Filipinos Called to Build Toy Libraries for Children along the Lake: A Floating Toy Center Planned

Published on 07/29/14

Lakewood. How romantic.

In reality, not quite. Lakewood is about two hundred sixty kilometers off Zamboanga City; it would take seven hours of bus ride to reach the municipality. A lake is in the center and the communities residing are living below the poverty line. ..

An unassuming and quiet community, four thousand children have limited access to toys and children’s books. They are now asking for your donations to have a meaningful play experience. PTL has partnered with Yellow Boats of Hope Foundation for this project to build a toy center for them.

“I have been working with the community for four years now and we have tried to be creative in our resources,” Yellow Boat Lakewood Coordinator John Michael Dellariarte shares. “We built a half way house as a lying-in center made of plastic pet bottles with the community. A floating toy library would be a challenge!”

Social media activism is on the rise. On a vacation abroad with the family, PTL President Edsel Ramirez, 38, was struck with the availability of parks and playgrounds for children in their communities. Thus, he posted a status on his social media site asking for donations of old toys, children’s books, and materials for building the first Philippine Toy Library in Quezon City.

Clear out closets and start helping in the building toy centers. The Philippine Toy Library is currently calling for donations to build in Dapdap, Quezon, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga Sibugay and Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur.

Drop off points are in Quezon City (offices of KIDS AHOY, PTL and Jesuit Volunteers Philippines), Baguio, Bacolod and Zamboanga City.