Make your golf swing count

What happened at the 5th Tabang Golf Tournament was an overwhelming display of kindness. About a hundred golfers played recently at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club to give their support to the more than 300 grade school and high school students of the Divine Healer Academy in Cabid-an, Sorsogon.

“Tabang means ‘help’ and your golfing today will help our students fulfill their dream to complete their quality education of grade school and high school at the Divine Healer Academy,” said Fr. Gerard Deveza at the awarding ceremonies of the tournament.

Father Gerard built the school in 2003, starting with funds enough for one kindergarten classroom with 25 students. Through the help of generous friends, benefactors and his foundation servants, the school today has grown to accommodate 375 students in a lovely green campus.

The members of the foundation include Nino and Arlene Mabanta, Lucy Lee, Joy Sy, Edwin Tang, Anthony and Tasha Sy, Tessie Reyes, Ding Mercado, Gerry Reonisto, Benny Soliven and yours truly.

Because Father Gerard dreams of sustaining the school for his scholars, he devised a way for his dream to materialize — to ask P50 from each person he meets. “There are millions of people, young and old, here and all over the world, who could each afford to give 50 pesos. If they all donate P50 or collect P50 from all their friends and family, the Divine Healer Academy could go on providing quality education for many generations,” Father Gerard said.

The 5th Tabang Golf Tournament was a big success with golfers making sure their every swing at the greens was counted for the benefit of the students of the Divine Healer Academy. My brother Mark Dayrit, who was the champion in the Class C division of the tournament, said: “It was a nice tournament. Golfers came to support this worthy cause. God brought in such warm, enthusiastic people.”

The Healing Servants Foundation was also honored to have Allure assistant editor Büm Tenorio, Jr., a two-time Catholic Mass Media Awardee, as emcee of the awarding program that afternoon, with Ding Mercado as co-host. Büm also wrote a column article about Father Gerard’s dream for the students to continue their education entitled How far can your P50 go? The article won Büm the Lasallian Scholarum Award for an outstanding column article on youth and education in 2011. 

“With people who open their doors for us, I am confident the good Lord will help us achieve our dreams for our students. I also thank our numerous sponsors and players at the 5th Tabang Golf Tournament. Dios mabalos sa gabos. God bless us all,” Father Gerard said.

(If you wish to donate P50, please call Father Gerard at 0917-5382033. Would love to hear from you at miladayjewels@yahoo.com.)