SU lauds donors’ efforts to help students, community

Silliman University (SU) acknowledged the help of academic units and donors who partnered with the University in its efforts to ensure the welfare and safety of students and entire community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Contributions made possible the provision of food and financial assistance to stranded students, logistical support to the frontliners, and support initiatives of various units of the community.

The University, through its Civic Welfare Training Service, Office of Community Engagement and Service-Learning (OCESL), Nutrition and Dietetics (ND) Department, and the SUCC Multipurpose Cooperative Inc., distributed face masks to frontliners in Dumaguete City.

To produce face masks, the ND department contracted seamstresses who are able to earn income as they themselves are displaced because of the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). The first set of face masks were distributed to the frontliners of the University and the wider community.

The Chemistry Department of the University also produced ethyl alcohol sanitizers that were distributed to medical frontliners to help in addressing the shortage of disinfectants in the market. The sanitizers were made using the formulation recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).  Nurhielmina Hinaut from the SU Pharmacy Department made the design and protocol on labelling the sanitizers.

“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 the 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”, McCann added.

For their part, the Silliman Alumni Association, Inc. (SAAI) Dumaguete Chapter also donated Php72,000 to help augment the food needs of 40 Silliman University student dormitory residents, stranded in the course of the pandemic. The amount will cover food for the period April 4 – 12, 2020 as well as pay for experienced outsourced personnel to take care of the food preparation.

Dr. McCann said the University received instructions to repurpose the Samuel A. and Aurora S. Malayang and Family Emergency Loan Fund to Support Working Students towards support for stranded students. Thus, students who are left behind in Dumaguete can avail of an interest free emergency loan in the amount of Php2,000 payable for one year. As of April 2, 2020, five (5) students have availed of the loan.

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.

Community outreach has also been conducted together with the “Silliman University’s Continuing Calamity Response Program (CCRP) thru the Office of Student Services (OSS) and in coordination with SU Church distributing food packs to 150 families of Barangay Looc, Dumaguete City and 30 food packs to 30 displaced security guards assigned in the University including two (2) OSS janitors”, the SU president disclosed.

McCann assured that the University would continue its efforts in helping the stranded students, the displaced outsourced workers, the frontliners, and the community as she expressed her gratitude to the donors who continue to support the efforts of Silliman University. In due time, a full list of contributors and donors who support projects and acts of kindness in this period of health crisis will be published.

Negros Oriental has been placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine since Friday, April 3, 2020 and will last until April 18, 2020.