I just found out that Alfred’s sister has been a victim of rape and murder here in my hometown, Los Banos.

Please, join me in praying for her soul, her family and for the quick capture of the killer.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/153775/teen-found-dead-in-laguna-rape-eyed

[Officials have confirmed that she was raped, too.]

jerardeusebio:

The recipient: Alfred Geronda

Alfred is a Grade 4 student at Lopez Elementary School, Los Baños, Laguna. He is 11 years old.

He sells sampaguita leis around UPLB campus to add for his schooling as well as for food. His favourite subject is Math. He spends his free time playing with his friends, selling sampaguitas, and currently, he sings Christmas carols for some change anyone is willing to give him.  His father is a street vendor in Manila while his mother tends to his other 7 siblings at home.

Background: I saw him yesterday at the parking lot of the College of Agriculture (my college dear) after my 10k run. Imagine me all drenched in sweat as he sang Christmas carols to me. It turns out it was his birthday and I asked him how he’d feel if I would give him a bag. He said he wanted to, very much. I told him I’d only give him one if he was really going to use it, especially for school. He gladly nodded and I told him I’m going to give him a blue messenger bag. He excitedly squealed that his favourite color was blue. I knew it was just a perfect match.

I met with him today (21/12/11). I recorded an interview with him before I gave the bag.

The bag: Of all my bags, this is the newest one and also the one bag I seldom use. I was with my mother when I bought this bag at Megamall and we spent a good hour roaming around until I came upon this at Mental.

Thoughts: This is my first bag to let go, and it’s probably one of the easiest because I haven’t built a strong attachment to it since it’s fairly new and it’s my least personal favourite of all. Even though, seeing Alfred carrying my bag which I picked with my mom and which I worked for, seeing something that  I value and something that was a part of my room, my wardrobe, realizing that it would never be in my hands again made me sad. But the sadness is overshadowed by the joy which comes from the realization that I could let go, and I am one bag closer to realizing this project. Good bye, Mental blue bag. I only pray you’d be of good use and help to Alfred.

Special thanks to Nics for accompanying me and taking photos!

Thank You for the courage, inspiration and opportunity to do this! :)

This is The Let Them Go Project.

I’m a bit frustrated because I am behind schedule in finishing this project with only half of the targeted accomplishment as of time posted. So, I am posting this “halfway there”/status update photoset to motivate me for the remaining half. 

Dear friends, this is The Let Them Go Project.

Status as of 1/26/2012: 50%

Even though I haven’t finished with TLTG Project, I am thinking of doing another philanthropic project after this. Would you have any suggestions?

I’m a bit frustrated because I am behind schedule in finishing this project with only half of the targeted accomplishment as of time posted. So, I am posting this “halfway there”/status update photoset to motivate me for the remaining half. 

Dear friends, this is The Let Them Go Project.

Status as of 1/26/2012: 50%

Even though I haven’t finished with TLTG Project, I am thinking of doing another philanthropic project after this. Would you have any suggestions?

Bag #4 of The Let Them Go Project

The recipient: William Mayores

William Mayores, at the tender age of 6, already sells sampaguita leis together with his friend, Mark Vince. He uses the money for school and to help at home. He is currently in Grade 1 at Lopez Elementary School, Los Baños. He idolizes Robin Padilla and is a fan of action films. He is also a loyal follower of GMA 7’s Amaya. He dreams of becoming a doctor someday.

The bag: This is one of the very few bags I really aspired to have. Like I always do whenever I enter a Giordano store, I browsed at all the messenger bags and then I just fell in love with this one. I didn’t have enough money when I first saw it and I usually don’t tell my parents that I’m going to buy a bag because they won’t allow me anymore—they weren’t oblivious to my collection. I went home sad, but determined. I decided to save money. I did all I could to save enough and after two weeks, when we returned to the mall, I bought the bag. I walked to the car, smiling like a crazy person. Elated.

Thoughts: Even though this is one of my more expensive bags, I realize now that it’s not because of its monetary value which makes me sad, it’s more of the feeling that I have, the idea of me having that bag as something that would define me, my taste and my personality. It somehow is a part of my being. Something that I would not be shy letting others see and speculate. That is painful to let go.

I almost cried in front of my officemates on the way to the car, after I took a last glance at the two bags I managed to let go today. But I told Jaja that this sadness is exactly what I needed. I needed to feel how attached I am to these material possessions. I am not torturing myself because this is essentially a part of the process of healing me of my attachment. Knowing that underprivileged kids are going to be blessed by this project makes the pain fade away…

Good bye, gray Giordano bag! Thank you! I enjoyed you and I will miss you! =,)

Special thanks to Jaja, Nics and Tin for taking our pictures!

Click here to know more about the The Let Them Go Project.

Bag #3 of The Let Them Go Project

The recipient: Mark Vince Garbanzos

Mark Vince is also a sampaguita vendor. He is 10 years of age and the eldest of 4 children. My officemates and I saw this afternoon (1/10/12) him together with his friend selling sampaguitas at the front of the Math Building. He is studying, currently in Grade 3 at Lopez Elementary School, Los Baños. His favourite subject is Filipino and he aspires to be an engineer when he grows up. He says both of his parents are jobless and he uses what he earns for school. The bag I gave him will be used to carry his school stuff.

Background: I’ve never seen Mark Vince before. What attracted me to him was his shyness. He didn’t really force people to buy leis from him unlike the others.

We couldn’t decide which boy would get which bag (I brought two bags with me). So we decided to flip a coin, and whoever wins gets to pick a bag first. I hate to do it, but of course I couldn’t please everyone and I don’t have two bags of the same design, so we flipped. Mark Vince got to pick this white bag!

The bag: This is my only white bag. Of all the bags I have owned this was the most frequently washed. I use soap for delicates in washing it to prevent snagging or fading of the colored parts. During the time that it was really new, I took extra care of it because it easily gets stains. Now, I am letting all of that go, too. Mark Vince is in charge of that already.

Thoughts: It helps that I interview the people I am going to give the bag to. It helps me feel comforted that he/she really does need the bag more than I do. It also gives me a sense of peace. Peace from the knowledge that the bags are going to real people, with real lives that I somehow, even in the slightest, have managed to touch.

Good bye, white Converse bag! Thank you! I enjoyed you and I will miss you! =,)

Special thanks to Jaja, Nics and Tin for taking our pictures!

Click here to know more about the The Let Them Go Project.

Bag #2 of The Let Them Go Project

The recipient: Nora Masajo

Ate Nora is one of our janitresses at where I work. She has been working here as a janitress for 11 years. She was born in Mindanao, but she met her husband while on vacation in Batangas where she currently resides. She is 43 years old and has 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls. When she is not sweeping floors, dusting shelves and cleaning bathrooms at our office, she is a full-time mother—cooking and washing clothes and tending to her children and 2 grandchildren. During my interview with her, I asked her what she regarded as her greatest accomplishment in life to which she quickly answered, “Na napalaki ko ang mga anak ko ng maayos, masunurin, magalang, at may takot sa Diyos.” (“That I was able to raise my children well; they’re obedient, respectful and they have Holy Fear of God.”)

Background: I met her during my first day at work a year and 4 months ago. She, aside from my boss, was the first person to befriend me their. She was the one who initiated small talks and gave me unending compliments of just about anything like the shirt I was wearing or my cologne.

There are two things about her which I could never forget: 1) It was early in the morning and I just entered the Seed Lab when she handed me a sachet of Energen Cereal Drink. I was so moved by that simple act because even though she earned a little, that didn’t prevent her from doing something nice like sharing. I felt ashamed at that moment because I didn’t have anything to offer her in return. 2) She never ever fails to invite me to have a cup of coffee (although she knows that I don’t drink coffee); it’s just her being polite.

I allowed her to choose one out of the 4 bags that I brought to the office today (12/27/12). She picked this one and I interviewed her briefly. She says she will use the bag going to and fro work.

The bag: I wasn’t really planning to give this bag away since this is one of my favorites. It’s the most practical to use; no fussy locks and it’s very earthy which I really like. It also has a nice strap which doesn’t easily slide down my shoulders. Earlier this week, I looked at my closet and saw the bags which I decided to hold on to and it seemed wrong that they were still relatively many and they seemed to be all of my favorites. That’s when I decided to include this one as well.

Thoughts: I have this little sharp pain in my heart right now knowing that it’s no longer in my possession. Oh my, it’s no longer mine! But I know I will be alright. Yes.

One fond memory with that bag was when it was new, I brought it with me when I had a trip to the Asian Development Bank, after that I picked up my reserved copies of Mariah’s Memoirs of an imperfect Angel album at Megamall and this bag carried it all the way to my province.

Good bye, green Giordano bag! Thank you! Nobody deserves you more than Ate Nora. I enjoyed you and I will miss you! =,)

Special thanks to Rozhel for taking our pictures!

Click here to know more about the The Let Them Go Project.

The recipient: Alfred Geronda

Alfred is a Grade 4 student at Lopez Elementary School, Los Baños, Laguna. He is 11 years old.

He sells sampaguita leis around UPLB campus to add for his schooling as well as for food. His favourite subject is Math. He spends his free time playing with his friends, selling sampaguitas, and currently, he sings Christmas carols for some change anyone is willing to give him.  His father is a street vendor in Manila while his mother tends to his other 7 siblings at home.

Background: I saw him yesterday at the parking lot of the College of Agriculture (my college dear) after my 10k run. Imagine me all drenched in sweat as he sang Christmas carols to me. It turns out it was his birthday and I asked him how he’d feel if I would give him a bag. He said he wanted to, very much. I told him I’d only give him one if he was really going to use it, especially for school. He gladly nodded and I told him I’m going to give him a blue messenger bag. He excitedly squealed that his favourite color was blue. I knew it was just a perfect match.

I met with him today (21/12/11). I recorded an interview with him before I gave the bag.

The bag: Of all my bags, this is the newest one and also the one bag I seldom use. I was with my mother when I bought this bag at Megamall and we spent a good hour roaming around until I came upon this at Mental.

Thoughts: This is my first bag to let go, and it’s probably one of the easiest because I haven’t built a strong attachment to it since it’s fairly new and it’s my least personal favourite of all. Even though, seeing Alfred carrying my bag which I picked with my mom and which I worked for, seeing something that  I value and something that was a part of my room, my wardrobe, realizing that it would never be in my hands again made me sad. But the sadness is overshadowed by the joy which comes from the realization that I could let go, and I am one bag closer to realizing this project. Good bye, Mental blue bag. I only pray you’d be of good use and help to Alfred.

Special thanks to Nics for accompanying me and taking photos!

Thank You for the courage, inspiration and opportunity to do this! :)

This is The Let Them Go Project.