Rear Admiral Armand Balilo and members of the Philippine Coast Guard hosted an educational tour for World Vision-Sponsored Children

World Vision, a global humanitarian organization dedicated to uplifting the lives of children, arranged a special educational activity that aims to inspire World Vision-sponsored kids to dream big dreams and persevere in pursuing them.

Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, once a WVDF-sponsored child, hosted an educational tour with Star Magic Freshies and 35 World Vision Philippines-sponsored children on a Philippine Coast Guard BRP Teresa Magbanua. The unique opportunity allowed the children to explore the ship, interact with the Coast Guard, and gain insights about the profession. They also had a chance to bond with RADM Balilo, who once shared a similar journey as a Word Vision-sponsored child, creating a sense of hope, belongingness, and inspiration.

RADM Balilo grew up in a poor community in Caloocan City. As a young boy, he would sell rice cakes, quail eggs, and newspapers to help his family earn a living. “If what I earned wasn’t enough to buy food for the family, I’d look for additional scrap metal and bottles to sell,” he shared in the vernacular.
It was in this seemingly hopeless period in his life when he encountered World Vision. “I was approached by World Vision staff and they invited my mother and me. They shared what the organization did and what it could do to help me and my family,” he says. “I eventually joined the World Vision Child Sponsorship Program. And to make a long story short, it changed my life.”

In his message to the World Vision-sponsored kids, RADM Balilo highlighted the importance of education, patriotism, determination, and support in reaching one’s dreams. “Hindi ako sumuko sa buhay. (I didn’t let anything keep me down.) Instead, I focused on my studies and persevered until I graduated college,” he says. “Our success and our life is in our hands. And we here at World Vision aim to help others achieve their dreams.”

RADM Balilo is now a high-ranking officer of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). He is also a Child Sponsor, supporting two children from Palawan.
In a heartwarming gesture, RADM Balilo, his wife Rizza, together with Gerald Anderson, Star Magic team, and the PCG team shared a special lunch with the children. The kids, in turn, read to him a touching letter and sung two special songs expressing their immense gratitude for the support they’ve given to World Vision.

World Vision invites everyone to join their movement and become a child sponsor. For every child you help, four more children benefit as well. And by contributing as low as Php 25 a day or Php 750 a month, you can make a significant difference in the lives of children in the Philippines.
Visit www.worldvision.org.ph to learn more about its impactful initiatives.