This one’s for the books – Fil-Am family building a public library on inherited land in Leyte town

Alma Alisch and her sons Billy and Joey. She and Joey are raising funds to build a library in Tambis, Palompon, on the island of Leyte, the Philippines. CONTRIBUTED

A Filipino American family in Warwick, Massachusetts has sent more than 10,000 books to Philippines between 2008 and 2021. Now they intend to build a public library in a town in Leyte that has none.

Led by son Joey Alisch, 26, who was declared “Warwick’s youngest philanthropist” when he was only 9 years old – he collected toiletries to send to the Philippines– the Alisch family will build the library on land inherited from Alma’s father in Tambis, Palompon, on Leyte

Their Books for Pinoys Foundation will donate the library to the  local government, making it a public library.

A Warwickonline.com profile of the family by Caden Dillon says the family has a long record of philanthropy.

When Alma Alisch left the Philippines in 1988 to study at the University of Rhode Island, she immediately got involved in volunteer work: “She’s been working with the Philippines-based Franciscan Apostolic Sisters since 1997, raising about $10,000 a year to fund a hospital, the Fr. Gerry Filippetto Memorial Foundation Hospital” in Cagayan Valley.

Her grandfather, Pedro Brocoy, lost his foot in combat, fighting alongside American troops during the Japanese occupation in World War II. He became mayor of Palompon and donated an elementary school,Tambis Elementary, to the town.

To build the library, Books for Pinoys is raising $100,000 by November 11 (they’ve raised about $20,000 so far) and are selling raffle tickets for a brand-new Honda Civic or $25,000 in cash grand prize, and smaller cash prizes. Winners will be announced at a black-tie gala on the Nov. 11 at the Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel.

Gala dinner is $125 per person, and feature live music by Otan Vargas and the D’Amico Entertainment String Quartet, as well as a silent auction of art from Filipino artist Elito Circa, known for using his own blood as a pigment. Raffle participants must be present at the gala to win. In addition to raising money, Books for Pinoys is accepting book donations to be placed on the shelves of the library once it’s built.

Raffle tickets can be purchased during business hours at Pinoy Lane Food Mart on Quaker Lane, at Pinoy Republic & Sons in Worcester, Massachusetts, or over the phone by calling (401) 391-6710. They will also be sold at the Warwick Mall Community Booth outside JCPenney on September 16 and 23, when book donations will be accepted as well.