AN ONGOING LESSON PURPOSE IN PASSION AND
Exclusive portals to education transform to safe havens for weary medical frontliners
In 1911, the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools opened the gates of their educational institution in the Philippines. And ever since then, those who would normally rush in were students of all levels—from playful preschool kids, energetic elementary children, idealistic high school youngsters, goal-oriented college young adults, and determined hopefuls for masters and doctorate degrees.
From these exclusive schools, raw talents were nurtured in the formation of upstanding Christian ladies and gentlemen of noble ideals and norms. This birthed campus leaders and achievers with admirable accomplishments, who in the years to come, became prominent doers and movers in society, leaders of businesses and industries, tycoons, and titans.
However, during this ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, three La Salle institutions within the metropolis, with outstretched arms, trademark hospitality and familiar warmth, genuinely welcomed modern day heroes—the De La Salle University with the Ospital ng Maynila, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde with the Philippine General Hospital, and La Salle Green Hills with The Medical City and Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
Through Project Safe Shelter, these halls of learning usually associated with the more privileged, transformed to homes for temporary guests who are originally residents from Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, and Batangas.
The different hosts strictly followed safety and hygiene protocols set by the Department of Health, from social distancing and regular checking of temperature, to the usage of decontamination mist tents, hand sanitizers, and hospital-grade disinfectants.
In addition to accommodations, daily breakfasts and snacks were served. Psychological and spiritual support services were available for those in need, and even a contained garden was provided for those who sought an oasis for solitude and meditation.
And it did not end here.
The Coro San Benildo, the multi-awarded resident chorale group of DLS-CSB, also kicked off their Coro Sessions Live: An Online
Fundraising Concert, and raised funds for medical supplies and food packs, not only for the PGH partners sheltered in the college but also the neighboring barangays affected by the lockdown.
In an unseen before unselfish act of charity, the De La Salle Philippines launched the Isang Libo, Kada Uno donation drive, which supported the homeless within the Manila North Cemetery, other areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. These are persons who were not qualified for the social amelioration program and the cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the various LGUs.
Together with Lasallian East Asia District Brother Visitor Br. Armin Luistro FSC, they encouraged donations to provide food packs for a family of five for a week.
Meanwhile, the Tribu Verde of La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) High School Batch 1981, with members such as Senator Francis Pangilinan, Ayala Land President Bobby Dy, Makati Medical Center Pediatrician Mike Wassmer and LSGH President Br. Dodo Fernandez FSC, successfully mustered up contributions for the families of some frontliners who have sacrificed their lives attending to patients in various hospitals.
Guided by and following standards from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute, which works handin-hand with the PGH, the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program of Benilde joined efforts in the production of jumpsuits and gown sets completewithmasks,headandfootcovers,fordistributiontothoseinneed.
In addition, young student-artists from the Mark of Designers Alliance, the official fashion organization of the college, started their own campaign of producing thousands of face shields made from acetate, clear plastic sheet, garter, and foam.
Meanwhile, the Industrial Design students and professors banded together under the NcoVolunteers Project, which utilized their mastery of modern technology and came up with reusable acrylic face shields and other PPEs using 3D printers, all donated to beneficiaries within Metro Manila, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, and Davao Region. Choice pieces from By Hand: Rediscovering the Art of
Printmaking, an exhibit which traced the history of prints through the centuries, with works by Michael Kempson, Director of Cicada Press and University of New South Wales Sydney, and Kittikong Tilokwattanotai, founder of Thailand-based Chiangmai Art on Paper, were also awarded to new owners following the Leon Gallery’s 15th Online Auction. Proceeds were utilized to temporarily shelter the homeless at the Benilde Sandejas Gym.
With so much concern and care received by individuals who havefoundshelterinthecampusduringtheenhancedcommunity quarantine, they voluntarily assisted in repacking relief packages for other urban poor communities all over Metro Manila.
“During these extraordinary times, let us get together in the ways that we can and reach out to the last, the least, and the lost,” stated DLS-CSB’s Facebook page.
With the shift to General Community Quarantine (GCQ), the medical and healthcare professionals finally bade goodbye to their temporary homes for the past several months, with an outpour of thank you messages from the heads of these medical centers.
“I heard that it was not only the physical structure that they were really grateful for, but it was also the warm reception that they received and I am so happy to hear that,” PGH Director Dr. Gap Legaspi stated.
“Hindi pa po tapos ang challenge and natutunan po natin for the last two months na nothing is impossible kung tayo ay magsasama-sama (The challenge is not yet over, but what we learned from the past two months is nothing is impossible if we all work together),” he continued.
“I don’t know whether you can really imagine the impact of your generosity—it is more than sympathy, it is real empathy about what happened,” narrated Dr. Eugene Ramos, President and CEO of The Medical City.
“There was one time where we were almost on the brink of a healthcare system collapse because not only the cases of COVID were overwhelming in The Medical City emergency room and the ICU, we were also having problems with morale, physical exhaustion, stress, and distress of our staff here—the nurses, the doctors—and the fear that they had, but also in terms of their safety and the ostracism in their villages when they would go home. Your very generous offer came at the best time,” he ended.
If portals could only talk, we are certain they would recount their massive transformation from an educational place of privilege to a nurturing home for medical frontliners. But most importantly, they would never cease to narrate the valiant tales of our new heroes.