Youth groups spread kindness amid health crisis

A LITTLE act of kindness, especially in these trying times, would mean a lot.

Proving this are the students, civil workers, and youth from various sectors across Bacolod City who have distributed health kits to the urban poor and marginalized sectors in the locality on Monday.

They also conducted an information education campaign (IEC) about coronavirus disease (Covid-19) benefiting at least 350 individuals.

The health kits contained face masks, oranges, vitamin C, soap and alcohol to help the residents boost their immune system and keep themselves sanitized throughout the outbreak.

Volunteers from the group were stationed at Barangay Alijis, public plaza, Libertad area, and northern part of the city, scouting for low-income families and homeless people to give aid to as well as educate them about the epidemic.

For volunteer Erru Torculas, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science student of the University of the Philippines – Visayas, the street people and homeless are the most vulnerable in times like these.

“We want to give help to them in order to eliminate them from being susceptible to Covid-19,” he said, adding that “we just organized as a barkada and asked our contacts and friends for monetary or in-kind donations.”

The Covid-19 Outreach Project is spearheaded by Jae Malundo, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology student from the University of Saint La Salle-Bacolod.

When asked why she initiated the activity, Malundo said she is worried for the poor “because not all of our politicians is concerned for them, mostly prioritizing people who have money so they can get something in return.”

“The poor and the old are the most endangered, but also the most vulnerable in these times,” she added.

As of March 16, there are already seven persons under investigation (PUIs) in Bacolod City. The local government has placed the city under a general community quarantine.

Scarcity of medical supplies especially alcohol and face masks has been experienced here. (With reports from Girard Mariano Lopez)