MANILA, Philippines – The worldwide economic crunch has also affected charitable institutions, with people becoming less forthcoming with their donations.

This is evident by just looking at the stockroom of the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul, a 123-year-old shelter for children and adults in crisis.

Five years ago, the stockroom used to be filled with goods, mostly donations from generous individuals and corporations, come Christmas time.

“The increase in the prices of basic commodities continually affects the living conditions of the staff and our wards. And there is nothing much we can do other than move with the times and respond accordingly,” Sr. Nieva Manzano, Asilo’s head of administration, told the Inquirer in a recent interview.

Asilo, which means “refuge,” is located on UN Avenue from across the Pope Pius Center in Manila. It currently has 150 young boys and girls in its care. Thirty of the children are attending a day care center being run by the Daughters of Charity; another 30, who are on long-term stay, are enrolled in public schools while 30 others are attending vocational schools. The rest are only temporarily staying in the center while undergoing processing for their transfer to another institution.

The challenges faced by Asilo range from growing expenditures to dwindling donations in the last 10 years. Although it has a committed staff that does not mind working long hours, some have decided to leave the center for greener pastures.

Leny Lomboy, who is in charge of accounting at Asilo, said they need at least P2 million a month for the center’s needs which range from health care, education, food, salaries and maintenance, among others.

Food eats up the biggest portion of the budget, Lomboy added. There are 150 asiladas (orphans) and staff members who need to be fed three times a day. The menu is planned a week in advance with most of the vegetables coming from Divisoria and fish bought in Navotas. Every day, the center consumes at least a cavan of rice. Milk being a must for 15 of its wards, Asilo also needs three kilos of powdered milk and a sack of sugar a month.

Medicine is also something the center can’t go without. The institution is thankful to Hospitaliere of Malta, an international nongovernment organization, which has been shouldering the salary of the center’s full-time nurse for the last five years. At times, the NGO also provides free medicine or sells it to the Asilo at a discounted price.

Lomboy said they tried to ask drug companies for help but unfortunately, no one has responded yet to their letter. “Therefore, we buy our own supplies to cope with the requirements,” she said.

In addition to food, the center also has to pay for its utilities. Its monthly electric bill runs up to P130,000 while it needs between P127,000 and P144,000 for its water usage. Minor repairs of the center’s facilities amount to at least P50,000 to P100,000 a month.

To ensure that it has enough money to sustain its operations, the center has come up with income-generating activities, including hog raising. It has also started taking in transients who can stay in the center for a daily rate of P250 per bed. There are also air-conditioned rooms for P950 a day.

The Asilo sisters have also opened the Sagip Kabataan Bakery, which offers baked goods and sandwiches while the De Paul Food Center sells affordable meals.

The burden of running an institution on a tight budget is definitely not for the faint-hearted, said Manzano. The good news, however, is that there are still some kindhearted individuals and companies that the Asilo can count on, she added.

During the interview, a leading chain of department stores called up the center to say that it would be donating assorted canned goods. A fastfood restaurant specializing in baked products also gives Asilo 20 cakes and several sacks of cake trimmings twice a week.

The clan of Asuncion Ventura, who donated a piece of land to the center, gives Asilo the rent money they earn from several apartments in Binondo. Every quarter, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office also makes a donation of P80,000 while several public schools have awarded scholarships to children staying in the shelter.

Manzano said they thank their donors by spending their donations in a responsible manner. “We [also] take care of them in our small way, providing them tokens like medals, bakery products and greeting cards. We consider them part of our family who we can invite to come over during special occasions.”

Though Asilo may be affected by the worldwide economic crisis, Manzano said she believes that this is just a stage of purification to keep the center dynamic.

“What we breed is a kind of leadership that can withstand the trying times, speak and live the Truth, and be able to celebrate the charism of service. We cope with the Vincentian spirituality of serving the poor,” she said.