A Brief History

Polillo Lifestyle Enhancement Program (PLEP) was founded in 2009 by nurse and activist, Esperanza Aquino Mopera when she moved back to the Philippines. Polillo was the ancestral home of her late husband, Solomon Mopera and where she was assigned to teach in 1960. After spending time in the neighborhood, she found that a lot of families in the area were living well below poverty, some families with up to 12 children. She saw the same conditions as when she was a child, growing up in poverty. Now, with the ability to help and provide support, Esperanza started talking to community leaders about what the needs were and how to get involved. With the money from her own pocket, she had the first feeding program in 2009 in her garage. With USD$300 she was able to feed more than 20 children once a week for 8 months.

In 2010, Esperanza attended the Geneva Conference and spoke with the Health Department. She met Helen Gulfan, the Women’s Ministries Director and Shepherdess International Coordinator of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD). Esperanza was recruited by Gulfan to be a representative of the Philippines at the conference for health and lifestyle. Gulfan forwarded the work of PLEP to the General Conference Women’s Ministry when she was funded to continue her project.

She started to work with the Health Department of Polillo who provides PLEP with the list of children ages 2-6 years old that are the most vulnerable and malnourish within the population. Over the next few years the program has expanded, and in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014 a feeding program has been held, accommodating 50 Children, their mothers, and volunteers. They are able to provide food to almost 100 people 5 days a week for 3 months.

In addition to feeding programs, PLEP has received several donations from the Pacific Union Conference in California, USA in which they were able to provide 3 boxes of children’s toys and books. In 2014 PLEP also started working with the Town Council in Polillo to provide signs for accident prevention and increased safety.

Now, as were are coming upon 2016, PLEP plans to hold another feeding program hoping to increase the accommodations again by feeding 200 people for 6 months. We are also starting plans to build a home for abandoned children to provide safety, food, and education.

With your donations, we can make all of this possible. Please encourage others to help us in these projects as they are helping to increase better rapport in the community and provide food to those who need it the most.