"Bigay Puso" is the gift that keeps on giving

The Ateneo de Manila Grade School Social Involvement Office’s (SIO) Bigay Puso Program is offered every school year across all grade levels, with each grade level being partnered with a unique marginalized community outside the Ateneo Grade School (AGS). Bigay Puso aims to respond to God’s invitation for us to share what we have with those in need. It is a venue for the AGS community to build meaningful friendships with others, to share blessings with those in need, and to be like Jesus in word and action.

The community partners of the Grade 4 boys for School Year 2022-2023 are the cancer patients and health care workers from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), through the help of Fr. Lito Ocon SJ, Head Chaplain of PGH Chaplaincy. The Grade 4 boys were able to virtually meet and make friends with the patients from PGH last December 9, 2022, and March 17, 2023, during their first and second virtual interactions, respectively. At least one participant from PGH was present online for each section, with the Grade 4 class advisers helping to facilitate the virtual interaction while their pre-assigned students took on the roles of emcee and prayer leader from each class.

Meanwhile, the Busog Puso Program (BPP) of the Sacred Heart Mission Station (SHMS) in Caloocan headed by Fr. Willy Samson SJ was chosen to be the community partner of our Grade 5 boys. The participants from SHMS were the BPP beneficiaries, namely the adults/nanays and youth volunteers.

The first interaction was held last October 5, 2022, with the SIO team staying with the Grade 5 boys in their classrooms with their class advisers as chosen students from each class facilitated the program. During the second virtual interaction on March 10, 2023, the SIO team went to the library center of SHMS in Caloocan to assist the participants. Ipads were provided to be used by members of the SIO team as additional support for their own gadgets during the virtual interaction. This strategy helped the online interactions to be smoother and more effective.

As for the Grade 6 boys, the children of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) from the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service, Inc. (PJPS) have been partnered with our Grade 6 boys for the past several years. Headed by Fr. Jun-G Bargayo SJ, PJPS’ scholars have been given many opportunities to interact with our Grade 6 boys throughout the school year. The first virtual interaction happened on December 2, 2022, with the Grade 6 boys meeting the children of the PDL right after the Ateneans’ COCA activities. Despite being tired from their jampacked Friday, the AGS boys maintained their energy and enthusiasm when they met their new friends. More recently, on March 3, 2023, the second virtual interaction took place successfully as well. The SIO team went to the PJPS facility in Muntinlupa to be with the scholars and to meet them personally. A great rapport was established and developed between the Ateneo team and PJPS scholars from these two meaningful and enriching interactions.

The “Kuwentuhan” session was the highlight of the virtual interactions. During the session, both the AGS boys and their community partners were able to ask questions about one another’s dreams, interests, goals and whereabouts. It was a unique opportunity for them to share something about themselves and to get to know one another better. Some AGS boys from each section even shared their talents by singing and dancing to entertain their newfound friends. There were also fun games prepared by community partners to make the “kuwentuhan” even livelier.

During the second interaction, the AGS boys had an opportunity to share with the community partners their heartfelt messages and appreciation for the time they gave, the chance to get to know them, and the gift of sharing their lives with the boys. Both the AGS students and their respective partner communities shared messages of hope and inspiration, as well as words of gratitude for the opportunity to be instruments of God who can provide help and be helped in simple ways. 

The respective Class Parent Representatives (CPRs) of Grades 4, 5, and 6 were also invited to join the AGS boys and their respective partner communities during the virtual interactions. The CPRs were asked to give messages to the participants assigned to their respective sections. Here are some of these messages:

“Bilang magulang, masarap sa pakiramdam malaman na ang inyong mga magulang ang inyong inspirasyon para mas maging matatag kung ano mang pagsubok mayroon kayo sa buhay. Inspirasyon din kayo ng mga gentlemen ng Maniago. Maraming maraming salamat sa oras na ibinigay ninyo para makasama kami ngayong umaga. Para sa Maniago, sana itong karanasan ay makatulong sa inyo para maging mas mabuting tao na may hangaring makatulong sa kapwa.” - Mrs. Denise Anne Alferez, CPR from Grade 4–Maniago

“At your current age, all your actions and choices have consequences that can define who you are and can define what you can be in the future. Make the right choices right now. Sometime in the future you may meet again. Grab this golden opportunity that Ateneo is giving you to share what you have, to share what your parents have been giving you all these years. This is also your opportunity to grow your generosity and your grateful hearts. Take the lessons you get from this activity to become a respectable and responsible grownup.”  - Atty. Maria Celestina C. Acal, CPR from Grade 5-Bagobo

“Lagi nating tatandaan na may mga mabubuting tao na pinapadala sa atin upang tulungan tayong maabot ang ating mga pangarap. Tandaan natin na ang ating mga kamay ay ating gamitin upang hawakan ang kamay ng ating kapwa at sabay na maglakad at maglakbay tungo sa ating nais na makamit sa buhay. Tayo ay may maibibigay din na mabuti sa ating kapwa tulong ang mga kamay na ito. Ang pinakasimple at pinakamakapangyarihang pwede nating gamitin sa mga kamay na ito ay pagtabihin ito at magsabi tayo ng isang taimtim na panalangin para sa atin at para sa ating mga kapwa.”   -Atty. Josephine H. De Guia from Grade 6 – Berchmans

Aside from participating in the two virtual interactions, the AGS boys, together with the help of their families, also conducted a Christmas gift-giving last December.  Grade 4 students gave milk for the children and for the adult participants. Aside from this, the Ateneo Grade School also shared donations such as toys, board games and other manipulatives to entertain the young cancer patients. The Grade 5 students gave 100 loot bags- each containing various snacks such as juices and cupcakes- during the Christmas Party of SHMS in Caloocan. The CPRs were also there to help in distributing the gifts. Lastly, the Grade 6 students prepared 100 grocery packs with spaghetti starter packs, canned goods, and biscuits for the PJPS Scholars. The packs were given to the scholars after the Christmas Mass at the Singson Hall with the help of the Grade 6 faculty and CPRs.

The Bigay Puso Program of Grades 4, 5 and 6 is truly the gift that keeps on giving thanks to the collaborative efforts of the SIO Team led by Mrs. Virgie G. Esteves (Assistant Headmaster for Formation), Ms. Ma. Sarah Patricia E. Songco (Grade 4 GLC), Ms. Guadalupe S. Asonza (Grade 5 GLC), Mrs. Maricar Kristin R. Panganiban (Grade 6 GLC), and the Class Parent Representatives. Also invaluable are the Katigbak Educational Media Center, SHMS, PGH and PJPS partner community coordinators, the participants, and the AGS boys who opened their hearts and minds to build friendship with people outside Ateneo’s walls. The boys have all given their best and did a great job sacrificing and saving up their money to share with their respective community partners. The entire Ateneo de Manila Grade School Community is very proud of its boys across all grade levels. They are not just helping their respective partner communities, but giving them hope and inspiration to become better people as well. 

It is our hope that the Bigay Puso interactions made our AGS boys realize Jesus’ invitation for all of us to be good and generous neighbors who are willing to sympathize, and willing to walk with the least, lost and last in society during their life journey. We pray that these activities will help them become more actualized persons-with-and-for-others as St. Ignatius of Loyola teaches them to be.