DWC hikes for a cause

By Rodelia Villar

From an outdoor meet-up the previous day in Discovery Bay, members of the Domestic Workers Corner FB group successfully staged a charity hike to Dragons’ Back on Feb. 18, the third day of the lunar new year.

Hike participants take a rest in one of the stations in the route.

The funds raised by the 63 hikers all went to the medical expenses of Baby Alvhane Avert De Guzman of Tugatog, Malabon city, who at age 3, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and had a bone marrow transplant last Jan. 30.

Alvhane’s mother has been sharing pictures with the group of her baby who often has a cheerful smile despite the pain she has had to endure because of her illness. The group says the baby’s sunny disposition has sent positive vibes to members, especially those suffering from homesickness, even depression.

The hike raised a total of $3,685 for Alvhane. Members who couldn’t join the walk also pitched in, and raised $1,060. This was on top of the amounts raised by DMW from two events in October and December last year, which totaled $1,020.

According to Algean Tamayo, one of the participants, she was happy that she could do her bit for Alvhane that she didn’t feel at all tired from the long walk.

Cynthia Bolivar for her part said that she was excited to see so many people supporting the hike for a cause. On top of this, she was happy that she managed to see the beauty of nature through the hike.

Bolivar added that the foremost consideration in organizing the hike for a cause was that there should be unity within the group. Everyone was consulted about the mechanics of doing the event, such as allowing members to decide on how much they could contribute, and how they could keep themselves safe and well during the trek.

The hike finished at 2pm, and the group members thanked everyone who supported them, especially those who offered prayers for the success of the event. – Rodelia Villar

CNY at the beach: Some members of Domestic Workers Corner went to Discovery Bay to have some fun on the 2nd day of Chinese New Year on Feb. 17. They had meals together, and also played badminton and volleyball. The members traveled to DB Bay from different parts of Hong Kong so they could take advantage of the relatively warm weather and do some outdoor activities. DWC is a Facebook group formed to help Filipina domestic workers, especially those who are in Hong Kong, cope with the daily demands of their often stressful work.