Colegio San Agustin - Makati launched a campaign for the victims of Habagat last Friendship Day and Man for All Men Day. Donations were collected from the three departments. (Thank you very much!)
We decided to give our collection to the people of Pampanga thru the SOCIAL ACTION OF PAMPANGA under the directorship of Fr. Francis Dizon.
Part 2
CSA was able to adopt three Aeta communities in Pampanga:
Baranggay Inararo
Baranggay Villa Maria
Baranggay Tarik
We thank all Augustinians, parents, alumni, teachers and staff who gave their time, money, effort and love to help our Aeta brothers and sisters in Porac, Pampanga.
This photo blog will tell you the story :)
On our way to Porac, Pampanga :)
Lahar, lahar, lahar everywhere...
Where are we going?... Doon lang po!... Doon lang po sa kabilang bundok! Huwaaaat?????
After travelling for almost 90 minutes we were greeted warmly by the Aeta kids and their parents :)
Augustinians meet and greet the members of the Aeta community - from the elders to the men/women leaders and the children. :)
Chris Larracas and Yvette Cruz with Teacher Patricia :)
The Program/ Turn-Over Ceremony started with a prayer from one of the men in the community, followed by the reading of the Gospel.
Ate Rose served as the emcee of the program. The Grade 7 pupils were all ears to her :)
Welcome greetings from one of the women leaders of the community.
The ladies presented to us their tribal dance :)
The Grade 7 pupils rendered a song number for the children led by Erika.
Our very own Fr. Joseph Villareal, OSA gave a special message to the Aeta community :)
Fr. Joseph Villareal, Fr. Rey Balilo and Mrs. Milagros Contreras are to turn-over the cheques to the representatives of the three baranggays. The seed money will be used by their cooperatives to start all over again after the devastation of the typhoon.
Fr. Rey Balilo, OSA handed the cheque to the representative of Brgy. Inararo.
Mrs. Milagros Contreras handed the cheque to the representative of Brgy. Tarik.
Fr. Joseph Villareal handed the cheque to the representative of Brgy. Villa Maria.
The reading of the Memorandum of Understanding from the coordinator of SACOP, afterwards the men leaders signed together with the witnesses
Words of gratitude from the three men leaders of the cooperatives
From the Kapitana herself...
Closing prayer and final blessing from Fr. Rey Balilo, OSA
After the program the ladies served "nilagang gabi" with shredded coconut and sugar as snacks... while the Augustinians shared to them their packed food and boxes of grapes, oranges and apples. The Grade 7 pupils distributed the candies and other goodies to the children.
By noon the "katutubos" prepared a festive lunch for us - rice cooked inside the bamboo, fish and chicken soup (nilaga/tinola) also cooked inside the bamboo. The food was simple but very tasty and delicious!!!
Thank you so much for that wonderful lunch! Burp! ... Excuse me, hehehe :) (Ayan ang ebidensya, pawis-pawis pa ako sa sarap ng kinain)
Our outreach activity with our katutubo brothers and sisters was truly memorable. Inter-acting with them, listening to them and eating with them can be considered priceless. Definitely I would like to go back to this place and continue whatever CSA already started. Thank you to SACOP under the leadership of Fr. Francis Dizon. Thank you for the opportunity the organization gave to CSA to reach out to our Aeta brothers and sisters.
Until we meet again! :)
From our Father St. Augustine:
- God does not demand much of you. He asks back what he gave you, and from him you take what is enough for you. The superfluity of the rich are the necessities of the poor. When you possess superfluity you possess what belongs to others. (Exposition on Psalm 147, 12).
- Christ who is rich in heaven chose to be hungry in the poor. Yet in your humanity you hesitate to give to your fellow human being. Don't you realize that what you give, you give to Christ, from whom you received whatever you have to give in the first place. (Commentary on Psalm 75,9)
- Whenever you did it for one of the least of mine, you did it for me. Christ has received what you have given; it has been received by the one who gave you the means to give it; it has been received by the one who at the end will give you himself. (Sermon 389,4)
each of us could say:
today I have performed an act of charity
towards others."
Pope Francis 2013
Yan ang sabi ni manang!