By Lana Laurel

In partnership with Bahay Aruga - Freeway House and Juan Luna Elementary School, Far Eastern University (FEU) Alumni Relations Office (ARO) and Alumni Association hosted their annual charity event ‘Christmas Cheers’ for pediatric cancer patients and Grade 2 students at Bahay Aruga and The Huddle, respectively, last November 29. 

In an interview with FEU Advocate, FEU ARO Director Celmer Santos explained that the main goal of the event is for the alumni to make a societal contribution after having successful careers post-graduation. 

“So the idea behind it is that basically to—from the title itself—is to bring joy to the kids, especially the ones from [the] underprivileged sector. So in a way, this [is] one way for our alumni to give back to society,” Santos said. 

The initiative focused on collecting monetary donations and accepted in-kind donations until November 24. 

Aligned with FEU ARO’s goal, parents of the children shared how helpful and festive the event truly was for them and their children. 

In a separate interview, Eba Taloza, a mother of one of the beneficiaries, explained that the event exposed her child to social interaction and helped foster an upbeat demeanor in the long run. 

“Kasi ‘yung [mga] bata ngayon, nagkakaroon siya ng parang exposure, natututo na mag-adjust at makisalamuha, kasi ‘yung anak ko nga, may ugali—mahiyain, sobra—kaya ngayon nakiki-join naman siya, nakikisali kanina (Because kids these days are getting more exposure—they are learning how to adjust and interact with others. My child, for example, used to be really shy but now they try to join in, like earlier they were participating with the others),” Taloza detailed.

Moreover, parent Joanne elaborated her child’s improvement through the social confidence they gain during events like this. 

“Para sa akin, mas gusto ko ‘yung ganito kasi natututo ‘yung anak ko, eh. Marunong na siya makisalamuha sa iba, hindi lang sa isa—sa marami—nakikibagay na siya (For me, I prefer events like this because my child is learning. They now know how to interact with others—not just one person but many—and they are learning how to adapt),” Joanne shared. 

Furthermore, parent Christine expressed that they wish for similar events to recur due to the positive effects it has on their children.

“Nag-enjoy kami. Kasi malaking tulong din sa mga bata... Sana matuloy ito sa FEU (We really enjoyed it. It is a big help for the children. I hope this continues here at FEU),” she conveyed.

FEU ARO’s annual Christmas Cheers, which started in 2015, has been newly incorporated into existing organizational partner projects, in contrast to its previous limited support in rural areas.  

- With reports from Kristine Aimee Millonte

(Photo Courtesy of FEU Alumni Relations Office)