Fifteen years after its birth, the anti-poverty movement of the Manila archdiocese is being eyed for global expansion to help suffering Filipinos abroad.
Speaking at a press conference for the 15th anniversary of “Pondo ng Pinoy”, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said it is their desire to reach more people for Jesus.
“There’s nothing wrong to dream. Now, there are a lot of Filipinos outside the country so maybe we can, in the future, bring PnP to Filipinos in other countries,” he said.
The cardinal, for instance, cited the need for the assistance of Filipinos who are victims of human trafficking in other countries.
Started in 2004, the program urges people to save at least 25 centavos every day as an expression of kindness for the poor.
With the small amount, it allowed even a relatively poor person to do the “act of love for God” through service to neighbor.
Cardinal Tagle said that bringing the movement abroad could serve as a venue for Filipino overseas to send help for the needy.
“This is so they also send in help to their fellow Filipinos,” he said.
The cardinal is also hoping that the PnP will also eventually be able to help not just the Filipinos but the needy from other nations.
For 15 years, the “crumbs” collection has amounted to P400 million that are translated into projects and aids for the empowerment of poor communities.
Fr. Benjie Francisco, who chairs the PnP programs unit, said most of the donors were students, families and various sectors.
An estimated 260,000 people have already benefited from more than 1,500 PnP projects on health and nutrition, livelihood, education, housing, and relief assistance.
“And more people continue to benefit in the name of 25 centavos,” Fr. Francisco said.
According to him, The principle behind PnP is that small acts of goodness done frequently and consistently will lead the person doing it to heaven.
“If there’s regularity it builds values, it builds character,” he added.
To date, the movement operates in at least 30 dioceses across the country including the Military of the Ordinariate of the Philippines.
