Members of Saint Louis University Boys High Class of 1979 have reached out to the more than 40 officers and members of the Baguio Organization of the Blind as part of their 43rd year reunion in Baguio City.
Outreach chair Richard Ballucanag and class president Gabby Alabanza were on hand to lead the distribution of P40,000 worth of check to the BOB led by its president Ever Basatan.
The class members also donated P1,000 worth of SM gift certificates to each member of the BOB, which is the oldest group for visually-impaired individuals in the city founded in 1972.
The outreach activity was made possible by a portion of the donations from sponsors and players in the golf for-a-cause organized by the class and from the foundation of Class 1979.
Among those who specifically allotted their donations to the BOB are Great Pacific Travel, Aloha Staycations, Pampanga Kitchen of Oahu, Hawaii Heart Associations; and class batch members Erwin Marrero, Edgar Cabanayan, George Campos, and Ballucanag.
“I could not think of any better way to kickstart our reunion than to give back to the community, the City of Baguio, that we grew up in through your organization, the Baguio Organization of the Blind. What we bring today is really but a small token and may only momentarily alleviate the hardships and challenges that your disability brings,” Ballucanag said.
Basatan expressed the group’s appreciation to the SLU Boys High Class of 1979 for sharing their time and resources with its members.
He told reporters the check donated by the class to the BOB is timely considering that their group is raising more for its revolving funds, saying that members can avail of loans.
“While we help our members with minimal loans, we also help our group grow financially,” Basatan said.
Ballucanag, meanwhile, expressed hope that BOB members may continue to trust that even though they cannot see them, they can feel that there are friends like them who care about the members.
“We hope that you are afforded equal job opportunities, equal access to public places, and provided reasonable accommodation for your rehabilitation, self-development, and self-reliance towards full integration into mainstream society,” Ballucanag said. – Harley F. Palangchao
