Even before Ateneo de Manila University officially launched its own relief drive on Monday for the victims and survivors of Tropical Storm “Sendong,” one of its security guards had already come forward, carrying a small bag containing two tins of canned goods, instant noodles and some rice.
“He said it was the (Christmas) gift he got from his office and that he was giving it to the relief drive,” said Harvey Keh, a program director at the Ateneo School of Government.
Organizers didn’t have to wait long for warm bodies to man the processing area, Keh also noted. Two Ateneo scholars, who come from low-income families, immediately volunteered to help.
“You can see that poverty is not something that paralyzes people. The response has been tremendous,” said Keh, also a convenor of Kaya Natin!, an advocacy group for good governance which partnered with Ateneo for the relief drive.
Keh’s observations seem to validate a 2006 study which showed that Filipinos, Christmastime or not, are indeed a charitable lot.
The study, conducted by Social Weather Stations and the consultancy group Venture for Fund Raising, found that 99 percent of Filipinos donate one way or another to different causes.
The study also reached an interesting conclusion. “The poor give more than the rich. It’s fantastic!” said Venture executive director Marianne Quebral.
“And it’s not because there are more poor people than there are rich people. It’s (based on) absolute figures, in terms of average annual giving,” Quebral explained in an interview on Tuesday.
“Filipinos are really hospitable people. Kahit hirap na hirap na, magbibigay pa rin (Even those living in deep poverty would still give to charity). Nobody is too poor to give,” she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Fresh proof of this remarkable trait may be emerging in the various humanitarian projects now under way for Sendong’s victims. Almost a week since the storm whipped Northern Mindanao and parts of the Visayas, help continues to pour in from all over.
In Iloilo City, 74-year-old Ernesto Lioro came to the local station of Bombo Radio to hand over four plastic bags filled with old clothes on Wednesday, then came back a couple of hours later with two more bags.
“I don’t know anyone in Mindanao. I just want to help the flood victims,” a teary-eyed Lioro told the staff members.
His example was replicated at other collection points in Iloilo, like those set up by local TV and radio stations.
The donors came from all walks of life, some arriving in pedicabs, bikes and tricycles. Others with bulkier donations came in taxis or even hired trucks.
Maximo Fernandez, a resident of Iloilo’s Jaro district, said he decided to cancel a family trip to General Santos City and just use his P16,000 budget to buy canned goods, detergent and candies for the storm victims.
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