As an annual Christmas outreach program, the Pagbabahagi 2013 will be launched today, 9th December, by the Arrupe Office of Social Formation (formerly the Social Involvement Coordinating Office [SICO]), through its corps of Arrupe Volunteers, with the theme “Pagbabahagi ng Pasko 2013: Sinag Sa Karimlan.” Traditionally, Pagbabahagi, has become an annual observance in the university that aims to raise donations either in cash or in-kind in order to respond to immediate needs and concerns of different sectors in the wider community in Davao City, especially during Christmastime. As a Christmas offering, this program provides an occasion whereby different sectors of the university community, and even those among the university’s external partner institutions and organizations, express their Christian charity, generosity, solidarity and service to share their blessings, time and resources with identified communities through a Christmas package drive. More specifically, the Pagbabahagi has since become part of the formative platform for the Arrupe Volunteers who are spearheading the planning, facilitating, networking, coordinating as well as the actual program implementation.
For this year’s Pagbabahagi campaign drive, the families affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda which devastated many parts of the Visayas region in November 2013, especially those from Leyte and Eastern Samar who are currently living in Davao City, are the identified recipients of a Christmas Noche Buena package. The program is targeting to distribute over 300 Noche Buena packages to these affected families. The identification of these families, including their profile, will be coursed through in coordination with the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO).
The Arrupe Office, therefore, launches the program today and appeals to the university community for generous assistance. The mechanics for donation are the following: Each Noche Buena package is valued at PhP 500.00 and will be offered to one family. This Noche Buena package can be purchased at NCCC (Uyanguren), one of the program’s corporate partners for this year Pagbabahagi. Donations of PhP 500.00 can be course through the Arrupe Office who will then purchase these Noche Buena packages. For those who prefer to donate in-kind and purchase the Noche Buena package themselves (for the same amount), they may bring their donations to the booth adjacent to the Belen (The Nativity) which is currently set up along the Roxas Gate entrance. All donations, whether in cash or in-kind, will be entered in a logbook to be placed near the Belen, for proper and appropriate documentation. There are Arrupe Volunteers who will be assigned in facilitating the registration of donations at the Belen. Likewise, the Arrupe Volunteers will also do a room-to-room and office-to-office campaign in gathering donations from the different classes (FYDP and NSTP) and university offices that have pledged to give donations for this cause.
The campaign drive will culminate in a special Christmas Program on Sunday, 22nd December 2013 at the Jacinto Campus Annex from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to be attended by the invited families numbering over 300. These families, to be represented by one adult and one child, will be fetched to and from three different locations in Davao City: North (Bunawan-Buhangin), Centro, and South (Calinan-Bangkal). They will be given two (2) stubs: One for the meal and another for the Noche Buena package, and boxes of school supplies to be donated by the EASEC. Lunch will be provided for by Jollibee Corporation, another corporate sponsor for this year’s Pagbabahagi. The Arrupe Volunteers and other partners in this year’s program will facilitate the giving of donations to the families, and provide entertainment during this short Christmas gathering.
This year’s implementation of the Pagbabahagi of the Arrupe Office, through its Arrupe Volunteers, is in partnership with the University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC), the First Year Development Program (FYDP), the National Service Training Program (NSTP), the Engineering and Architecture Student Executive Council (EASEC), the Socio-Civic Clubs of the SAMAHAN, the Campus Club Organizations (CCO), and the General Assembly of Class President (GACP), jointly sponsored by the management of the New City Commercial Corporation (NCCC) and Jollibee.
The Arrupe Office has disseminated communications to different offices in the university for this purpose and is, therefore, looking forward to the community’s active participation. (By M. Isabel S. Actub and Noriel Rogon, Arrupe Office of Social Formation)