MANILA, Philippines - Art has its way of making people feel limitless; it is a form of escape and to some, even a chosen refuge. Whatever art means to one’s soul, it heals, it mends, and ultimately makes everything a tad bit better than it was before. It is in this light that Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp. (SEPCO) decided to harness the power of art to ease souls affected by adversity.
In light of last year’s Typhoon Yolanda, Samsung has spearheaded an effort that enabled teachers and students in Palo and Tacloban City in Leyte to participate in an art therapy workshop. This program aimed to provide them with a creative way of expressing and going beyond their traumatic experiences as a result of the devastation brought by the calamity.
SEPCO, together with the Visual Arts Committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Philippine Science High School–Eastern Visayas campus, conceptualized and developed the project in collaboration with Palo town and professor Joey Tañedo, chairman of the Visual Arts Committee.
The company also provided Samsung equipment: tablets for electronic creation of art and photography, and television screens for the projection of their works.
The day was filled with laughter and smiles as 38 teachers and 42 high school students from Palo and Tacloban gathered. The participants shared their experiences through art, music and a bit of personal reflection and sharing.
They were lent Samsung tablets to create works of art that revolved around the theme of “Hope, Friendship and Unity. Among the attendees was Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla.
Among the teacher participants emerged a moving masterpiece showing a serene, all-blue sketch of an island and its shores, overlooking the horizon. As the teacher was explaining his creation to the audience, his voice cracked as he tried to hold back his tears.
While sharing his vision of seeking beauty and hope in his devastated hometown, the room was immediately filled with words of encouragement as if to say, “You are not alone.” The teacher thanked the people for their support, especially since his pain comes from the loss of some of his students he held dear to his heart.
For the students, they were tasked to shoot photos around the area and edit them using the Samsung tablets. In this activity they were free to take pictures of whatever reminded them of the bright tomorrow ahead, and enhance the shots with drawings or quotes that would make the photograph more personal.
One photo taken by the students stood out, as it showed a scene wherein a sprouting seedling was in the foreground of other still-standing trees which survived the typhoon. “As new trees spring up, so does hope in our hearts,” she shared, garnering applause from the elder ones present whose auras were uplifted by such a simple yet powerful image taken through the eyes of a child.
“Lakas Pilipino: Lakas Natin” ended with huge success — although the people were once bound by hardships, now they are even more united with a sense of belonging and hope. They have indeed found a support system in one another.
The main participants of the Samsung art therapy workshop came from the Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas, Palo National High School, Holy Infant College, San Joaquin National High School, Sto. Nino SPED Center, Arado Elementary School, Pawing Elementary School, Holy Child High School, and Tacloban National Agricultural School.