A Filipino women’s group based in Austria held a charity bowling tournament to benefit its scholarship projects in the southern Philippines.

“I am really a bowling fan. I have been participating in all Pinoy Bowling tournaments here and when I learned that there is a charity bowling for the benefit of our less privileged kababayans in the Philippines, I immediately decided to join. I want to help in my own little way,” said Filipino bowler Chito Constante.

Participants to the Babaylan Austria's Strike 9 Charity bowling tournament were glad that such initiative was staged to help poor but outstanding Filipino children in the Philippines.

“I participated here since I want to make a difference in the lives of the children right in our country, the Philippines. I know the situation of a lot of Filipinos there. Most parents can't do anything because they can't afford it,” Randy Ilagan told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

“We are pleased to be able to sponsor such a great event,” said Willy Budoy, advertising agent of a Philippine Door-to-Door Business Firm in Vienna.  “The Babaylan Austria is a worthwhile organization and we are proud to help support them in their educational projects in the Philippines,” Budoy added.

Lani Zigler, president of Babaylan Austria expressed her gratitude for the warm reception given to the group by Filipinos.

“Bowl for the benefit of our less-fortunate brothers and sisters in the Philippines, most especially in the Cebu area has raised  not only a certain amount to finance our scholarship programs but also helped increase the awareness of people here in Austria about the situation of the majority of our countrymen in the Philippines who could not afford to send their children to school,”  Zigler said.

Babaylan Austria is also planning to stage a bigger charity affair in order to gather more funds for its projects in the Philippines.

Formed in 1996, its objective is to promote Filipino women’s empowerment and ensure the members full participation in the development processes through sharing of experiences, information and resources.