From the 1st day of arriving in Manila we were overwhelmed!  Michael Redding from Werribee Rotary was with me as well as my family.
 
Edwin Nombre, whom you know of from the True Manila Street Children feeding program which he started many year ago had arranged for us to travel with him to one of the biggest wholesale markets in Manila.  There we bought T-shirts and were so excited to see such a huge shopping complex.  We got lost and Michael was not impressed!  Edwin thankfully found us and we were on time.

You will remember my request for no presents on my retirement, just money for the Street feeding program. So I had $590. 
When I was in Manila in June with my son Shane, Edwin was in America and his family arranged a small program for my Shane and friends, but I only spent $100 on that feed, but that fed 60 children.  Spaghetti, hamburgers and fruits.
   
The traffic is unbelievable!  bumper to bumper AND you need to give yourself at least 3 hours travelling time to just go a few kilometres. Seriously, and the Filipinos take it in their stride, it’s just how it is!
 
After a quick shower and freshen up at our hotel. Edwin took us to go and collect the food.    My granddaughter, her daughter and mother and Shane's girlfriend and Micheal. 
 
We all had survived the market situation and were excited to be involved with the feeding program. It was a lot different with Edwin conducting it, a lot more excited children, they just love him, he's like the Pied Piper.  Not just because of the food, they totally look up to him as a father figure I'm sure.  It’s wonderful to see how Edwin's family help and support him too.  
 
That first night, we fed almost 300 children and gave them T-shirts. It was simply overwhelming.
 
Michael's Report.
Visit to Rotary
 
#1 - Nov 7th & 8th, 2022     Manila, Philippines 
Michael Redding Werribee Rotary Club
Lorry Rowe Flemington-Kensington Rotary Club
 
Lorrie Rowe and I flew into Manila on Sunday, Nov 6th. Over the following two days we participated in some amazing experiences with True Manila Street Kids and the Rotary Club of Bial-na-Bato, Quezon City
Since 2010 Lorry had found out about Edwin Nombre and True Manila through her personal Filipino friends. Find out more from Edwin’s Facebook and Website:
Website   Home - True Manila True Manila          
 
Lorry has continued supporting Edwin’s True Manila work, by sending him donations to assist street kids living in the poorest areas of Manila. 
 
On Monday Nov 7th Lorry met Edwin in person for the very first time. He arrived at the hotel with his wife and youngest child, a one-year-old daughter. He took us on a drive to see a little of Manila, a sprawling and congested city of about 10 million people.
Edwin is an absolutely charismatic and inspirational person. For the past 15 years, a major focus in his life has been to provide support for street kids from impoverished families – by providing necessities such as food, clothing, footwear and schoolbooks.
       
Edwin was a Street Kid himself. At 12 years of age something happened which changed the whole direction of his life – he met up with an American couple holidaying in the Philippines. For the first time in his life here were people who wanted to do something for him. This included providing the money for him to complete his education.
Edwin’s personality and work have made a great impression on international tourists. Many of them continue to support him by sending donations to True Manila, the small organisation that Edwin established and operates as an individual.
 
On Monday evening, Lorry and I joined up with Edwin to distribute food packets and Superhero singlets to the street kids, purchased with a gift from Lorry.
 
To assist Lorry and Edwin with the distribution, they were joined by two International tourists who Lorry had earlier met and invited - a young female Finnish social worker and young French ship’s captain.
 
For these street kids the future is very bleak. They may well continue into adulthood with limited education, health issues, few employment prospects and almost certain poverty.
 
The houses of these kids and their families are chaotic and squalid. The narrow buildings of three or four levels are filled with families crowded into small rooms, with little light or ventilation. Sanitation and water supply are basic, where they exist.
   
Then on Tuesday Nov 8th, Lorry got an urgent call from Edwin. He wanted us to meet him as he had just been contacted by an ABC film crew making an episode of Foreign Correspondent, dealing with Child Exploitation in Asia. This program was to focus on children being sold, sexually exploited and maltreated. By presenting what Edwin was doing, the TV producers could show some of the positive things happening for these children.
 
   
On Tuesday evening, Lorry had arranged for us both to attend a meeting of the Rotary Club of Bial-na-Bato, Quezon City. This was through PDG Dan Espinosa, a Club member, who Lorry has known for many years.
Their young, President Rowall ‘Wel’ Villa, welcomed us in the magnificent multi-level District 3780 Rotary Centre. This building, owned by Rotary District 3780, was opened in 1997 and is used by many District Clubs for their weekly meetings.
The independently operated restaurant on the ground floor also does the catering for all the Rotary meetings. Our meal was delicious.
 
The Club had prepared a large, printed banner to welcome us, which was also projected on the TV screen.
The meeting commenced soon after 6 pm on our arrival. The attendance of 12 members increasing to 18 as the meeting progressed. The program was very formal. It commenced with a prayer, followed by the two National Anthems (including the second verse of Advance Australia Fair), the Rotary Hymn and the 4 Way Test of Rotary Ideals.
Lorry and I were each invited to give a short presentation and we focused on the Projects that Werribee Rotary and Lorry were doing in the Philippines.  
I included the Orphanage School Classroom Furniture Project that Werribee Rotary has recently completed very successfully, in partnership with the Cabanatuan City Rotary Club, at the Bahay Ni San Jose Orphanage in the Philippines.
Each of us also mentioned the work that Edwin Nombre was doing with True Manila and the street kids.    
In reply, three of the Past Presidents were invited to respond.
They mentioned that ours their first visit from Australian Rotarians. They were unanimous in saying that, as a consequence of our visit, together with the International Project that Werribee Rotary had participated in at the Orphanage School, they would like the Rotary Club of Bial-na-Bato to become a Sister Club with the Rotary Club of Werribee!
Lorry then presented the Werribee Club banner to President Wel.
 
Earlier in the day, Lorry had arranged with PDG Dan to allow Edwin Nombre to attend the meeting, though he would be a little late due to the ABC filming.
Edwin arrived towards the conclusion of the meeting and President Wel very kindly invited him to speak.
Edwin’s presentational was SENSATIONAL and created a very immediate response from the Rotarians. He talked about his work with True Manila and street kids.
 
He also showed a short video made when he was in America as an adult and wanted to visit the American couple who had supported him all those years ago.
The couple had last seen him when he was a 12-year-old street kid in Manila and didn’t know he was in America. Edwin wanted to surprise them and thank them for what they had done to transform his life.
Viewing the reunion was very emotional for the Rotarians present.
Edwin told me that this was the first time ever he had spoken in public, let alone to a Rotary Club.
President Wel summed up the feeling of his members, by inviting Edwin to become a member of the Rotary Club of Bial-na-Bato. Edwin accepted, Lorry generously donated his membership fee and President Wel pinned a Rotary Badge on him.
On Nov 22nd Edwin and Lorry will be returning to the Rotary Club of Bial-na-Bato for Edwin’s Induction into Rotary. In addition, the Club will be inducting Lorry as an Honorary Member.
The Club also extended to Michael an invitation to receive an Honorary Membership. However, with great regret he had to decline, as he will have left the Philippines before that date.
I feel sure that Edwin will be invited to give talks to many other Rotary Clubs in the Philippines.
Through Rotary, Edwin Nombre should have opportunity and support to make an even greater difference for True Manila and the street kids.
 
Michael Redding, Nov 13th, 2022
 
 
#2 Nov 10, 2022 
Visit to Cabanatuan City Rotary Club
 
Combined meeting of Cabanatuan City Rotary Club and Inner Wheel Club members with Rotarians Lorry Rowe and Michael Redding
Past ADG Edsel Dominado with Cabanatuan City Rotarians
President Arnold S.Domingo.