The combined efforts of the Jesuits of the Philippine Province and De La Salle Brothers have raised more than 10 million pesos to feed homeless individuals and urban poor families in Metro Manila affected by the community quarantine.
With the funds they have raised, the Jesuits and De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines were able to feed around 500 homeless individuals staying in safe shelters and more than 6,000 urban poor families.
Philippine Jesuits run the Ateneo de Manila University while the De La Salle Brothers manage De La Salle University, fierce rivals in collegiate varsity games. The two top universities overcame their traditional rivalry to raise 10.5 million pesos to support the Bayanihan Musikahan fundraiser.
“The Ateneo alumni, those in business, said they’d like to help. I told them ‘let’s raise money together with our friends – which means also La Salle friends,” said Philippine Jesuit Provincial Fr Primitivo “Jun” Viray SJ.
“I’m very proud of our alumni who can transcend the rivalry and come together. If this were music, we’re not really rivals, we’re counterpoint to each other. When counterpoints come together in harmony, you create music,” Br. Armin Luistro FSC, President of De La Salle University said in the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific report released on April 15, 2020.
Ateneo, La Salle, and the University of the Philippines were quick to act on the needs of frontliners by initiating donation drives for medical supplies for both patients and healthcare workers fighting the COVID19 pandemic.
Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) is giving all students Pass (P) marks and will refund lab and dorm fees while De La Salle University-Manila (DLSU Manila) has announced tuition rebates and extended free counseling as well as pocket wifis to support its academic community.
De La Salle University – Dasmarinas (DLSU-D) Lasallian Pointes N’ Flexes Dance Company (LPNFDC) members and alumni are currently conducting online Zumba classes, workout sessions and dance classes to raise funds for Filipinos facing adversities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to Ateneo Jesuits and De La Salle Brothers for feeding the poor affected by the lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19.
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