April 25 is a holiday, a very special day for children and adults alike. It is Pastor Apollo’s birthday. Since it was declared the National Children’s Day on 2006, virtually everyone – from Aparri to Tawi-tawi - awaits for the day where a never-ending supply of spaghetti, ice cream, cake and plenty of delicious food overflows. It is a grand celebration joined by thousands of destitute children, from the most depressed urban barangays to the remotest mountainous sitios all over the country.
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The flood-prone area of Navotas, Metro Manila, particularly in Brgy. San Jose was swamped with large servings of chicken, spaghetti, ice cream and cake. Hundreds of children were made happy that day, thanks to Pastor Apollo.
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Pastor Apollo also made sure that the needs of the destitute children particularly in Napico Manggahan, Pasig City were addressed by the Children’s Joy Foundation.
They, too were made recipients of the blessings of Sonshine Across the Land - complete with party, gifts and all, for the children and their families as well. |
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The weather is cold in the Northern
part of the country, particularly in Benguet. Even so, the children particularly
in the mountains of Tublay were not hampered by the freezing wind. They warmly welcomed the Sonshine Across the Land team which brought Pastor Apollo’s birthday to them! |
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On Pastor Apollo’s birthday, the children
of Brgy. Cacandungan, Natividad, Pangasinan,
were hit by a storm, this time a heavy downpour of toys, gifts, and delicious food. |
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In Cagayan Valley, the Ata children
have crossed the Pinakayanan river just to take part of the nationwide Sonshine
Across the Land party. This large gathering of Ata kids crowded at the Penablanca Legislative Building to celebrate
Pastor Apollo’s birthday. |
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For the second time around, the Aeta children of Katutubo Village participated in the National Children’s Day. Since Pastor Apollo extended help through the Children’s Joy Foundation, the community was blessed with nutritious
meals daily, quality education and employment for their families. Presidential
son, at the same time, Pampanga representative
Mikey Arroyo thanked Pastor for reaching out to this community.
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The birthday celebration continued
in Calamba City, Laguna, one of the areas in the country where the Children’s Joy Foundation is most active. With everything
free and served in huge amounts, the birthday celebrators beamed with bright smiles on their faces. |
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Last year, when Pastor Apollo’s birthday came to Mindoro, the children of the Mangyan tribe were awe-struck when they ate ice cream for the first time! Since then, the party full of gifts and good food has been widespread among the residents in Mt. Halcon. This year, joining the celebration
are the Mangyan kids have now grown healthy, strong and intelligent. |
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In Camarines Sur, children whose families and homes have been ravished by typhoon seemed to have lost hope in their desperate situation. But not on April 25! Municipal Mayor Rey P. Lacoste came to commend Pastor Apollo for his love that was extended to the kids in Camarines Sur. |
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Meanwhile, the children of Barangay
Sauyo in Novaliches, Quezon City thought that April 25 was the real Christmas day. Children swarmed to the barangay gym to enjoy Pastor Apollo’s birthday and to also get a feel of what it is to be loved and well-taken cared of. |
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From Luzon, the light of the Son also brightened the islands of Visayas! The smiles of the children at the country’s Sugar Capital in Bacolod were made even more sweeter when Pastor Apollo brought the Sonshine to them. Volunteers braved Brgy. Bago, Don Salvador, known to be a rebel-ridden area in the region. Never has the children been made happy as before as they participated in this year’s National Children’s Day! Volunteers of the Children’s Joy Foundation shared the blessings of Pastor Apollo’s birthday to the poor and neglected Ati kids of Panay Island. |
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Nearly a thousand Badjao children from barangay Alaska-Mambaling, Cebu City were treated to a party sponsored
by the Children’s Joy Foundation. Foods like spaghetti, hotdogs, fried chicken,
cakes and ice cream were served to the kids making them feel like it was also their birthday courtesy of Pastor Apollo. |
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An atmosphere of relentless joy replaced fear that gripped the Kananga residents for so long. Armed with heaps of gifts, food and fun, the volunteers of the Children’s Joy Foundation set out a successful birthday party in honor of Pastor Apollo. |
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Starting in Pagadian City, Children’s
Joy Foundation volunteers were welcomed by a large gathering of children
at the Balangasan Central Elementary School, who are mostly from the slum areas of Pagadian. They were very proud to celebrate their birthdays
with Pastor Apollo! |
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Cagayan-on kids in Sitio Iba, Brgy. Dansolihon were taken by surprise as they had their birthday parties for the first time! The CJF volunteers also made it possible for Winnie the Pooh to spread joy to these children even in the mountains. |
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In Sto. Tomas, Davao Del Norte, Pastor Apollo’s birthday bash was imparted
with inspiring greetings from the children who came. The celebration also hopped on to the Island Garden City of Samal where children who have never had a party this big were overwhelmed by amusing tricks and lots of gifts. |
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The nationwide party fun also spilled over in Mati City, Davao Oriental. Along with their parents, children feasted on Pastor Apollo’s birthday banquet
which overflowed in abundance. Badjao and Muslim kids also took part of Pastor Apollo’s birthday celebration. Brgy. Cogon, Digos City, Davao Del Sur, the party hosted by the Children’s Joy Foundation benefited almost a thousand kids. |
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Kitbog marks a special place in the heart of Pastor Apollo. The children who were mostly descendants of the witnesses
during his spiritual training in the 1970s were invited to his birthday party. Moreover in Butuan, after the giant servings
of cake, fried chicken, spaghetti and ice cream, the Children’s Joy Foundation volunteers brought in Jollibee to add fun, dance and laughter to the party. |
While this simultaneous birthday party transpired throughout the day all over the Philippines, a magnificent surprise took place at the CJF headquarters in Davao City, through Sonshine Across The Land.
In a world constrained by grief and desperation, there is hope. Where children are given the chance to be free, are not forbidden to dream, and where all their wishes come true.
This is the world that the Sonshine Across the Land has created, and made real for those who believe that this country can still stand and shine bright in the midst of despondency.
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