The Hope Front | Issue 1 | March 2021 by The Hope Front

THE

HOPE FRONT

THE OFFICIAL MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE HOPE PROJECT ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2021

THP continues #HopeFromHome

In This Issue: P. 02 Event Reports

by Tennie Babejes and Rianne Javinal

P. 03 Tales of Hope

Hope is where we are right now. Banal as it may sound—even

P. 06 Hope in Action

during the darkest of times, a glimmer of hope can go a long way. It lights a path of redirection and readjustment in these challenging times. The Hope Project (THP) chooses to continue seeing the silver lining in every hurdle that hinders the organization’s purpose and advocacies.

Continue to page 4.

P. 08 Advertisements P. 10 Upcoming Events P. 12 Hope Art

THE HOPE FRONT

EVENT REPORTS For the past few weeks, the SecGen Department has been in the process of gearing up for their latest project: the THP Website. Already done with the content and currently, in the website development phase on Wix, the team behind the project is preparing to launch the website by early April. Once launched, potential benefactors

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THP Website - SecGen by Jeanelle Tampol and those interested in the organization can visit the website to find out anything and everything about The Hope Project. The platform aims to deliver the advocacies, activities, and the inner-workings of the organization. It will also serve as the main database for past projects from 2018 to 2020, and ongoing and upcoming projects.

This project is a step towards the goal of the organization to strengthen its online presence as we all transition from a face-toface setup to a virtual one. This will begin an exhilarating new journey for the organization as we try to reach more people and bring hope to many.

Second Semester General Assembly - Formations by Jeanelle Tampol As the organization advocates for the kids, the well-being of the members is also a main priority as mentioned by copresident Marion Navarro as she gave her opening remarks which kicked off Finding OHANA. Everyone embraced the summer vibes as they made new friends through breakout rooms, enjoyed performances, found hope buddies, and joined raffles in the virtual event. While in the comfort of their own homes, THPeeps managed to come together as a family to celebrate the start of the summer and the new semester with Finding OHANA: A THPamily GAthering. Held last March 13, Hawaiian outfits were donned by the members of the organization as they participated via Zoom and Facebook Live to be part of one of the most anticipated events from the Formations Department. The supposedly once-per-academic-year event, had a part two this semester to strengthen the bond of THPeeps.

During the said event, the managing board for the 2nd Semester AY 2020-2021 was formally introduced, as they danced to Hawaii-themed music. The Executive Board, on the other hand, discussed the SS timeline for new projects, goals, and expectations. The GA ended with motivational messages penned by the attendees for their fellow THPeeps. Copresident Patty Pangilinan concluded the event with her closing remarks, as she thanked the participants and the committees involved, and reminded everyone that they can find family in THP.

Overall, the virtual event was a triumph as everyone had a great time as it also imbued a sense of camaraderie and belongingness among THPeeps in this time of uncertainty.

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Igniting Hope Whenever, Wherever

TALES OF HOPE A THPEEP SPOTLIGHT

by Jamaica Quinto Through the years, THPeeps have remained true to the organization’s mission - to provide psychosocial support towards children in the hospital setting. However, with the unforeseen events brought by the pandemic, interactions and gatherings were mostly kept limited and the rest of our daily lives have shifted to remote and digital setups. Such transitions correspond to challenges in delivering the yearly-held events, especially the ones that highlight interactions with the kids, such as the hospital visits.

Despite the current odds stacked against our THPeeps, one particularly brave and committed THPeep did not let the situation limit her pursuit of volunteerism and instead, chose to step up her dedication and advocacy. She is none other than Danielle de Guzman, a 4th Year BS Biology student and a member of the managing board under the Hospital Department of the organization. In an interview with Dani, as what her friends called her, she shared that the hospital visits

are the highlight of her THP experience. Despite the jampacked schedule as a Biology senior, she always looks forward to spending the time with the kids. Unfortunately, because of the present situation, Dani and the rest of the THPeeps will not be able to continue the tradition. However, in spite of this, Dani has come up with a way to interact with the kids even if she is in the corners of her home. Under her team's initiative, the organization was able to launch its first-ever online tutoring program, Hope Academy. This event sought to substitute hospital visits with ageappropriate tutoring and learning opportunities. The event was successfully conducted last September until January and whose beneficiaries are the kids from Bahay Aruga and Silungan ng Pag-asa. While it was truly a big achievement as manifested by the positive feedback from the two shelters, Dani admitted that she and her committee had to go through hurdles and obstacles particularly in terms of communication and logistics since they were launching a pilot project during the height of the pandemic. Perseveringly, Dani wanted the event to send a strong message to the kids that their ates and kuyas from THP will always be there to bring hope and a smile to their faces. She also encourages her fellow

THPeeps to embody volunteerism at all times and to keep the passion for the kids burning. When asked for her future plans after the Hope Academy, Dani shares an upcoming event called Welcome Hope which will cater to non-THPeeps, in hopes of also igniting the spirit of volunteerism and passion for kids within them. Indeed, the pandemic has been a season of limitations and hopelessness for most of us. While there is a natural tendency to postpone everything until the pandemic is over, some people choose to carry with them, selfless dedication and compassion wherever they go and whatever the circumstances may be. That being said, THP and the kids are proud to have met one of those people through the life of Ms. Danielle “Ate Dani” de Guzman.

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THP continues #HopeFromHome by Tennie Babejes and Rianne Javinal

From page 1 —

Shifting to the online set-up was never easy. Accepting the abrupt changes was as if being snatched out of the pieces of one’s self that once fit perfectly. Adjustments have to be made in order to overcome these challenges in the new normal. Thankfully, the executive board (EB) was able to systematically plan and map out the organization’s activities, projects, and events for the entire academic year while at the time making the best out of the limited options available to continue serving THP’s purpose for the kids. In line with this, the managing board together with the project heads devised creative ways and innovative means in order to adapt to the ever-changing situations. Most significantly, the THPeeps have shown their support by helping out as much as they can in executing the organization’s plan—thereby, making the unbearable moments more tolerable and fulfilling. Amidst the challenging circumstances, The Hope Project continues to share hope from the comfort of home. With the theme “The Hope Camp”, THP has set off on a camping journey this school year with the conduction of its first-ever virtual general assembly held through Zoom last October 17, 2020 as spearheaded by Khristina Banauag and Shannen So.

It was truly unfortunate that THPeeps have not been able to meet each other personally during the past year. Nevertheless, “The THP Game Night: The Mystical Hope House” held last November 6, headed by Rafael Valenzuela and Denise Zoleta, served as an avenue for THPeeps to bond and unwind, albeit virtually. The annual bedside manner training which aims to train THPeeps with the proper behavior in the hospital setting was conducted with Kythe last September 13 through Zoom. The project was headed by Kristine Nopre and Jeanine Guadia. The creativity of THPeeps and their willingness to serve the kids shone as THP

launched “Hope Academy”, an Elearning initiative headed by Dani de Guzman, Desiree Consunji, Jane Guerrero, and Rowz Fajardo, and “HOPEcast”, a THP podcast, headed by Brian Urbano and Paula Tuazon. “HOPEcast” talked about The Hope Project as an organization with insights from featured THPeeps. It aired from October 18 to December 19, 2020. In the absence of face-to-face interaction with the kids, “Hope Academy”, the organization's first-ever online tutoring program, aimed to support the learning and development of pediatric cancer patients from halfway homes even in the time of adversity. This was held from September to December 2020.

THE HOPE FRONT

PAGE | 05 THPeeps can craft effective publication materials while keeping the organization's vibe. The event was held from October 30-31, 2020.

With the challenge posed by the pandemic, the Finance department launched “cHOPEvid”, headed by Sitty Montañer and Sofia Ingeniero, last October 4, 2020. It was an income-generating project whose goal was to raise funds for the COVID response of our partner institutions, Bahay Aruga and Silungan ng Pag-asa. The “Hope BakeSale'' knocked on everyone’s homes last November 2020 as an avenue to support small local businesses as well as the kids from Bahay Aruga and Silungan ng Pag-asa. The project was headed by Danna Gonsalves & Angela Abrajano. Any time is truly a perfect time to learn as the Secretary-General department has launched “The Hope Side," a newsletter-like publication that aimed to educate and increase the awareness of our audience on topics close to our advocacy. This was led by Frances Cua. Learning never stops for THPeeps too, as the department collaborated with the Formations department to launch “The Hope Series: PubMaking WorksHOPE” headed by Justin de Luna, June Segalle, and Andrea Apostol. It was a 2day interactive webinar on tips, tricks, and tutorials on how

The organization’s drive to inspire #ForTheKids continued as the Advocacy department opened their annual hair donation drive “Hope is in the Hair'' for donors who are willing to share their beautiful locks to be processed as wigs for patients with cancer. The donation was done in two batches: the first one was during August 2020 while the second was done from October 19 November 21, 2020. The project was led by Ayel Dominguez and Cyrene Mundo. The Hope Project also celebrated “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month'' last September 2020, headed by Amy Qamhawe and Jenelle Chavez. With the theme “Through Quarantine and Beyond," a series of publication materials that focused on the experiences that the pediatric cancer patients went through amidst the current pandemic and the six partner institutions of THP was featured.

Ending THP’s unique and fruitful semester was “The Hope Express," an annual year-ender slash Christmas party with the kids. The event was headed by Cielo Porras and Mika Mahusay. It was held through a livestreamed Zoom Party & focused on the highlights of THP’s main project and official donation line —Gift of Hope. This reconnected and brought the THPeeps, sponsors, partners, and the kids closer to each other despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and the absence of hospital visits.

As we continue traversing the second semester for this academic year, there are more inspiring moments to look forward to—myriad of stories to tell, new memories to share with one another, and a whole lot of fulfilling experiences. Strengthening the inner coherence among THPeeps refuels the organization to continue as well as realize that no amount of distance can ever cease the organization’s mission and advocacies. Encountering challenges are inevitable, but what matters most is learning to be hopeful, and to always choose to go back from where it all started — ‘what gives you hope?’.

"No amount of distance can ever cease the organization’s mission and advocacies."

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HOPE IN ACTION AN EB SPOTLIGHT

Behind every successful organization are leaders who make sure that everything goes smoothly. THP is no different as it has a set of leaders who do their best to ensure that each and every plan that is put forward is executed well and delivers the promise of the organization’s mission and vision. To get to know more about the individuals spearheading our mission of hope, we interviewed THP’s copresidents for A.Y. 2020-2021 to learn their insights, experiences, and motivations that push them to keep hope alive even during these uncertain times.

Patty Pangilinan and Marion Navarro have been THPeeps since 2018. Marion had joined the organization as a freshie after learning about the organization’s advocacy, citing that she enjoyed participating in volunteer work even when she was still in high school. Meanwhile, Patty learned about THP from her sister who was a former member of the organization. According to her, she joined THP because she hoped to be of service to the people and to be able to direct her passion to help the organization create a safe, fun, and uplifting environment for the kids in hopes of easing their situation in any way she can.

THP Co-Presidents: Patty and Marion by Tennie Babejes and Cyrene Mundo

To pursue a position in THP’s EB is such a great opportunity, yet comes along with responsibility and commitment. There are certain circumstances and realizations that have ignited the willingness among the copresidents to lead the organization. Reena Reyes and Rafael Lorenzo Valenzuela, the former co-presidents of THP were the first people in the organization who have seen Marion’s potential; thus, they

encouraged her to run in the elections. After winning the position of VP for Hospitals, she was then hesitant to run as a copresident in her next term. However, Patty had convinced Marion to run for the position, after all, both of them have shared experiences of being part of the EB. As Patty stated, THP has given her a sense of purpose, as well as an avenue to learn from the kids’ stories and experiences. Through interactions with the kids, she was able to touch people’s lives. Moreover, it was THP that made her realize the gaps and inadequacies of the nation’s healthcare system; but nonetheless, it was this same organization that made her

grow as a person, and this had sparked Patty’s keenness in leading the organization. The whole THP experience inspires Patty to fulfill her duties as a co-president. To be able to interact with the THPeeps and the sponsors who untiringly uplift and support the organization’s advocacies and mission is such a heartwarming experience. Meeting and working with such dedicated people makes every project and event worthwhile for the kids. As a graduating student, these are some of the things that she will miss the most. Being so passionate and attached to the organization’s advocacy makes her become so emotional because in THP she found a family in UPM. Being with THP for three years now, Marion mentioned that she has had several memorable experiences during her time as a THPeep. One experience that stands to her was when she met Thirdy, a kid from one of THP’s partner institutions, during a hospital visit. She recalls first meeting Thirdy at Child Haus, noting that he was very playful and talkative. Whenever she would meet Thirdy, they would always play together even though he would always forget Marion’s name.

THE HOPE FRONT What made Thirdy memorable to Marion was an incident that happened when she was doing a hospital visiting at Bahay Aruga. That day, Marion had answered an important call while playing with Thirdy and told the person on the phone to text her instead. At that time, THP’s “No Gadget Rule” during hospital visits did not exist yet, so she was texting the other person in the presence of Thirdy. He noticed this and began sulking, thinking that Marion was about to go home. Marion noticed this and reassured him that she was not going home yet and that they were still going to play. Due to this experience, Marion began making a conscious effort not to answer calls or messages whenever she was with kids as she did not want to upset them because she kept in mind the incident with Thirdy.

One of the challenges that everyone faced during the pandemic was the transition to a virtual space and an online setup for pretty much everything. THP’s operations were no different as THPeeps were determined to continue serving and living their advocacy even during the new normal. At the helm of facing this unprecedented circumstance were the two co-presidents. According to Patty, their biggest struggle so far was finding a way to provide psychosocial support and play therapy to the kids

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during the pandemic crisis, mentioning that, “our beneficiaries really need all the help they can get since there are numerous restrictions and limitations that [they] experience right now.” This is why it took them a lot of time to prepare their roster of events and to make sure that they would deliver high-quality and feasible projects. Marion also added that at the start of their term, they thought that the online setup was temporary and that they were excited to hold physical activities during the second semester as they thought that things would be back to normal by then. However, as things remained as they were, they had to quickly change and modify their plans. Other challenges that they faced included problems in logistics or bringing the physical materials to the partner institutions for Hope Academy and budgeting problems for organization operations as THP focused more on donation lines for its partners rather than IGPs. These challenges restricted some of the projects planned for this year, but thankfully, THP’s previous EB set aside funds for this academic year and THP’s partner institution, Crossworld Foundation, helped eased this problem which allowed the organization to execute its many projects.

Despite these obstacles, Marion and Patty have noted that the online setup also had its pros for THP. They mentioned that they were able to save money when conducting big events as these were mostly done via Zoom as THP would spend around Php 100,000 per year to conduct events in the past. With the Zoom set up, they only had to pay for raffle prizes or speaker tokens. The co-presidents also mentioned that they were also extremely thankful for the support and recognition that THP received as the organization’s reach expanded with the use of social media. For example, they were able to receive many donations for events such as Hope is in the Hair and Gift of Hope which helped in providing necessary support for our beneficiaries. They mentioned that the reach of THP this year was beyond their expectations which resulted in having more advocates for the kids and spreading cancer awareness to the public. As current presidents of the organization, both Patty and Marion share the same hopeful wish that THP still continues growing, and at the same time, sustaining its mission and goals for the kids even after ten years from now. THP history will remember these co-presidents who have set as great examples for all the THPeeps as they helped keep us afloat during these uncertain and unprecedented times.

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THE HOPE FRONT

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UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL

by Jamaica Quinto

With the successfully-held events that have kicked off the first month of the semester, the organization welcomes another month with a blast of events to look forward to, namely, Hope is in the Hair, Hope Leads, and Hopeful Realism. Firstly, Hope is in the Hair, which is the THP’s biannual hair donation drive, will launch its blossoming on April 4 and will run until April 24. The event aims to provide wigs for cancer patients for the chosen partner institutions. In the previous semester’s waves 1 and 2, THP worked with Makati Medical Center - Cancer Center (MMC-CC), with the addition of Silungan ng Pag-asa for wave 2. Moreover, the blossoming is set to partner with Kythe Foundation. Traditionally, HIITH is held in the campus site with a partner salon to cut people’s hair for free and to be donated to the partner institutions. As with the majority of THP’s projects, HIITH had also transitioned online with Facebook as the primary platform. Interested donors are provided with primers and sign-up forms by the donor relations team. Afterwards, they prepare their hair, package it as specified, and send it to the identified locations for consolidation. At the end of the project, assigned THPeeps, who are the donation consolidators, sort and count the donations and forward them to the partner institutions. Notably, THP has accumulated over 500 confirmed donations from last semester’s combined waves 1 and 2. Furthermore, for wave 2 and blossoming, THP decided to work directly with a wigmaker in the form of the European Hair Factory via their Hair for Hope project. Next to HIITH is the Hope Series: Hope Leads, a two-day leadership seminar catered to THPeeps, which will be held virtually via Zoom on May 14, 5:006:30 PM and May 15, 4:30-6:00 PM. The event aims to train and equip THPeeps with leadership and project management skills, both of which are vital in the preparation for the future leaders of the organization. Invited speakers will come from the current executive board and will lecture and discuss on the system and dynamics of the organization in hopes of raising up competency and efficiency in the THPeeps’ involvements.

THE HOPE FRONT

Hope is in the Hair Hope Leads Hopeful Realism HOPE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE HAIR. The photo below was taken from the past implementations of Hope is in the Hair.

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How to Donate: Gift of Hope by Cyrene Mundo

The Hope Project UPM (THP) has always been dedicated to seeing that it delivers its mission of providing psychosocial support and charitable aid to ease the situation of pediatric patients with acute and chronic illnesses. This year is no different as this dedication to the realization of its mission has not wavered even in the face of the new normal.

The Gift of Hope (GOH) is the official donation unit of THP to support Bahay Aruga and Silungan ng Pag-asa during the on-going pandemic crisis. Launched originally in 2019, GOH has managed to go over its target of at least Php15,000 per beneficiary per month as it raised a total of Php 97,250 for last semester’s leg of the donation drive which spanned four batches.

Additionally, the event will serve as an enjoyable and interactive learning experience through its inclusion of games, breaks, and mock project management. Last but not the least, THP will also launch an event called Hopeful Realism on April 29 until June 23. The event is an informative publication series about the organization’s advocacy which aims to raise awareness on pediatric cancer in the Philippines by means of disseminating important information, as well as to promote and support various engagements catered for the kids. Publicity materials which are both eye-catching and informative, are set to be released every 2nd and 4th week of the month. These will be posted in all of the active social media platforms of the organization in which THPeeps are highly encouraged to share in order to reach a wider influence to the general public.

For this upcoming wave, GOH will now be an open donation line for both monetary and in-kind donations with no set target amount. All proceeds will be directed to Bahay Aruga and Silungan ng Pag-asa which are halfway homes and temporary shelters for pediatric cancer patients from the provinces who are seeking medication at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Both institutions have been facing difficulty in financing their operations during the pandemic as they are funded solely by time-to-time donations from different institutions and organizations. To help the cause, you may donate by following the 3 quick and easy steps below: 1. Select any of the following e-banking options: a. Paymongo (includes other credit and debit cards, and grab pay) https://donation.ph/thehopeprojectupm b. BDO c. G-cash 2. Fill up this form: bit.ly/THP2021-GiftOfHope 3. You will be sent an email to confirm your donation All donations received through GOH are equally divided among the two partner beneficiaries and are turned over per month via bank transfer, overseen by the VP for Hospitals and the Hospitals Department.

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hope then, what, now by adelina

ope: what does it feel like? maybe a pretty orchid, fresh blankets grand blue skies, the scent of trees–– i could grow fond of this feeling, something physical to hold onto strokes a nostalgic string (i did). it’s the feeling of growing gardens with friends, and shopping for seeds it’s picking fragrant petals for scattering on fields, keep a memento, ‘til it wasn’t, the world halted. aghast, brains plunged into an ice bath. hope: so out of reach, out of my league a yearning for a world uncertain. familiarity transitions to comfort to tiredness to trap to now what?: a question riddled with everything, nothing, and anything all at once. our skies remained frozen, but four walls could never contain a heart; it’s a loved-again hobby, self-made pottery with a flower beautifully sung to, a digital arm reaching out to visceral warmth, candle flesh. hope: an omniscient hug unrestricted, transcending boundaries.

—

HOPE ART A POEM OF HOPE

Volume 1 | Issue No. 1 March 2021

The Hope Front

The Hope Project UPM Zone 72, 670 Padre Faura St, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Metro Manila

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Don de Castro Bianca Illana WRITERS: Head Tennie Babejes Members Cyrene Mundo Rianne Javinal Jeanelle Tampol Jamaica Quinto

CREATIVES: Art Director Monica Luyun Members Elise Velasco Julia Rubinos Jenina Racelis Catrina Beringuela Regina Santos

RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION: Head Brian Urbano Members Marina Guerrero Danielle Balacanao Shaneza Soriano Amelyn dela Pena Lorraine Dela Cruz Dennis Jambalos Jr.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS: Head Jeanine Gaudia Members Jasmin Quanico Laura Katapang Jansyl Tribdino

For partnerships, please send an email at: thehopeprojectupm@gmail.com. For queries, please message our official Facebook page: @TheHopeProjectUPM

The Hope Front | Issue 1 | March 2021

Articles inside

The Hope Front | Issue 1 | March 2021