Fr Michael Pui, National Director for NZ, and Msgr Estaban Lo have been working together on a project to help students in a school in the Philippines.

Our poorer brothers and sisters in Mission Territories apply to the PMS for support. Often, because of the demands on the Solidarity Fund, some projects are not fully funded. One such need is the Scholarship Programme in the St Therese Learning School-Old Sagay (Sagay City, Diocese of San Carlos), in the Philippines. The programme provides financial support for underprivileged children of the two coastal-barangays of the Parish. These two communities have a total population of 20,951 (Census, 2020), and the age group with the highest population is 5-9 years old. Twenty percent of them (24%) belong to families with insufficient income to sustain their basic needs for food and education. The aim is to give poor and talented children, irrespective of their religious background, a chance to have an education at the public elementary schools within the parish community. The long term hope is that the children will grow up to make a positive change in their community.

In collaboration with the Parish of St James the Greater, Fr Michael Pui has made a pledge to run a Special Appeal* to raise funds towards the programme. Although the aim is to support 4 Elementary schools, Fr Michael had made a special commitment towards one, the St Therese Learning School, Old Sagay. In March 2026 he made a special visit to the school and parish, so that when he visits our NZ schools, he may provide a more tangible connection between them and our brothers and sisters who are struggling. The hope is the it will help New Zealand students re-discover the missionary outlook that were once in all our schools, that is, the spirit of “Children helping Children”.

In the next few months, Fr Michael will be approaching schools and colleges. If you could support this initiative please: Scan the QR code, or contact the Office directly with credit card details, or simply Direct Debit: 

Account Name: Missio Benevolent Society 

06-0411-0021447-00 (Note: This account is different from the ones advertised for Mission Sunday) 

For Reference, please provide your name/organization, and the word “Sagay”, and 

communicate to us if you need a tax-receipt, or an acknowledgment only. 

* Donations may go towards funding similar projects supported and approved by the PMS