For quite some time, I have been making amends on my weekend schedule to do some spring cleaning at home. While there's no such thing as spring season in the country where I am, the primary reason why I finally decided doing so was to give way to a number of things from removing the clutter to allocating space for new things.
While I was able to easily discard the usual stuff, I realized that the next thing that occupied much space in my room were my old books. Sure I want to be able to stock my shelf with new titles for my eyes and my brain to devour into but the question as to where to send the old ones was a concern. I dismissed my mom's suggestion of sending them to a junk shop because while they might be old (some of them had been with me for 20 years!), those books could still be read and used as reference materials -- and junk shops that tear off the pages to dissolve them aren't just a good idea.
The existence of municipal public libraries proved to be a blessing as they gladly took in a box filled with my old books back last year. But there are still quite a lot left with me at home. I tried searching for foundations that might benefit my prized possessions. And while I was able to find quite a number of them, most are located far from where I live which would make transporting the books an issue (aside from the fact that I work on weekdays and no one is available to drive for me on weekends).
I was ready to give up and give in to mom's recommendation when I found this sign during one of my lunch hour trips to Eastwood Mall:
I've been supporting a number of advocacies as an employee volunteer of the company where I've been with and seeing this sign stationed in Cibo in Eastwood led me to a light bulb moment. The restaurant is a sharing center of Books for the Better. They work together with Books for a Cause, a non-profit organization that aims to provide precious knowledge to every Filipino and increase literacy through continuous learning. This led me to immediately consider this advocacy as one of those that I can personally support.
Right there and then I just knew this will be an ideal place for my old books and I did not waste time to approach one of their staff who was accommodating to answer my query. I was hesitant at first that my books might just be declined but the move of asking was not a futile attempt. I was told that they accept books regardless of type or genre.
As of this writing, I've sent quite a number of books to their branch thrice. And in those three instances, my book donations were cheerfully received. I told their staff that I would return with more books as I still have some left at home. I'm happy that despite being tagged as old, my prized possessions can still go a long way and ignite a love for reading to someone else within the country. Those books might be vintage and old but the way people will benefit from it will be as precious as gold.
She's somebody's mother, boys, you know,
For all she's aged and poor and slow,
And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand.
-Mary Dow Brine, Somebody's Mother-
I first learned about Kanlungan ni Maria from reading Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio's blog, Wanders & Wonders. Since joining Microsourcing's iVolunteer team last year, it has been one of my secret wishes to volunteer in an orphanage or in a home for the elderly. So when our CSR team had announced that this year's recipient of the fund-raising activity was this humble home, it was something I could not miss for the word.
Last Sunday's trip to the hills of Antipolo was also nostalgic. I spent a good four and a half years of my life fulfilling one of my dreams as a write for one of the offices located in this area -- it was also where I first got acquainted with the value of corporate social responsibility. So despite nursing a cold, I still pushed through and participated with the weekend activity.
Our group was composed of employees from branches in Eastwood, MDC 100 and Two E-Com Mall of Asia. Besides the turnover of donations, part of the activity that morning was spending time with the lolos and lolas of the nursing home.
Kanlungan ni Maria is a nursing home run by Fr. Darry Dioquino and currently, there are 22 lolos and lolas in their care. Each of them have different stories to tell. Most of them have lost touch with their families or they no longer have family members or relatives who can look after them.
On the left photo is Nanay Bing, During our visit, she sat next to Yaya Cita, who was the first resident of the nursing home. Nanay Bing served as the "interpreter" between me and Yaya Cita, who since suffering a stroke last year, had difficulty in speaking. I tried to ask Nanay Bing why Yaya Cita preferred to be called that way rather than "lola" or "nanay". She told me that it was because Yaya Cita did not have any child of her own thus the absence of grandkids.
The lady with me in the middle photo is Nanay Remy. She's in her 70's and is a widow. Her husband died just a week or two after being diagnosed with cancer. I had spent quite an amount of time having conversations with her talking about realities of life which included marriage. Just like my parents, Nanay Remy was married to her husband for 30 years before he passed away. And for someone like me who is considering the idea of settling down in a few years, her advice proved me that the words of wisdom from the elderly are still the best reference to some of life's questions ( and that's despite the emergence of things you can just read on the web).
Nanay Puti. That was what's written on her name tag and it made us all curious. When I asked her about it, she just pointed to her white hair making me nod and smile. In the middle of our conversation, her carer approached us and said that she just turned 90 years old the day before our visit. She reminded me of my paternal grandmother who is living with us as she is now 93 years old. Her family was killed during the Japanese occupation making her the only survivor. She is also a widow, and did not have a child of her own. They adopted two kids (a boy and a girl) but sadly, both abandoned her.
Before we left, we mentioned our plan to return to visit them (even as a group or on our own) to which they said we are most welcome. Nanay Puti said that the shelter welcomes visitors and volunteers daily from 10 am to 4 pm. and help in any form is greatly appreciated. We were only visiting them for just a few hours, but it was time well spent. What earned my admiration was that despite of their experiences and circumstance, the lolos and lolas still remained and chose to live a happy disposition.
Kanlungan ni Maria
#17 Lanzones Road Nayong Silangan
Antipolo City 1870
Seeing Typhoon Yolanda's aftermath in the news has been heartbreaking that it made everyone concerned and alarmed. I myself went through a restless period. I can't even watch TV anymore because seeing the kind of mess the tragedy left behind both to property and how it claimed the lives of people is devastating. It did not make me think twice about trying to do something meaningful because despite of not being affected physically, what I had seen affected me emotionally.
When both DSWD and President Aquino himself sent out an announcement calling for volunteers, I seriously wanted to go, if not for the hassle of having to get a schedule. However, when the said government agency opened satellite offices that accept walk-in volunteers, I was able to sigh relief. It was a good thing too that my best friend Apple planned of joining the endeavor. After some liaising (side by side my hectic schedule at work) with POC's we decided to come in as walk-in volunteers at the satellite office in Ateneo de Manila University.
I can't say I am a newbie nor a veteran with volunteering. I've joined outreach activities in the office including the relief operations for Typhoon Maring victims months ago. In a way there are some "firsts" to the two of us. This is Apple's first time to be a volunteer, and this is the first time I would be joining a "national" relief mission. For my part. besides wanting to help, I decided doing this to respond to an important call. I've tried to volunteer for a couple of times and I don't mind doing it again. While I looked forward to it, I had some apprehensions too. I have not placed myself to a graveyard shift since I left my job at the advertising firm three years ago. But then this was for a good cause so I decided to go for it.
This endeavor proved to be worth it,because even if I went on volunteering the graveyard shift, I never felt tired nor sleepy the whole time I was packing the relief goods. Maybe because the Ateneo crowd are one cheery community. I also had a chance to mingle with different individuals. What made it a happy one was at the end of the shift, while DSWD was just expecting 80,000 bags from the Ateneo warehouse, we were able to pack 82,000 relief bags that could sustain a family for a week.
Yesterday afternoon, my college classmate Joy (whose husband is an Atenean) asked me "how was your lakad last night?" My response was just this short:
It was the best night out ever.
