RIYADH, 18 March 2007 — Teaching of moral values such as generosity and consideration for the less fortunate is more effective when it is actually practiced.
This is what Al-Taj International School (ATIS) in Riyadh did on Friday.
In an actual gesture of generosity among fellow OFWs, the ATIS volunteered free Qatar Airways tickets to five domestic helpers who have been cleared for repatriation by Philippine Overseas Labor Office.
The five are among the 120 distressed OFWs staying at POLO’s Bahay Kalinga.
They are Marg Belen Bautista, Guhra Sabudin, Marianita Oguera, Ciela Ramirez and Carolyn Basi.
According to the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) president the tickets were produced through fund rising drive by the elementary and pre-elementary pupils at the school.
A simple rites of handing over the tickets to the lucky OFWs was held at the Philippines Embassy on Friday in the presence of Ambassador Antonio Villamor and POLO representative Abdulghani Umag.
Al-Taj Administrator Dra. Amy de la Cruz, Principal Perly Faustino and the entire ATIS-PTA officers headed by its president Engr. Usodan Dida-agun were also present.
Speaking to Arab News, PTA president Usodan Dida-Agun said “we want our pupils to actually implement what they learn from the school on moral values. We want to teach them how to render assistance to the needy people like our kabayans who are unfortunately stranded at the Bahay Kalinga”.
He added that the initiative was first of its kind, at least among schools here in Riyadh.
“In the past we have been doing something else mostly social gatherings and not like this” Dida-agun elaborated.
The PTA president, who is planning to launch scholarship grants in the coming school year, said that the program has been mainly orchestrated by the schools (PTA) in coordination with ATIS management and the Philippine overseas labor office (POLO).
For his part, Ambassador Villamor appreciated and expressed his gratitude to the Al-Taj PTA President Usodan Dida-agun and its pupils for the kindness and what is really show of generosity and helping fellow OFWs.
“This kind of act is certainly gives very good reflection to our pupils at this age to make them feel the goodness of generosity and helping others who are in need” he said.
The ATIS-PTA appointed its school goodwill ambassadors (Mr. & Ms. Al-Taj 2007 and little Mr. & Little Ms. Al-Taj 2007) to formally endorse the tickets to the recipients, namely; Mr. Al-Taj, June Nell Fusingan, Ms. Al-Taj Nina de Vera, Little Mr. Al-Taj John Morris Morales, Little Ms. Al-Taj Lorrane Hazel Siron.