Friends on a mission: Pater Benedictus lends a helping hand

MANILA, Philippines - Helping the less fortunate isn’t an easy task, but it’s both a challenge and a mission for some longtime friends from Bedan schools. Pater Benedictus Movement, Inc. has been in existence for a decade, its members always making it a point that communities they choose to assist feel special.

Most of the members of the non-profit organization started out as Peace Retreat Movement auxiliaries who actively organized retreats for their fellow students. Now, those former auxiliaries from San Beda College Mendiola and San Beda College Alabang contribute their efforts to organizing charity events usually held during the Christmas season.

For several years, Christmas outreach activities were held at a community in Navotas. Most recently, Pater Benedictus conducted an event for the families of leper patients of Tala in Caloocan. It was a successful and well-received endeavor.   

Current president Mark Christian Parladé is thankful for the cooperation and generosity of numerous sponsors. “The beneficiaries were happy to receive gifts from Jollibee, Unilever, Universal Robina Corporation, Big R Supermarket-Robinson’s Galeria, among many other companies,” he said. “Last December’s outreach was spearheaded by Elmer Ugot and his wife Cherry Mae Fernandez-Ugot. That’s how we grew the group — by involving spouses, relatives and friends.”

With help from the group’s members, they also did outreach activities for victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in Pasig and Muntinlupa. “Our education in San Beda has had such a profound effect on us. We know people need help and we can’t close our eyes to that fact,” Parladé said. The group continues to evolve and grow, and is now a registered, legal entity.

Pater Benedictus Movement, Inc. is currently planning and organizing the next outreach activity at Sitio Damayan in Tondo, Manila City, where there are currently more than 2,000 families living off garbage delivered by dump trucks en route to Payatas. The group wishes to give a Noche Buena grocery bags to each of the families and make their children happy with kiddie bags filled with school supplies, toys and many other surprises. The group is encouraging those interested to donate and volunteer to make for a more special Christmas for the residents of Sitio Damayan.

If you want to help, please e-mail pater.benedictus@yahoo.com or call/text Mark Christian Parladé at 0928-6639435 or Tere Ligot at 0920-9019266.