May 19 Update

Dear Everybody,

Attached is a letter from Mr. Dennis Faustino, the Assistant Principal of International School Manila who has agreed to become Principal of St. Mary's School in 2005 on the repair, renovation, and improvement of facilities that need to be undertaken at SMS in the next three years so that it can become a quality institution of learning.

The urgent jobs that need to be undertaken during the first year (work to start in June, 2004) will cost a total of 640 thousand pesos. I am pleased to inform everybody that just before I composed this email, I was talking to Mr. Dan Chalmers, Chairman of the Board of Brent International School Manila, and he agreed to donate his own money for the girls' and boys' toilets costing 130,000 pesos (2364 US dollars). I now appeal to SMS alumni and other friends to consider funding the balance needed for the renovation of the four 1st floor rooms estimated at 65000 pesos (1182 US dollars) per room, the construction of a concrete cistern to deliver water to the school estimated at 100000 pesos (1818 US dollars), and the installation of adequate security iron grills for all rooms costing 150000 pesos (2727 US dollars).

In this connection, I wish to point out that in the last alumni-corporation joint meeting, it turned out that it is possible that the projected budget for 2004-2005 can be adequately met from tuition fees and available alumni funds. Thus, what is needed now are funds for necessary repairs and improvement of buildings and facilities.

While individuals willing to donate the full cost of a classsroom, the cistern, or the security grills are very much welcome, others can pool their resources and pledge to finance any of these specific projects as a family, class, SMS alumni chapter, or organization.

As mentioned in my earlier update, four private companies have already made substantial donations by sponsoring the recently held workshop led by the world famous Dr. Biyo. I am confident we can get other donors for the improvements needed for the 2nd and 3rd years if they see that the SMS alumni are themselves doing their best to support the school's immediate needs.

I look forward to specific and timely responses from alumni and friends of SMS worldwide. We do appreciate your prayers and best wishes, but SMS also needs your financial support if it is to become the school we all want it to be.

Have a good day.

Rufino Bomasang