In celebration of its 48th year anniversary, the University of the Philippines Library and Information Science Students’ Association (UPLISSA) conducted a half-day outreach at Asociacion de Demas Filipinas (ADF), the country’s oldest orphanage, last August 14, 2010. The event was attended by about 20 UPLISSA members and applicants, ADF staff, and 50 ADF kids from ages 5 to 7. The outreach program is an activity to fulfill the social responsibility of the organization.

For quite some time now, the whole month celebration of the UPLISSA month during August has almost always been an internal activity; activities were only directed towards the welfare of the members. This is why the executive committee decided to propose an outreach which was later agreed upon by the members.

The one day outreach program was filled with games, games, and more games. Party favorite games like trip to Jerusalem, newspaper dance, stop dance, and bring me were featured. The games are practically old games, people have been playing them for years and years  now but still the kids enjoyed them, as one of the members said “walang laos na game sa mga bata”.

There was also a story telling base on the children’s book of Palanca awardee Dr. Luis Gatmaitan (he was one of the main speakers for UPLISSA’s LIS Congress 2010) or more fondly called as Tito Dok, “Naku! Ang Pula ng mga Mata ko”, a story about a little school girl who had a sore eye. It tells about what to do when one is infected by sore eyes and other medical details about it, written in a language that is very much understandable for kids. Poster-size illustrations of the story were used as props and the voice talents of some of the members: Elvina dela Cruz, Madel Argente, Gigi Arinas,Wee Larracas, and Cliff Yague. There was a question and answer portion immediately after the story-telling, prizes were given to each kid who participated.

There were prizes for the winners and even losers of each game. Each kid was also given a gift of party loot bags before the outreach ended. The goal was no kid to be left empty-handed.  There was supposed to be handing out of medical supplies for ADF and school-supplies for each kid but we did not meet the budget for the event. Still, we are thankful for the resources we received no matter how big or small they were.

After the lunch (prepared by the members), song and dance presentations, as well as a recitation of a “Thank You” acrostic, the “amazing-thank-you-clap” and a “goodbye-clap” were performed by the ADF kids as actions to thank the organization. As for us in UPLISSA, we are more than grateful to have done the outreach. Despite the budget constraints, less than a day preparation for the story-telling and members with already academic loaded schedule, we were able to pull this event through. Being able to make the event possible is not really the rewarding thing about the outreach, it is really about having to share what the organization have to these 50 kids. Frankly, we received more than what we gave; the enjoyment that the members had and the bond with the kids were more than enough payment for everything we have toiled for.

This event was made possible by the people who supported us by making ends meet. For all the members who have remitted money from the fund run, Stoi (member) who donated about 40 stuffed toys, Madel (member) for the Sponge-bob stuffed toy, Dzek for the story books, Jam for the school supplies,  Miss Brinerdine (alumna) who extended financial aid, Kuya Jong (friend of UPLISSA) for delivering the lunch, Abi (member) for the school supplies and for lending us the money that the Outreach budget lacked, and for all the members who gave their time to be at the outreach, thank you all!

We hope to see you at next year’s outreach and other UPLISSA activities.