Ladies of Charity Extends Help to Young, Scholars, Elderly, Poor and Inmates
Last September 27, in celebration of both the anniversary of the Lingap Lolas program as well as the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul, patron saint of the Ladies of Charity, the Ladies of Charity- CTK Chapter held a celebration at the Matthew-Mark Rooms. The Lingap Lolas, consisting of super-elderly from the Libis community who had been adopted by LOC for nearly a decade, prepared a special dance number.
Last October 1, the Ladies of Charity’s livelihood project, Housekeeping, held its graduation ceremony at Matthew-Mark Rooms. The 18 graduates of the three- month program were automatically hired by Clean Zone, an Air B&B company. In attendance at the graduation were Barangay Captain Mariano Agua Jr., QC Social Services Development Department head Jessica Montejo, and TESDA trainor Geraldine Garac. Representing LOC were president Tonette Arrizabal and Livelihood chairperson Teri Floro.
The Ladies of Charity distributed rice at the Libis community last November 18 during the Day of the Poor. 400 families received five kilos of rice each.
It was gift-giving last November 19 at Manila City Jail when the Ladies of Charity – Metro Manila Diocese visited, with Fr. Serafin ‘Pery’ Peralta, spiritual adviser of LOC AIC Phils., presiding over the mass. For each of the 300 senior, disabled, and sick inmates, the LOC ladies gave two kilos of rice, Tide and Perla laundry bar soaps, Safeguard bath soap, assorted groceries, food pack with rice, pork and chicken adobo, hard boiled eggs, banana, and bottled water. In reciprocity, the MCJ warden Senior Inspector Del Natividad gave the Ladies of Charity a Certificate of Appreciation for the gifts given to the inmates. Representing LOC were National President Tessie Fajardo, VP Paulette Songco, Treasurer Melanie Aquino, board members Anita Casas and Elsie Matalote, plus ofQicers and members of different Metro Manila units. The mass by Fr. Peralta was followed by short talks by the Diocesan President Nhel Soriano, Senior Inspector Natividad, and Tessie Fajardo, culminating in the gift giving.
Then last December 12, the Ladies of Charity-CTK and friends brought Christmas cheers to the 100 children of the Libis Elementary School Feeding Program with Christmas loot bags for all 100 kids. With Principal Janice Palaran were LOC ladies Marite Agbayani, Tessie Fajardo, Mila Bangco, Margie San Juan, Teri Floro, and Eileen de Leon.
The LOC-CTK held its Christmas party last December 8, with a ‘Hawaiian tropical’ theme. They invited all the LOC scholars who gamely came in theme clothes. The highlight was the formal thank you note written by the scholars. In their heartfelt letter, the scholars said, ‘Firstly, we want to thank our Lord Jesus Christ for giving us the CTK Ladies of Charity as a blessing in our lives. We cannot imagine how our lives would be without every single one of you here today. You are all truly a gift from God to all of us. We ask Lord Jesus Christ to bless every single one of you and give you all a prosperous life to help more students like us.’ The Lingap Lolas did a reprise of their September 27 performance.
