Send 200 more needy Filipino Amerasians to school

Our Report

4th Quarter 2025

(October)

Bridging the gap for generations

We strive to help bridge the gap between poverty and education.  Our scholars are  Filipino Amerasian children of women who worked as bar girls, bouncers, or bartenders at the bars in Pampanga, who, when they discovered they were with child, were left behind.   Women who could not rise out of poverty and passed this fate onto their children, and now their grandchildren.  Our children belong to families who live below the poverty level, which is pegged at P13,000 per month for a family of at least 4.

The children have been scholars since they were elementary.   Throughout their journey with PAGA, they have been able to sustain a B-average and higher even against all odds brought about by poverty and other challenges.  If we were to take the perspective of business, their education is a value-added sustainable investment, and breaking away from generational poverty and finding their niche in the world is  a lifetime return on social investment. 

Through decades, we have seen more than a thousand children to the Finish Line. 

Their parents are mostly informal and contractual workers with no security of tenure or the minimum wage.   Some live in the slums or with relatives.  We have families who live like nomads and just rent makeshift rooms.  Once, when a family could not afford rent, they made the barangay basketball their home. 

One thing that stands out is that even under the worst circumstances,  we have learned how even the children quickly switch to self-help survival mode for their family.  A lot of them are working students.  And when we spend time with them, their resilience is humbling.

Our commitment to help more Filipino Amerasian children remains strong.   This quarter, with your kind support, we have added 50 children to the list of scholars.  And as we continue, we hope to have 100 more bythe end of the year.  Our partnership with several Filipino Amerasian groups has helped us identify the children who belong to families living below the poverty level. 

There is a long line of children waiting for that chance to complete their education.  While the government now subsidizes tuition in public and state universities, the cost of getting to school every day is a challenge.  Transportation and a decent meal plus school supplies, are basic but not accessible to these children.

This is where your kindness makes an impact.  Each child receives $200 a year.  This translates to P1,000 pesos a month for 10 months or for the entire school year.  This educational allowance provides assistance for transportation, data loading to access the internet, and some school supplies.  

Every year, we conduct a special local campaign for school supplies, and in December, we provide a basket filled with ingredients for their Christmas dinner. 

In this almost year-end report, what better way than to cap it with stories of hope and inspiration.  Stories of how you have given Filipino Amerasian children a gift of a better life.  We hope you make this part of your story.

We remain grateful to you for giving the children that once- in- a –lifetime chance!  

Once in a Lifetime Chance 

Her story is a journey of hope.  From living under a bridge and selling rags in the streets, to having that once-in-a-lifetime chance of completing an education.

Today, you will find her teaching in a public school armed with a master’s degree in Management, majoring in Educational Management.  She says this is her way of giving back to children who deserve a better life.

“As a child who grew up in poverty, education became the key to slowly break away from it. Because of education, I gained hope and confidence in myself.  And PAGA was there with every step I took towards my dream.  Now my dream is to give hope to young people who grew up like me.”

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“ Without education, learning would have been almost impossible, and without learning, progress is nothing. It is an opportunity we should recognize and highly regard as a priority… The experiences and values that PAGA accorded me helped me be who I am today, making it an undeniably extended family of mine.

 To PAGA President Frank Holz and the members of the Board of Trustees, my utmost gratitude and sincerest thanks are for you.

 As I take another step towards another mile of my life, I will always take a look and step back to see PAGA as an inspiration and motivation before taking another leap towards victory. ”

Today, this scholar has quite an impressive work journey:

Lead Program Officer, The PTC Group of Companies

Sec Gen for the National Board of Trustees, Youth Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Program Officer, Resilience and Sustainability for Empowerment

His future looks bright with his corporate career and past experiences

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“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Philippine American Guardian Association (PAGA) for their support throughout my education, from elementary to high school (JHS&SHS) and college. PAGA was always there to support me. From providing educational assistance, which helps us to lessen our expenses; seminars and workshops that help us learn and grow; health care assistance; and even during the pandemic, they provided financial assistance to our family and other activities that greatly helped us.”

Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Aircraft Maintenance Technology degree and an Academic Disitnction Award this scholar maintains the aircraft of an international airline.

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Together we can keep Hope alive and help build bridges to a better life!

• Q4Oct2025.pdf (PDF)