An appeal from the De La Salle Brothers

It is during times of crisis that we see the best in the Filipino. During this pandemic, there is a crying need to support our frontliners doctors, nurses, health care workers who are desperately seeking to provide the best care for coronavirus patients. They are doing this courageous task without adequate protection and undermanned manpower.

I know that there are already several groups providing private assistance and sending financial support. One such group is the De La Salle Brothers. Br. Armin Luistro FSC has sent a message of appeal for donations to augment their efforts.

Another mission is to provide temporary housing for the homeless and daily sustenance. These are the poorest of the poor who literally have no home to shelter in during this quarantine period. They have also been deprived of whatever meagre living for sustenance. Here are three messages Br. Armin has sent to the public asking for whatever assistance each person can give.

Dear Brothers and Lasallians:

As we reorder our lives and adjust to the disruptions caused by COVID Pandemic, we unite with each other in prayer, without forgetting the more urgent needs of those in the frontlines, risking their lives for the common good. We wish to show our support to our Lasallian frontliners and appeal to you for your donation. We will also reach out to other private hospitals to support other Filipino frontliners.

For pledges please email me directly at [email protected]. De La Salle Brothers would be more than willing to make an advance donation and bill you later. For online donations, please deposit to the following:

Account name: De La Salle Brothers, Inc.

Bank name: Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Peso Savings Account Number: 7590-569081

US$Dollar Savings Account Number: 8-29600115-6

Swift Code: RCBCPHMM

Branch: Greenhills Business Center, Unit MA-103 McKinley Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City, Metro Manila

Account Name: De La Salle Brothers, Inc.

Bank Name: Bank of the Philippine Islands

Peso Savings Account: 3103-3749-86

Peso Savings Account: 3103-3749-86

US$Dollar Savings Account: 3104-0289-09

Swifft Code: BOPIPHMM

Branch EDSA Greenhills

Account Name De La Salle Brothers, Inc

Bank Name: Security Bank Corporation

Peso Savings Account: 000001436650

Branch: Greenhills

Bank Address: Greenhills Mansion #37 Annapolis St. San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines

May your generosity assure the most vulnerable among us that God never abandons His people and with him we are all safe and secure. Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Fraternally yours

Br. Armin Luistro FSC

Visitor Lasallian East Asia District

Dear Elfren: While we initially thought of just supporting our Lasallian Frontliners, the project has now expanded to all Filipino Frontliners. Since last week, we have started responding to the urgent needs of the homeless and thus expanded our fundraising for those who are most vulnerable. Because of the community quarantine and travel restrictions, we needed to work in close collaboration with many partners including a recent partnership with the Jesuits through their provincial Fr. Jun Viray SJ to provide basic needs to the homeless and the poorest sectors. Yesterday, we have received a call to open our campuses to other programs that will even more substantially support frontliners as well as decongest hospitals. I am currently in consultation with our school heads and will come up with guidelines on how the campuses of our 16 Lasallian schools can become sanctuaries and safe spaces during the lockdown. Maraming salamat po. Br. Armin FSC

Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord Update

Dear Brothers and Lasallian Partners:

Greetings of peace, health and well-being! The recent news that some of our own Lasallian frontliners have joined the ranks of the fallen should give us every good reason to give of ourselves even more zealously and transcend our fears and anxieties. As we give ourselves space and time to grieve our loss, so we rise with courage and compassion to respond to the emerging needs around us. Inspired with Mary’s ‘Yes’ to the angel’s announcement, we also offer our ‘Fiat!’ Lord, we are your servants; the work is yours.

Many thanks also to the skeletal force of Lasallian volunteers who have been working, mostly online or from home, for your passion and dedication for this cause. As your donations were being received, we already started serving warm, nutritious meals for 24 hours to 35 frontliners in our hospital, purchased and delivered the priority items to supplement the resources for our medical team directly serving PUIs and those with more serious symptoms. We have expanded our support to at least five other private hospitals in the Cavite area and are in contact with the provincial health team to coordinate our efforts province-wide. Our La Salle Postulants and Scholastics from LFC Mandaluyong and HOST Manila have started producing improvised face shields to supply the needs of hospitals in NCR and Cavite. DLSU and DLS-CSB volunteers are our hosts for the homeless and other vulnerable sectors with around 140 guests housed in two separate facilities on campus. Our prayer appeal for Lasallians to be united in prayer daily at 5:00 p.m. has gone global and has been adapted by many Lasallian groups outside of LEAD. As the situation is still very fluid, we need to continue monitoring the emerging needs of those around us, never cease praying for healing and comfort that comes from the Lord, and creatively respond together and by association even while we practice physical distancing. May the good Lord keep us all safe and secure in His embrace. – Fraternally yours, (Sgd.). Br. Armin A. Luistro, FSC

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Email: [email protected]