CSP: Philippine Red Cross Shelter Project

As part of the National Day of Service celebration, latter-day saints of the Antipolo Philippine Stake spent the whole Saturday  to Philippine Red Cross Shelter Assistance Project in Teresa Rizal. The event aims to provide help and assistance to local people working to build their own houses at no expense on their part. Over 200 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( known as Mormons) volunteered to this historic event. 

APRIL 16, 2011 - It was a bright and sunny Saturday, merely perfect for a summer getaway. But my friends and I have something more important else to do. We just thought its the better way to jump start the Summer Vacation in a very productive way. Weeks earlier, our ward Bishop announced our National Day of Service project, and the first thing that came in our minds, (or maybe just me, hehe), oh well its another day of cutting wild grasses, cleaning a dirty street (which will get soiled again after an hour) or just taking away old electoral posters along highways. But no, this time it sounded quite interesting. Its not because young adults are expected to join the service project so they can join the upcoming Young Single Adults Camp this May, but when our Bishop discussed what we will be having as our community service, it got more inviting. =)


Philippine National Red Cross is a premier humanitarian organization in the country committed to provide quality life-saving services that protect the life and dignity especially of indigent Filipinos in vulnerable situations. Leaders of the Antipolo Philippine Stake have worked with PNRC to provide one day of volunteer activity to help the local people of the shelter site build their own community. 

The site is located in Teresa Rizal, about 2 kilometers from the interior national road, with short-cut to Cogeo lower Antipolo as said by people living there. Obviously, the place is far from landmarks and business establishment. We even had difficulty in our network reception. The people who lives in the site are victims of typhoon Ondoy, Pepeng and Santi, 3 of the most destructive typhoons in 2009. These families are randomly selected from their previous address once a cluster (an area with 10 single detach shelters) is completed. Most the workers in the site, as I've discovered, are being paid Php 150 per day along with the hope of owning a shelter for their families. That is, you dont literally work for your own house, like what Gawad-Kalinga do. You build houses for other families so once your names are chosen you would have your own house previously built by other workers. Its like a post-paid or pre-paid scenario. The job to build a house is tough, not a joke from whatever point.


Here are some of our captured moments:

More than 200 latter-day saints from different parts of Antipolo gathered to receive their designated assignments.

Some folks enjoyed the service under the tree. =)

President Ardon lead the service with more work, less talk.

Before putting up the foundation, one must  break the ground first.

The site's water system.

Digging up the canal.

One of the local residents posed for a photo while observing the service.

Local people did everything to get better tv reception.

That one is posted daily.

A young girl taking a view from their window.

A young child observing the volunteers do their job.

Manong vendor took the chance to sell his ice cream!

Aside from us, there were also military volunteers working in the site.

Missionaries spent the weekend for the National Day of Service.

Elder Quorum working on the wrong side of the wall.

Mas mahirap palang i-correct ang nakatagilid na pundasyon kesa ang itayo ito mula simula.

The event lasted until afternoon. A representative from Philippine Red Cross gave a meaningful message to the rest of the volunteers after the service. The National Day of Service is a social welfare project of the Church's 50th Year Jubilee Celebration this coming April 30 at Araneta Center. Broadcast of the celebration will be available via satellite on selected Stake and District Centers nationwide. Approach a mormon friend if you're interested to see this historic event.

SUMR 011: Intro to Summer 2011

Hello. 

Nakatulog yata ako ng matagal. Bagong taon pa nang huli akong magsulat dito. Pero hindi ko alam kung bakit madalas pinagpapaliban ko ang mga nakagawian kong gawain. Hindi naman ako pala-busyng tao. Ayoko talaga ng ganun, yung ginagawang excuse ang pagiging "busy". Eh halos lahat naman ng tao, busy. Pwedeng busy sa pagtambay. Busy sa pagtext. Busy sa pag-iinternet. Ibig kong sabihin parte na ng tao ang may ginagawa or maraming ginagawa. At hindi yun sapat na dahilan para hindi gawin ang mas importanteng bagay, mga mas importanteng bagay. Totoo. Pero wala yang kinalaman sa buhay ko ngayon. Wala akong pakialam sa mga taong abala. Mas lalong wala akong pakialam sa mga taong abala sa pagpapayaman. I mean, hindi naman yun masama. Pero ironic lang na matapos kang magpayaman, mamatay ka pa rin na walang dala papuntang langit.

Summer na ngayon. Naalala ko noong nakaraang taon, matapos tapusin ang halos 2 taon ko sa Sitel bilang call center agent, ginugol ko ang buong bakasyon para sa practicum, or mas kilala sa tawag na OJT, On the Jeep Training, yun yung nakaupo ka malapit sa driver ng jeep at wala kang ibang ginawa kundi mag-abot ng bayad at sukli. Feeling ko yun ang pinaka-malas na pwesto sa loob ng jeep. Hahaha! (tawang wagas) Natutunan ko yan sa isa kong ka-dorm nang minsang umattend kami sa bithday handaan ng isa din naming dating kaboardmate. Balik tayo, ngayon bakasyon ulit. Matagal mapuno ang mga trycycle sa umaga. Ang awkward magsabi sa konduktor ng estudyante po! Lalo kung hindi ka naman naka-uniform at mukha ka nang employee (in a positive way). At ang pinaka-masaya sa lahat, konti lang ang estudyante sa school, parang araw-araw weekend sa PUP ngayong summer.

Oo. Summer class. 

Yan ang eksena ko ngayon. Tatlong units for Obligations and Contracts at isa pang tatlong units para sa Humanities. Yung oblicon ay singko subject. Hindi naman ako bobo, pero si Prof Jimmy Santos na dati kong prof dun ay binagsak lahat ng bading sa klase niya. Malas, naamoy ako. At swerte ng mga kumopya sa kin sa midterm at finals, dahil sila pa ang nakadale ng tres. Okay na kasi ang tres para sa minor na feeling major. Sinubukan ko pa yung hanapan ng explanation kung bakit nya ko binigyan ng TV5 na final grade, at sa kasamaang palad, wala naman siyang maipakitang calculations or kahit anong record. Tsk tsk tsk. Akala ko after 2 years ng absence ko sa PUP ay wala ng ganong prof na tinagurian pa namang "attorney". Meron pa pala. 

Yung pangalawang subject na dagdag boredom sa aking Summer 2011 ay Humanities. Isang kadorm, si marvin, ang nagsabi sa kin na ang Humanities daw ay all about appreciation of arts! Naknang! Eh artistic pa naman ako. Hahahahahaha! May pagsayaw daw dun ng Itik-itik. Kaya pala minsan sa 6th floor, or madalas, may mga nagpra-practice ng sayaw. Meron pa nga akong nakitang tumalon pa sa armchair. Part siguro ng presentation. Nagmukhang PE department ang sex floor, i mean, sixth floor. Naalala ko nang tanungin ako ni Mam Beths, chair ng department namin, kung ano ang kukunin ko ngayong summer, sabi ko lang, humanity po. Eh wala palang ganung subject.

Ang hirap tuloy magdecide kung paano maging productive ngayong bakasyon. Feeling ko marami akong bakanteng oras. Napaka big deal ng bakanteng oras dahil bihira lang ako magkaroon nun. Pero ayoko din naman mag full-time employee dahil naranasan ko na mag work while studying at sakit yun sa pancreas! Haha!

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PS: Nag OJT ako sa Sinihan Digitales, Inc. Gumagawa ng mga independent films. Hindi sa jeep. =) Happy summer!