As the spirit of CHRISTMAS crosses the minds and hearts of everyone, of every family and home, the community is filled with happiness, and merry-making spells out the common perception of what CHRISTMAS is all about. But…..What does CHRISTMAS really mean to us?

The SCHOOL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES of ALDERSGATE COLLEGE sought to demonstrate that CHRISTMAS season is not simply merry-making among individuals of any age but a time and opportunity to give/share GOD’S LOVE ….as had been initiated by the birth of the Messiah-JESUS CHRIST who came to be our SAVIOR.

God’s love which fills our lives can be shared to anyone, especially to the less privileged, less-fortunate and needy brethren in the far-flung areas of our province. There are numerous ways to offer our LOVE to others from the simplest to the most lavish way of giving…. and what matters most is the sincerity and truthfulness of giving coupled with compassion and commitment.

Filled with God’s love and dedication to serve as inspired by GOD’s Commandment… “Love one another as God Loves You”…. the students of the School of Medical Sciences (Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Diploma in Midwifery and Health Care Services NC II) joyfully trekked their way up the winding roads of Brgy. Bonifacio to be with the community once again for the joint Thanksgiving and Christmas Program celebration.

Simple programs were simultaneously organized: one was held in Purok Centro- where most residents of the Barangay can easily access for gatherings of any kind; and another was in Sitio Tutong- regarded as the easiest and most accessible for those families far-north of the Barangay.

This time of fellowship and togetherness brought the residents much delight. As a manifestation of their appreciation and gratitude and considering the place where they lived, the residents readily expressed that they felt “loved and cared for” amidst their state in life.

LOVE was expressed by the students not only in words, but through the variety of gifts they have heartily given to the residents and so with the assurance of their commitment to help them achieve a healthy lifestyle despite their economic status. This can be done through the implementation of health services in answer to their health needs and health problems as far as the students’ capacity to be of help and capability to serve can reach.

The day’s activities ended with words of thanksgiving and contentment for such moments sponsored by committed students who are ready and dedicated to serve….and these are the SMS students of ALDERSGATE COLLEGE.

David, in his psalm, exclaimed that God cares for man so much that He made him ruler over His creation.  Hence, just as man was created master of his body, his actions and life so was man created master of his environment.  It is of no wonder that the great German Philosopher Karl Marx could say with authority, “Nature is man’s body.”

The ACGS students and faculty pose at the foot of Bangan Hill as they prepare to ascend to the tree planting site.

With this same view in mind, the Aldersgate College Graduate School students and faculty through the Aldersgate College Graduate School Extension (AC-GraSE) Project carried out a tree-planting activity at Bangan Hill, lower Magsaysay, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on November 6, 2010.

Bangan Hill has been declared a national park, called as the Bangan Hill National Park, on March 29, 1995 through REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7954.   The park is fifty meters wide on both sides along the Bangan Hill Road in the municipality of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, and has an aggregate area of 130,106.43 square meters.

Mr. Daton Jonathan B, Palitayan Jr., AC-GraSE Project Coordinator and Associate Professor of the ACGS, led 36 GS students in planting 150 Mahogany seedlings in the aforementioned site.

Engr. Leonardo Cabauatan, a first year MPA student, coordinated the activity with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office which provided the seedlings that were planted.

Antonio Aggid, a father of three and one of the caretakers of Bangan Hill National Park, accompanied the ACGS faculty and students to the tree planting site.

Mr. Antonio Aggid, at the forefront, escorted the ACGS faculty and students to the tree planting site.

“We cannot live only for ourselves.  A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.”

Herman Melville

Aldersgate College, as a prime institution of learning, does not only train students to become academically and professionally competent  (Academic Excellence) in the fields of Arts and Letters; Natural and Physical Sciences; Business, Management and Economics; Engineering and Technology; Education; and the Health Sciences, but of equal importance is its commitment to living/existing for others (Social Relevance) by impressing norms, values and behaviors that are socially relevant to the human development needs of the majority and the less fortunate and at the same time responsive to the ideals of a democratic society.  In so doing, it does, in essence, reverberate the undying words of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who admonishes the faithful to “(d)o all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.”

To achieve the above goal, the Aldersgate College Graduate School, through its Aldersgate College Graduate School Student Organization (ACGSSO) conceived and set into motion Aldersgate College Graduate School Extension (AC-GraSE) Project as it seeks to work in partnership with the community and individual families to effect positive change to the world.

The Day Care children of barangays Bagahabag and Curifang – AC-GraSE Project's pilot beneficiaries.

I.    BACKGROUND:

Through the years, the Aldersgate College Graduate School ACGS has been working in partnership with the different departments of Aldersgate College in the implementation of its various outreach programs. Among which is its collaboration with the College of Arts Sciences and Education (CASE) in strengthening and expanding the programs and activities of the Sinanama AC Learning Center in Baresbes, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya by doing its share in the accomplishment of the following goals and objectives:

•    Establishing early childhood development as a basic service for children ages 3-6;
•    Improving the quality and efficiency of primary education;
•    Enhancing literacy among pre-school children; and
•    Demonstrating awareness on the role of the parents through the provision of training and seminars on good parenting, livelihood and entrepreneurship projects, and social and spiritual development.

Having the above goals and objectives attained for the folks of the beneficiary barangay and with the CASE continually doing an effective and successful supervision and implementation of the programs and actions of the said learning center, the ACGS Student Organization officers, together with their advisers decided that it is high time for the ACGS to devise its own outreach program and identify other venues for doing community involvement.  Hence, the Aldersgate College Graduate School Extension Project (AC GraSE Project) was conceived.

The conception of the AC GraSE Project was an offshoot of the gift-giving activity of the ACGS students during their Christmas program held on December 20, 2008 at the Aldersgate College EZE Building Rooftop. Instead of having the usual celebration of Christ’s birth with a short program and exchanging of gifts among its members, the ACGSO officers decided to invite indigent children of Solano as special guests to said festivity and share with them the spirit of Christmas. Highlights of said program included gift-giving to the said children and treating them to a hearty meal and fun-filled games. Daton Jonathan B. Palitayan, Jr., then ACGSO Vice President, coordinated the said program with the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) of Solano, headed by Mrs. Lyn F. Lapitan, Social Welfare Officer III.  MSWDO endorsed two daycare centers, that of barangays Bagahabag and Curifang both in Solano, as beneficiaries of the said activity.  The workers in the said daycare centers are Mrs. Angelita R. Tuscano and Mrs. Rosalia G. Aleste respectively.

During the said GS Christmas program, Dr. Junifen F. Gauuan, Aldersgate College President, gave his special yuletide message where he signified the readiness of AC to help the said two daycare centers in effectively educating their children by providing the teachers of said centers materials from AC’s Learning Through Play (LTP) Program –  a parent-child education through play program which is an international project of the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, a center for mental health service for infants, children, youth and their families, based in 1645 Shaeppard Avenue, West, Downsview, Ontario, Canada.  Taking cue from Dr. Gauuan’s speech, ACGSO officers resolved to follow through the AC president’s pledge to the daycare centers of barangays Bagahabag and Curifang by organizing their first outreach project adopting the aforementioned LTP program and the two aforementioned barangays being the project’s first beneficiaries.

Mr. Palitayan floated the above idea to Dr. Elizabeth R. Pascual, Dean of the Graduate School of Education, who advised him to coordinate and further discuss the matter with Mrs. Prescilla Esperanza A. Soriano, Director of the AC Integrated Child Development Center (ICDC) and concurrently AC’s Senior Executive Assistant for Education (SExAE).  Being the ICDC director, Mrs. Soriano was tasked by the AC president to oversee the implementation of LTP in the Philippines.  She was trained as a Master LTP Trainer by Azucena “Suzie” Dulay Kurz, a Filipino Canadian nurse who is the liaison officer to the Philippines for Hincks-Dellcrest Centre and responsible in introducing said program to the country.  When Mr. Palitayan put forward said project to Mrs. Soriano, she readily accepted the proposal and agreed to extend a hand in the realization of ACGSO’s vision of putting up a functional and productive social oriented and community based project.

On January 24, 2009, a meeting was held by the GS faculty, students and OIC Dean to discuss, among others, what LTP is.  Mrs. Soriano presented and discussed the said program and agreed to train trainers among the GS students so as to ensure its successful implementation by the AC GraSe Project project management.

AC-GraSE Project is now at its second year of effectively implementing its programs and activities with Mr. Daton Jonathan B. Palitayan, Jr. as the Project Coordinator.

To date, AC-GraSE Project has completed LTP Basic Orientation Seminar to 14 of the 25 Day Care Centers in the different barangays of Solano.  Furtheremore, LTP Trainers’ Course has been conducted for all Day Care Workers of Solano.

LTP Trainors' Traning for the Day Care workers of Solano held at Brgy. Poblacion North Day Care Center on July 15, 2009.

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