RECAP: Bigay Puso sa Pasko 2025

We reflect on our journey over the last 15 years while looking forward to the future

2025 marks the 15th year of Bigay Puso sa Pasko, our annual Christmas outreach program for children in underserved communities throughout the Philippines. Little did we know at the time that this simple program would eventually grow into a full fledged nonprofit organization. We are grateful for the journey we've had over the past decade and a half, and for all the people we've met along the way who have helped us reach this special milestone.

Bigay Puso began as a humble holiday initiative at a local elementary school in the Payatas community in Quezon City, Philippines in 2011. Founded by former teacher (now principal) Shirley A. Edio, Bigay Puso sa Pasko was a program that began at Lupang Pangako Elementary School in Payatas after Shirley saw that her students had no food or gifts at their previous Christmas parties, some eating sardines as their only holiday meal. Built on a former landfill, Payatas is a predominantly urban poor barangay in the northeastern district of Quezon City and remains one of the most impoverished areas in Metro Manila. With the help of sponsors, she provided 100 students with meals from Jollibee, groceries, and toys at the first Bigay Puso sa Pasko event, complete with a special appearance by Jollibee, which the students were overjoyed with. In 2013, two years after the program began, Shirley and Kym met while Kym was visiting the school with her previous nonprofit organization. The two formed a bond after Shirley told Kym about the program and explained that she was having trouble finding sponsors that year due to the recent Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded in history, as most of the resources from sponsors were being allocated to the effects of the typhoon at the time. Kym offered to help and started a GoFundMe, asking her friends and family from home for donations for Bigay Puso sa Pasko. The response in support was overwhelming and the donations far exceeded her initial goal of providing for only the toy budget for the students, and were enough to sponsor the entire program that year. As the event became an annual tradition and expanded to various communities throughout the Philippines (including Mindanao), and Kym and Shirley also began implementing other programs, including relief drives for natural disasters in the Philippines, supporters took note and eventually encouraged Kym and Shirley to make Bigay Puso an official organization. Bigay Puso was finally incorporated as a registered nonstock, nonprofit organization the Philippines in 2021, and is currently in the process of incorporating as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the U.S.

Over 4,500 kids have participated in the Bigay Puso sa Pasko program since it began in 2011. Our program's supporters span from Asia and North America to Europe.

The growth of Bigay Puso sa Pasko has been made possible by a growing community of friends, families, donors, and supporters who continue to believe in our mission of generosity and giving from the heart. This year was especially meaningful as we brought our communities together and debuted at our first in-person holiday events in Los Angeles at Manila Sound and Pasko sa Baryo in November.

This year, contributions from our direct donors and donations collected through the Los Angeles events helped provide Jollibee meals, grocery packages, toys, and holiday celebrations for more than 520 children across five of our communities:

📍 Poblacion, Makati — Annex House

📍 Payatas, Quezon City — Lupang Pangako Elementary School

📍 Lourdes, Quezon City — D. Tuazon Elementary School

📍 Sitio Culasisi, Antipolo — Mountain View Free Learning Center

📍 Orani, Bataan — Aeta indigenous community

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/cc6164_6378895cf38d4b5c9f888b3fd18188e2/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

To everyone who attended, donated, partnered with us, volunteered, shared our work, or supported Bigay Puso from afar: maraming salamat!

What began 15 years ago continues because of a community that chooses, year after year, to give with their hearts.

We hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season and wish everyone a happy new year! Don't forget to join our mailing list and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated with the latest Bigay Puso news.

We look forward to continuing our mission to empower children in the Philippines through education. Thank you for being part of our journey. To the next 15 years and more <3

Love,

Bigay Puso