Ex-DFA secretary attends fundraiser for US-based friend in coma

Two fundraising events were held last November in the Philippines and New Jersey for Angel Lleva, a man who suffered a brain injury after saving a friend from drowning.
Albert del Rosario, the former secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and friend of Lleva, showed his support at a fundraiser held in Quezon City in the Philippines, while around 150 people gathered in Paramus, New Jersey for a second event.
Both occasions raised a total of $15,000.
On Sept. 2, 2016, Lleva experienced cardiac arrest while saving a friend from drowning after being caught in a riptide in Florida. He ended up in a coma, and suffered anoxic brain injury. Since then he has been in vegetative stage.
Ambassador Albert del Rosario (seated, 3rd from right) at a fundraiser for Angel Lleva in Quezon City on Nov. 16, 2016. Filipino Reporter
After learning of his tragic accident, supporters of Lleva have reached out to his family with prayers, and also came together to raise money for treatment that his insurance will not cover.
The first fundraiser, held on Nov. 16 in Quezon City, was attended by Lleva’s friends and included Del Rosario, who also served as Philippine ambassador to the United States from 2001-2006.
Lleva and Del Rosario practiced the martial arts together under Grandmaster Ki Nam Yum during the 1980s in the Philippines, and kept ties with one another over the years. Lleva is a master in the art, and started training when he was only 11 years old.
During the evening, Del Rosario offered some words of support for Lleva, saying, "We’re here for the purpose of trying to help our friend Master Angel. We salute him and offer him our admiration, respect and affection."
"We know he is undergoing a very trying time in terms of the disability, a result of his act of bravery and courage. We hope the good Lord will strengthen him and give him the grace to be able to become better each day. He has been a mentor to us, a brother, our friend. And we hope to be there for him. To his family, we would like to console them and make manifest that we will be joining them in our prayers," he added.
undraising event for Angel Lleva in Paramus, N.J. on Nov. 27, 2016. Filipino Reporter
The second fundraiser was held on Nov. 27 at the home of the Philippine American Community of Bergen County (PACBC) in Paramus. The PACBC donated the use of their building for the event.
The nearly 150 guests in attendance included Lleva’s family, friends, fellow martial artists, and members of the PACBC.
Attendees were entertained with martial arts and self-defense demonstrations, a piano performance by 9-year old prodigy Zoe Perez, and a ballroom dancing exhibition by professional competitors Nikita Malakhov and Nadeszda Vlasova.
The Lleva family wishes to offer their thanks to all those who have expressed their love, care and support during this challenging time.
For those wishing to donate to Lleva’s cause, please visit this YouCaring page. —Filipino Reporter

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more