Leira Buan, the avowed leader of Lingap Balen (LB), led some 500 members of the group in an oath-taking ceremony during its general assembly at the Marissa Hall in Barangay Poblacion.
Present during the occasion were Mayor Condralito “Carling” Dela Cruz, Vice Mayor Dexter David, Municipal Councilors Maynard Lapid and Ronnie Mercado, presidential granduncle and former Tarlac congressman Hermie Aquino, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, the youth, professionals, doctors and even ordinary folk with some coming from Olongapo City, Bataan and Mabalacat City.
Buan said LB will seek a seat in congress in the 2016 elections in order to be more of service to the people. “Mayroon kang ibibigay sa taong bayan, so nagiging tulay lang ako from the national government down to the grassroots na nangangailangan ng tulong (So that I can give more to the people, so I just become a bridge from the national government down to the grassroots who needed help),” she said.
Financial resources
Buan said at present, she is using her own financial resources as she also acknowledged the help of doctors in giving free medical services to indigent patients.
Buan said she also has friends who donate money to LB but did not want to be identified. Buan said she was a former flight attendant for Saudia Airlines and United Airlines and a private flight attendant of the International Airlines Passengers Association, a designer of jewelry in Dubai with a company called The Money Dubai, and a consultant of a mining firm in South Africa.
She admitted she already spent millions of pesos since she started helping others beginning in 2003. “But I really don’t count,” she enthused.
During her speech, Buan said the LB mirrors her personal life story as a battered wife in Taiwan who attempted to take her own life not once but four times. “Lingap Balen is the story my life,” she said.
Buan said God has transformed her life and turn it around completely when she began to ask for forgiveness. She said she allowed herself to be used by God to serve others.
“God uses me whatever it takes to be an instrument to serve the sons and daughters of other people,” she said.
Plan in Congress
In Congress, Buan said she plans to sponsor a bill that will empower women, fulfil the needs of senior citizens, help single parents, equip farmers as well as help preserve the total welfare of the whole family.
“Wala akong itatapon hanggang kaya ko at hanggang mayroon akong maitutulong, hanggang sa huling patak tutulong ako (I will not waste anything until I can help, until the last drop I will help),” she vowed.
