The ongoing pandemic is the most damaging catastrophe our country and even the world has ever experienced in recent history. It has forced everyone to make drastic changes and to thrive in difficult times. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that more than 290 million people got infected, and more than five million have died because of the virus.
But the crisis has also allowed us to reassess how we do things and how we live our lives. Perhaps the silver lining in all is we are seeing so many people rising to the occasion.
In the FEU Community, we received massive support from our alumni, administrators, faculty, students, and partners for the different projects that we organized to help ease the burden of our kababayans. Together with Volunteerism Services Office, we were able to distribute 18 brand new laptops to help poor but deserving students to continue with their online classes. We also distributed almost a thousand packs of hygiene kits and groceries to the victims of typhoon Maring in Ilocos Sur and Typhoon Odette in the Visayas and in the Mindanao region. And recently, we received a five million peso named scholarship commitment from one of our exemplary alumni to support our scholarship programs.
Our office started several initiatives as well to ensure that we can continue to serve our alumni community in this new setting. Last May 27 & 28, we held our first virtual International Nursing Conference, followed by IABF Alumni Foundation and IE Alumni Association Virtual reunions last September 24 and November 6, respectively. Moreover, The Brave Millennials @ 100 campaign was launched to ensure the availability of funds for our relief efforts and sustainable development projects, including the protection and conservation of tamaraws and the development of livelihood initiatives for our less fortunate kababayans. This fundraising program aims to gather at least two thousand brave millennial alumni who can donate a minimum of One Hundred (100) pesos each month until 2028 or at the time of the university’s centennial celebration.
Our relief operations for the victims of typhoon Odette are still ongoing, and we continue to receive donations, either in-kind or cash.