ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Oct 12 (PIA) – Filipino-American singer and volunteer peace
ambassador apl.de.ap of the world-famous Black Eyed Peas expressed his desire
to expand the programs of the Apl Foundation to include school-feeding programs
and book donations for school children in Bangsamoro areas.
In a press release,
the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process disclosed that the
U.S.-based singer has learned about the historic framework agreement reached by
the Philippine government peace panel with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on
CNN.
OPAPP said that as
peace ambassador, apl.de.ap whose real name is Allan Pineda, received a
briefing on the framework agreement over Skype from its technical staff.
“Definitely, I want
to be involved. This is great news!” he said, while mentioning the work of his
Apl Foundation.
The Apl Foundation
has school-building projects in the Philippines and Asia. It has an ongoing
partnership with the Ninoy and Cory Foundation and the MyLibrary program of
Ayala Foundation/Philippine Development Foundation and the 57-75 Movement for
educational reform.
Among the projects
that apl.de.ap would like to spearhead in Mindanao are school-feeding programs
and book donations. The singer who used to ride a jeepney to go to his school
in Pampanga was often quoted as saying that “education is the only long-term
ticket to a better life.”
President Benigno
Aquino III formally inducted apl.de.ap, along with other celebrity and
personality peace ambassadors during the launch of the “I Am for Peace”
campaign held on September 14 at Malacañang.
As a peace
ambassador, he pledged to do his best in spreading good news about the country,
and in calling on young people in the Philippines and around the world to give
peace a chance via Twitter and other social media sites.