YES TO PEACE!
Bukas Palad was invited to participate in the annual Peace Messengers’ Conference in Japan last August 2019, in commemoration of the anniversary of the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
Philip Jasper Bitos, 17 years of age, represented the Foundation and, as it turned out, the Philippines as well. It was more than a week or meetings with various Japanese officials, high school students and fellow delegates. There were also visits to important sites related to the bombings such as ground zero.
In some occasions, Philip was requested to share his thoughts on peace. For the Signature Campaign for Peace, he gathered a bulk of signature sheets from his school and
neighborhood, which, together with those collected by other delegates, will be sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to appeal for the abolition of weapons all over the world.
Upon his return, Philip willingly shared his experience and has become more committed to be a true Peace Messenger in his surroundings.
36 YEARS OF ‘FREELY WE RECEIVE, FREELY WE GIVE’
Bukas Palad celebrated its 36th anniversary last September 8,
2019. There was a series of activities during the Saturdays of the month.
On the first Saturday, there was a family celebration among the staff of the Foundation and some close collaborators and institutional partners. An “Open House” was held one Saturday of the month, The gusts had a glimpse of the Foundation’s headquarters with its programs, services, and culture.
On the last Saturday of the month, a half-day program was held with 300 SAAD beneficiaries and their parents, together with the Bukas Palad workers.
Students of the Music class sang and played musical instruments (flute and guitar), others showed their acting skills in a skit. The proud parents took photos and videos as they watched their children perform. Everything was a fruit of their perseverance in after-school activities in Bukas Palad. They have acquired confidence performing on stage in front of a crowd.
The parents too had their share of their talents! Parents and scholars with outstanding community services were awarded certificates of recognition and tokens of appreciation. The afternoon concluded with everyone having a stomach full and a happy heart!
A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR THE KIDS
A large-scale meeting for children was held last October 26 and 27 in Tagaytay City, Cavite. The 2-day gathering, organized by the Focolare Movement, was held purposefully for the formation of children. Thus, after receiving an invitation, the Foundation decided to send eight SAAD beneficiaries with the staff accompanying them. It was a new experience for the majority who were leaving home and spending the night without the presence of their parents. Fortunately, their excitement in a new environment and having their own beds to sleep on (many sleep on the floor), overpowered the feeling of being away from home.
Various segments of the program included workshops and fun
games that were formative in nature and attempted to teach
children to do acts of kindness to all without preference. Being
with children from a different background was also a novelty for
them. Eventually, they got along with them, thanks to the team games and activities such as baking Pizza and bonfire with hotdog and marshmallows on a stick. One wrote an impression: “Jesus taught me to be respectful and obedient towards my parents and not to be naughty towards papa and mama”.
Then personal stories and emotions were shared on how each one lived those two days and what they have learned from the experience. They were ready to launch themselves to do acts of kindness starting at home, at school and in the community.
MEETING THE WORLD AT HOME
Though not everyone was able to go to Japan to attend the conference, intercultural exchanges were made possible, thanks to our partner institution, the International School Manila (ISM) which is within the region and just a few hours by car from Bukas Palad. During the months of October, November, and December, each month our scholars had the chance to engage in these exchanges. In October, they had a cultural exchange with ISM students where activities centered on sports like Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, and Swimming, the latter as the most enjoyable and favorite of the day.
In November, they spent a Saturday with the school’s Visual Arts Club, learning arts and crafts. At the end of the session, they came up with various Christmas-related artworks.
In December, there were four consecutive days of interaction, two days of which were held at at the campus of ISM and on in the other two, the ISM students went to Bukas Palad for community exposure.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
As we do every year, we celebrate Christmas together. In the past, we would hold Christmas Parties by clusters of grade levels, which lasts for more than a week. Last December 2019, for the first time, we did one big Christmas Party for all SAAD scholars
and their parents in a nearby covered court. The place was packed! Good thing, we had student guests from another partner university (Philippine Normal University), helping us out. There were performances from parents, children, and even parent-children. There was a raffle of Christmas food stuff in-between the games prepared for everyone.
After dinner, together with ice cream and chocolate cake for dessert, each scholar received this year’s gift bag containing practical and useful items like umbrellas among others. It was indeed a challenging, big feast!
2019 was a fruitful year full of new experiences for all of us! With much hope, we look forward to a brighter 2020 but the pandemic of the Corona Virus 19 caught us all by surprise. Like the rest of the world, we are in quarantine and this has changed our lives in a matter of days. But this did not hinder us from finding means to reach our families of the program in need. Our gratitude goes to some Bukas Palad staff who risked their lives by going to work just so that material help could reach many families.
The families near Bukas Palad received 15 kilos of rice, a primary need and varied comestible goods. As circulation was prohibited, the only means to bring help to the rest linked to the parishes distant from Bukas Palad was through GRAB (uber) with the help of Parish coordinators who distributed the financial assistance to the families of the beneficiaries.
To date, we continue work from home, our services through the various forms of social media where we are able to connect easily with the youth of today.
Our immense gratitude for your generous support and with fervent hope, we continue our commitment to work for a, better future for the less fortunate.
