Shirts for Change

MANILA, Philippines - The Ateneo Student Council president, an international karate medallist from De La Salle, a musician from the University of the Philippines, a basketball bet from Universidad de Santo Tomas, and a radio DJ from San Beda College have one thing in common: they are all wearing shirts for a good cause.

This year, the University of the Philippines Industrial Engineering Club, Ateneo de Manila’s Environmental Science Society, University of Asia & the Pacific’s ER+GO, and Universidad de Santo Tomas’ Junior Pharmacists’ Association Gamma Chapter (JPAGC) joined forces to produce Good Karma Shirts, a youth movement anchored on four shirts of different colors.

Each shirt represents a particular mission towards change in the Philippines. Profits from the purchase of blue shirts go to the social initiatives of youth movement Save Philippine Seas. Profits from the green shirts help reforest the Philippines through the Haribon Foundation. Profits from the white shirts help send indigent children to school through education organization KRIS Library, while profits from the red shirts help pay for the medical expenses of children with cancer and other diseases in the Philippine Children’s Medical Center.

Wearing the Good Karma shirts are inspiring students from various universities in Metro Manil.

Ateneo’s Sanggunian president Gio Alejo calls himself “an agent of change.” He wears white in favor of education, saying, “I’m very lucky to have been able to study well – have a good opportunity to hone my skills and my talents. But, sadly, a lot of people... do not have that same chance.”

Jenica Dizon, president of the Ateneo Environmental Science Society, dons a blue Good Karma shirt in support of Save Philippine Seas, where she also shares her time as creative director. She states, “The Philippines is the center of marine biodiversity in the world. Knowing that we have very rich marine biodiversity and natural resources should already push us to protect it. It’s not just a question of being a tourist destination, or how it’s ‘more fun in the Philippines,’ but it’s also because these natural resources sustain many Filipinos.”

Raissa Waga of the University of Asia & the Pacific chimes in to support the cause of the environment by wearing a green shirt. She is currently vice president of ER+GO, a youth organization dedicated to “educate, engage, and evolve” to make people realize how important the environment is.

Sarah Carlos of San Beda College wears red in support of not just her school but poor children with cancer and other diseases who are unable to pay their medical expenses. She is a student jock of the airwaves at RX 93.1, and she remarks, “Good Karma’s about supporting charities. They’re trying to make the world a better place. That’s what matters: that you’re taking the initiative.”

Along with them come Paulo Pe who plays UAAP basketball for the UST Growling Tigers who dreams of becoming a successful civil engineer, Jules Herrera-Lim from UP who leads the Junior Marketing Association and is aiming to be a social entrepreneur, Anton Tiongson from the UA&P who is a licensed scuba diver out to rebuild our coral reefs, Abbygayle Placido from De La Salle who is a member and leader of various Catholic youth groups, Joseph Miranda also from La Salle who is an international gold medallist for karate, and Tonio Arellano from UP who is a passionate musician and business major.

Good Karma Shirts wants to send the message that if so many college students could go beyond their schools to dream and achieve extraordinary things, then what more could be done if the youth as a collective force acts together?

For more information, visit www.goodkarmashirts.weebly.com or text 0999-5609435.