NYC couple, PHL outreach organization deliver food to the elderly

Manhattan-based dance artist Roberto Villanueva and his spouse, hospitality professional Roman Dela Cruz, were in the Philippines recently where they participated in a mission to deliver food to the elderly in the northern Philippine province of Pangasinan.

Together with Frenz4hope, the Pangasinan-based community outreach group, the couple packed and delivered food and essential supplies to two charitable organizations in February. The Little Sisters of the Poor – Home for the Elderly in the city of Bolinao, and the Missionaries of Charity – Home of Peace for the Elderly and Special Needs Children in Dagupan were the recipients of their donations of rice, milk, biscuits, diapers, and shampoo, among many food and essential supplies.

They were joined in this effort by Frenz4hope founding members Arjay Bautista, Ma. Cassandra Bernabe, John Chris Campos, Gladys Formanes, Joey Lucas, Denilyn Lucas, and Racelle Urbana. Additional volunteers included Christian Dela Cruz, Elsa Dela Cruz, and Luisa Dela Cruz.

Villanueva and Dela Cruz are two of the founding members.

For Villanueva and Dela Cruz, the call to serve isn’t just a memory from childhood; it’s a core value deeply woven into their lives as Catholics.

“These two charities are doing selfless work, often unnoticed. We just want to let them know they’re not forgotten,” said Dela Cruz.

“Faith is never just about going to church. It’s about living it,” Villanueva added.

Although the couple’s trip to the Philippines was primarily for Villanueva to seek new medical opinions about his severe chronic pain health condition, it also marked a rare and first-time opportunity for him to participate in person in the outreach efforts he has supported while in New York City.

Since Frenz4hope was established in April 2021, Villanueva has contributed to the group by providing financial support, leadership, and strategic direction, while Dela Cruz leads the coordination and implementation of each outreach initiative in Pangasinan. Two years after the group’s founding, the couple were married and began leading the organization together from NYC.

Despite battling grueling chronic pain since undergoing spinal cord tumor surgery in December 2020, Villanueva said he remains committed to “making a difference in people’s lives.”

It’s an undertaking he has pursued since 2010 when he launched BalaSole Dance Company in Manhattan. The organization offers visibility and mentorship to dancers of all sizes, shapes, styles, colors, and backgrounds especially those who have been marginalized. BalaSole also provides free concert tickets to senior centers and offers creative movement classes to children from underserved communities.

Villanueva and Dela Cruz’s story resonates in a city like New York—fast-paced, diverse, often loud, yet filled with people quietly working to uplift others.

“We hope to embody that spirit, blending service and resilience with a uniquely NYC sense of purpose. Whether staging inclusive dance performances in Midtown or delivering rice and soap to rural villages in the Philippines, our message is clear: compassion knows no borders,” they said.

“It’s not about how much you give,” said Villanueva. “It’s about showing up. Letting someone know they matter.”