‘GK is antidote for Napoles’

ANGAT, Bulacan, Philippines – For all his sacrifices in the past 10 years since he founded Gawad Kalinga (GK), Tony Meloto has been consoled by a comment he received only recently.

“Some people told me that Gawad Kalinga is the antidote for Napoles,” Meloto told The STAR on the sidelines of the Social Business Summit 2013 at the Enchanted Farm here last Thursday.

He was referring to Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, which has been hogging the headlines for the past few months.

Meloto said the pork barrel system is the exact opposite of what GK is doing.

“We don’t and will never ask money from the government,” Meloto said, as he recited the famous line of the late US President John F. Kennedy – “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

Meloto said he had gone through hardships and sacrificed a lot for GK. He said he had also been hurt in the process, especially when he was abandoned by the people close to him.

“It hurt that they didn’t trust us in the beginning. But it was more painful when the people closest to you leave you,” he said.

Despite the pains, Meloto continued with his advocacy and now describes GK as a massive platform for Filipino solidarity.

He said for the past 10 years, GK has helped over one million poor Filipinos through the assistance of around one million volunteers.

“There have been a lot of blessings and we are very happy,” he said.

In the next 10 years, Meloto said GK will continue to serve more people.

“Our target is to help five million more in the next 10 years,” he said, adding that the target is achievable because more companies and organizations are helping them.

“We can do it, so long as we are together,” Meloto said.