I have been asked many time if abrenian.com wanted to accept donations to help defray the cost of maintaining this site. I politely declined each time. Because I know that once you start accepting money from users, you eventually needs to account for it.
Here’s a feedback received in our inbox from an anonymous user regarding Abrenian Group Friends of Abra (FOA). This group was founded by Ted Brillantes and has about 2,400 members.
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Greetings Sysop,
I would like to bring to the attention to all users in your site what’s happening at the Friends of Abra (FOA) group of late. I am a member of that group but not very active. Nevertheless I do read the posts there every now and then. The group had been very active in outreach projects in the different towns of Abra for the past months. Every time a new project comes out, the administrators would solicit donations either in kinds or in monetary form or simple ask members to be volunteers. But lately, the group has been under fire because of the questions on financial accountability. A couple of members (donors) have asked the organizers are full accounting of the expenses for each project. There is an on going debate whether it is necessary or not to do such accounting. The issue is going out of hand and some users have either quit the group or expelled by the Administrators.
This is very unfortunate and very embarrassing to Abrenians like me. Such a public display of in fighting among Abrenians is disgusting and uncalled for.
Why can’t we get along?
Thank you and more power to abrenian.com
yours truly
Name Withheld upon request
abrenian.com 
when money is involved people changed, they say money is the root of all evil,people become greedy,a lot of needs arises,thus causing you to want more…in short we need guides and rules so as not to stray…
Posted by Minda | August 12, 2012, 8:54 pmLOVE of money is the root of all evil…
Posted by Lani Osorio | August 21, 2012, 3:30 pmI beg to disagree that money is the root of all evil. Some people are just greedy. Even guides and rules are not guarantee of order. People find ways to get away with crime. My unsolicited advice: look at the mirror folks and have a reality check:))))
Posted by Michael Lewis | August 13, 2012, 12:48 amMoney is not a root of all evil but it is the LOVE OF MONEY. There’s a big difference.
Posted by abracadabra | August 18, 2012, 6:45 pmThis is not good. Correct me if am wrong facebook was once created for college students. I heard that it is now dominated by older folks who act like kids. Now their own kids have left because they cannot take the humiliation from their parents’ actions.
Posted by TOTBOFB | August 13, 2012, 4:03 pmagka-kabil dan. Urayen yo ti election umado ti grupo nga agpatakder “for the betterment of Abra” kano. I swear no adda pay mang-add kanyak am going to shoot my self.
Posted by MAKAUMAN | August 13, 2012, 4:10 pmyou can shoot yourself now. Adda man impatakder dan nga baro nga grupon. dagitay met na-paksyat dyay FOA.
Posted by addan | August 14, 2012, 6:43 pmAnd they continue to bad mouth FOA who is helping a lot of needy Abrenians. Where is the Treasurer of FOA who happens to be the wife of one of those who is instigating issues in that group? Why is she not talking? Mr. Instigator, come on, tell your wife to speak out. Where is the money?
Posted by Ringnoster | August 16, 2012, 8:40 amhaan nga paksay ti FOA diay baro nga group ita…dagidiay haan nga umannogot iti patakaran ti foa…
Posted by Lani Osorio | August 21, 2012, 3:31 pmadda ngamin dagitay metikuloso la unay.. bukitkitenda tay napanan pisosda, ruprupa da la ngaruden ti kanayon a maibaskag kayatda pay laeng a mabinsa binsa ti nakaiyusaran tay intulongda. Nasaysayaat a saan a maipalgak a nakatulongka ta gungunaan nakanto ti Namarsua.. ngem no agsingirkan ditoy a ket ania pay ti supapak a lak-amemto?
Posted by kirat | August 14, 2012, 5:45 amnya garud apo ket ribbo kano met nga dolyar ti dida ma-account. napya kuma no barya lang daytoy.
Posted by addan | August 14, 2012, 6:45 pmnakadamagan yo ti rinibu? member kayo aya? how many nurses, doctors, volunteers nga naggapu diamanila…libre amin dagidiay apo….no pag meryenda da diay dalan di pay saguten amin ti FOA…amin ket na account…adda la ngamin dagitay tao nga kayat da nga mariribuk ti gropo…tatta awan dan peaceful na ang lahat….
Posted by santos | August 29, 2012, 3:46 pmsiempre masapul nga adda recibo amin nga magasto ti proyecto tapno ammo ti kaaduan no dinno ti napanan ti kwarta, donasyon dagita nga kwarta nga nagrigatan.
Posted by mayana | August 15, 2012, 6:04 pmHere’s a comment from the Founder of FOA.
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Name: Ted Brillantes
Comment: Thanks SysOp for your feature on Friends of Abra…
Just wondering why the contributor withheld his/her name. FOA is a secret group so all discussions there are not out in the public as he/she claims. As of his/her writing, the membership remains at 2393, down from 2406 before the issues started. Only 8 voluntarily left which is contrary to what he/she wanted to put a spin on. But it is nice to see that FOA is being noticed. We need quality members who desire to improve the lives of their brothers in Abra so even if our numbers decrease FOA will go on.
Pls post this as a reply to that feature. thanks. Ted
Posted by SysOp | August 15, 2012, 9:58 pmkakatawa naman. you said this group is secret pero sa totoo lang hindi naman. kung meron kang 2393 members as you claimed, you don’t expect your discussions to be secret di ba? kilala mo ba lahat ng myembro dyan? hindi siguro kasi add lang ng add para dumami.
Tingin ko may valid argument kung sino man nag-sulat nyan kung malaki ang perang pinag-uusapan. Dapat sagutin nyo yan.
Posted by Funny | August 15, 2012, 10:41 pmInggitan lang yan. Adu ngamin ti donors ti Friends of Abra.
Posted by Ringnoster | August 16, 2012, 5:05 amIn fairness, adu met nagapuanan ti FOA ti kallabes kakabsat ken adu met ti natulungan da a kakailyan tayo.No aniaman ti problema da, just leave it to them, internal affairs da.Ti makunak, nasayaat no adu a grupo ti maipatakder no panagtulong ti kakailyan ti gannuat da di ad-adu ti maparamanan. Saan tayo koma babalawen jay sibubukel a grupo ta adu met ti miembro nga nasayaat ti panagpampanunot na. I was once an active member of the group and FOA is one of the most amiable groups.
Posted by aka # 13 | August 16, 2012, 8:31 pmI agree with you AKA. I am a member of the group although not as active as the others that are really doing the legwork but I donate financially the little I can because this is a group who has the most projects done as well as ongoing ones. I was just there and they are planning more Medical Missions after the controversial Langiden Mission and I can see that there are already people pledging to those future plans. I think people are looking at the missions accomplished and not which or where was the money spent.
Posted by Ringnoster | August 17, 2012, 12:04 amYes, they are doing more projects inspite of being insulted by the instigators. And where are they now? Adda da man sabali nga group pen and i hope they will not be kicked out again for the 5th times?
Posted by just me | August 17, 2012, 12:43 pmvalid ti email ko apay nga saan pimmasok ti comments ko?
Posted by just me | August 17, 2012, 12:40 pmsome left groups for varied reasons like incompatibility with the other members, health reasons and the worst reason is ” sapawan”…..part of these why i voluntarily left some and created some groups mostly kins for lesser problems ken nalaklaka a masolbar ti problema no aga-ammo kayo ti personal, isu man kakabsat ti na-obserbarak.
Posted by aka # 13 | August 17, 2012, 7:43 pmIn addition,no matter what groups you are in, as long as your advocacy is for the benefits of many, still i salute you! Let’s not be judgemental to any group, we don’t want to be judged too.Whatever is happening to FOA now,i hope through continuous good deeds,the name would be redeemed.Those who have stayed and have left the group,let’s respect their decisions……hindi po nakakabawas sa pagkatao ang paglisan at pagsapi sa mga grupo, ang pinakamalaga ay kung ano ang magagawa mo para sa kapakanan ng nakakarami.Magandang araw po sa inyong lahat.
Posted by aka # 13 | August 17, 2012, 7:52 pmKapag nagbibigay tayo ng donasyon sa Bantay Bata, itatanong mo pa ba kung paano nila gagamitin ang pera? Ganun din sana sa ating grupo, basta pagkabigay mo ng donasyon mo ipaubaya mo na lang sa kanila kung paano nila gagamitin ito. Ang tawag dito ay pagtitiwala. kung wala ka nito mahirap ibigay ang anong mang tulong na nararapat. una, kilala naman natin sila at for sure di sila gagawa ng kalokohan na pwedeng ikakasira ng reputasyon nila. gusto lang namang nilang makatulong sa kakabsat natin sa Pilipinas. all we have to do is give our donation and let them all the work for us. That’s all we can do to help.
Posted by abracadabra | August 18, 2012, 6:55 pmThe truth is they wanted to take over FOA that’s why they were trying to find reasons to attack the founder and other members. Everything was accounted for only that some immaterial items that they were not able to find a receipt. Kas koma no gumatang ka ti crudo nga i botbotelya da diay talogtod adda aya met recibo. No bayadam tay driver adda ngad recibo na. No gumatang ka merienda nga coke nga nasupot ti plastic adda recibo na? The founder repeatedly told them to look at the doc.files where all the expenditures where supported but they demanded the original receipt. Now that they are no longer members they are spreading rumors and aspersion but you know what people are starting to show support because they are realize thay FOA is a good cause. We are heading to Langiden, another medical/dental mission.
By the way, one person deleted the original financial report. What a shame! Go FOA!
Posted by bingle | August 18, 2012, 8:30 pmKahit pag namalengke dna tinatanung kung anu binili mo..but in this case it’s absolutely another thing……the person/s who accepted the money should acknowledge when receiving donations haan ngarud???tapno nadalus ka in case adda agsitar???..why do you keep on saying you
( donors) don’t need receipts…the people fighting for this are not only donors..they are members of the ADMIN and BOT…meaning it is FOA’s or any group leaders’ responsibility/obligation to show every expense made to the members donors or not…pls keep in mind this is a group of people from around the world who don’t know so much about each other..it is TRUST….pinapairal dto ay trust…so to be trusted be transparent even not asked…..AGREE????
Posted by Lani Osorio | August 21, 2012, 3:41 pmagree ako dyan Ms. Osorio
Posted by nauman | August 21, 2012, 7:05 pmapay Lani, pinaksyat daka?
Posted by opps | August 22, 2012, 12:08 amhi Lani. agree! daytay dragon fruit seedlings, how do we transport them to tanay, rizal?
Posted by sunvalley | August 24, 2012, 11:43 pmAll were accounted for Ms Osorio, check the files. Its all there. All you need is the receipt, the original receipt which is ridiculus. Apay nag donate ka? Inka damagen ken diay founder no napanan diay donation mo. I was looking at all threads nag disappear ka met diay previous projects saka la rimmuar metten di adda project ti Bangued. Nasayaat metten ta naikkat kan ta dimo ammo ti pagsasaadam. Dont worry and dont stress yourself ta the group is okey now that you were gone. Adu ti plano ti group and thanks God we are sorrounded by true people saan nga 2 faced.
Posted by OMG | August 29, 2012, 3:55 pmWen Napaksiat ni Lani Osorio ta dina ammo ti pagtaktakderan na. I dont need to elaborate ta saan nga importante nga tao isuna.
Posted by KILM | August 29, 2012, 3:57 pmWhy not give your donations to the church? They get the money, send it to Rome and that’s the last you’ve heard of it. No questions asked! Where is transparency!
Posted by Insti | August 24, 2012, 2:32 amI suggest you bet your money to lotto na LNG nakakatulong ka na may chance ka png maging milyonaryo.
Posted by Jack rubi | August 30, 2012, 10:13 amone by one,they’re removing the active members ,the admins must be careful me mga ”anay” sa loob ng grupo, andoon pa kaya ‘yong mga sinasabing ”pasikat”.
Posted by true self | August 31, 2012, 4:48 pmFB groups parang politica din. pag wala ka nang mapala sa isa, lipat ka sa iba. Pag-nag-away away na, magbubuo ka na rin ng sarili mo. Ang pangit lang dito eh lahat para sa Abra kuno! pero karamihan ay nag-papasikat lang. O kaya naman planong gamitin sa eleksyon.
Posted by facebook | September 1, 2012, 9:12 pmthe situation is worsening. Now the group is claiming that one of the former member is refusing to turn over the funds that was collected from donors. Ti rigat na, datay innikat da ket cannot defend himself on this allegations. This is becoming to be an embarrassment to all Abrenians.
Posted by joker | September 1, 2012, 9:26 pmdeta ket. ganaben yo amin. kas kay la kal-kalaingan nga agpipinasikat. nya tatta ti napasamak!
Posted by ganab | September 1, 2012, 9:56 pmDayta akin iggem dayta kuarta nga dina kayat nga isubli ket in unfriend na pay dagidiay nangalaan na ti donasyon nen…shame on him!
Posted by LFDM | September 5, 2012, 10:34 amThe former treasurer of the group,had posted the ledger and bankbook,pammaneknek nga adda kanya na jay donasyon saan a nausar ti projects da ngem ti kayat da ,agkita da jay founder ta papirmaen na ti papeles kano,apay a kasapulan ket donasyon ti miyembro dayjay.Dawdawaten pay mismo dagijay donors jay inted dan ta karbengan da a sublien dida kayat ited.Apay anya ngata klase ti panunot jay agassawa gapu ta naikkat da a miyembro su jay kwarta ti tattao gamgamenda.Sinno ti agbalin ngarud a kababain,jay paginteresam ti kwarta ti donors?Apay dida makapanunot a donasyon para makatulong ti dadduma kakailian?
Posted by true self | September 18, 2012, 1:48 am