The Lingap Children's Foundation

The Lingap Children's Foundation Board of Directors

Brian Borque, Certified Public Accountant, is the Controller for Rockcliff Energy Management LLC, an independent upstream oil and gas company, in Houston, Texas. Brian began his career in public accounting and has served in various financial management, consulting and business development positions, primarily associated with the upstream energy industry, over his 35 year career. He brings a team focused approach to every endeavor.

Brian is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has a B.B.A. in Accounting from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. He lives in Sugar Land, Texas with his wife and has two adult children. Brian enjoys making memories with his family and traveling internationally.

Brian joined the Board of Directors effective August 1, 2017.

Dr. Jay Brunette, MD is an orthopaedic surgeon with Georgia Bone & Joint Surgeons, P.C. in Cartersville, GA. He is also a member of the Lingap Committee with Transfiguration Catholic Church in Marietta GA.

Dr. Brunette is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served in the Medical Corps, 2nd Medical Group at Barksdale AFB, Bossier City, LA.

He is a 1980 graduate of Amherst College in Amherst, MA where he received a BA in Neuroscience. He attended the University of Rochester, Rochester NY, where he received his Medical Doctor degree in 1984. He served his internship at the University of Rochester, in General Surgery. His residency was through the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta GA and he received a Sports Medicine Fellowship with John Feagin, MD in 1989 from Jackson Hole Othopaedics, Jackson, WY.

Dr. Brunette belongs to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; the Georgia Orthopaedic Society, the Medical Association of Georgia and the Bartow County Medical Society. He is certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

He enjoys both snow and water skiing, boating, hunting and fishing, camping and is an avid gardener.

Jay joined the Board of Directors effective March 1, 2011.

John Drake retired as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Administrative Services for CMS Energy and affiliate Consumers Energy in Jackson, Michigan after a 32 year career. He was responsible for overseeing all aspects of human resources for 11,500 employees on five continents and the Philippines where the company owned facilities.

John founded and is President of The Lingap Children's Foundation and the Lingap Children's development Center, Inc. in the Philippines.

He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Hillsdale College, Hillsdale Michigan. In 2005, he was named a Distinguished Alumi by the college as well as being named a Distinguished Citizen of Jackson, Michigan. Additionally, he was named the Lions of Michigan Service Foundation, Humanitarian of the Year. In 2009, he received a special tribute from the State of Michigan after being awarded the Hillsdale County Humanitarian Veteran of the Year recognition.

In 2006, he was named a "Son of the City" in Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines and was later recognized as an outstanding citizen by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines.

John has served as the Chairman of the Lingap Children's Foundation Board of Directors since April 1, 2005. Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of the Lingap Children's Development Center, Inc (Philippine organization) since it was incorporated on January 1, 2007.

in 2020, he was named the Robert S. Northrup Humanitarian of Year by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, MI.

Rick Higdonis currently serving as a board advisor for two technology companies and is serving as president for one of those companies.

He has spent the past 30 years working in various finance, sales and executive management roles in the technology industry. He has deep experience in international business development and has worked with companies in the energy, mining and transportation industries. Rick started his career in audit, and was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

In addition to his service on the Lingap Center Board, Rick serves as the Board Chair for Brescia University. He is also a graduate of Brescia University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Rick has served on the Lingap Board of Directors since October 1, 2015.

David Richmond is a founding partner and chairman of Richmond Brothers, Inc. ("RBI") where he has been responsible for strategic planning for RBI and its affiliates. He led the creation of RBI private funds and sits as committee chairman for overall client asset allocation. Mr. Richmond began making a living in the financial services industry at the age of 18 and started working as a financial planner at the age of 20, while attending Michigan State University. RBI private funds specializes in, but is not limited to, biotech, pharma, specialty pharma and medical device companies. RBI likes to focus on disruptive companies developing their first drug or device changing the paradigm in the area in which they operate. Mr. Richmond earned his Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) from the American College. Mr. Richmond also focuses on philanthropic financial planning to help client continue to support the organizations that matter most to them in life and in perpetuity. In 2013, he earned his Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from the American College. Mr. Richmond currently sits on the board of Bioventrix, Inc., The Lingap Children's Foundation and the David and Stephanie Richmond Family Foundation.

Dave has served on the Board of Directors since March 1, 2007.

Geoff Rose

Fr. Geoff Rose, OSFS is the President at St. Francis de Sales School in Toledo, Ohio, a Catholic college preparatory school community for young men, grades 7-12. In his six years as president, the school added grades 7 & 8, grew its already exceptional academic program to include Project Lead The Way (PLTW) courses, expanded its AP course offerings, and created a student-centered Salesian Leadership Initiative to further the formation of each student, beyond the classroom.

Prior to assuming his current role, he served for 12 Years as the Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry at Lumen Christi High School in Jackson, Michigan. He also co-founded Mark 5:11 Ministries which provides retreats, workshops, keynotes, and parish missions around the country.

Prior to joining the Oblates of St Francis de Sales, in 1996, he was involved in just about every level of political life. First in elected offices for the City of Ypsilanti, Michigan, then in campaigns, and spent the last three years of political service as a senior staffer for a member of the US Congress.

Having a real passion for foreign mission work, in addition to the Lingap Center, he has served on the Board of Directors for IsleGo Missions - an inter-denominational mission that specializes in week-long experiences primarily in the Caribbean; and closer to home he is a director and chaplain for Catholic HEART Workcamp which provides service opportunities for over 10,000 youth in 40 cities each Summer.

Fr. Rose has a B.S. in Organizational Communication, Public Law & Government from Eastern Michigan University; an M.Div. from the University of Toronto and an M.S.E. in Educational Leadership from the University of Dayton.

Fr. Rose has served as the Lingap Center Chaplain since February 1, 2012.

Janie Walsh Jane "Janie" Walsh has served on non-profit boards for over 20 years. Since 2000, she has worked closely with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and joined the Advisory Board of Catholic Charities in 2005. She and her late husband served as the 2009 Honorary Chair Couple for the Art of Caring fundraiser and as the 2014 Chair Couple of the organization's prestigious St. Nicholas Ball, where they raised $1.7 million dollars for the benefit of children's programs.

From 2002 until 2010, Ms. Walsh served on the board of the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Learning Disabilities Association. There, she served in a public relations/marketing position and as co-chairperson for their main fundraiser Spring Marche. From 2006 until 2008, she held the position of Vice President of the organization.

Ms. Walsh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism-Public Relations from Ohio State University. Currently, she is on the Advisory Board of Catholic Charities and most recently, accepted an Advisory Board position on the newly developed Brennen Rehabilitation Foundation, which helps individuals and their families who are burdened with financial stress while suffering permanent debilitating spinal injuries.

Janie currently resides in Lake Forest, Illinois and Naples, Florida. She has one child and her interests include a love of travel, entertaining and reading. She and her family are partners in the Chicago Bulls basketball team and the Chicago White Sox baseball team.

Janie has served on the Lingap Children's Foundation Board of Directors since April 1, 2020.

Joe Walsh Joe M. Walsh recently retired as the president and chief executive officer of Legacy DMC, which oversaw charitable assets and mission-continuation commitments relating to Vanguard Health Systems' purchase of the Detroit Medical Center hospitals in December 2010.

Prior to taking this assignment, he was a business consultant. Main clients were CMS Energy and the City of Detroit, where he was volunteer co-chair of Mayor Bing's Crisis Turnaround Team in 2009.

At CMS Energy, an electric and gas utility in Michigan, he played a key role in developing corporate governance programs, including design and implementation of the initial Sarbanes-Oxley financial reporting system and systems for monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements relating to environmental, health & safety, and FERC/NERC, FACTA, etc. He also contributed to the development of the enterprise risk management and business continuity processes there.

Earlier, Mr. Walsh worked at Ford Motor Company for thirty years, initially in financial assignments, including plant controller and audit manager for Europe (based in the UK) and then North America (based in Detroit). Subsequent executive roles included vice president for credit policy at Ford Motor Credit Company and president of Ford Credit Asia-Pacific (based in Australia.) This last assignment encompassed responsibility for operations in ten countries, including the Philippines.

He currently serves as a director for EnerBankUSA, a subsidiary of CMS. Previously, he has been a trustee of the Michigan Science Center and both the Homeless Action Network and the Health Authority of Detroit. He earned a degree in Management Science and an MBA from the University of Detroit and is in the Hall of Honor of its business School.

Mr. Walsh lives with his wife Diane in Bloomfield, Michigan. They have three adult children and five grandchildren.

Joe has served on the Board of Directors since January 1, 2009.

The Lingap Children's Development Center, Inc. Board of Trustees

Atty. Maria Iolanda Abella is currently a Partner of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law offices (ACCRALAW), a leading law firm in the Philippines with over 150 lawyers and 130 support staff. Iolanda is based in ACCRALAW's branch offices in Cebu and Davao and is involved in corporate compliance, contracting and conveyancing, mergers and acquisitions, employment law, property law, litigation and other corporate law/governance issues. She handles cross-jurisdictional legal issues and is an active member of various associations in the region. Iolanda devotes her time on the legal markets in Cebu and Davao. She travels extensively in the Visayas and Mindanao as well as in Manila to coordinate with clients' offices in the region. She is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Iolanda finished her undergraduate studies at the University of San Carlos, with major in Biology and Magna Cum Laude honors. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines with Cum Laude honors and a Masters of Law degree at the University of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia.

Iolanda joined the ACCRA Law soon after taking the Philippine bar exams. She rose thru the ranks from associate to senior associate to partner.

Iolanda's interests are varied and includes Asian culture and legal systems, corporate and finance as well as cooking and travelling. She advocates for the advancement of the welfare of women and children.

She held the position of director of the Cebu Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, president of the Federacion Internacional de Abogadas, director and corporate secretary of various business and civic organizations.

Atty. Abella has served on the Board of Trustees since October 1, 2012.

Mahlan Boncavil is a retired Team Leader of Container Handling Equipment Services of 2Go Group Inc., the leading logistics company in the Philippines today. He is a practicing Professional Mechanical Engineer and Registered Electrical Engineer.

Mahlan earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1975 from the Cebu Institute of Technology in the Philippines.

Mahlan joined the Board of Trustees effective January 1, 2007.

Leah Diaz is First Vice President and Head Cebu Operations for Global Power, an electric power generation company in Cebu, Philippines. She serves on the board of directors for the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines (Region 7), Toledo City Water District, and Toledo Business Club and is a member of the Toledo City Development Council and Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Leah holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Cebu Institute of Technology, Cebu City and is a licensed professional chemical engineer.

Leah has served on the Board of Trustees since November 1, 2009.

John founded and is President of The Lingap Children's Foundation and the Lingap Children's development Center, Inc. in the Philippines.

In 2006, he was named a "Son of the City" in Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines and was later recognized as an outstanding citizen by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines.

John has served as the Chairman of the Lingap Children's Development Center, Inc since it was incorporated on January 1, 2007. Additionally, he has served as the Chairman of the Lingap Children's Foundation (US Organization) Board of Directors since April 1, 2005.

Mr. Virgilio Fortich Jr. (Jomoy) is currently the General Manager of Cebu III Electric Cooperative (CEBECO III) in Toledo City, Cebu, having been employed by them since 1995. He was initially hired as a System Administrator and rose through the ranks, spending time in each of the three CEBECO organizations. He was appointed to his current position in April 2012.

Mr. Fortich is a member of the Board of Toledo City Cable TV., Inc. as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the Toledo City Water District. He also serves as President of CEVECA, an association of 10 Electric Cooperatives in Central Visayas. During his term, he was named the Most Outstanding General Manager for his leadership of CEBECO III which was awarded the Ultra-Mega Diamond Award for excellence by an electric cooperative.

CEBECO III has had a long-standing, mutually supportive relationship with the Lingap Center and John Drake, through CEBECO's founder, Fr. Francisco Silva.

Mr. Fortich holds a 1995 Bachelor of Science Degree from Southwestern University in Cebu City, Philippines.

He has been a member of the Lingap Children's Development Center, Inc. Board of Trustees since April 1, 2018.

vacant Sandra Villaver-Namocatcat is a Founding Partner, along with her husband Denis, of the Cebu Music Learning Center, located in Cebu City, Philippines since 2005. She is currently its Managing Director and she has been instrumental in bringing a highly successful music program to the Lingap Center. She is also the Managing Director of the Great Children's Learning Hub since 2013. She was the very first child that John Drake helped in the Philippines and in many respects, she might be considered as the very first Lingap ward. She views her participation at the Lingap Center as her way of 'giving back'.

Additionally, Sandra serves as the Regional Director of the World Championship of Performing Arts (Cebu Team). They will be performing in Los Angeles California in July of 2018.

Mrs. Namocatcat is a 2000 graduate of the University of San Jose Ricolletos where she holds a bachelor's degree in Hotel Restaurant Management.

Sandra has been a member of the Lingap Children's Development Center, Inc. Board of Trustees since April 1, 2018.

vacant Avelino Zambo Jr. (Jun) is a Chemical Engineer by profession, from the University of San Carlos Technological Center in Cebu, passing his licensure exam in 1987. He worked as a Technical Service Engineer at Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) and then as Commercial Sales Engineer. His stint at Pilipinas Shell took him to several places in Mindanao as well as throughout the Visayas Region. He resigned from PSPC in 1997 to venture into the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) business based in Toledo City, Cebu.

It was during these years that his wife, Arlene ran for mayor of Toledo City (2002). Jun's training with Shell was tapped by Arlene when he was designated as Secretary to the Mayor and then City Administrator to help manage the affairs of the city. It was during his tenure as City Administrator that the Lingap Project was developed and where he helped to facilitate things for the Lingap Center. He served on the Lingap Board of Trustees for several years prior to resigning to pursue a family-owned construction business - ANZEN Construction and Supply.

Jun and Arlene were blessed with three children and they currently reside in Toledo City, just a few blocks away from the Lingap Center.

Lingap Center Staff

Jojin Ladroma

Lingap Center Manager

Jojin Ladroma joined the Lingap family on June 1, 2010 as a social worker. On June 1, 2012, she was promoted to the position of Lingap Center Manager. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work from the Philippine Christian University in Manila and she is a licensed, registered social worker by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). She is also a graduate of the University of the Visayas, in Cebu City, Philippines, holding degrees in secondary education (March 2008) and special education (October 2008).

Prior to joining the Lingap Center staff, she was employed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development [DSWD] - Home for Girls in Tarlac City, Luzon, Philippines.

On September 8, 2017, Ms. Ladroma was elected President of ABSNET (Area-based Standard Network) for the DSWD Region VII. ABSNET is an organization formed by the DSWD to assist registered/licensed/accredited Social Welfare & Development Agencies (SWDAs). They help the DSWD in the implementation and monitoring of programs and services, providing technical assistance as well as conducting advocacy activities related to the regulatory services of the department.

Lingap Children's Foundation - Volunteers

Jeff Drake

Web Designer & Information Technology

Jeff is the IT Manager for Premier Thermal Solutions in Lansing, Michigan. He holds a BBA in Computer Information Systems and an MBA in Management, both from Western Michigan University.

Judy Drake

Administrative Coordinator

Judy worked for Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish in Jackson, Michigan as administrative assistant to the Director of Religious Education. After retiring, she returned to school and received her Bachelor's Degree from Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. For seven years, she facilitated a senior's group at her Parish. Currently she serves on the Jackson Area Catholic Council on Aging and volunteers at a nursing home attending Mass with the in-house residents.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS THE LINGAP CENTER?

The Lingap Center, located in Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines, is a haven of safety and hope where children who have been neglected, abused, exploited or abandoned can go to receive the love and protection that they need and deserve.

The original Lingap Center was founded by the Toledo City Government, in conjunction with the DSWD (Dept. of Social Welfare and Development) in 1988. The building was originally constructed as a pig slaughterhouse. It was later converted to house less than 20 street children. Within a very short time, the need surpassed the ability of the facility to accommodate them. Consequently, over the past decade, hundreds of children have been turned away, due to a lack of space and funding. The number of needy children continues to increase as the economic conditions in the Philippines worsen. At the time of its closing on March 30, 2006, the original Lingap Center was terribly rundown and with thirty-nine children living there, the conditions were deplorable.

It was determined that the original facility could not be renovated to the extent required. Additionally, there was no stove, refrigerator or many other facilities that we take for granted. The children washed their own clothes in the same trough that they used to wash dishes, brush their teeth and bathe themselves. Something needed to be done just to promote healthy living. Additionally, those without birth certificates were not allowed to attend the public schools or church.

Consequently, when the mayor asked if I would be willing to help renovate the old facility and run it, I accepted the challenge - but it needed to be an entirely new facility. As a result, the New Lingap Center was completed in March of 2006 and the children moved in on March 30. The new facility includes a well designed kitchen, dining room, study area and office facilities. It includes a new dormitory with bath and laundry facilities and enough space to accommodate at least 50 boys and 50 girls in a secure environment. Additionally, there are quarantine rooms to accommodate the children when they are sick, to prevent the spreading of illnesses. The new building has been carefully designed to accommodate future expansion. The children can now concentrate on doing what they should do - just being children.

One hundred children live there today but who can guess the number who will be saved in the years to come. This was all made possible by the support of countless friends and benefactors who also have a special place in their hearts for the least fortunate children.

WHO ARE THE STAKE HOLDERS?

Other stake holders in this very important project include Fr. Rolando Manayon, parish priest of the St. John of Sahagun Parish, who provides spiritual direction to the children; Arlene Zambo, Vice-mayor of Toledo City, who oversees the City's participation in the project along with Jun Zambo, city administrator and member of the Philippine-based, Lingap Childeren's Development Center Board of Trustees; Jojin Ladroma, Lingap Center manager and of course, John Drake.

WHO IS JOHN DRAKE?

John Drake retired on June 1, 2006 after 32 service from the position of Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Administrative services for a major U.S. energy company. His retirement enables him to focus all of his efforts on the Lingap Center project. His work took him to the Philippines frequently over the past decade, where he worked with local people to set up the human side of doing business there for his company. Consequently, he got to know and understand the people and their culture well and he began to notice the poor, abandoned and neglected children of the region. He found this to be unacceptable and was determined to make a difference in their lives.

After working as a volunteer with King's Garden Children's Home in the Province of Bataan for a period of time, he was approached by the Mayor of Toledo City in February of 2002 with a request to build and manage an orphanage to replace the Lingap Center. His initial reaction was negative, however after visiting the facility and getting to know the children, he found that this was something that had to be done. God had placed this burden on his heart and now he is committed to making this a priority in his life.

WHAT ABOUT ADOPTIONS?

We are asked about adoptions at virtually all Lingap Children's Foundation presentations. The answer is a complicated one. Children who are "certified" orphans are eligible for adoption (both foreign and domestic). However, obtaining the certification can be difficult. A certified orphan is a child who has absolutely no living relatives, including aunts, uncles, cousins etc. Proving this can be difficult in a country with extended families such as the Philippines. Additionally, it is often difficult to track family movement through the islands, provinces or in mountain regions.

Once a child is certified as an orphan by the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), they are eligible for adoption. All adoptions in the Philippines are handled by the Inter-Country Adoption Board, in Manila. More information can be found at www.sykinet.net/~icaba. In the U.S., Philippine adoptions are coordinated by the Holt Adoption Services.

It should be noted that the ICABA makes all matches of prospective parents with the children. Individuals are not allowed to make their own selections.

HOW LARGE IS THE LINGAP CENTER STAFF?

The Lingap Center staff includes the Lingap Center Manager (a social worker); three Staff Social Workers; ten House Parents (one who does administrative work); two Security Watchmen; two Cooks; one Utility Worker; one Maintenance Worker; two full-time and two part-time Tutors and one Peace Corps Volunteer for a total staff of 24 plus one volunteer. These individuals operate the facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.

HOW OLD ARE THE CHILDREN?

Officially, the children range in age from 6 - 16. However, we have some as young as 4 and as old as 17.

I WOULD LIKE TO DONATE BOOKS OR CLOTHES, HOW CAN I DO THIS?

We are frequently asked about donating used clothing and books. Sadly we are unable to accept such items. While we desperately need them, the shipping costs to the Philippines are prohibitively high. Additionally, we are able to buy new clothes and books locally, for a fraction of the initial purchase price in the U.S. not to mention the shipping costs. If you still would like to donate books and/or clothing, we would suggest that you make a directed donation. You can designate specifically how you would like for your donation to be used. You will receive confirmation that the money was used exactly as you intended.

HOW CAN WE CONTACT YOU?

We can be contacted by E-mail at helpingkids@lingapcenter.org , or you can reach us by telephone at 517-529-9702.

Our Postal Address is:
The Lingap Children's Foundation
P.O. Box 1553
Jackson, MI 49204

Our Fax number is:
517-529-9754

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