Asking For Support

    No government subsidy is being allocated to Paaralang Pantao (Humane School). Since its establishment, the school has been receiving voluntary contributions from the private sector both inside and outside the Philippines. Principal Leticia "Letty" Reyes, always trying to make ends meet, often finds herself in deep debt.
    The fund running short, and the school unable to pay salaries, the teachers had to make a difficult choice and eventually resigned in 1995. None of them were from rich families either. Neither were they able to continue teaching unpaid. As a result, they went back to the routine of going through the garbage on top of the Mountain. Some 200 children were in classes that year. Paaralang Pantao was even unable to settle its electricity bill. Confronted with this difficulty, Letty's determination to manage and run the school alone remained unchanged. "Children are coming," she said, "how come we can give it all up?"
    It was in 1995 in autumn that the new support group -- Payatas Open Members -- was launched in Japan. Its main objective was to encourage Letty and her students, and to provide financial assistance to the best possible extent.
    The Payatas Open Members intends to utilize whatever contributions have been received to help finance the regular budget of the school, covering its running costs and the expenditure needed to keep its teaching staff intact, and ensuring that daily school lunch will be served free of charge to all the children registered. It not only offers scholarships to enable selected children to advance to high school and college, but supports self-help programs worked out by their parents.


    Those interested are requested to write or forward U.S. dollar-based contributions directly to Letty. Her full address and the bank account are given below.

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