It was a study on the drop-out problem in the Philippines published by the Bureau of Public Schools in 1965, that prompted a French Jesuit to get on what was to become his passion for life, and in the course, give up his nationality and acquire Filipino citizenship. FR. PIERRE TRITZ, SJ conceived the idea of helping the poor but deserving Filipino children have access to education.

The EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE (ERDA) FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED, was founded in September 1974, starting with six (6) beneficiaries. In May 9, 1985, the foundation was granted another 50 years for its Corporate Life. January 21, 2002, the Philippine Council for NGO Certification accredited ERDA as a donee institution and was thus entitled for tax exemption by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

A glance

A Dropout Problem in the Philippines

A recent study made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) showed that although 99 percent of Filipino children get enrolled in grade school, only 68 percent of first grade entrants actually complete the six years course. Many drop out already as early as Grade 1 and 2. ADB also cited that the reasons for the drop out are interconnected and multi-layered as demographic, related to income, environmental, related to peace and order, and cultural. Another study, this time by the World Bank, cited that one specific major cause of pupil dropout is the inability of the parents to meet the hidden costs of education such as school supplies, uniforms, bags, shoes and school allowance. Many pupils leave school when their parents can no longer afford to pay for these hidden costs.

ERDA's Response

The Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) Foundation, Inc., as a non-government organization took the initiative in helping the government address these prevailing problems in basic education.

ERDA's flagship program is education. Over 90,000 poor preschool and elementary students were assisted to go back to school since the foundation's establishment. ERDA's other support programs and services are in health, livelihood, and continuing education.

ERDA also saw the need to reach out to other special sectors truly deserving of society's care and assistance, the street children, the child scavengers and the indigenous children. In response to their worsening situation in life, ERDA put up the Tuklas, Kalinga, Laruan, Aralan at Sanayan (TuKLASan) Center for the street children in San Juan, Metro Manila and the Sanayan ng mga Batang Nanambakan (SaBaNa) Center for child scavengers in Tondo Manila.

ERDA is very instrumental in the intensification of advocacy efforts for and by the children in the legislative process. The foundation has organized 128 children associations nationwide and was able to federate these associations, now known as the National Federation of Children's Association in the Philippines (NaFeCAP).

All these programs, services and special projects were earned through the unfailing support from the government sector - the Department of Education (DepEd), the Bureau of Child and Youth Welfare of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) where ERDA is an accredited and licensed agency. The foundation is officially registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). ERDA is also accredited at the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) by which the foundation got a donee institution status for five (5) years.

ERDA's geographical coverage reaches the 16 regions of the country.