Photo from Iba Integrated School Facebook page
The Philippines has one of the highest rates of stunting in children under five in the world at 26.7 per cent, according to a report of the nation’s Second Congressional Commission on Education. This rate surpasses the global average of 22.3 per cent and has seen little improvement since 2000.
The consequences are alarming: 48 per cent of Grade 1 to 3 students are not prepared for their grade level. By Grade 3, 80 per cent of students struggle with multiplication, division, and geometry. Moreover, 30 per cent are not functionally literate.
In response to this situation, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines released a pastoral letter on 11 August, urging all Catholic institutions and organisations to take urgent action.
“We have a moral obligation to care for children who are God’s heritage (Psalm 127:3). They are the future of our nation,” the bishops stated, noting that the twin crises of child nutrition and early childhood development demand immediate and serious attention.
“To delay, ignore, or fail to respond to the basic needs of our children is to delay the progress of our nation’s future. More than infrastructure or arms, we must prioritise our youth and their education,” the letter urged.
Heeding this call, Xavier Science Foundation (XSF) launched a community-based sponsorship initiative called Sowing New Seeds, aimed at supporting schoolchildren of Iba Integrated School in Sitio Tanguily, Barangay Dansolihon in Cagayan de Oro City, southern Philippines. For as little as Php 500 (less than 10 USD) per school year, individuals or groups can provide a child with school supplies and essential learning materials.
XSF staff and partners during the launch of Sowing New Seeds
This initiative was launched on 13 September, in celebration of XSF’s 57th anniversary. The organisation was founded in 1968 by Fr William F Masterson SJ and continues to maintain close ties with the Jesuits. The president of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan—one of five Jesuit-run universities in the Philippines—sits as chairman of the board, and a majority of the board members are Jesuits.
For over five decades, XSF has continued to pursue programmes and projects to advance social, agricultural, and educational development in Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. The organisation serves as a conduit of funds, initiator of innovative programmes, and forum for dialogues.
XSF has partnered with ChildFund Philippines for more than 20 years to serve remote communities in the hinterlands of Cagayan de Oro to champion the growth, protection, and well-being of children. But today’s economic challenges are creating new barriers, making it harder for children to meet their basic needs and fully participate in their education.
“Sowing New Seeds is a manifestation of XSF’s continuing commitment to nurturing brighter futures for children to access better educational resources and thrive in their learning journey,” shares XSF Executive Director Roel Ravanera.
XSF hopes the initiative will unite local communities—friends, colleagues, former children-beneficiaries, Civil Society Organisations, and the academe— to collaborate in addressing shared problems, especially those impacting children.
“The initial feedback has been encouraging,” notes Ravanera. “Our close network of associates received the initiative well and volunteered to reach out to their families and friends. During the launch, the pledges and commitments we received were reassuring. They show the community’s readiness to act together for the children.”
