I am very happy that efforts of putting up a livelihood program are well on their way, and are making results in Southern Leyte, as I blog.

More than 500,000 pesos in cash and kind have been donated to the victims in Leyte, and we’re giving them sustainable resource.

I know that what we started during my time was continued during the past 2 years by the Student Council and the Drives Committee. Recently, I have read that the Xavier School has once again actively reacted to the victims of calamities in the Philippines. I am happy to leave that legacy in Xavier.

Now, I can’t express how happy I am to see its fruits until today. I can’t express my gratitude to the Xaverians who continue to believe in public service.

Jann Sy, Features Associate Editor of Stallion, the official publication of Xavier High School wrote something about it.

Change the World:Project bEgay

“How do we change the world? One act of random kindness at a time.” – from the movie Evan Almighty

Too late? It’s never too late to help those in need. Victims are victims, regardless of when they were afflicted and where they are now. In light of this, the Student Council, along with Mr. Boom Enriquez of the HS Filipino department, has taken the initiative to ignite the student body’s sense of social responsibility.

In order to alleviate the suffering caused by typhoon “Egay,” and its predecessors, “Chedeng” and “Dodong,” the Student Council has once again launched “Project Donate To Aid”, commonly known as “Project DoTA.” The project, launched last September 5, is aimed to assuage the already poverty stricken community around us by collecting donations for the benefit of these victims.

This year’s project is entitled “bEgay,” which is word play on bigay, a Filipino word that literally translates into “give,” and typhoon “Egay.” Since the project is focused on giving, the SC decided to take a risk by using DoTA bottles and DoTA pails, instead of the conventional cans. Through DoTA pails, one may donate canned goods, clothes, toiletries and the like, while DoTa bottles are simply for money. These innovative ideas gravitate around the idea, “More than money, the victims of ‘Egay’ need food, clothes, and other concrete materials.”

In addition to these two novel concepts, the Student Council also has a program entitled “DoTA All Stars Shootout.” This program is aimed at those basketball enthusiasts who wish to donate a few pesos to help out and have a good time playing their favorite sport. This “Shootout” will be held at the HS Gym, cost P20 each to play for 30 seconds, and will last throughout this whole week. During these 30 seconds, students will be given the chance to shoot as many baskets as they can. Meanwhile, the shootout finals will be held the following week for the students who shot the most baskets during the previous one.

When asked about the success of the project, SC External Vice President, Martin De Joya, simply said, “I hope that we all give as much as we can, all for the right reasons,” and added, “I can’t really expect a lot from each one, but I just hope that everyone gives even just a small contribution.”

He also hopes that after the two weeks, on September 22, the day the project ends, the Xavier community would have given its all and would have raised more than P10,000 and hundreds of canned goods and other necessities.

What do you say, Xavier community? Can we change the world? Will we be able to accomplish this monumental task? The answer is in your hands. Hopefully, the answer is YES.

Sir Fernando II, or Sir F for short, boasts of his dreaded 12 hr exam in Political Science 199. It was about consolidating everything they did in the semester - about Human Rights. Here are some pictures of the latest exam.

They have a common library, wherein they rented out books earlier. Also, they have a buffet table, where they can eat anytime they want.

Morning…until night time… 12 hours of excruciating exam, thinking, writing, revising, and more thinking and writing.

I really don’t know what to say.

I was greeted with a very shocking text from Chris, an orgmate. Garrick Yao got into a major accident, he’s in the hospital, and that he needs prayers.  I immediately called Chris, and asked what happened…but it’s still all unclear.

I wanted to go, but I had interviews.

I was bothered, everything piled up. Late interviewers, and interviewees. Sigh.

Suddenly Chris arrived, and explained everything

Shit! I hate it when these things happen. I didn’t know what to do. I felt really down. I hate it!

I ask for prayers for Garrick, for his immediate  recovery. I ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on her birthday, to grant Garrick a miracle. 

Harriette with “her” new accessory - the gun!

Last year, in our batch project for UPCSA, Harriette, a grade school student from ICA (Immaculate Conception Academy) playfully grazed the UP campus.

This year, she’s back in the same activity (UPCSA Rummage sale) as a high school student of the same school! Apparently, she’s out for the kill, with her hostage, the pink bear.

Spot the hidden kitty!!!

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Picture from UP CSA Rummage Sale @ Fairview

Post Birthday Get Together Dinner of  Joyce

WANCHAI TOMAS MORATO - 09/01/07

Last Friday was a black shirt day for UP students in protest, condemning fraternity related violence and seeking justice for Cris Anthony Mendez, a fellow student at the National College of Public Administration and Governance. His death was allegedly caused by hazing of one of the fraternities in the University of the Philippines.

  We, at the NCPAG, headed by our Dean Alex Brillantes, Jr., held an indignation rally to show to the whole UP community and to the people of the Philippines that these acts of violence must be put to an end. In the end, justice must prevail.

10:00am, I arrived at my college, and there were a lot of people in black already waiting for the rally to start. A few minutes after, professors along with their students came down from classes to join the protest. Teachers, students, staff, were all there in support. Literally, the whole NCPAG community was represented.

  Student Council representatives, organizations, batchmates, and members of the NCPAG community, gave their own statements about Cris, and how we is as a friend and a student leader.

The dean called on the students and the people who knows anything about what happened to come forward and shed light to the incident.

We started marching from NCPAG to University Avenue to Music, Engineering, Law, Education, Psych, and to our destination Palma Hall, where we would meet with the contingents from the different colleges for a program.

It was really a different experience for me. We were around 200 people chanting, and others most probably shouting their lungs out “End Frat Violence”, “Justice for Chris” and “Sigaw ng NCPAG,” “Katarungan” (”Justice”).

We reached Palma Hall, and the media and different organizations, groups were there waiting for our contingent. Statements condemning these acts and call for justice were delivered by different groups, including the USC, UP Administration, etc.

The feeling was really great. Despite the really tragic incident, we unite as one voice, one family, one college in protest for the inhumane act that was done to Cris.

A friend asked me why I joined. I joined because I believe in the cause. It was not political. I’ll never join a political rally. I believe that I had to be there, and make a stand. We need to project that we are strong, and we stand together in these times of trials and tragedies. All in all, we all wanted justice and for these acts to end.

Dean Alex Brillantes showing to media the picture of Cris

QC Vice-Mayor, NCPAGAA President, promises speedy investigation