

It is not easy going to these far-flung areas especially when you see a truckload of soldiers traveling in front of your van because of potential attacks. Recently, in Maguindanao, Gary was totally impressed by the professional and comprehensive security brief we received from our UN partners. At the site, it was moving to see Gary sitting with children and then performing before an entire Muslim community, many of who were dancing and singing to his songs.

Gary recalls, “The trip to Maguindanao is one that I will never forget. It’s like seeing the children made me further realize the importance of the simplicity of what people can do to help so many in need. Maguindanao was an example of the resilience of a people under some of the most difficult circumstances in which to live. No words or even pictures can truly describe not just the conditions but the hearts of the people who live there. To say I am blessed is an understatement… I do hope to go back there someday.” 

The need for involvement by every Filipino in a particular advocacy is imperative because the Philippines has been suffering far too long because of the apathy of many and Gary and our team have traveled all over the country and have witnessed the lack of basic services for many of our fellow Filipinos. Just recently, Compassion to One, an international foundation, sought our help to create awareness for the very huge threat of child/human trafficking in our country. The needs are endless.

It is time to stand up and make a decision to get involved. I write this piece to challenge every living Filipino who reads this article to decide to be a cause for positive change by writing that check, getting your hands and feet dirty, or simply by being a catalyst for progress through active involvement in advocacy. And if you reached the end of this article, then I believe that is the first step.

“Gary V: Soul in Motion” is a series of concerts to be held on Sept. 16, 17, 22, 23, 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. at the Music Museum in Greenhills. Proceeds of the concert will support Gary and Angeli’s advocacy work with Unicef, Compassion to One, and the Philippine National Red Cross. Call Ticketworld at 891-9999.