Tzu Chi Philippines

𝟲,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝘇𝘂 𝗖𝗵𝗶’𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

When Christine Joy Reyes and her friends were deciding on which road race to join for the month of July, they chose the Tzu Chi Charity Run for Education. “We run for fitness and to have fun, but when we saw Tzu Chi’s event, we thought, “Why not run for a cause too?’” says Reyes, who ran 5K.

Via Antonio needed little convincing to register. “Running for a cause is automatic for runners like me,” she says. “We have the passion to run for physical activity, and at the same time run for kindness and to support the activities of Tzu Chi Foundation.”

“I’m thankful to be here,” says journalist Jorge Cariño, who ran 5K with his wife Daisy. “I was able to run, and I saw how many of us want to help the scholars of Tzu Chi.” “We all need education,” adds Daisy. “It can’t be taken from us by anybody, so keep studying.”

Six thousand runners had the same idea when they signed up for the fundraiser held on July 21 at the grounds of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. With 1K, 3K, 5K, and 10K categories packed to the gills, participants clearly wanted to run with a sense of purpose.

The run’s proceeds will go to the foundation’s Educational Assistance Program, which has been providing generous scholarships and allowances to disadvantaged youth since 1995. At present, the program supports 1,700 scholars from Davao, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo, Pampanga, Bicol, Zamboanga, and the National Capital Region.

“The Tzu Chi Foundation is very thankful to all the runners who supported this event,” says Tzu Chi Philippines CEO Henry Yuñez, who was moved by the huge turnout—as well as the requests to accommodate more runners when entries sold out just before race day. “For every 50 runners running, one scholar is supported for a whole schoolyear. What we are witnessing today is the overwhelming kindness everyone has in their hearts for the youth of the Philippines. I’m so touched beyond words.”

Runrio president and CEO Rio de la Cruz, was just as amazed at the volume of runners who not only joined but stayed after the race—for pictures, raffle prizes, and to explore and sample the offerings of the wide variety of sponsor booths. “I’m hoping they will join again next year,” says the race organizer. “I think the experience that they got from this race [is unique]. Aside from doing their regular runs, they also helped the foundation. We are grateful that Runrio is part of this amazing event.”

Tzu Chi made quite a mark in its first venture into road races. Aside from turning over all proceeds to charity, the foundation employed a number of Earth-friendly initiatives. T-shirts (for 1K participants) and singlets (for 3K, 5K, and 10K runners) were made of polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, material processed from single-use plastic bottles.

The real game-changer, however, was the collapsible, reusable cup made of wheat straw that was in every runner’s race kit. Runners were encouraged to bring the cups and use them at water stations, thereby eliminating the need for single-use plastic and paper cups.

For the first time, there were no crumpled and crushed cups to clear after the race. “Zero!” exclaims De la Cruz. “I’ve been roving around and I’m very happy because there’s no garbage along the routes. At the same time, our trash is segregated. Of course, it wouldn’t be successful if not for Tzu Chi volunteers. I hope this becomes the standard for runs, that we don’t produce trash. And if we do, because it can’t be avoided, we recycle.”

Ultimately, the run left a lasting impression on everyone for different reasons. For scholars, it meant the continuation of their studies through the support of thousands, many of them strangers who simply wanted to back a worthy cause. For the Tzu Chi Foundation and Runrio, it affirmed the power of an event to inspire change and influence people to adopt healthy habits like exercise, disposing trash, and helping without expectation.

For runners like Christine Joy Reyes, Vita Antonio, and Jorge and Daisy Cariño, Tzu Chi’s Charity Run was an opportunity to come together and help without expectation, much like Tzu Chi volunteers. Says Reyes, “I’m just a small percentage of the effort. But it’s very fulfilling. What matters is all of the people joining forces for a cause.”

REMINDERS, EVERYONE! ❤

See you in a bit at UP Diliman!

RACE VILLAGE: https://maps.app.goo.gl/C7kE6LnP2TVYqHQt8

Get ready for race day! 💧🚻🌤️

Be sure to check-in your bags and have all your race day gear prepared. Please note that there will be no timing chips for the Tzu Chi Charity Run. 🏃🏻‍♂️

Arrive early, stay hydrated, and let's make this race a success for all of our scholars! 👩‍🏫

𝗔 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝘇𝘂 𝗖𝗵𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗼 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲

A vision of a village with comfortable housing, and a holistic community that cares for the environment: The Tzu Chi Palo Great Love Village is a symbol of the love that Tzu Chi Founder Dharma Master Cheng Yen has for the families recovering from the devastation brought by the Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013.

On July 11, Tzu Chi Foundation opened the Palo Great Love Village to 53 families, marking a fresh start to their lives. Since 2013, these families have been living in the prefabricated housing provided by Tzu Chi after the typhoon caused massive destruction, and the loss of homes and livelihood.

This turnover event is the result of Tzu Chi’s dedication and long-term vision for these families. To this day, Tzu Chi continues to walk with Palo, Leyte on the path of recovery from the lasting effects of the typhoon. Now, these 53 families can have a home they can call their own.

Architect Gem Marielle Lim, a Tzu Chi volunteer, prepared the master plan and design of the houses, keeping in mind Master Cheng Yen’s vision of the Palo Great Love community.

“I am very happy because [this is the product of] all the blood, sweat, and tireless nights to make this happen,” she said.

More than a neighborhood, the 1.4-hectare Palo Great Love Village is the perfect definition of a community. Each 50-square-meter home features two to three bedrooms, a toilet and bath, and kitchen. Neighborhoods are well-planned with spaces where families can spend time tending to their gardens. There is also a daycare where children can learn and play together. A livelihood center is located within the village wherein members of the community can create products to provide for themselves and their families. There is also the Great Love Multi-Function Hall where the community can convene for meetings of scholars’ monthly Humanity class.

Master Cheng Yen’s mission of environmental protection is apparent in this community. “We made sure this is also green and sustainable because we installed solar-powered lights, and rainwater harvesting because usually in Palo, it's raining half the day. We used nature to make sure houses are sustainable,” Architect Lim explained.

The turnover, led by Tzu Chi Philippines CEO Henry Yuñez, included the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the unveiling of the markers of the Great Love Multi-Function Hall and the Livelihood Training Center, followed by a touching sign language performance of the song “Isang Pamilya” from the scholars.

Woon Ng, deputy CEO of Tzu Chi Philippines, read the message of Master Cheng Yen at the opening remarks of the turnover event. “It is our hope that the residents of Palo Great Love Village will carry forward the love they have received, to care for each other, protect the environment, and build a community filled with compassion, love, and purity. May this land remain steadfast in all weathers, free from disasters, and forever serene and peaceful,” she said.

Unveiling the livelihood center, Angelo King Foundation Inc. President Teddy Kingsu emphasized the need for livelihood. “Having a house is really just a beginning. The key is livelihood to really raise your living,” he shared.

Another highlight of the event was the turnover of the 53 house keys and special tokens to the recipients. They also received housewarming gifts that will make their move to a new home more comfortable. The housewarming gifts included home items such as blankets, mats, cooking utensils, a gas stove, as well as toiletries and other essentials.

Many esteemed guests attended the turnover of the village to its residents: Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla, Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla, Palo Vice Mayor Jonathan P. Chiquillo, Sangguniang Barangay members of Barangay San Jose, Palo, and representatives of the Angelo King Foundation, Inc. They are part of Tzu Chi Foundation’s successful efforts to build the Tzu Chi Palo Great Love Village.

Governor Petilla, expressed his joy at the construction of the village. “You have a nice house like you're in a private subdivision… But you're actually living here and again, it doesn't cost you anything other than to follow the rules of the organization,” he said.

Mayor Petilla, during her speech, looked back at Tzu Chi’s presence during the difficult times in Palo. “Tzu Chi was here in Palo [a] long time ago, ten years ago. I remember Henry Yuñez and Sally Yuñez, and all of you here, working together for temporary housing… And that was a beautiful showcase of what people can do when people are bound together by love and willingness to help each other,” she recalled.

With gratitude towards everyone who made the recovery from Yolanda possible, Mayor Petilla said: “I thank all of you from the bottom of the heart of Palo. I thank all of those who labored and walked on the mud, and putting up the temporary housing, and now, this beautiful permanent housing.”

One of the people who lived in Tzu Chi’s temporary housing since 2013 is Alice Tupaz. With a lost home and livelihood, Tupaz had newfound hope through Tzu Chi as she worked as a seamstress. With Tzu Chi by her side, she was able to support her family. “I’m very thankful because since the beginning…Tzu Chi has been helping us,” she said.

The journey of recovery was not easy for Tupaz. A family of seven living in Salvacion and displaced by Yolanda, Tupaz and her family moved to Tzu Chi’s temporary housing. However, her family encountered another challenge as her husband lost his livelihood after figuring in an accident. Her husband, who sustained many broken bones, required surgery and implants. Tzu Chi Foundation helped through cash assistance while Tupaz worked as the breadwinner of her family.

Looking back at her journey with Tzu Chi, she recalled the many times that the foundation was by her side. “Tzu Chi Foundation’s help is always from the heart. They never walk away after helping you. Tzu Chi will always be here to help you, guide you, until you reach where you want to be,” Tupaz tearfully shared.

With her work as a seamstress at the Great Love Livelihood Center and leadership in the community, she is to become the Homeowners’ Association president. When asked about her dreams for the Palo Great Love Village, Tupaz said: “My dream for our village is to continue what we started, our unity, and the understanding for each other. That no matter what happens, we are here, we will stand up, and we will help each other for our community.”

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆

For many, surgery is a scary thought: there’s the fear of pain, the anxiety of being put under general anesthesia, and the worry that something may go wrong.

And then there are those like Marilyn Potazo and Norvelyn Rivas, who sought out the free surgical treatments offered at Tzu Chi Philippines’ 265th medical mission held at the Leyte Provincial Hospital in Palo, Leyte, from June 11 to 13. For Potazo and Rivas, surgery proved transformative, restoring confidence in one and bringing relief to another.

A mother of five children, 40-year-old Potazo noticed a small lump developing in her neck when she was pregnant with her eldest. The lump turned out to be goiter, the enlargement of the thyroid gland likely from hormonal changes during pregnancy. Modest earnings from her work in Manila as a house helper and most recently as a nanny to a special needs child prevented her from getting treatment.

As her goiter got bigger, she lost all sense of confidence. Potazo stopped working because she tires easily. “Also, because people are looking at me,” she says. Her second husband, who works in Manila, says his job keeps him from coming home to Leyte. “Maybe he’s turned off by my goiter,” she thinks, sadly. “And now that my kids are growing up, they might be ashamed of me too.”

One of 35 patients who underwent thyroidectomy at Tzu Chi’s medical mission, Potazo considers the procedure a dream come true. “I’ve been waiting for it. I’m sure I’ll feel better and will be able to work again,” she says, tearing up. “For my kids.”

Rivas cried tears of joy too when her young daughter Yeshaa Brianna Puda was carried off to surgery to correct her inguinal hernia, or the protrusion of part of her intestine in her abdominal muscles.

“I was crying because they were going to make my baby better,” says Rivas, 33. “It’s like I won the lotto!”

Though the hernia was diagnosed during a 2022 checkup, the idea of surgery frightened the little girl. Eventually, Rivas prevailed upon her daughter, especially when she began to experience pain.

“Mama, how will I get better?” asked Yeshaa Brianna. “Will they do magic on me?”

Medical mission surgeons performed a herniorrhaphy on her and 50 other patients. “Thank you, because the Lord used you as a way for my daughter to get better,” says Rivas.

If patients are thankful for the chance to finally get quality medical treatment for free, healthcare workers are just as grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the healing and recovery of these patients.

“It’s so overwhelming in a positive way,” says Myleonor Alcoriza, an ICU nurse at the Zamboanga City Medical Center and volunteer of the medical mission. “It feels good to serve patients who underwent thyroidectomy and herniorrhaphy. The smiles on their faces are priceless—especially the children. At first, they were crying when we prepared them for the operation, but afterwards, you can see the happiness in their eyes. This is the best for us, seeing the patients happy and able to go back to their daily activities.”

For fellow Zamboanga City Medical Center ICU nurse Enrico Estoque, his first time volunteering in a medical mission is fulfilling. “It’s very rare that we get to go outside the ICU to work and meet new people,” he says. “It’s also very grounding. No matter how far you’ve come in your career or personal life, you always go back to the core reason of why you took up nursing—to take care of people, regardless of what health status or stage of life they’re in.”

The three-day medical mission served 5,444 patients in Palo. Three hundred volunteers were mobilized in Palo and Tacloban, while 205 volunteers from Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Zamboanga flew in to help. Seventy-six medical staff, including 40 doctors and 18 dentists volunteered their services for free.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝘇𝘂 𝗖𝗵𝗶 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗼

Vast medical knowledge and keen surgical skills play a big role in alleviating a patient’s pain and suffering—but so do compassion and a listening ear.

Dr. Jeffrey Verona knows it from experience, having volunteered in Tzu Chi’s numerous medical missions, from those in Leyte and Davao in 2014 following the wrath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) a year earlier, to the latest effort in Palo, Leyte, from July 11 to 13. According to the internist and infectious disease specialist from Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, patients’ faces brighten up after a simple show of concern from Tzu Chi doctors, nurses, and volunteers.

“They come from different provinces and travel for 2-3 hours. The mere fact that you listen to them, not just give them advice, you can see how they are very appreciative,” he says. “When you ask them, ‘Hi, how are you?’ ‘What is your job?’ ‘How are you getting by?’ they are willing to talk to you. You form even greater connections. It’s more than medical help that makes you reach them.”

At Tzu Chi’s Palo medical mission, held at the Leyte Academic Center, many patients have been through a lot. Thirty-three-year-old Arnel Arabejo caught his wife having an affair, but when he tried to report it to the police, they beat him senselessly—on his nape with a handgun, on his back with an Armalite, on his leg with a baseball bat, and all over his body with brass knuckles.

The beating was so severe, it affected the way he walks, so much so that he needs a wheelchair to get around. “I want to recover and get back to work again. Any job will do for as long as it’s noble,” he says. “It’s hard for a Person with Disability to get a job. You can’t stand properly. I’ve been told that my hands are strong enough to wash dishes and massage, but nobody wants to hire me.”

Arabejo’s two young kids motivate him to get better. “When you love your children, you’ll find a way, even if it’s hard. For my kids, I’ll fight and never give up.”

Arabejo consulted with Dr. Chito Guzman, a licensed medical doctor who spent most of his career practicing Western medicine, until he decided to focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine. For this patient, Dr. Guzman used acupuncture, or the insertion of needles in key points of the body to stimulate its natural healing ability.

The treatment had an instant effect. Arabejo, who struggled to climb up stairs, didn’t have much difficulty on his way down. The next day, he felt a lightness and tingling sensation on his feet and noticed his breathing was better.

“Tzu Chi has always been kind,” says Arabejo who also received free medicines. “Even if we don’t live in Palo anymore, they still help us and ask for nothing in return. I feel so much better and less stressed from all the thoughts that run through my head when I’m at home.”

A year-old wound in 64-year-old Mario Yongzon’s foot was what brought him to Tzu Chi’s medical mission. The wound, which he incurred when he accidentally burned himself on an exhaust pipe, started small but grew and developed a watery discharge. His wife, 63-year-old Fe, cared for the wound at home with creams and ointment prescribed by a local skin clinic.

At work as a security guard, Mario encountered yet another accident: a dog bite on his other foot. Rushed to the hospital, he received tetanus and anti-rabies shots, treatment that made his foot swell to double its size. In his month in confinement, doctors performed a debridement, or the removal of dead and infected tissue from his wound, to hasten healing.

“It has definitely improved,” reports Fe of the dog bite. “But we’re wondering why his first wound hasn’t healed yet.” For that, Mario is in the hospital once a week for an hour-long treatment in a hyperbaric machine, where he breathes pure oxygen to promote wound healing. Then it’s another hour spent in rehab. At home, Fe takes charge of meticulously cleaning his wound day and night.

Though the medicines they needed for his wound weren’t available at the medical mission’s pharmacy, the Yongzons didn’t go home empty-handed. Tzu Chi volunteers managed to procure medicines for the couple. “They do their best to help others,” says Fe. “They help from the heart and do what is right. That’s what we’re so grateful for, the extra effort they provide.”

This ‘help from the heart’ is felt by doctors too. “This medical mission is very special to me, because I made friends,” says Dr. Verona. “The volunteers were very cheerful, and the scholars were helpful. The Tzu Chi Foundation is really motivational. You see how volunteers move, how they help, and how they unite.

“To my fellow doctors, we should never stop helping as Tzu Chi does.”

𝗧𝘇𝘂 𝗖𝗵𝗶 𝘄𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝟯-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗼, 𝗟𝗲𝘆𝘁𝗲

On June 11-13, Tzu Chi Foundation provided free medical care in a medical mission at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo, Leyte. The three-day medical mission helped address different medical concerns through general medicine, pediatrics, dental medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, acupuncture, and ophthalmology (free reading glasses).

300 people dedicated their time and effort, providing care for the patients. 205 Tzu Chi volunteers from Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Zamboanga worked alongside Tacloban-based volunteers who assisted in organizing and managing the medical mission from registration all the way to distributing medicines. 26 Tzu Chi scholars experienced lending their hand in a medical mission for the first time, conquering language barriers between volunteer doctors and patients and assisting in many areas of the mission alongside translators.

32 volunteers assisted as well from Kumon, Leyte Normal University, University of the Philippines Tacloban, and St. Scholastica’s College, Tacloban. For these students, it was an opportunity to serve their fellow community members.

A total of 76 volunteer doctors including 40 doctors as well as 18 dentists, and 38 pharmacists lent their expertise in ensuring the wellbeing of their patients in both the general medicine area at the Leyte Academic Center and the surgery area at the Leyte Provincial Hospital. This was the result of the camaraderie and volunteerism of medical practitioners from Leyte, and Tzu Chi International Medical Association co-founding member Dr. Josefino “Jo” Qua.

Molita Chua, the overall coordinator of the Palo medical mission, had a heart full of gratitude as she thought of every person who helped make this three-day event possible. She thanked the volunteers and medical practitioners from many regions of the Philippines who embodied the spirit of love and compassion by taking time from their busy lives to help people.

But Chua’s greatest gratitude was towards the patients. “Some of them traveled two to three hours by car, jeepney, or walking, just to get here and hopefully be treated by our doctors. It is so touching,” she said.

Donnabel Malate went to the medical mission worried about her young daughter Hannah Joy. Hannah Joy developed bumps on her head that were painful and gave her the occasional fever. After being recommended for further check-up to address her daughter’s cyst, she was given medicine for Hannah Joy’s immune system and occasional fever. “We were able to get free medicine, I feel happy,” she shared.

Dental patient Roland Dolor also felt the joy of getting his tooth extracted, which eased the pain that has been bothering him for some time. He recalls his tooth extraction procedure as calming and relaxing, and was the happiest as he claimed his medicine afterwards. “It’s like I won the lottery,” he shared.

Eugene Tan, the Palo, Leyte coordinator for the medical mission, conducted the ocular inspections and planning in Palo with Tzu Chi Tacloban while the Tzu Chi Manila team was still planning the medical mission in Manila. During the three-day medical mission, he assisted many patients at the registration area and helped alongside overall coordinator Molita Chua.

“It’s truly a privilege for us,” Tan expressed. Looking back at the months-long planning of the medical mission in Leyte, he saw this three-day mission as the culmination of all his hard work. “It’s very tiring, but we are really happy to serve. My own principle is ‘When will we be able to help?’ [and] this is the time when we have the capacity to help,” he continued.

True to Tzu Chi’s vision of empowering people in need so that they too can help others, many of the patients during the medical mission helped in any way they could. Patients brought with them their Tzu Chi coin cans filled with small change to donate.

What makes this gesture even more meaningful is knowing how much in need they are, but they continue to help others for as long as they can. Helping others in need is one of the principles that Noel and Maria Theresa Tiozon continue to follow. Ever since Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck Leyte in 2013, they have made a continuous effort to give back to Tzu Chi by donating the contents of their coin cans regularly, as a symbol of gratitude after receiving help from the foundation during those difficult times.

The three-day medical mission was successfully completed with the coordinated efforts of Tzu Chi Foundation, the local government unit of Palo, Leyte, the Leyte Provincial Hospital, along with many volunteers from various schools and institutions.

When asked about his motivation in helping others, Tan explained: “In my own capacity, I have to exert effort to be able to give back, also for Tzu Chi, because we believe in what they are doing.”