SJA Batch 90 & 94 bring smiles to Paknaan Lot 6.5 residents

SJA Batch 90 and 94 with the 6.5 residents and parishioners of Santo Nino 

Mike Alvan Pacalda, 6 of the 6.5 Relocation Site, barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City wants to be a policeman. He seemed to be inspired by what he sees on television but he bluntly said, there are a lot of “tokhangonon” in the area where he lived.

6 year old Mike Alvin Pacalda wants to be a cop. Interviewed by Jane Nelia 

          “Tokhang” or Oplan Toktok Hangyo is the Philippine National Police’s strategy in convincing suspected drug personality to return to the folds of the law.

 “Daghan badlongon sa amoa, ganahan nako sila dakpon (there are plenty of troublemakers in our place, I want to arrest them),” were the words of Dodong Mike.

Awaiting the fun..and the treats. 

            Mike and his sister Julie Mae, 8 are both taken cared by their grandmother Leticia Dela Peña. Their parents were separated and the mother had to work in Manila to support them.

           Lola Leonida Prendol, 84 also from the same address on the other hand, also

84 year old Leonida Prendol had consultation. 

tagged along her two grandchildren that Saturday to Santo  Nino Parisg grounds.

“Ganahan ko malipay sila samtang nagpa check-up sab ko (I want them to  enjoy while I have myself checked),” according to Lola Leonida.

                She said she dearly love her grandchildren as these two were the only remembrance of her only son who died just this October.

              

  And then here is  this three year old girl Baby Scarlet, who was checked for asthma that day. She was observed to be smiling and pretty though, according to her grandmother, she has some defects being born out of parents who were minors themselves.

Baby Scarlet 

Scarlet’s mama and papa were yet 16 and 17, went on their separate ways, leaving Scarlet to the Lola.

                But Scarlet was among the almost 200 children from 6.5 relocation site who were given early Christmas treats that Saturday.

            

   These and many more were the stories learned by the Saint Joseph Academy Batches 90 and 94 as they conducted a “Give Back Mission” that day in Paknaan.

Pharmacy section with Warren Judilla 

             Mostly Mandauehanons, the batch choose the residents that need the helped most, identified by Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Charles Louise Jayme, who is also a member of the batch.

               Fr. Charles in his homily during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist before the start of the event said the recipients should be delighted that the batch chose them to

Fr. Charles Louise Jayme 

avail of the treats and services, an early Christmas blessing. 

              "Ang katuyuan sa kalihokan nga gipahigayon ron sa Batch 90 ug 94 sa SJA, mahatagan ta og kahupayan sa gipamati sa panglawas.  Nagpahigayon ta sa misa aron mahimong kompleto ang atong buhaton, aron mahatagan pod og kahupayan ang espirituhanong bahin (The objective of the batch is to give relief to the ills of the body.  We are celebrating the Mass to complete, to give relief to our spiritual needs)," Fr. Charles said. 

              




  More than 60 residents availed of the check up with free medicines and 56 availed of the free dental services.

More than 50 tooth extractions after and still smiling--Dr. Lorraine Manatad, SJA Batch 9094, 

                The batch also sought the assistance of Mandaue City Social Welfare Services (SWS) which lent utensils and gave food ingredients for the feeding.

Mandaue City's Mobile Kitchen

            

          The batch gave out loot bags with candies and school supplies and some prizes and ice creams after the conduct of games.

Machos in Action -- Jose Noel Quimera and Hitliff Ruelo 

Tattoed with a heart --Hitliff Ruelo 

                Anna Rose Espiritu-Solis, elected batch president said, it wasn’t long time ago when she and her batch mates were children too and would greatly enjoy any activity such as this.

With his photographer's eye, Bryan Conejos 

Atty Mae Elaine Bathan a nd Faith Noval

                As students of SJA at that time, Solis said they haven’t got a chance to participate in feeding and medical missions.

“Now that we had grown and are already in our respective professions, we find it proper to partner with agencies and to giveback little that we have to fellow Mandauehanons that are until now on their way to make their lives better,” Solis said.

LR Amabelle Enriquez, Anna Rose Espirity, Nerizza Borbajo Riza Tolato, Jane Nelia and Jhoanne Remedio, Warren Judilla 

                











               The  batch is next year’s sponsor and initiator of the grand alumni homecoming of SJA in January.

The smiles and the giggles are all music to the ears. 

                

              Josephians grow up with a sole mission and vision to be in solidarity with the poor. At the end of the day, the recipients and the batch mates were all smiles, experiencing the fulfillment of being of help the simplest ways.

                      Hail St. Joseph! --(fcc with reports from Jane Nelia, Photos by Bryan Conejos and Anna Marie Suico)