Kindergarten students in Pangasinan receive school supplies
Nearly 160 kindergarten students in three districts — Baybay, Laoag, and Manlocboc — in the municipality of Aguilar, Pangasinan received on February 27 school supplies in green backpacks courtesy of the Frenz4hope community group.
This outreach program was sponsored by Roberto Villanueva, a Filipino American arts producer, educator, performer, and choreographer from New York. He is Frenz4hope’s executive director.
The program involved providing supplies to students in three schools namely, Baybay Elementary School, Doña Catalina Elementary School, and Manlocboc Elementary School. The event was arranged through the office of Mayor Kristal Ballesteros-Soriano in coordination with school principals Leila Teresa Cancino, Riza Opolinto, and Dr. Michelle Toledo.
Frenz4hope said the school supplies would support the children’s early education.
“The students received backpacks, pencil cases, pencils, sharpeners, crayons, papers, and plastic document protectors to store and protect their work,” said Villanueva. “The students were also given a surprise treat—the popular Jollibee Yumburgers accompanied by juice in beverage cartons.”
Each student also received a keychain with the inspirational quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Villanueva said he is “thrilled” to fund this outreach program as part of his personal mission to help children. In addition to sponsoring all of Frenz4hope’s community programs, he has funded for nine years creative movement and dance classes to children from low-income families.
This outreach event was organized by Frenz4hope’s program director Roman Dela Cruz along with co-members John Chris Campos, Arjay Flores, Denilyn Lucas, Lovely May Salungasing, and volunteers Gharice Athena Galle Dela Cruz and Mark Anthony Manghi.
Frenz4hope was founded by several close friends from different hometowns in Lingayen, Pangasinan. Their group members hold positions in public and private sectors including hospitality, tourism, telecommunication and government. The group’s goal is to use friendship to help others in their community.
Roberto Villanueva currently holds a position as an administrator at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. He is the executive & artistic director of BalaSole Dance. He has 27 years of professional background in financial management, operations and strategic planning, as well 30 years of experience as an arts producer, administrator, educator, performer, choreographer, and adjudicator.
As a philanthropist, Villanueva has funded programs that help marginalized and overlooked artists, financially disadvantaged children, and under-served seniors citizens through his own non-profit organization BalaSole Dance, as well as donated funds to higher education and performing arts organizations in the U.S.
As a spinal cord tumor (SCT) survivor, he has been dedicating part of his time in spreading awareness about this rare disease and helping other SCT patients and survivors through his informational and educational blog titled “My Spinal Cord Tumor Journey” (rvsctjourney.com).