The total collection for the Pondo ng Pinoy (PnP) project has now reached P450 million.
Archdiocese of Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo revealed this on Sunday, June 13, in a Mass in Manila.
"This year is the 17th year of Pondo ng Pinoy. The 25 centavos that we give every day, which include those given by children and street people, has raised P450 million!" he said.
Pabillo said through PnP, thousands have been fed through its Hapag-Asa feeding program, many have been educated, treated, and houses built.
"It was quiet about collecting and giving the program but many were given hope," he said.
It was in June 2004 when then Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales initiated the "Pondo ng Pinoy" program, which encourages people to save "crumbs" or 25 centavos everyday as their expression of love for the poor.
Last year, the PnP reported that the crumbs collection are translated into projects and aids for the empowerment of poor communities through projects on health and nutrition, livelihood, education, housing, and occasionally, emergency relief.
The program also helped those affected by community quarantine due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"For COVID-19, Pondo was able to help more than 30 dioceses to augment their outreaches that included food packages, face masks, even cash distribution to hard hit communities, with special packages to frontliners," Pondo ng Pinoy Communty Foundation Inc. (PnPCFI) Board of Trustee Member and Chairman of the Promotions Sub-Committee, Amb. Henrietta "Tita" De Villa said at that time.
PnP aims to cultivate the culture of giving and helping another, through saving as little as 25 centavos a day as an act of love for the poor and as symbol of one’s good works.
Retired Cardinal Rosales earlier explained that the money would be meaningless without the love that is generated from saving it.
He summed up the Pondo ng Pinoy principle in this motto, “Anumang magaling kahit maliit basta’t malimit ay patungong langit.” That is, small ordinary acts can accomplish great things if done or given by many, frequently and consistently pooled together for a common vision.