STUDENT UPDATE

Hello All,

Two of our sponsored students above, Rhea and John, are graduating this coming May. Rhea will get her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and hopes to become a teacher. John will get his Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation degree and is looking forward to becoming a seaman. We are honoured to have played a very significant role in what they have achieved so far, and we wish them well on their future endeavours. Thank you sincerely for your support of our students throughout the years!

A LETTER OF THANKS FROM RHEA

Dear Generous Donors of The Bohol Island Project,

I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible support you have given me throughout my studies. Because of your generosity, I am now graduating with a degree in Bachelor of Secondary Education this coming May.

‎Your kindness have been a great blessing in my life. You have not only provided financial assistance but also given me hope and motivation to pursue my dreams despite the challenges. Without your help, this achievement would not have been possible.

‎Inspired by your kindness, I promise to use my education to make a positive impact to my family and society, just as you have made a difference in my life.

‎Once again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in me. May God bless you all abundantly, and may your generosity continue to touch more lives.

‎With heartfelt gratitude,

Rhea Wagas


A LETTER OF THANKS FROM JOHN

Dear Foundation Donors,

I am writing this letter to express my sincere gratitude to you all. Thank you for being a constant source of support throughout my academic journey. This coming May I will be graduating in my course, Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation.

I could not have reached this milestone without your help. The financial support provided by the scholarship allowed me to focus fully on my studies. I am so blessed, and I thank God for having your assistance.

Once again thank you so much to you all.

Sincerely yours,

John Dua

Including Rhea and John we have eleven students so far who have finished school: Kris, Ferry Jean, Humer, Buena, Dovey, Jolina, Helix, Teresa and Karen. All are well on their way towards their professional endeavours, helping their families and becoming positive members to society.

Currently we have four active students, Sande, Rosemary, Andrew, and Nina below. We wish them well too and I thank you all again for your continuing support.

Ruben

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Ruben Mendez.

New Year Greetings / Ada

As we enter the New Year with fresh hopes, ‘The Project’ extends its heartfelt wishes for peace, good health, and joy to you and your family in the coming year!

Just in time for the New Year, Ada finds herself travelling by boat once again to Cebu as her leg braces have finally been completed and are ready for fitting. She truly loves the not too often experience of travelling, and this trip is an added bonus that she eagerly anticipates!

For someone whose mobility has always been confined to crawling, on a wheelchair, or being carried by an adult, the opportunity to finally stand up tall on her own two feet would be an experience beyond compare! Ada still has a lot of work to do on her walking skills, but this accomplishment is certainly a very promising start on her journey towards self-reliance.

As with Ada, we aspire to provide glimmers of hope in this often-challenging world and aim to make a positive difference in people's lives. Our efforts would not be possible without your support. On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your time and generosity.

Happy New Year!

Ruben 

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

Christmas 2024 - Food Hampers, Clothing, School Supplies

Hampers, Clothing, School Supplies

He made his way very slowly on the road, a fragile frame of a man with a cane in one hand and carrying a plastic container in the other. We approached him with our offer of a food hamper, a surprise gift that brought a genuine smile of gratitude to his face.

Hello everyone,

In recent Christmas seasons, we have been distributing food hampers to those in need, and we have done it again this year. It is incredibly heartwarming and meaningful to bring a little comfort to people, especially during this festive time of year.

As the year draws to a close, we reflect on the positive difference your support has made to people’s lives. On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you all.

I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Boy and Ysa for their generous provision of the hampers, clothing, and school supplies for the children. I extend my thanks as well to Vince, Anna, and Lolita for the additional items of clothes previously and presently donated.

Wishing you and your families peace, good health and happiness this Christmas and throughout the New Year ahead!

Ruben

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

Images Worth Sharing, I Guess

I was in Manila on our way to Bohol when I caught this snippet of a family working together to make a living by collecting scrap/recyclables along a road to sell. A family life that is markedly different from that of most of our families, especially for the children. The little girl, conducting herself in a business-like manner staying clear of the hustle, was impressive. The boy helping out with the work and then at the end just casually climbing atop their collection for the ride was equally remarkable. It was all a wonder to watch, and worth many a reflection!

Ruben

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

Leg Braces for ADA

Hi Everyone,

We timed our scheduled yearly trip to the Philippines so that we would be with Ada during her appointment with the orthopaedic specialist. Luckily, the weather cooperated, the recent typhoons stayed away, the boat ride was pleasant, and we had a good meeting with the specialist. She will get the braces similar to the one shown below, extending up to the hips for support and including leather shoes for her feet. Ada will be seeing the specialist for the fitting in around three weeks’ time, once the braces will be ready.

Ada had never been to McDonald’s! So following our early visit to the orthopaedic clinic, we had lunch there. What's commonplace for many children has turned out to be a special experience for her!

The trip was overall a success and hopefully will be life changing for Ada. The specialist has been quite positive in the prospect of Ada walking by herself independently. Should this become a reality, it would be a miracle!

Thanking you all for the support. It is truly appreciated.

Ruben

RAFFLE DRAW

We had the pleasure of Ada picking the winners for our fundraising raffle! We did the draw at McDonald's.

The Winners!

1st Prize: Gem Lindsay, 2nd Prize: John Stamoulis, 3rd Prize: The Quinal’s

4th Prize: Nancy Nishimura, 5th Prize: Ted Wilson, 6th Prize: Ken Egani

7th Prize: Tony & Sol Sabio, 8th Prize: Min Tungul, 9th Prize: Pat Pesch, 10th Prize: The Quinal’s

11th Prize: Clarete Family, 12th Prize: Michael & Alex Wilson, 13th Prize: Evangeline Paular, 14th Prize: Gem Lindsay

15th Prize: Marty Oliver, 16th Prize: Dave Gile, 17th Prize: Gerry Daliwan

18th Prize: Isa & Boy Berroya, 19th Prize: Estela Caballes, 20th Prize: Ann Cabahug

Congratulations and thanks again!

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

LEG BRACES FOR ADA Fundraising Raffle

Hi Everyone,

I am pleased to announce that we are organising a raffle to help raise some money for Ada.

We encountered young Ada while distributing food relief parcels during the COVID pandemic. Ada, who has cerebral palsy, cannot walk on her own and must be carried by her parents to move around or she must resort to crawling. Her family, unable to afford a wheelchair, hoped that those providing the food might extend their generosity to assist with their needs.

It has been three years that we have been actively providing support to improve Ada’s quality of life. Recognizing her potential to learn to walk independently, we opted to provide a walker over a wheelchair, granting her some independence, especially for traveling to school. Weekly physiotherapy sessions were also arranged in hopes that she may one day walk by herself unaided.

Recently, we’ve received professional advice that leg braces could benefit Ada. The fitting procedure requires travel to Cebu, another island with more advanced medical facilities.

Proceeds from this raffle will contribute to the cost of Ada's leg braces and the associated travel and accommodation expenses in Cebu. Hopefully, Ada will be fitted with the leg braces by November, and we might arrange for Ada to pick the draw by around that time too!

My heartfelt thanks to you all and looking forward to hearing from you.

Ruben

THE PRIZES

The raffle features Posters & Books as prizes. I've authored and illustrated a book (available under two titles) dedicated to haiku poetry. The posters, chosen from this book, feature a mix of both serious and light-hearted haiku poems that provide glimpses into our surroundings and ourselves—making them interesting conversation pieces or a quirky addition to your walls to redefine your space!

TICKETS: $5 for single tickets or $50 for 12 tickets

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes are A1-sized framed posters (59.4 x 84.1 cm). Winners may choose any one poster from the selection below.

The 4th, 5th, & 6th prizes are A2-sized framed posters (42 x 59.4cm). Winners may choose any one poster from the selection below.

The 7th, 8th, 9th, & 10th prizes are 40cm x 40cm-sized framed posters. Winners may choose any one poster from the selection below.

The 11th, 12th, 13th, & 14th prizes are 30cm x 30cm-sized framed posters. Winners may choose any one poster from the selection below.

The 15th, 16th, and 17th prizes will be signed copies of book 1 - "bulls**t," said the worm and other haiku.

The 18th, 19th, and 20th prizes will be signed copies of book 2 - saved a dragonfly and other haiku.

Associated links to artworks and books are below.

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

Student Update

Hi All,

It is always a delight to know that another one of our students coming through our education programme has graduated. Karen finished cum laude in a Bachelor of Arts degree. This will open many opportunities for her to work in teaching, human resources, and other related fields.

Karen lost her single mother at the age of five and since then she has been under the care of her grandparents. Her grandmother (shown proudly with her above) was a seamstress and life for them has been a struggle. We are honoured to have played a significant role in what Karen has achieved so far and wish her well on her future endeavours. I would like to thank you all for the support you have given our students through the years!

Ruben

Below are our nine sponsored students who have since graduated: Cris, Ferry Jean, Humer, Buena, Dovey, Jolina, Helix, Teresa, and just the other week, Karen. Except for newly graduated Karen, they are all well on their way into their professional endeavours!

We currently have four active students, Rhea, John, Andrew, and Rosemary below. Both Rhea and John have a year left in their studies. Andrew and Rosemary started just last year. We wish them well too and I thank you all again for your continuing support.

Posted on June 24, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

Ada

Ada on a Sunday morning stroll with dog.

Hi All,

I sent this picture of Ada to my sister.

"My complaints about the unfairness of life seem so trivial when I look at this little girl," she said.

A thought worth sharing, I guess.

Thanks. Ruben

We provided Ada with the walker around two years ago. We have also been taking care of her weekly physiotherapy sessions in the hope that one day she might be able to walk by herself without aid. Ada has cerebral palsy.

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

Ada’s Ongoing Rehabilitation

We came into young Ada’s life more than two years ago while distributing food hampers during the Covid pandemic. She has cerebral palsy and was reduced to crawling on all fours to move around. We provided her with a walker which has made a big difference in her interaction with other children and has also helped with her early education. Instead of her mother having to carry Ada to and from school, the walker allowed her the independence to get to school by herself.

Ada’s family recently sent me a video of her reading in English. I'm not really sure what the educational standards are these days, but to be able to read in English considering it is not her native language at 7~8 years of age is truly amazing to me!!!

We are also still providing Ada her weekly physiotherapy sessions in the hope that she might be able to walk by herself one day without aid. The therapists are quite positive about this being a reality and if that happens it will be a miracle! We have done many good things for people, but for me personally, giving Ada the chance for a better life is right up there as one of the most rewarding.

Thank you all once again for the support.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Betito family for voluntarily looking after Ada’s case with care and compassion.

Ruben

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Ruben Mendez.

New Year Greetings!!!

As the New Year welcomes us with hopes anew, ‘The Project’ is sincerely wishing you and your family peace, good health and joy to a wonderful year ahead!

Kirribilli House 34 was finished with ample time for single father Alejandro and his young girls to move in from their shanty before Christmas and the New Year. What a life changing time for them!

We are still at this moment handing out the rest of the 150 food hampers that we managed to organise. I was fortunate enough to witness in person last year’s handing out of the hampers. What an invaluable experience it was to see the genuine surprise, honest smiles, and quiet tears of gratitude from unexpecting people!

We strive to give a little ray of light in this often-difficult world and hope to make a difference to people’s lives and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without your support. On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I truly and sincerely thank you all for your time and your generosity.

Ruben

I asked an architect friend of mine, Mr. Lucino Tagab, to help distribute our food hampers to the needy. He has done a splendid job, even singing Christmas songs to each one of them first before giving the hampers to lift people's spirits up!

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

Christmas 2023 Food Hamper Drive

Embracing the spirit of the festive season early this year, we have started handing out food hampers for Christmas 2023. We looked for the needy and sadly were confronted by people who are experiencing the worst of times, with sickness, old age and poverty. I have edited out raw confronting images, but please take note, a few images below may still be distressing to some.

We already have around 100 lots of food hampers for this Christmas to start with, but it would be nice to spread hope and the spirit of Christmas a little further this year if possible.

So please consider donating a hamper or two. Although it may seem modest in the big scheme of things, these gifts really do bring a great deal of joy and comfort to people less fortunate than ourselves during the Christmas season.

Thanks again for all the support. It is truly appreciated.

Ruben

The hampers contain the following items: 5 kgs. of rice, canned goods (beef loaf + corned beef + sardines), noodles, cracker biscuits, powdered juice, and a pack of 10 twin sachets 3-in-1 instant coffee. The cost is A$22.00 per hamper.

Donations can be arranged through our bank account below.

Many thanks.

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

Kirribilli House 34

The Tony & Sol Sabio House 2

Alejandro is a single dad with three daughters, the eldest aged 12 and twins aged 8. Making a living as a construction worker, he struggles just to feed and clothe his family, all the while living in terrible conditions in a small, one room corrugated iron shanty. The family was brought to our attention by a teacher who knew the plight of the girls.

The shanty was pulled down and the girls came home from school that day surprised and excited that their old place was gone and a new floor was getting built!

All in all, I am very happy for the girls. Their smiles are priceless and they now have a place where they can proudly invite their friends over. This could easily be one of the better-looking houses around too! We worked on site for only five days, Alejandro keeps on saying everything was like a dream and I’m sure it means more to him than just that.

On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to you all for the support through the years and most especially to Tony and Sol Sabio for this early life changing Christmas gift for Alejandro and the girls!

Ruben

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

STUDENT UPDATE

We have a Police Officer!

One of our former students, Jolina, who completed a Bachelors Degree in Criminology after a very rigid selection and training process is now a police officer! The transformation from a reserved young girl to a confident police woman is quite remarkable!

It is humbling to know that we have played a very significant role in what she has achieved so far not only for herself, but also for her family. Jolina will be a much needed positive addition to the police force and in this capacity she will provide a great service to Philippine society for years to come.

I remember Jolina once came to our place with her mother when I was there with beautiful produce from her family to say thank you and show their deep gratitude to us all.

Together we are reshaping lives, and I thank you all for your continuing support. It is truly and dearly appreciated.

Ruben

We have eight sponsored students who have since graduated; Kris, Ferry Jean, Humer, Buena, Dovey, Jolina, and just at the end of this school year, Helix and Teresa.

Below are our five active students, Karen, Rhea, John, Andrew, and Rosemary. Karen has a year to go, Rhea and John a bit more. Andrew and Rosemary just started this year. We wish them all well and I thank you all again for your continuing support.

Posted on August 15, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

Rosalina

Rosalina

Just like Mirasol, Ada and Shirley before her with their medical needs, Rosalina has also reached out to us desperate for help.

Rosalina is a cancer patient and has been struggling to pay her medical bills. She needed another P7,633.00 (around A$200), a sizable amount of money back home, for a much needed bone scan. Finding it difficult to raise funds for this procedure, she came seeking us out from afar. She has heard that maybe we could help in some way.

Now and again we try to lighten up the burdens of people that come our way doing it very tough. We never intended to venture into the field of medical assistance as we feel it is beyond our means, but it is very hard to say no when life itself is in the balance, and if we feel we can stretch our resources a little bit.

On behalf of the Bohol Island Project, I thank you all for the support. We wish Rosalina the best and hope this assistance will provide some relief to an already difficult situation.

Ruben

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

Kirribilli House 32

Lucena above, is a single mother. She earns her meagre living as a house helper, doing chores for other people including laundry, cooking, cleaning, to name just a few. Her house simply collapsed due to its dilapidated state. Fortunately no one was inside when it happened, otherwise it could have been a serious disaster.

Lucena is the deserving recipient of Kirribilli House 32.

On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to you all for the support and most especially to the Brown and Vos-Brooking families ( Robert, Dawn, Riley / Andrew, Marthe, Isabelle, Jack) for their efforts to raise funds for this house and travelling to Bohol to do some of the work. It was truly a delight for the locals to have them around!

Ruben

Construction Video. Have a look!

Posted on June 14, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

Ada’s Ongoing Rehabilitation

It has been almost two years since we first met Ada, a little girl with cerebral palsy that we came aware of while distributing food hampers during the Covid pandemic. Back then we provided her with a walker which has made a big difference in helping her move around independently. Ada started school last year and is now in Year 2, the walker has allowed her to journey to and from school and enjoy the company of other children.

We also made arrangements at the time for regular physiotherapy sessions in the hope that she might be able to walk by herself one day without aid. Cut short by the pandemic, she is now back having these sessions again once a week. She is still very young, and our aim is to support her achieve the potential for some independence and social well-being that could serve her well throughout her life.

These life changing opportunities would not have been possible without our assistance, and I sincerely thank you all once again for your support.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to Romeo Betito and family for voluntarily looking after Ada’s case with care and compassion.

Ruben

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

Student Christmas Cash Gifts

On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I would like to sincerely thank Tony and Sol Sabio for the generous Christmas cash gifts they gave to our sponsored students. We pay for their school fees but all other associated expenses are paid by our students themselves. These gifts really do help a lot and are much appreciated.

Ruben

Below are letters of thanks and appreciation from our sponsored students.

Dear Mr. Tony and Ms. Sol Sabio,

Greetings!  I am writing to express my greatest gratitude. It is such an honor to receive such blessing from both of you. I promise you po that I will use the money for my expenses, needs in school, and other important stuff. 

I am truly grateful for your kindness and I will always remember your generosity. Thank you for your support. Once again, thank you po and God bless! 

Sincerely,

Rhea Wagas

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Sabio,

Magandang araw po. Nais ko pong magpasalamat sa inyong tulong. Maraming, maraming salamat po sa ibinigay ninyong P1,000. Malaking tulong na po ito sa aking pag-aaral. Naway pagpalain pa kayo ng Panginoon.

Once again, thank you so much, Sir & Ma'am.

John Dua

Dear Mr. Tony and Ms. Sol Sabio,

Good day! I, Teresa Robilla, would like to express my sincere gratitude for giving me a generous sum of P1,000 cash. I am extremely thankful for your generosity and support. This financial gift that you have given to me will be helpful in my daily expenses as I have started my On-The-Job Training. I am delighted and honored to be one of the recipients of this gift.

Thank you once again, and more power!

Sincerely,

Teresa Robilla

Dear Sir Tony and Ma'am Sol Sabio,

I am Karen Gales and I am one of the beneficiaries of your kindness. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to you ma'am and sir as I received the P1,000 cash you have given. This would be a big help for my school expenses.

Thank you so much. God bless and more power.

Dear Mr. Tony and Ms. Sol Sabio,

Good day! I, Helix Asas, would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and respect to the both of you for giving me with such gift of P1,000 cash. I have no words to express how happy and grateful I am. I can assure you that the money will be used for my studies with utmost care and wisely. I really appreciate and genuinely grateful to the both of you for your support.

Thank you and God bless!

Sincerely,

Helix Asas

Student assistants of Teachers College and College of Arts & Sciences

1. Hally Bayron 2. Joy Palapos 3. Dave Calag

4. Nina Frias (P250.00 each)

Posted on March 23, 2023 by Andrew Mendez.

Kirribilli House 31

The Tony and Sol Sabio House

Hi All,

Thirty-one houses built so far, we’ve done well! On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Tony and Sol Sabio for this colossal Christmas giveaway!

This house was constructed during the Christmas break and the jalousie windows are yet to be installed. The sign displayed at the front of the home is in memory of the family’s young daughter who sadly passed away just last November. The mother says her little sister (pictured) talks to her older sister in her sleep, the sadness in her eyes says it all. My son Andrew became interested in their story and has decided to produce a special short film, which will hopefully be ready soon.

The family moved in on Christmas day. I was there to hand over the house keys which is always a memorable experience.

Once again I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families peace, good health, happiness, and a wonderful year ahead!

Ruben

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Andrew Mendez.

2022 Christmas Hampers

Christmas Hampers

Embracing the spirit of the festive season, we handed out over 100 food hampers on Christmas Day. Some were given to needy people we were already familiar with, but most were given away to people chosen at random while driving around local roads on Christmas day. I was fortunate enough to be there in person and see first-hand the genuine surprise, honest smiles, and quiet gratitude on the faces of people whom were carrying on with their everyday lives. It was invaluable and what a fulfilling Christmas Day it was!

On behalf of The Bohol Island Project, I sincerely thank Tony-Sol Sabio and Boy-Ysa Berroya for providing most of the hampers and to you all for the additional hampers we managed to organise. Although it may seem modest in the big scheme of things, these gifts really do bring a great deal of joy to families on Christmas Day!

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families peace, good health, happiness, and a wonderful year ahead!

Thanks.

Ruben

Posted on January 8, 2023 by Ruben Mendez.

STUDENT UPDATE

Hi All,

Our former sponsored student, Humer, has finally attained his dream of working overseas as a Marine Engineer plying the world’s seven seas!

From a shy young man from humble beginnings to a confident professional, we have been instrumental in reshaping his life. It is a wondrous thing and it means the world to him and his immediate family.

I thank you all for the support without which all this could not have been possible.

Ruben

Humer’s first day at work!

P.S.

I will be away from the 26th of November so those of you who are interested in THE BOOK, please let me know. If it is through me in Australia, the book is $24.95 + postage. Otherwise it is available through Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bulls-t-said-the-worm-and-other-haiku-ruben-d-mendez/1142036104 , Amazon, etc. Thanks.

Ruben

Posted on November 15, 2022 by Ruben Mendez.