Lao supports stranded students

Lao supports stranded students

Photo by Urich Calumpang

Outstanding Sillimanian Dr. Mariano Lao is one of the early responders to the call for assistance to stranded students on campus. His extra contribution of Php 30,000 aided Silliman University in providing one-month food support each to four (4) students and P500 outright cash assistance to 21 students. The twenty-five (25) students, currently in 4 dormitories, were not able to go back to their hometown due to the lockdown imposed by the local government since March 15, 2020 amidst COVID 19.

It is worth noting that in January of this year, Dr. Mariano Lao established a SOS Fund as a financial support for students in emergency situations such as:  illness of the student (to cover the costs of medicine and hospital laboratory works like x-ray, CBC, etc.; family emergency (such as roundtrip fare in an emergency situation); and, shelter needs (like boarding house payment). This SOS Fund runs through the year.

In response to the University’s call for donations for its displaced outsourced personnel, Dr. Lao also sent an additional PhP30,000.  The amount helped cover the preparation of food packs for the 188 outsourced janitorial, utility, maintenance and cafeteria crew who could not be at work due to the COVID 19 outbreak.