Amidst the COVID 19 pandemic and in the wake of devastating typhoons last 2020, Jesuit Communications (JesCom) and Radyo Katipunan (RK) 87.9 FM’s “Pamaskong Handog” brought much-needed Christmas cheer to nine selected communities, in the form of food packages that enabled hundreds of individuals and families to celebrate their Noche Buena.
The social outreach project, whose success has since spurred JesCom and Radyo Katipunan’s generous donations to several community pantries and parishes, is the main beneficiary of Jesuit Music Ministry’s (JMM) online fundraising concert “Ave Maria: A Choral Festival for Our Lady”, on October 30, Saturday at 8 pm.
“It was our first time to organize such a big endeavor. Our beneficiaries were also thankful beyond belief considering how the pandemic made it difficult for them to source out their needs,” recalls Radyo Katipunan Station Coordinator Justin Pontino of the charitable response to the crises that befell many of our kababayans.
“Most were from the transport sector who only relied on their daily pasada for their family’s sustenance. We also gave to pandemic frontliners, like the staff of Quirino Memorial Medical Center, and the rest were from often-neglected sectors, like orphans, the infirmed, and the elderly.”
Under the leadership of JesCom Executive Director Fr. Emmanuel Alfonso SJ, institutions such as DSWD’s Reception and Study Center for Children, and San Juan’s Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly, were able to enjoy a full Christmas feast- thanks to the collaborative generosity behind Pamaskong Handog.
In many ways, the humble initiative indeed reflects Radyo Katipunan’s core mission as a leading media platform of the Ateneo de Manila University, and as a station truly ‘with and for others’.
“I think we are compelled by our values to continue serving others, in whatever way we can, through whatever means we can achieve it. We as a media organization have the voice to become a conduit of hope, and an avenue to spread the generosity of others through our works,” explains Pontino of RK’s commitment to greater service.
As proceeds from the upcoming “Ave Maria” choral festival aim to support this year’s edition of Pamaskong Handog, Pontino sees only more wonderful things in store for the outreach project, given the timely assistance.
“We were also thankful that despite the difficult year that was, many people still responded to our call for help. This year, we are looking at helping out even more people, as we estimate our number of beneficiaries to double this year,” he shares with excitement.
“We are targeting perhaps around 2000 families to benefit from the project this year, but we are also optimistic that those figures will go up because of the generosity of our friends and partners; most especially with the staging of this fundraising concert for the benefit of this project.”
Visit our official website (jescom.ph) and donate to JesCom-Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM’s ‘Pamaskong Handog’ via https://jescom.ph/product/jescom-radyo-katipunans-pamaskong-handog/
For donation and sponsorship inquiries, please email jcf@affiliate.ateneo.edu or dit2gsablan@gmail.com
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