EMPOWERMENT IN MANY WAYS

For ROCIO OLBES-RESSANO, the opportunities to help others are limitless

There is something about Rocio Olbes-Ressano that makes you easily feel comfortable when you meet her. For someone who has worked with inmates, terminally-ill patients, survivors of abuse, and other people in need of relief, Rocio understands how creating genuine human connections from simple conversations or large group discussions can immensely help in improving one’s well-being. One of her key messages is empowerment drawn from experiences, “When you use your trauma as a tool of empowerment, it can't destroy you. So if you help people based on what you've gone through, then you are taking control of the situation. But that comes in time, people have different stages. What you're going through, if you can use it to pull yourself off, you'll be surprised how many people you can help by doing that.”

One of the advocacies she has is The ‘Teh Talks which she co-founded with Stephanie Zubiri, Cristina Cu, and Kimi Lu. She gamely shares this piece of advice, “I think that you will get further with any advocacy that you have if you're able to choose to surround yourself with people that help you bring it forward.” Each of the four women has a specific focus. Stephanie talks about nutrition, Cristina talks about careers, Rocio talks about mental health, and Kimi, as an actual life coach, helps everyone implement and bring change to their lives. So far, the educational panel has been successful. But how she got the ball rolling, was from a different advocacy altogether.

Bars to Bears is an artistic recycling project which Rocio founded with Natalia Cruz. The duo helps local inmates by providing them with sustainable livelihood even behind bars. The teddy bears are made from recycled cloth clippings from designers, which are then donated to children in need. Rocio tells us that by interacting with the women inmates, she was able to lay the groundwork for The ‘Teh Talks. “What I really learned there was the more these women created bears, the more they became better and the more they were able to speak. And I got very interested in their mental health, and how the arts was helping them. And so from there, with my other friends, we started The ‘Teh Talks,” she shares.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Rocio’s successes only paved the way for more opportunities to help others. Together with Jon-Jon Rufino who Rocio considers one of her best friends, they decided to hold charity concerts to kick off the Christmas season. The proceeds of the charity go to a beneficiary which changes every year. She recalls how it all started, “I said, ‘We can start small, do it in your mom's house.’ And he calls me a week later and he said, ‘I booked the Maybank Theater.’ So we literally hit the ground running.” Rony Fortich, Jon’s partner helped the duo—the former musical director from Disney provided the talent needed to make the concert quite the spectacle. “Jon and I worked very hard to sell the tickets and choose the foundation. And at the end of it, it all came together,” she says happily. So far, Rocio, Jon, and Rony have helped three foundations, MovEd (which focuses on education),

The Carewell Community (which supports all those affected with cancer), and LAMAVE (dedicated to the conservation of marine megafauna). Their recent venture with LAMAVE was a personal win for her. “Now being pregnant, I really understand what it means to want a better world for your children,” she says.

While some may find the life of philanthropy an easy one where giving money is enough, Rocio acknowledges that there is more to it than just simply giving money. There is a need for a deep understanding of the pressing issues and the psychology involved in helping other people. “It's never going to go exactly as you planned. You might have this idealistic idea in your head, ‘Okay, now I'm going to wake up today and I'm going to help a lot of people. It's going to be wonderful and it's going to be empowering.’ But it's going to be difficult. It's difficult because you're going to meet a lot of people who don't really feel that you can do it. And also you have to realize how emotionally deep it is when you enter these things. You might not be prepared for it,” she explains.

Hence, more than the money needed to fund her advocacies, the more valuable currency for Rocio is time. “You know giving money is one thing, but giving time is something altogether and that's what it really came down to. When I decided to go down this path in life it was how much time I could give. And you do find yourself getting selfish with your time. Then you say, ‘Wait. Stop. I need to adjust.’ And it is your earthly obligation to give back if you have been given something,” she says.

A life well-lived for Rocio is one that is filled with purpose. And with the multitude of charitable works she’s involved in and the number of people she’s helped throughout the years, one cannot help but think of Rocio as someone who has truly done a great deal for the society she lives in. “When you have a life of purpose and it's bigger than you, you find fulfillment. It's not about what you have. It's about what you're doing. It's about how you give back. And that's how you're living,” she says, smiling.