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The History of the Wellness Development Foundation, Inc. (WDFI)

     Conceptually, the Wellness Development Foundation, Inc (WDFI) was born in the year 2004. A confluence of factors during this year resulted in the gestation of this idea.  This idea was born into reality with the legal creation of the Wellness Development Foundation, Inc., a duly authorized charitable organization created in accordance with the provisions of Article 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. .

Confluence of Factors in 2004

     In 2004, I was appointed Commissioner for North America by the International Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP), an international arnis (Filipino martial arts) organization founded by the late Grandmaster Remy Presas in the Philippines. Professor Remy Presas was known as the Founder of Modern Arnis, and helped propagate this ancient art first in the Philippines, and later on in the United States and Europe.
     I have been a martial arts practitioner and guro (teacher) of Filipino martial arts in the United States for a while now. In addition, I was also writing articles about Filipino martial arts and related topics like Filipino culture and tradition and personalities. My appointment as Commissioner for IMAFP even brought me closer to my Filipino roots. Soon I was working, interacting and networking with Filipino guros all over the United States and Canada, with my IMAFP contacts and brothers-in-arms in Manila, and my IMAFP counterpart in Europe, another writer and activist named Edessa Ramos, Commissioner for Europe, and my arnis guro Master Godofredo Fajardo, Commisioner for the Middle East stationed in Riyadh, Kindgdom of Saudi Arabia.
     The second event that happened in 2004 started innocently enough. A close friend, former classmate and neighbor, Jake Campomanes, invited me to join an internet group made up former batchmates (meaning people who graduated the same year, regardless of class section). This particular group was made up of Ateneo de Manila batchmates in Grade School ’59, High School ’63 and College ’67.
     The email traffic started with the usual good natured banter and ribbing, renewing of acquaintances which led to a few dinners, poker games and rounds of golf, and some business networking. In between all this light-hearted discussions, somewhere along the line, the discussions turned deadly serious with the discussion of politics, and the plight of the Philippine economy.
     Even as batchmates in Ateneo, we were aware of the political pedigree of many of our classmates. Just to give you an idea, the batch included the sons or grandsons of the following prominent politicians : Speaker of the House Cornelio Villareal, Senator Ambrosio Padilla, Senator Camilo Osias, Senator Almendras, Congressman Ladrido and assorted government officials and functionaries.
     Coming back to the present, it was a foregone conclusion that many of my batchmates were themselves in positions of power, either politically, socially or financially. This particular batch includes a couple of former generals in the army, surgeons, bank presidents, a Cabinet Undersecretary, captains of industry, successful entrepreneurs, as well as the First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo, married to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines
     In spite of the many differing opinions and views presented, some conclusions were easily and unanimously reached. Poverty was the main problem in the Philippines, and one of the main causes was the deep-rooted and pervasive corruption in the government, and the ineffectiveness of both government and NGO (non-government organizations) trying to help the poor, and the general malaise, desperation and growing anger of the populace, reflected in growing attraction, support and in some cases, affiliations with criminal and terrorist organizations.
     In quick order, discussion or think-tank groups were organized, called Renaissance Clubs, on both ides of the Pacific, both in the Philippines and the United States. The Philippine group eventually formed a Renaissance Foundation to achieve its goals.

Call to Action in 2005

     While the Wellness Development Foundation, Inc. subscribes to the goals of its Philippine counterpart and is similarly committed to poverty-alleviation programs as well as other charitable projects in the Philippines, it is an independent organization with its own goals, agenda.and fund-raising efforts.

Specific fund-raising projects and activies are described in succeeding sections