Alvarez plans more Duterte feeding projects

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez vowed yesterday to replicate the Duterte Kitchen feeding program for street children in other parts of the country.

He made the commitment after visiting the Tuloy Foundation of Fr. Marciano Evangelista at the Elsie Gaches Village compound in Alabang, Muntinlupa. The foundation has several projects for street children.

“In line with President Duterte’s advocacy to save the youth, especially abandoned children from criminal elements and drugs, we want to duplicate the charity being showered by Tuloy Foundation led by Fr. Evangelista. We are one with him in pushing this advocacy to help and inspire abandoned children. Helping them is a commitment to build the nation,” Alvarez said.

He cited the Duterte Kitchen project of the ruling Partido Demokratikong in Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in Cubao, Quezon City, which feeds 50 to 70 street children a day.

He said the ruling party, of which he is a key leader, should have more feeding kitchens in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Evangelista said Alvarez was amazed that Tuloy Foundation has been undertaking programs to save street children through a comprehensive program of caring, healing, and teaching.

“He could not believe it. He expressed the hope that it could be replicated in other parts of the country,” the priest told former congressman and now broadcaster Angelo Palmones in a radio interview.

Evangelista said the Speaker promised to do what he could to help street children. He added that at present, Tuloy Foundation is helping more than a thousand abandoned children.