Five projects comprised this fundraiser: Quarantzine, Sining 19 ‘to, BiyaHERO: Tanghalan para sa Lansangan, Arangkada, and PASSada. Among these, PSHS-CARC Alumni spearheaded two projects.
The first project, BiyaHERO: Tanghalan para sa Lansangan, is an online benefit concert headed by Xhandra Mae Araos and Erik Joshua Mangaoang. It showcased the talents of scholars and alumni of different PSHS campuses. It raised a total of PHP 11,670.
The second project, PASSada, is an online review program headed by Paulina Christine Escano and Gabrielle Charis Tagtag. PSHS Batch 2019 and 2020 alumni volunteers tutored students vying for the nearing CETs for SY 2021-2022. The project involved almost 200 student and teacher volunteers and raised a total of PHP 246,431.
The other projects entailed art commissions (Quarantzine), creative workshops (Sining 19 ‘to), and a mini e-sports gaming tournament (Arangkada). These projects raised PHP 26, 668.10, PHP 23, 565.87, and PHP 21, 446.40 respectively.
As of August 11, 2020, the whole TAHAKin 19 project raised an estimated amount of 490,500 pesos. This was later on donated to the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) Labor Union.
The student-organized event received an exposure boost when several known personalities shared about it on social media. Among these were Kabataan Partylist Representative, Sarah Elago, and GMA news anchor, Atom Araullo. PSHS-EVC 2018 alumna and 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge winner, Hillary Diane Andales, also shared one of the posts about the fundraiser on Twitter. “Please support our jeepney drivers, some of the Filipinos disproportionately affected by the pandemic. If you guys have the means, please consider donating to Pisay Batch ‘19s fundraiser. Any amount counts!” she added.
To the organizers, the event was a success. When asked, Araos said, “What we did was more than just organizing an activity to help our beneficiaries financially. We were able to share the struggles and problems of our jeepney drivers. [Heading] this project is an experience which taught me so much and is an opportunity for me to fulfill my duty to the Filipino people; to give back, to serve.”
About the Authors
Charis and Diane are both graduates of PSHS-CARC, Batch Bagiway 2019. They were part of the editorial staff of the school’s English Publication, The Nexus, now renamed to The Cordilleran Scholar.
At present, Charis is majoring in Physical Sciences at Yale-NUS College in Singapore, where she is also a Research Assistant at the NUS Nanolabs and an Engagement Student Associate at the YALE-NUS Development Office.
Diane on the other hand is taking up her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the University of the Philippines – Diliman Campus. Aside from writing, she also loves singing, baking and vlogging.
