Lighting the way to a brighter future

BingoPlus Foundation delivered its promise of supporting the Mangyan IP community’s decades-long challenge with electricity.

Simple additions to the home can spell great improvements in a family’s quality of life and chance at a brighter future.

In receiving equipment that illuminate homes, members of an indigenous peoples community in Mindoro island now have a chance to “build back better” after the devastating typhoon season of 2024.

Promoting resilience

The help to a community of Mangyan, the IPs of Mindoro island, came through the efforts of digital entertainment company DigiPlus Interactive and its social development arm, BingoPlus Foundation, to promote resilience among vulnerable communities.

The foundation staff delivered to the mountains of Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, solar lights and solar generators—responding to a request from Samahan ng Magbubukid ng Manaul for the provision of power to a local community of Mangyan.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Paul Ledesma and DSWD Regional Director Norman Laurio joined BingoPlus Foundation executive director Angela Camins-Wieneke in a turnover ceremony in Pili, Camarines Sur.

The lack of electricity has burdened the community in many ways, said beneficiary Liza Gayot.

“Even if I want to finish my work, I can’t because I can only work until there is light,” she said. “As a mother, it really pains me to see my kids not being able to accomplish their requirements in school because it’s too dark to work at night.”

Kids there often study in the evenings by the furnace or with a flashlight.

Telecommunication has been troublesome, too. People need to travel to the town proper to charge their mobile phones and connect with others.

“I’m thankful for BingoPlus Foundation because you are the light of our life and home,” said Gayot. “After 20 years, we finally have lights in our own homes.”

BingoPlus Foundation delivers its promise of supporting the Mangyan IP community’s decades-long challenge with electricity.

Impactful additions

Those small yet impactful additions to the homes of Mangyan families were anchored on BingoPlus Foundation’s bigger initiative to bring its KabuhayanPLUS program to South Luzon, especially to places that needed help in disaster response and sustainable livelihood.

The Mindoro initiative ran alongside a financial assistance program to typhoon victims in Bicol Region.

BingoPlus Foundation fulfilled a P37-million pledge it made in November 2024 to those who lost loved ones to Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” (international name: Trami).

DigiPlus and BingoPlus Foundation delivered solar solutions to remote communities, and recovery assistance to disaster-stricken families, as part of its KabuhayanPLUS resilience program.

Financial aid

In the first two months of 2025, the foundation collaborated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V to provide financial aid to 74 affected families from Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Masbate.

“Our hearts go out to all the families affected by… Kristine,” said Angela Camins-Wieneke, executive director of BingoPlus Foundation.

“While the typhoon has since passed, the loss of loved ones—many of whom were breadwinners—is an additional burden to bear in the journey to recovery,” Wieneke added.

The beneficiaries each received a financial assistance of P250,000, which they will use to fund house repairs, buy household needs and send orphaned children to school, among others.