Driven by care: PMSA’s relief response in Bicol, donations received through fruitful org collaborations

Following the aftermath of Tropical Storm (TS) Kristine in the Bicol Region, the Pre-Medical Society of Ateneo (PMSA) marked a significant milestone by organizing a relief response and fundraising, in partnership with key organizations from the Loyola Schools for Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU) and its nearby communities.  

With the combined efforts of PMSA volunteers (composed of members, central and executive board officers), and a pool of 30 doctors based in NCR, online consultations were conducted for general medical cases, particularly patients requiring leptospirosis prophylaxis. These consultations were complemented with the onsite medical missions held by the partner team. Over the two days, from October 26 to 27, 2024, the e-consultations and medical missions in AdNU served a total of 826 patients. 

Onsite, PMSA officer, and Bicolana Evea Marie Alviso led the relief response, working alongside dedicated volunteers from AdNU and Christ in Youth Action-AdNU (CYA-AdNU). As support grew, Evea’s team extended their efforts beyond Naga, reaching the municipalities of Camaligan and Pamplona in Camarines Sur, as well as Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte, from November 2 to 3, 2024. Two doctors from PMSA’s initial team also volunteered to assist through e-consultations. Supplies were also turned over to the student council of Bicol University College of Medicine (BUCM) as they held several medical missions in Camarines Sur and Albay from October 29 to November 2, 2024. 

For Evea, this was deeply personal—her family, hometown, and loved ones were among those directly affected by the calamity. What moved her the most, however, was seeing how her teammates, many of whom had no direct connection to Bicol, showed unwavering compassion. She expressed, “They stepped into a situation that was not their own, and they didn’t hesitate to pour out their compassion. It’s the kind of care that transcends distance, that doesn’t wait for familiarity or personal connection to take action. It’s the kind of care that says, ‘I will help, because it’s the right thing to do, even when it’s hard.’”

The response was also coordinated in collaboration with the Council of Organizations of Ateneo-Manila (COA-M) President, Kayla Manlapaz, as COA-M held a donation drive for PMSA. With the generosity of 17 COA organizations, their contributions amounted to a total of PHP 83,000.

Alongside this, the Ateneo College Ministry Group (ACMG), through its immediate former president, Akim Pastoral, raised PHP 93,127. These donations were solicited from ACMG alumni and affiliates, and their family and friends. In support of this, the Office of Campus Ministry, ACMG's primary partner office, announced that collections from the Masses celebrated at the College Chapel from October 28 to 31, 2024, would be directed to this collaborative effort and student-led disaster response initiative by PMSA. The total donations from Massgoers amounted to PHP 10,790.25.

PMSA President, Beatriz Tesoro, expressed her deep gratitude to these organizations, acknowledging that this collaborative effort made their relief response even more meaningful as they sought to help heal the communities affected by TS Kristine.

You may access the transparency report on the TS Kristine relief response through PMSA’s Facebook Page and Instagram accounts: 

https://www.facebook.com/the.pmsa

https://www.instagram.com/thepmsa/