Student athletes from De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila continue to step up with their efforts to raise funds to help frontliners and those in need.
There’s La Salle Lady Shuttlers team captain Iyah Sevilla, who is leading a donation drive called “Stronger Together” as the country deals with the coronavirus pandemic.
Sevilla is now seeking the help of other captains of La Salle’s different varsity teams.
“Because we’ve been seeing news from TV and social media that DLSU and CSB have opened their gates for the individuals and families affected by Covid-19,” said Sevilla, who steered La Salle to a runner up finish in the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Badminton Tournament.
She now has Lady Tanker Ace Agustin and Lady Fencers Pat Eusebio and Nicole Alcaraz on her side.
Eusebio and Alcaraz were part of the foil team that won gold in Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s fencing competition.
“We were lucky cause several other athletes volunteered to help us with the process like making the pubs and arranging the in-kind donations,” said Agustin.
Agustin said this activity was made possible with the support of Office of Sports Development, now headed by Joy Lanting-Cenarosa.
So far, the group has raised P10,400, and this was sent directly to the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center.
The fund will also support De La Salle University and College of Saint Benilde, which opened the Razon Sports Complex and covered courts to needy individuals.
There are now over a hundred people residing in both venues.
On the other hand, Ateneo fencer Maxine Esteban is doing her share to help the medical frontliners and communities affected
“Well, at first I wanted to make my break productive. I really thought of how I can do my part as a Filipino citizen and as a national athlete to help out our frontliners,” said the 19-year-old Esteban, who is with the team foil squad that won bronze during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
Last April 10, Esteban joined hands with her sisters to launch a fundraising drive named “A Small Thing Goes A Long Way,”
Esteban’s group has already raised P339,000.70 and has gathered 50 pieces of COVID-19 Uratex pillows and 92 bottles of alcohol.
Beneficiaries of “A Small Thing Goes A Long Way” include UST Hospital, UERM Memorial Hospital, and National Children’s Hospital, along with affected communities in San Juan City.
The pillows, on the other hand, will go to families in San Juan and UERM.