Valentine’s day, an anticipated event every 14th of February, where expressions of love manifest inside the restaurants for dinner dates and chocolates and flowers signify their presence in the celebration, PSU has its own way of celebrating it this year – through an outreach program.
Through the Extension Services Office under the Office of the Vice President for Research, Extension and Innovation (OVP REI), led by VP Dr. Razeale G. Resultay, an outreach program was conducted to benefit Missionaries of Charity in Lucao District, Dagupan City.
Dubbed as “Valentine’s Day Give Love Outreach Program” under the Communiversidad Outreach and Volunteer Program of Pangasinan State university, the PSU team generously extended help to the missionary.
“This voluntary act is very little compared to the sacrifices and compassion of the Missionaries of Charity giving an unconditional support to vulnerable people inside our community. We need to always remember that a small act of generosity has a big impact to the lives of those specially in needs. Hangga’t kaya nating tumulong, gumawa tayo ng paraan para tumulong. The team is so happy that we became an instrument in materializing this activity,” Vice President Resultay said.
The Missionaries of Charity in Dagupan City is an institution that provides shelter whose primary focus is on serving the homeless, orphaned, elderly, sick and marginalized individuals in the community.
The institution currently houses twenty-four (24) aged abandoned elders, seventeen (17) persons with disabilities, seven (7) missionary sisters and sixteen (16) houseparents or helpers.
“As we all know, this is not the first time of PSU doing outreach activities. With the Communiversidad Outreach and Volunteer Program, we aim to take part in helping the community not only through academic excellence but also involvement in the lives of the locals,” Director for Extension Services, Dr. Armando D. Junio, shared.
Gifts such as rice, adult diapers, disinfectants, bottled waters, canned goods and other basic needs have been distributed among beneficiaries.
With the combined monetary amount, donations and efforts voluntarily given by PSUnians from different campuses, the outreach program came into reality.
The said activity is also in time with this year’s February 14 as it denotes two celebrations, Valentine’s day and Ash Wednesday, for majority of Christian faithfuls.
In PSU, the act of volunteerism has been inculcated as part of quality leadership by the top management, led by University President Dr. Elbert M. Galas, and the call to always find an avenue to materialize community involvement is always a paramount step towards innovation.
