Their brothers’ keepers

Years ago, I had an interview with Mark Victor Hansen, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series on my show Private Conversations. He was inspiring, candid, kind and he spoke of practical wisdom. Victor has touched the lives of millions of people. And while he inspired millions, he said that he was constantly touched by the kindness and generosity of the people he met. There is an old saying that when you help, you are actually helping yourself. Maya Angelou says, "giving liberates the giver."

Mahatma Gandhi, Indian philosopher and internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest, once said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." Gandhi remains a revered name in the irreverent world of politics. Leaders from all walks of life emulate him. He was an exceptional human being.

But after success, what comes next? "What are you doing for others?" Martin Luther King asked this most important question in our lives.

Indeed. What are we doing for others? Some people have their own advocacies. And a company such as B.V.D. is honoring Men of Advocacies in celebration of its 130 years. Established in 1876 by three gentlemen by the names of Bradley, Voorhees and Day, the legendary brand that is B.V.D. boasts of the first ever production of fine and quality men’s undergarments in the world. But being the first doesn’t always guarantee that one stays on top of the game. With success comes enormous responsibility, and B.V.D. understands the dynamics of giving back to those who have made its success possible.

In the recent past, B.V.D. has chosen several distinguished honorees such as corrective surgeon Dr. Laurence Loh, also the local chapter head of Operation Smile; political writer, activist and Greenpeace officer Red Constantino; hard court heartthrob Vince Hizon, whose Vince Hizon Foundation has equipped many a public school with libraries and computer facilities; and volunteer fire fighter Gerry Chua, who runs Eng Bee Tin Deli and Bakery while serving as the president of the Association of Philippine Volunteer Fire Brigade.

On its 130 years, B.V.D. pays tribute to men who have made a difference in their lives. PBA superstar Jimmy Alapag, film and television actor Dominic Ochoa, Dr. Rolando Hortaleza, founder of well-known beauty and personal care brands, and telecom executive and movie producer Butch Jimenez make up the new roster of B.V.D.’s Men of Advocacy.

Lending his celebrity status as a basketball player to drive his mission forward, all Jimmy Alapag wants to do is "help kids in whatever way I can." Jimmy started his campaign since his student days in the US, and is determined to continue his commitment here through the Make A Wish Foundation, an international organization that grants wishes of terminally-ill patients.

When Dr. Rolando Hortaleza leveraged his company, the Splash Corporation (maker of popular personal care brands Extraderm and Biolink, and the chain of HBC stores), into one of the most successful local entrepreneurships, he did so with another agenda in mind. Through the Splash Foundation, Inc., Dr. Hortaleza’s company has been able to provide education assistance management programs and community services throughout the country. The foundation has gone further and has partnered with the Ateneo de Manila University to set up the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Leadership Foundation, aimed at developing a strong leadership among today’s youth.

For four years now, TV personality Dominic Ochoa has been doing volunteer work for Kythe Foundation, an organization that gives support to young cancer patients and their families. Recounting how a gesture as simple as giving a bicycle to a child with leukemia has reinforced his involvement, Dominic is still deep in advocacy work and has no plans of stopping. The aforementioned incident was only the beginning, and the actor reveals he ended up spending the whole morning with that particular patient, chatting with her and cheering her up. "I just don’t hand them material things. I go see these children and have personal contact with them."

Twenty five years and counting, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) SVP for Retail Business Group Butch Jimenez has been working with the youth for a quarter of a century because as he firmly declares, "I believe everyone should invest in the future." Jimenez is a mentor in PLDT’s on-the-job training, which holds summer camps for college students, and has likewise worked with a multitude of youth-oriented organizations. He continually finds new ways of harnessing the young Filipino’s potential, adding in jest that he might be meeting the Philippines’ future president in any one of the activities he has initiated. Jimenez also parlayed his multimedia background (he’s a film producer on top of everything else) to make a success of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines, which honors achievers under 40. Jimenez gets the last word as he puts it so appropriately: "You can’t just be good at what you do, you have to excel to benefit your country and countrymen."