Volunteers

By Br. Emmanuel C. Hilado FSC

In a valley surrounded by clouds, 700 meters above sea level in Northern Luzon, the chapel of St. John Baptist de la Salle—together with DLSBI’s Social Action Unit and the four Lasallian Volunteers (LSVP) in residence—stands as a testament to our founder’s presence among the indigenous people of the Cordilleras.

Over the past two years, groups from La Salle Green Hills, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, De La Salle Lipa, and De La Salle University have visited this remote village in search of inspiration and opportunities to serve “those in the peripheries,” as well as to learn from the customs and traditions of our ancestors, which continue to be the daily way of life for the people here. Visiting Brgy. Magsilay felt, for me, like stepping into a village forgotten by time.

In February 2025, I had the opportunity to visit this community, courtesy of Mr. Andyo Abusmas, Mr. Racy Martin del Rosario of DLSBI's Social Action Unit, and Sir Ramelle Javier of De La Salle Philippines. The 12.5-hour trip was challenging but well worth it. Our one and a half days there were too short and left me wishing for a longer visit. I was able to snap only a few photos, which I am sharing here for publication. I hope these images provide our readers with a glimpse—a preview and invitation—of what Brgy. Magsilay has to offer, and I encourage them to come and experience it for themselves.

We are pleased to announce the release of the LEAD Directory of Volunteer Opportunities 2025! Read our Volunteer Coordinator Mr. Rain Pulvera's message to mark this publication.

You may view Directory through this link: https://bit.ly/LEADDOVE2025

Ready to seek out those in the peripheries? Sign up using this link: https://bit.ly/LEADVolunteerSignUp

One life. Live it. Volunteer!

In the backdrop of Hugpong Hampang: Inter La Salle 2025 (a sports gathering of the Basic Education Unit of La Salle schools in the Philippines) held at the University of St. La Salle - Bacolod, the Lasallian Mission Services had back to back engagements in the land of sweet surprises (Negros, Philippines)! On January 21, 2025, the Lasallian Volunteers Office (LVO) conducted a promotion session to the 4th year College of Education students in the University of St. La Salle - Bacolod. The talk revolved around the reflection questions “Where is your heart?, Who are we at the end of the day? Where does volunteering take me?”. To capture the engagement, a group photo was taken with smiling and hopeful faces of the education students.

To cap of the week, on Friday, 24 January 2025, the LVO together with the Lasallian Education Office (LEO), Lasallian Youth Office (LYO), and the Lasallian Mission Services (LMS) Director visited Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center (BPYC). BPYC is a rehabilitation center for Children-In-Conflict with the Law (CICL). The visit not only discussed future volunteer engagements but also opened possibilities for collaboration on intentional projects and programs between LMS and BPYC.

By John Rainer Pulvera (LEAD Volunteer Coordinator)

Matthew 9:37-38, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest,” resonated deeply with Ms. Mary as she was attending her first Mass in the Philippines after her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2019. The epiphany that she had rekindled in 2024 when she encountered the call to service once more. In a message from Br. JJ Jimenez FSC, Brother Visitor, announcing the release of the LEAD Directory of Volunteer Opportunities, Ms. Mary found a profound echo of her own spiritual journey. The opening lines of the letter, "Then heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8), immediately transported her back to the profound epiphany she had experienced years before. 

On January 11, 2025, after months of rigorous application process, Ms. Mary was accepted as the 1st district volunteer under the LEAD Volunteer Program. She will be deployed in La Salle School Sangkhlaburi (LSSK) and La Salle Learning Center (Bamboo School) in Thailand on February 1, 2025. 

Ms. Mary’s volunteer work is reinforced by the leavening movement, a process of authentic engagement to the peripheries. We hope that by her example, this will be the start of a continuous movement of people, a movement with which guides one to his/her vocation. After all, we are a Lasallian family, from different backgrounds but called to be together going out to find God in the peripheries. 

One Life. Live it. Volunteer! 

About the Program:
Established in 2024, the LEAD Volunteer Program was set up to continue the facilitation of international volunteers in the district. LEAD Volunteers are called to be a leaven to the communities they are assigned to and experience encounters with the peripheries as a mutually transformative one.
 

By John Rainer L. Pulvera, LEAD Volunteer Coordinator (rain.pulvera@delasalle.ph)

"God did this in an imperceptible way over a long period of time, so that one commitment led to another in a way that I did not foresee in the beginning”. These words from our Founder encapsulates my recent journey to La Salle School Sangkhlaburi (LSSK) and La Salle Learning Center (Bamboo School) in Thailand last December 21-27, 2024. My visit, filled with striking parallels to my past work as a teacher in St. Jaime Hilario School – De La Salle Bataan, has made me reflect on how God has guided me to experience the Lasallian educational mission. 

When I arrived at the Brother's residence in LSSK it felt strangely familiar. The cool breeze, the lush mountain scenery, the distant sunset – it all evoked a sense of déjà vu. I felt like I was simultaneously standing on the shoreline of Jaime Hilario, the waves lapping at my feet, and gazing out at the vast sea. For context, it’s important to remember that these schools share a common foundation: to serve the "last, the lost, and the least" – the peripheries! 

Just as the day begins with some students being picked up at the Tower (Philippine Japanese Friendship tower) in Jaime Hilario, the journey in LSSK starts with pupils arriving from the 3 Pagodas Pass. Similarly, in both schools, the day commences with a sense of community. In LSSK, meditation fosters inner peace before the academic day begins, while in Jaime Hilario, morning prayers and community gatherings build a sense of belonging. Observing a Grade 2 English class at LSSK and interacting with the vibrant kindergarteners at Bamboo School brought back cherished memories of my own classroom experience. Although most of the Thai students do not understand some of the English words that I say, I know very well they felt and understand our shared smiles and warm hugs. A day is not complete without a hearty meal, lunch is free to teachers and pupils in LSSK and Bamboo school. Comparably, in Jaime Hilario, they currently have a feeding program for select grade school students called TIKAS (Tibay ng Katawan, Lakas ng Isip) that is funded by generous donors. 

The day culminates where they all started, the bus rides! Or in the case of LSSK and some Bamboo school pupils, the truck rides! The whole of my stay will not be complete if I have not experienced being either packed inside a truck with 100 plus pupils or standing on the edge holding on to a metal railing. It sounds like a risky endeavor, but these truck rides captured the charism of the Lasallian educational mission. It sends us a message that hope begins at a certain pick-up point, but never ends because we only culminate on where we started. I think these children do not see the inconvenience of the ride, I believe they see this journey as their hope for life. 

My visit to LSSK and Bamboo school left an indelible mark. I departed not only with memories of the children's smiles but also with a renewed appreciation for the transformative power of seemingly ordinary encounters. The mission in Jaime Hilario, LSSK, and Bamboo School is alive and still continues to echo the message of hope. The question now is, are you willing to respond and take part in this noble cause? 

One Life. Live it. Volunteer!