MARITES CACERES receives from Aldin Ali the financial assistance given by Dingdong Dantes and the YesPinoy Foundation for the hospitalization expenses of her daughter Sofia Trisha Caceres last July 03, 2010 at the National Children’s Hospital.

SOPHIA TRISHA at their Makati residence after receiving a special present from Dingdong Dantes last July 04, 2010. Also in photo are (L-R) Aldin Ali and wife Jinky Siatan-Ali, mother Marites and a relative.

SOME BEFORE and after photos of Sofia Trisha as posted on one corner of her room at their residence in Makati.

YESPINOY FOUNDATION FIRST SCHOLAR Loren Grace K. Quiñones (center) received her scholarship grant from Aldin Ali of YesPinoy Foundation last May 19, 2010 at Urdaneta City, Pangasinan. To her right is her mother, Mrs. Mary K. Quiñones

YesPinoy Foundation’s (YPF) first scholar  Loren Grace K. Quiñones received last May 19, 2010 her scholarship grant from the foundation. The grant was presented by YPF trustee and executive officer Alexander Ali to Loren Grace in her hometown in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan. Loren  Grace also received various school supplies from Sterling Paper Products, a YesPinoy Foundation partner. She was accompanied by her mother Mrs. Mary K. Quiñones.

Loren Grace will be taking up BS Information and Communications Technology at the Urdaneta campus of the Pangasinan State University.

Click on the link below to watch the video.

The YesPinoy Foundation’s campaign known as “Oplan Restore Paaralan” is aimed to rebuild and rehabilitate the thousands of public schools damaged and affected by Ondoy and Pepeng.

Still submerged by water, the school’s library which was completely destroyed, including books, was replaced with a new one, together with new books through the auspices of Dantes and the YPF volunteers. They also repainted the bookshelves.

“We know there are hundreds, if not thousands of other schools that need help. And we know we can only do so much. I just hope that, through our small effort, other well-meaning groups will see the wisdom of what we are doing. We cannot let our learning institutions stay crumble, believing that these are the bedrock of our country’s future,” Dantes said.

Dantes also said that the rebuilding and rehabilitation of our country particularly to those who were hardest hit by the typhoons cannot be overemphasized of its importance in regaining normalcy in the lives of many.

Through the support of its two donors, the National Bookstore and St. Mary’s Publishing Corp., the YPF also distributed 1,260 textbooks and school supplies to the delight of the grade school students.

School officials and parents were completely elated for the group’s effort.

Sa naturang special na ipapalabas sa Sunday Night Box Office sa Linggo, August 30, dalawang bagay na malapit sa puso ni Dingdong ang ilo-launch niya. Ang bookazine na YES! Life Stories, na mabibili na ngayon, that feature Dong in his rare photo shoots, and some revealing anecdotes about him from his closest friends and from himself.

Ang ikalawa ay ang YES Pinoy Foundation na kung may ilang buwan na ring pinagkakaabalahan ni Dingdong na mabuo. Masaya nga raw siya sa opportunity na ibinigay sa kanya ng network dahil magiging daan ang special niya para maging aware ang mga tao.

“Kung sinuman ang willing na makatulong for this kind of cause, at least, aware sila.”

Lingid sa kaalaman ng marami, matagal nang tumutulong at nagpapaaral nang libre si Dingdong at may mga estudyante na siyang napa-graduate dahil education talaga ang advocacy niya, but it’s something na personal sa kanya at hindi pinapaanunsiyo.

It is only this time that he has put up a foundation dahil sa palagay niya, mas marami pang makakatulong sa advocacy niya kung mas marami ang nakakaalam.

Is he the only one who will choose kung sino ang mga beneficiary?

“Siyempre, dumadaan siya sa mga committee para suriin kung sino ang mga karapat-dapat, but most importantly, this is the opportunity na we plan to provide and it’s very exciting.”

GIVING BACK TO THE MARINES. Bakit niya naisip na anak ng mga Marino ang isa sa maging beneficiary ng YES Pinoy Foundation?

“Well, for one kasi, close ako sa Marines and at the same time, advocacy ko kasi ang education ever since. So it is really a perfect combination to give a chance sa mga naiwanan at namatayang pamilya.”

Sa ngayon daw, everything is being processed regarding mga events or projects ng foundation. Mag-a-announce na lang daw siya sa mga posibleng mangyari through a website which is still being constructed.

Why did he choose the name YES Pinoy Foundation?

“I want a name that is positive. A name when you hear it, may recall at maa-associate mo ru’n sa akin, my advocacy, which is youth education. So, it is a sort of a battle cry also. And it’s a way of saying yes to everything, yes toopportunity. Yes!”

Hindi naman siya connected sa Yes! magazine?

“Ah, wala, wala! In fact, kahit tanungin n’yo ang Yes!, si Ma’am Jo-Ann Maglipon, hindi ko nasabi sa kanya. Ngayon ko pa nga lang sasabihin sa kanya na, Ma’am, hindi ko nasabi sa inyo,” natatawa niyang sabi.

Posibleng i-connect ng mga tao na baka eventually, papasok din pala siya sa pulitika?

“Well, e, di sana inilagay ko ang pangalan ko d’yan, di ba? Pero hindi, e. Malalaman naman nila ‘yan, e. The intention is pure and sincere at hindi dapat bahiran ng iba pa man.”

SPECIAL DANCE NUMBER. Hindi naman nakaiwas sa pansin ng ilang piling entertainment press na nasa Dantes Peak ang number nila ni Marian Rivera kunsaan sasayaw sila to “Can You Read My Mind,” theme song ng pelikulang Superman.

Ano raw ang nasa isip niya habang ginagawa nila ‘yong number?

“Wala naman… may ano lang, e, maganda lang ang kanta. Actually, kung ano ang nasa mind niya. Song ng babae ‘yun, e.”

Sobrang sweet nila?

“E, bakit naman dati, ginawa rin namin sa Araneta.  Siguro kasi less movements, walang masyadong nangyayari.  Siguro kasi ang ganda ng song, ang ganda ng number.”

BOOKAZINE REVELATIONS. Ayon kay Dingdong, ang buong special nga raw niya ay naka-connect sa bookazine niya.

“Most of ‘yung mga makikita n’yo sa book, makikita n’yo rin dito.  So, inspired by the bookazine. Wala masyadong censor, it talks about my dreams, my fantasies and realities.”

Ayon kay Dingdong, the concept of the bookazine is a collaboration between him and Summit Media.

Among the concepts na prinesent sa kanyang special, ano ang pinakapaborito niya?

“Reality… reality… normal lang na nangyayari. Effortless, e. Pero siyempre, each part is special to me. Pantay-pantay, e. Feeling ko, pantay-pantay.”

Sa huli, tinanong namin si Dingdong kung ano ang masasabi niya sa opportunity na ibinigay sa kanya ng network niya na makabuo ng isang bonggang special na puwedeng sabihing punong-puno ng puso?

“Unang-una, mahirap siyang gawin. Mahirap maging performer na buong show, kasama ka. Pero nakakagana kasi ipinagkaloob sa akin ng network, ipinagkatiwala sa akin. Pero, bihira siyang mangyari.

“Ako kasi, kapag may ganito akong endeavor, ibinibigay ko talaga.  Kahit sabihing hindi ako totoong singer, pero yung pagsasayaw ko from the past, I just like to enjoy myself.  Kailangan gawin kong masaya yung sarili ko para matuwa rin ang mga manonood.”

ABZTRACT REUNION. Nagkaroon din siya ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng reunion with his co-Abztract Dancers.

“Oo, first time in fourteen years!”masaya niyang sabi.

How was it naman?

“Nakaka-touched, kumbaga, yung original nabuo. And alam kong may kanya-kanya na silang pinagkakaabalahan and yet, pumayag sila noong imbitahan ko sila rito.”

It seems his group all look up to him?

“Well, as much as meron akong mga nai-impart sa kanila, e meron din akong natutunan sa kanila. Kaya nga kumbaga, yung friendship namin, hindi lang nagtapos du’n.  Kumbaga, because of this reunion, e, I’m sure, marami pa kaming pupuntahan.”

Source: http://www.pep.ph/news/22930/Dingdong-Dantes-gives-back-to-the-Marines-with-YES-Pinoy-Foundation