Let's all praise and thank the Lord for a successful 2011 ANCOP/BYOP WALK held last Sunday, August 28th. The honor and glory in this victorious fundraiser belongs to our Lord alone who made it happen for the benefit of the poor and the homeless.
Thank you all for your prayers and participation in this WALK. We are, most especially, grateful to the participants and generous donors. Thank you for being part of the cause, for believing in it and sharing your blessings.
Initial report indicates that BLD had collected about $13,000....enough funds to support at least 34 young children in their education for one year.
Thank you to the 32 BLD Walkers including 7 from BLD St. Catharines.
We hope to see more BLD Walkers next year and please pray for the continued success of our work with the poor.
Bernie and Belen Consul Coordinators, Breaking the Yoke of Poverty (BYOP) Ministry
Proceeds from this year’s Walk will support the education of the poor children under the care of the Immaculate Mary Queen of Heaven Mission in Cebu.
You may register online by going to www.ancopwalk.ca. Please make sure to specify that you belong to “BLD Group”.
If for any reason you cannot join the WALK, please help by soliciting funds from your friends and relatives. Please obtain Solicitation Forms from the BYOP table at the OLA basement Hall tonight.
For more info, please contact Bernie/Belen Consul at Tel# 416-297-9420; Email:
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ANCOP Walk is an annual fundraising event that helps the poor in the Philippines and other third world countries by providing shelter, housing and child education programs for the poor living in slums and abject poverty. In partnership with ANCOP International (Canada) Inc., a Christian, registered non-profit charity, founded by the Couples for Christ, the Bukas Loob sa Diyos is again joining this annual fundraiser as an expression of our faith in God by helping the poor. In addition to providing shelter, the BLD focus this year is to provide good education to the needy children of Immaculate Mary Queen of Heaven Mission in Cebu. Let us be reminded of the word of Jesus in Matthew 25: 45, “Whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me”.
This year’s “Walk to transform communities and change lives!” will be on August 28, 2011 at 1:00PM. Participants will gather at Nathan Philips Square & Armoury Street, by the Toronto City Hall.
Please come walk with us to give needy children an education and build homes for the poor.
You may register online by going to www.ancopwalk.ca. Please make sure to specify that you belong to “BLD Group”.
If for any reason you cannot join the WALK, you can help by soliciting funds from friends and relatives. Please obtain Solicitation Forms from Bernie/Belen Consul.
For more info, please contact Bernie/Belen Consul at Tel# 416-297-9420; Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In last Sunday's (Feb 6) First Reading, Isaiah 58.6-10 it is written: "Thus says the Lord: Is this not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice;......to let the oppressed go free,.......and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them............?
.........If you remove the yoke from among you,........if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday". It is in the spirit of and inspiration from the above scripture reading that we are happy to report to you the turn-over of the first 18 GK homes to the beneficiaries of our Mahayag Project located in Davao City. Attached for you information, is a signed note from all the 18 recipients expressing their heartfelt gratitude for giving their families their own home to dwell. Twelve more houses will be completed in the very near future to complete the 30 homes planned for this GK Village. Please click here to see view the letter of gratitude from the recipients.
On behalf of the 18 beneficiaries and in general, our poor kababayans, thank you for your continuing support and generosity.
As part of the BYOP mandate to help the poor and the homeless and to respond to a request for financial assistance resulting from a recent natural calamity that has plagued some parts of the Philippines, BYOP is making this appeal on behalf of our mother Community in the Philippines through the BLD GK Global Ministry who is in the forefront of the Disaster Response Initiative (DRI).
The current focus of this DRI is Eastern Visayas, specifically Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar. The rains which have hardly stopped pouring for almost 3 weeks has brought floods which have kept many barangays under water in Samar and landslides in Southern Leyte. In all the affected towns, BLD GK Global Ministry based in Manila is present and an active partner with GK and the Local Government Units.
BYOP realize that the Philippines is not exempt from the effects of global warming and there will be more disasters in the future. Helping disaster victims has become "unglamorous" because it doesn't seem to stop. Floods and landslides are getting more frequent, damage and death are becoming a patterned cycle, and we never have enough to give because of the massiveness of the need. But we should not have the blindness and cold heartedness to do nothing for those faceless, truly helpless victims of natural calamities. Giving becomes unglamorous because we who give and help are as faceless as the victims.
BLD Toronto through the BYOP Ministry is targeting to send $500, a very small amount indeed considering the magnitude of the disaster. However, BYOP believes that we should show solidarity with our poor kababayans and together with donations from other BLD Districts world-wide, our colective contributions will definitely help many poor families in the affected areas in terms of food and other relief goods.
There will be a second collection tonight to raise the $500 target. With this contribution, let us show our mother Community in Manila that we are of one heart and mind with them in helping the victims of this recent calamity in Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar.
Thank you for caring and sharing.
Bernie and Belen Consul Coordinators, BYOP Ministry
2 Units - Conditionally-Awarded (Sweat Equity Deficiency)
2 units - Model House
Needs
1. Community Hall 2. Entrance Arch 3. Sibol School 4. Electrification 5. Electric Post c/o Meralco 6. Site Development a.) Concrete Pvavers b,) Backfilling of roads and service area c.) Base Course d.) Breakwater (Fronting the GK houses) 7. Livelihood 8. Child and Youth Development (CYD) Program 9. Water supply from the Local Water Utility(Quezon Metropolitan Water District)
ADVANCE MERRY, BLESSED CHRISTMAS - ADVANCE GREETINGS FOR A PROSPEROUS, PEACEFUL AND SOULFUL 2011.
I am now preparing our BLD-GK Coordinator's Report for Year 2010 preliminary to the completion of our term of office. I can complete the details thereof after the GK Ministry Christmas gathering today.
The info-news on the final awarding of the last 8 reserved housing units to the beneficiaries at the Village of the Angels was published in the diocessan newsletter - BOLETIN LUCENTINO in its issue of December 5-11, 2010. A copy of said news item is attached (below).
God Bless.
TONY ACYATAN
BOLETIN LUCENTINO NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS
LIBRENG BAHAY SA BLD-GK
Dalawampu’t walong pamilya ang nabigyan ng libreng bahay sa programang Gawad
Kalinga ng Bukas Loob sa Diyos – Lucena District.
Isinagawa noong Nobyembre 28, 2010 ang pormal na paglilipat ng mga bahay at pagtatalaga sa mga nabiyayaang pamilya sa Village of the Angels sa Barangay Talao-Talao, Lunsod ng Lucena – sa pamamagitan ng BLD Lucena District Council of Stewards.
Ayon kay Bro. Tony at Sis. Lilia Acyatan – mga coordinators ng BLD-GK, ang lupang ginawang bahayan ay isang dating resort na ipinagkaloob sa GK ng pamilya nina Bro. Ric at Sis. Rizza Pascua. Mas matibay sa karaniwang bahay GK ang itinayo sa Village of the Angels komo ang lugar ay buhanginan.
Ang mga kabahayan ay naipatayo sa tulong ng pondong kinalap ng Gawad Kalinga Foundation mula sa mga distrito ng BLD sa Estados Unidos (New York-New Jersey-Detroit) at sa Canada (Toronto). Ang mga “beneficiaries” ay nag-alay ng mga araw ng trabaho at pagdalo sa mga values formation seminar para mapasama sa mga nagawaran ng pabahay.
Sinabi ni BLD Mission Steward Dr. Dion (Amie) Morales na ang pag-aayos ng lugar at pagtatayo ng mga bahay ay isinagawa sa tulong ng mga kaalalay ng BLD-GK sa programa. Kasama rito ang Lucena Bankers, mga Rotary Clubs, Philippine Air Force, Boysen Paints at mga empleyado ng City Hall.
Ibinalita ng mga pinuno ng BLD GK Ministry - Bro. Romy (Sis. Yvonne) Asegurado, Bro. Raul (Sis. Mitzie) Villanueva, Drs. Junjun at Chuchay Diamante, Bros. Ernie (Sis. Minda) Villareal at Bro. Chito Poblacion na ang kasunod na programa para sa Village of the Angels ay mga proyektong pangkabuhayan, scholarship, free medical clinic at feeding.
The BLD-GK Ministry have recently received an advisory from Ricky Cuenca, President and CEO of ANCOP International (Canada) Inc announcing the unprecedented price increase to the cost of building GK homes.
Click here to view the BLD GK Village Progress report on the construction of houses in the BLD GK Village in Davao with pictures of the BUILD activities for 4 weekends participated by student volunteers from different schools and campuses and the BLD youth.
Below is an update on the Village of Angels in Lucena Ciy, Quezon Province (supported by BLD Toronto). You will note that we have funded 23 of the 30 houses in this GK Village.
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:49:24 -0800 From: ROMY (GK Village Coordinator) Subject: Village of the Angels To: BERNIE CONSUL
Hi Tito Bernie,
I'm really sorry for the late reply. Village of the Angels is nearly finished.
First row of ten (10) Duplex Units: 100% Finished
Second row of another ten (10) Duplex Units: Almost done except for installation of doors & windows, installation of water closet, minor electrical works
Third row of remaining ten (10) Duplex Units:under construction (plastering/flooring, Installation of doors & windows, electrical works, painting, roofing)
I use the word "needy" because I think "poor" is inappropriate. The needy are poor only materially but are rich in character and other virtues that seem to evade many of those who have more.
Below article was taken from the newly created ANCOP website which is still under development. However, you can already view some photos of GK Villages in this site. Here is the link:
Incidentally, please mark your calendar for this year's GK Walk which will be held on August 22, 2010. More info about this event will be broadcasted as they become available.
Once again, thank you for your continued support of the BLD Gawad Kalinga Projects.
God Bless, Bernie and Belen Consul =================================
Winner of the GK Walk 2009 top prize
The GK Walk 2009 event held last August and September 2009 gave ANCOP International Canada a donation and pledge result equivalent to over 100 units of Ancop houses to be built in the proposed villages of the groups who participated in the event. There were over 2,000 solicitors who participated in the event coming from Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, Lethbridge, Winnipeg, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Montreal and Edmonton.
The draw of the prizes was done at the Casa Manila last December and the winner of the first prize, a return ticket to the Philippines was the BLD Toronto group who in turn made a draw to award the winnings to a solicitor of their group. The BLD draw's winner is Mrs. Patria 'Pat' Lazaro.
The winner of the coveted First Prize is also one of the topnotchers in the solicitation of pledges during the recently concluded GK Walk 2009. Pat, together with husband Eric is a member of the Bukas Loob sa Diyos Toronto (BLD), a covenanted community composed of over 500 married couples in Greater Toronto, Ontario. In the GK Walk 2009, the BLD group raised enough pledges and donations, coming from various parts of the world including the USA, to a level of almost 20 housing units. This would be the group's third village. Pat is shown here in the picture receiving her award from Temi Pangilinan, President of ANCOP Canada, sponsor of the GK Walk annual event. Looking in are Pat's spouse Eric, who himself is one of the top 5 solicitors of the event and two of their lovely grandchildren.
The BLD leaders who spearheaded the group's efforts during the event are Bernie and Belen Consul, who are also among the leading solicitors for this event.
This material and link below was provided to us by ANCOP International (Canada) Inc, BLD's main partner in our work related to Gawad Kalinga here in Toronto. Please take the time to watch the video.
Please remember that BLDs participation in Gawad Kalinga has directly impacted the lives of many poor kababayan in the Philippines.
For many of the poor in the Philippines going hungry is a daily fact of life. It is common for them to just have a meal of rice and salt, or even nothing at all. This was a daily reality for Antero Ely and his family until GK changed their lives.
From living in a dilapidated pig pen, Antero and his family are now residents of GK Nuestra Senora dela Soledad , one of 85 Canadian GK villages. Not only were they given shelter but through the GK Bayan Anihan (National Harvest) program, the entire village now grows a variety of vegetables and fruits to supplement the daily needs.
Through Gawad Kalinga's multisectoral approach, local assistance was also provided by other partners. This includes Globe Telecom who provided capital for the vegetable farm, the Department of Agrarian Reform who provided seedlings and supplies, and Central Luzon State University for the farming know how, technology, and follow up.
The Bayan Anihan food sufficiency program, combined with the shelter of GK homes and ANCOP-GK child education sponsorship shows that GK is not only about houses but providing the poor the means to uplift themselves.
BLD have been a part of this in a very special way. We are grateful to GK Walk participants and generous donors who have given to build GK homes. In the coming months, we will also be embarking on the Child Sponsorship Program.
Thank you for being part of the cause, for believing in the GK-spirit and for sharing your blessings.
We hope that you will continue to support the efforts of the BLD GK Ministry and please pray for the continued success of our work with the poor.
Mabuhay Po Kayo! May you be blessed always!
Bernie and Belen Consul Coordinators, Toronto, GK Ministry
Gawad Kalinga’s commitment and vision to uplift the lives of the poor continues to transcend faith, creed, background and wealth, as it inspires an outpouring of support from different Catholic organizations and Filipinos abroad.
One of them is the Bukas Loob sa Diyos (BLD), a Catholic organization with members all over the world, that has made GK a part of its ministry and poverty alleviation program. “Because helping the poor knows no boundaries — in creed, faith, background or wealth, the BLD found a common goal and has embraced the vision of GK in giving dignity and hope to the poor and homeless,” said Richard de la Fuente, BLD executive in the Newark-New Jersey district.
Written by Bernie and Belen Consul, GK Ministry Coordinators
Thank you all for your on-going commitment to the Gawad Kalinga. Each poor and homeless family we save and each milestone we reach, is only possible with your generosity and commitment.
The final figure is in from the recently held GK Walk: BLD was able to raise $28,000 which is equivalent to 11 homes.
We want to especially thank the following GK registrants and advocates. They solicited pledges and a number of them joined the GKWalk. Some of them even walked as an ME Class, a good example of what we should all be doing next year. These GK Heroes have been the key elements to our many successes. We salute you.
Let's all praise and thank the Lord for a very successful GK Walk last weekend. The honor and glory in this victorious GK Walk belongs to our good Lord alone who made it happen for the benefit of the poor and the homeless.
Thank you all for your prayers and participation at the GK Walk. We are, most especially, grateful to the participants and generous donors. Thank you for being part of the cause, for believing in it and sharing your blessings.
Initial report indicates that the BLD Group had exceeded our donation target by 45%. Total pledges collected as of last Sunday amounts to $21,750 which is about $5,000 more than what we have raised last year. There are more pledges coming in the mail and from the on-line solicitation and we anticipate that we will reach the amount of $27,500 when all the donations have been recorded and accounted for. This is about 80% above our target of $15,000.
Brothers and Sisters, with the funds that we anticipate to raise from this GK Walk, i.e. $27,500, we will be able to build 11 GK homes for our homeless kababayans.
We are also happy to report that there were 40 BLD members and BLD supporters who actually participated in the Walk which is double the number compared to last year. Thank you Walkers for representing the BLD Community in this years GK Walk.
We hope to see you all at the next GK Walk and please pray for the continued success of our work with the poor.
Mabuhay Po Kayo!
Thank you and may God continuously bless you and your families always.
BLD Raffle 2011 draw was held last Friday, September 16, 2011 during the 21st Community Day celebration at the Our Lady of Assumption Church.
Our beloved Spiritual Director, Fr. Ben Ebcas picked the winning ticket stubs with assistance of DCS Management Frank Cuaresma and Mert Geronimo, Treasury Ministry.
The winners are:
1. Maria Helna Lalisan (Ticket No. 04890) MAZDA 5 Minivan (Brand New Model 2010)
2. Karen Cas (Ticket No. 04988) CARRIBEAN CRUISE for 2
3. EDWIN RADAM (Ticket No. 01182) - 12-Day Pilgrimage/Tour of the HOLY LAND, PARIS and LOURDES for 2; Early-bird prize winning stub picked by Fr. Francis Galvan, OSA, Director of Marylake Shrine during our BLD Picnic last July 16.
The Incentive Award [iPad 2, 16GB WiFi model] for the Top Seller with 572 tickets sold - Gerard/Joy Del Castillo.
Funds raised from the BLD RAFFLE 2011 will greatly help our Evangelization programs, i.e. ME, SE, SPE, YE, FE & LSS, and also our Mission work.
Apostolates 
Let's all praise and thank the Lord for a successful 2011 ANCOP/BYOP WALK held last Sunday, August 28th. The honor and glory in this victorious fundraiser belongs to our Lord alone who made it happen for the benefit of the poor and the homeless.
The GK Walk 2009 event held last August and September 2009 gave ANCOP International Canada a donation and pledge result equivalent to over 100 units of Ancop houses to be built in the proposed villages of the groups who participated in the event. There were over 2,000 solicitors who participated in the event coming from Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, Lethbridge, Winnipeg, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Montreal and Edmonton.
Brothers and Sisters,
Our beloved Spiritual Director, Fr. Ben Ebcas picked the winning ticket stubs with assistance of DCS Management Frank Cuaresma and Mert Geronimo, Treasury Ministry.
