ERDA Ambassadors for Education
The friends and partners of ERDA who are willing to advocate and raise funds for the education of the children can be ERDA Ambassadors, too
Coming full circle: Architect Alvin, Maricel and Erin
Alvin P. Tejada grew up in a fishing community in Navotas. He was among of the first beneficiaries of ERDA’s scholarship program for college students.
When he was young, he loved to visit public libraries, read books and imagine the building designs and places that he saw from the pages of these books. In college, he took up B.S. Architecture at the Mapua Institute of Technology, and excelled as a student.
After completing his course and hurdling the board examinations, he found work at a real estate company. It didn’t take long before he took a leap of faith and established his own management firm, the APT Consultancy Services Group. APT stands for his initials.
Despite achieving a measure of success in his chosen field, Alvin never forgot his roots and the people who helped him along the way. One day, he came back to ERDA’s office and spoke with Fr. Pierre Tritz, S.J.
Since then he has been supporting ERDA beneficiaries in their education. He also organized the ERDA beneficiaries’ homecoming in 2014.
What is extra amazing about Alvin is that the fallout of the construction industry from the COVID-19 pandemic did not stop him from helping ERDA.
During the pandemic lockdown, Alvin and his wife, Maricel, discovered that their daughter, Erin, could paint and produce marvelous paintings.
Erin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 2 years old.
Alvin and Maricel had a choice to sell Erin’s paintings for her and their own needs, but they decided to mount an online exhibit in 2021 for the benefit of ERDA’s Education Program.
Erin’s exhibit was titled “An Artist Blooms: Erin Tejada’s Online Art Exhibit for ERDA.”
This project was made possible especially with the support of Atty Charlie Yu (ERDA Chairman), Fr Ari Dy, SJ (ERDA President), Judge Joy Torres (ERDA Secretary), Atty Yu’s and Alvin’s friends and of course, Ms Susie Garcia and Ms Avie Felix, Curators of the online exhibit.
Apart from his family, Alvin has also engaged his friends and staff to support ERDA. His friend’s LugawOne Project also donated two food carts for the ERDA communities.
And very recently (March 25 – April 2), his classmate, Ms Sochie Mata, with the support of the Department of Trade and Industry, held an exhibit of Erin’s paintings as well as bags, purses and other personal stuff bearing these paintings.
The Divine Creator has seen Alvin and his family’s kindness. Architect Alvin was recently recognized as the first green building professional in Southeast Asia to be elevated as a Fellow for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
Alvin is also currently the only USGBC Faculty in the Philippines, and is an adjunct professor in top ranking universities in the country.
Wilma Superada-Balane
She is now a Registered Social Worker. She is also trained to give psychosocial support during crises. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she facilitated sessions on Child Protection for the parents of ERDA beneficiaries.
Rikki Mae dela Pena
She continues to encourage the ERDA youth to try their hand in business. She was also named as the Miss Philippines Face of Tourism 2022.
(This video was taken for ERDA Foundation’s 46th anniversary.)
Hazel Baloloy
Hazel is another former ERDA Scholar from Pandacan, Manila.
She finished her Multimedia Arts degree with Honorable Mention from De La Salle – College of St Benilde (DLS-CSB). She was also a Benildean Hope Scholar of this university.
Hazel is a full-fledged Graphic Designer. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she taught basic graphic design to our ERDA Youth.