GK Highway of Hope USA to Unite Fil- Ams
TONY MELOTO is flanked here by Josh Andowitt (l) of GMA Pinoy TV; and Johnny M. Pecayo, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES. -- MUST PHOTO BY ROMEO BALBOA.
By Johnny M. Pecayo
CARSON, CA -- Gawad Kalinga executives, led by Tony Meloto and Dylan Wilk, met with members of the press and community leaders at the Maynila Restaurant here Friday afternoon that practically took the whole afternoon discussing GK's accomplishments in the past years, and the GK Highway of Hope USA.
Dylan Wilk, Director for International Operations of Gawad Kalinga, has embarked on a cross-country road tour to 65 cities across the United States of America in 81 days to inspire Filipino-Americans to rebuild their motherland and fight the "Goliath of Poverty" in the Philippines.
GK Highway of Hope USA tour is part of GK's campaign to spread the news to Filipinos who have yet to hear about GK.
Likewise called the Caravan of Hope tour, this move also aims to honor the contributions of thousands of Fil-Ams and different organizations and foreigners "who have carried the light of GK into their lives."
Dylan and wife Ana Meloto, and their two kids -- two-year-old Arielle and five-month-old Chloe, have started traveling, driving throughout a total distance of 14,000 miles or 22,000 kilometers to reach 65 cities across the United States of America. The caravan has commenced in Antioch, California last February 2, and will culminate in San Diego, California on May 24, in time for the Bayani summit," as mentioned in Dr. Eustaquio Abay's Letter to MANILA-U.S. TIMES editor.
Dylan is driving the van alternately with GK 1 Million Bayani (1MB) USA National Coordinator Nathan Mari.
Tony Meloto recognized during the meeting in Carson GK Media partner MANILA-U.S. TIMES, led by its publisher and editor-in-chief, Johnny M. Pecayo, along with Anong Mariano and others.
Asked by Greg Macabenta if MANILA-U.S. TIMES could carry articles about the GK Highway of Hope, Pecayo replied that since December 2003, MANILA-U.S. TIMES has been supporting Gawad Kalinga, by dedicating one full page on page 7 of the newspaper, for its cause. A number of times, it went beyond one page, and "we don't worry about it, for as long as we can be of help achieve our common cause," Pecayo said.
Prominent GK advocates were seen mingling with the crowd -- Former Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo, Jose "Boy" Montelibano, Maria Montelibano, lawyer Rose I. Cabrera, Maricel Villanueva, Dr. Eustaquio Abay, in-charge of GK Healthcare; Rick Munda and others.
