Let's Watch Some New Clips

Let's take a break from everyday conundrum and realize that there are so many things happening around us. Watch some real honest to goodness videos here:




Operation Walang Iwanan Teaser





GK is People Power and People Power is GK

Gawad Kalinga Takes It to the Streets - GK Walk 2009

No More Slums.com

Less for Self, More for Others, Enough for All

Gawad Kalinga volunteers take it to the streets

One fourth of the long line which closed down the world's longest street

The youth says- no to poverty - NOW!

Thank you for helping us - See You Next Year Officers!


Tinaguriang pinakamahabang lansangan sa buong mundo, ang Yonge Street sa Toronto ay napasara ng isang libo at limang daang Filipino-Canadians para itaguyod ang pagnanasa na maging "Slum-free country" ang Pilipinas at iba pang karatig na "third world" na mga bansa. Ang Gawad Kalinga Walk o GK Walk ay isang taon-taong kaganapan sa humigit tatlumput isang, 31, siyudad sa Canada at Amerika upang bigyang pansin ang lumalalang problema sa ekonomiya, gutom at kawalan ng pag-asa.

Noong Agosto 23, ngayong taon ang pinakamalaking pagsasama-sama ng mga tinaguriang bagong bayani ng ating henerasyon.

Mabuhay ang mga Pilipino na may dugong bayani na nanalaytay at naniniwala sa bayanihan upang ibangon ang bansa. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.

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Last August 23, easily more than 1,500 participated in the biggest gathering of patriots in and around Toronto. A total of 5 kms closing down major streets to create awareness and bring hope to the hopeless, home to the homeless and land to the landless.

Remembering the GK Kids of Pototan

They may be young for in terms of age, but we know they are capable of doing great things. Let the youth show us the way. Let the youth prove to us that they are already leaders - not in the future, but now!

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"Ano ang Taya Mo?" was a battlecry for Gawad Kalinga some few years back and if - translated to English, is the gist of what President Obama wanted to convey to the students on their first day of school yesterday.

Pres Obama was spot on when he addressed the youth - "So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country? "

Read the whole text here


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Building communities. Building the Youth. Building Relationships. The video above is dedicated to the children of Pototan. We have been transformed as we help transform.

If you enjoy this, please pass this on. http://www.vimeo.com/6501461

Day 7 : Not Ready to Go Home Yet

Philippine Flag Colors


Lady in the Waters


Lunch at D'Talipapa


Playing "First to Blink" with our lunch


Holding the Sun


Three-Point Shot


GK Saladmasters Pototan, Iloilo
GK Youth Build 2009

Reviews say them all. There has been no one who has anything against Boracay's fine sands and warm waters. Some complaints revolve around how commercial it has turned out but that is alright. Boracay chose the path to being popular and provide pride and help the country through tourism and economics.

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So we are officially on our last day of the GK Youth Build. But we aren't ready to go home yet. We decided to hit the D'talipapa and get fresh seafoods from the market to be cooked the way we wanted it. There were several restos around the seafood market who does any type of cooking from sauteed, baked, fried, grilled, seasoned with spices, etc. We chose Plato D Boracay. For a budget of Php 700, we were able to buy several kilos of squid and prawns, half a kilo of tanguigue for kilawin and another half a kilo to be grilled. All in all, the cost to have them prepared was more than the cost of the ingredients themselves.

For Php 1,500 we were able to feast on fresh seafoods and fish. It could cost 3 to 5x more than that if we had it in Canada, so we really took our time and savor the moment. There was no rush to let go off of another day in Boracay. One of us had a massage by the beach Php 350.00, some went sarong shopping, some decided to go back to Jonah's for another round of milkshakes. Whatever we chose to do, we had one thing in mind - tomorrow we'll be back in the city and we'll regret if we weren't able to maximize our time in paradise.

True that.

Day 6: Off to Boracay

Guess Where? Should be Easy


Would You Be Doing This NOW?


Beyond These Deck Chairs is a Paradise Waiting for You


Enjoying Every Minute


The customary Jump Shot of Boracay


Perfect Ending for a Perfect Week


Sun Worshippers Saying Goodbye


GK Saladmasters Pototan, Iloilo
GK Youth Build 2009

After such a life-changing week, comes a rewarding weekend!

Yes, the Saturday build was a dream come true in many ways. How many times can we be in the midst of close to a dozen mayors, a congressman and in the company of Gawad Kalinga founder, Tito Tony Meloto? Maybe a week ago, we thought it wouldn't be in this lifetime, but we didn't have to pinch our arms as we were able to work side by side with them and the Saladmaster executives from 8am to 8pm.

Of course, most of the activity past 4pm is eating and celebrating, it still is worth reminiscing.

So, the next day's activity was devoted to being on the road as early as 7:30 am to be able to be in Boracay before sundown.

Some of us were up at 5:30 am to catch the Sunday mass, some decided to sleep and celebrate the mass in Boracay. The trip from Iloilo to Aklan took us 5.5 hrs. Caticlan was another 30 minutes and we saw Boracay finally at 2:30 PM. Our first stop? The Hotel on top of the hill. What a sight! We could see Boracay's pristine waters from our windows. Truly majestic.

We went down to have our first meal of the day - milkshake and pizza at Jonah's- whereelse!

Then off to the 4:30 pm Sunday mass, which apparently was 4:00PM and we thought we missed it. Good thing there was a 5:00 PM mass pa, whew!!!

Perfect ending for a Perfect beginning.

Boracay can really soothe any tired body and now an enlivened soul. This is the life....

Day 5: 08 08 08 08

"Nation Builder" Pidoy Pacis of Saladmaster with the GK Youth Build volunteers


Saladmaster CEO Keith Peterson, joins GKYB Junnie and Mica, West Visayas State students in the Pasaload


Mayor Ito Perez, in a GKYB shirt, welcomes Tony Meloto, Pidoy Pacis, Keith Peterson and Congressman Art Defensor and fellow Mayors of Iloilo to the Build


GK Founder and Builder of Dreams, Tony Meloto with GK Youth Build co-founders Junnie and Marj


The GKYB contingent with their fellow youth volunteers from West Visayas State University and Mrs. Morano


The house is almost finished, as we paint it side by side with Saladmaster CEO Keith


Knowing the Iloilo loves football, GK Youths donated several soccerballs and a basketball to the village plus school supplies


GK Saladmasters Pototan, Iloilo
GK Youth Build 2009

Any GK advocate is crazy enough to think that we could build a nation from ground up. Crazier still that we could do it in our lifetime. But that's what drives people to do great and honorable work - the motivation that one's effort, and another one's zeal and excitement, and another's compassion - when mixed together - becomes the best formula for making great strides - for enacting change in the world.

Bono of U2 does it through his music. Lance Armstrong is doing it by racing despite having battled testicular cancer, while Gawad Kalinga advocates brave high seas, and territories known for strife and war to reach out to fellow brothers. GK full-time volunteers go through a lifetime dedicated to this great work for the poor and our youth skipping summer just to be with fellow youth to see the challenges that face them, to prepare them for battle and to equip them with the heart ful of compassion and Christian love.

We told them it is going to be hard. It is going to rain. The gravel and hollow blocks are heavy. The work to serve the poor will be hard. Yet, all 5 of them conquered a week-long of service. They did what they needed to do. They changed minds, including their parents and friends. They changed their hearts from fear to love. They transformed lives - both of the people they served and their own lives as well.

It was one week challenging them out of their comfort zones. They overcame it. And all of them want to be back next year!

Crazy.


Thus this line from the song of U2 is dedicated to this team of compassionate, courageous, cooperating youth full of Christian love.

"Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Divination that will listen to your boys and girls
Is the sweetest melody the one we haven't heard?
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear
But change of heart comes slow..." - U2, "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"

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Day 4 : Around Iloilo

The children of Pototan - coming from school


Work continued on the houses while we visited the city


Miag-Ao Church's interiors


Special Guests at the Monthly Meetings of the Lions Club of Pototan


Pototan at Night, serene, peaceful and bucolic albeit pretty


We thought with all the food that we devoured last night, we were walking the Green Mile or in tagalog, "bibitayin na". It was just heavenly to have fresh seafood, fresh meat, fresh fruits and piping hot rice. We had to stay up for another 4 hours before we had to hit the sack.

Friday was spent to have a tour of Iloilo. We spent the morning on a running tour around the city, starting with a customary courtesy call with the Iloilo City Mayor in his office, on the third floor of a mall. Yes, the munisipyo can't be closer and any bit accessible to its constituents.

We proceeded with our running tour stopping of course at the Old Churches of Jaro and Molo but we never got in on both stops. Our first stop was getting our share of sinamay and Mama's Kitchen products. Good thing the stop was just in one go :) What a treat!

If last night's dinner was one for the books, we never realized that Iloilo still had an ace on its shoulder - Breakthrough. Yes, it was Tatoy's vs. Breakthrough but both our itinerary experts pointed to the latter. So it was. Sugba, kilaw and a lot of seafood, so who's complaining?

We then moved from lunch, surely 10 pounds heavier and thus on the way to Miag-ao we were like hit by the Gods of Slumber. No one was up for a game of M-G-G.

Miag-Ao, with its church made of limestone and egg white was- pardon me for recycling the word - but it was heavenly. The facade had intricate designs with such detail that you'd think the carvers really planned it to withstand 3 centuries without any sight of degradation. The palm tree design was so detailed you could see the separation of the palm leaves.


We had to rush back to Pototan by 5:30pm to prepare for an invitation by the Lions Club. Ok now, this time, we will be hung by our necks. This is our comeuppance after all those sumptuous meals. Haha. Actually no. We had more food waiting. We also had a grand time during the night. We laughed, we sang songs and we danced.
To top it all of, the Mayor of Pototan rendered a memorable song, a sort of harana to our newly engaged team members, Brian and Elaine. That steals the cake. That made our day and night.

We ended up hitting the sack at 12 midnight and tomorrow at 8am will be the big day. 08 08 at 08am to 08pm. With all the good times spent that Friday, I hope we wake up on time.

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Continue reading to Day 5.

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