POP diva Kuh Ledesma and the officers of the Kalipay Negrense Foundation Inc. asked the public on Wednesday, February 6, to support the upcoming “Diva 2 Diva” concert on February 16 at SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City.
This is a benefit concert for the disadvantaged children of Kalipay which are being housed at the Recovered Treasures in Barangay Busay, Bago City.
Ledesma was in Bacolod City on Wednesday to join the group of Kalipay founder and president Anna Balcells to ask for the public's support to this endeavor which aims to build a home for the disadvantaged children who were victims of various abuses.
The concert will feature Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Nanette Inventor, and Mitch Valdes.
“We are very happy with this concert because this will benefit our foundation. Our foundation rescues children...It's a lot of work but we also need a lot of help especially in funding. And thanks to this event, we are hoping that this will help us keep going,” Balcells said.
Ledesma, for her part, said, “we are so glad that our show can actually be held here for a very worthy cause. We have been traveling with Zsa Zsa Padilla in many cities in the States and this is the second round that we are doing it. Again, the third round is going to be in June. It is a very popular show and we always have very successful events. We have visited the places and indeed this is a very worthwhile event to support. We are asking for the full support of everyone because all the proceeds are all going to Kalipay.”
Aside from taking care of the children, Kalipay home also has its own school from kindergarten to high school.
“The children are safe. One of the big challenges which we are hoping we can raise during this concert is that we really need to build a new home because the house that we have is very old and is falling apart and very rundown, cracks are everywhere, roofs are leaking and everything. With this concert, we are hoping to get started with this new home. We are hoping to have between 150-200 children who can live in that home. That is our goal and and we are really hoping for the best,” Balcells said.
They eye to raise P60 million to fully build the new home, said Kalipay executive director Mhel Sillador.
Kalipay corporate treasurer John Gayoso said what they do in Kalipay is a wholistic approach for the development of the children.
“We have education and educate all the way to high school. We talk to sponsors and universities for their college. We also have a program that trains them to be responsible adults in our society. We make sure that the psychological needs of the children are adequately addressed,” Gayoso said. (CNC)