By Rosario P. Blardony
The Philippines has a long tradition of giving and volunteering. The bayanihan spirit, a community acting together to help its members, best captures the essence of Filipino generosity. Pakikipagkapwa (a shared sense of humanity), pagtutulungan (mutual self-help), and kawanggawa (charity) are cultural traits that tend to underlie Filipino philanthropy. The Church is another significant driving force in reinforcing neighborliness and charitable giving.
Traditionally, philanthropic work in the country has been practiced within the family and kinship groups, and not through institutions. Read the rest of this entry >>