ATENEO DE ILOILO. A basic education group from Ateneo de Iloilo, led by their school president Fr Joseph "Jhaw" Haw SJ (second from right), turned over the donation of ADI students to Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, represented by president Fr Roberto C Yap SJ (third from left), for Tabang Marawi. Supplied photo. 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — Students from Ateneo de Iloilo have donated a total of Php500,000 for the supplemental feeding program of the Tabang Marawi, as part of the rehabilitation phase of the operations.

Ateneo de Iloilo's donation was collected in “piso-piso” from students through their Blue Spoon program.

The fund was turned over to Xavier Ateneo on Wednesday, March 7, by an ADI basic education group, led by their school president Fr Joseph "Jhaw" Haw SJ.

"This donation came from our students and it is intended for supplemental feeding. ... We are happy to give this to XU for Tabang Marawi," Haw said. 

Fr Roberto C Yap SJ received the donation on behalf of Xavier University and expressed his gratitude to the students and administrators of Ateneo de Iloilo for their generous support in rebuilding the war-torn city of Marawi.

Xavier Ateneo has committed to be the project manager for establishing a village of at least 60 transitory houses for internally displaced families (bakwits) who will need to wait for their permanent houses to be completed in what was the “battle zone” at the city center.

The university appeals for donations that will fund the “soft” but equally important components of social preparation and holistic community development. These components include home starter kits, supplemental feeding program, livelihood enterprises, and funding for the construction of temporary learning spaces, among others.

XU’s engagement in this housing project is a continuation of its Tabang Marawi operations, which began almost immediately after the Marawi siege that erupted in May 2017 and has been sustained up to today, even after the fighting ceased in October 2017.

Tabang Marawi is Xavier Ateneo’s response to the invitation of Pope Francis “to go to the peripheries.”

“With the bayanihan of so many partners, we hope to have most houses ready for occupancy by 12th June 2018. As in Xavier Ecoville, the village XU built for Sendong survivors, we hope to work on this Marawi project following the principle, ‘we are not just building houses, we are building community,’" Yap said.∎

ATENEO DE ILOILO. A basic education group from Ateneo de Iloilo turned over the donation of ADI students to Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan's Tabang Marawi operations. Supplied photo.