Caritas launches scholarship text drive

Caritas Manila, the social services arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, celebrated Christmas yesterday with a new charity program — through a cell phone text drive —that would benefit the education of poor children.

Caritas said the donation drive was launched to sustain and expand a scholarship program in Catholic schools, which currently has 1,000 recipients.

In the campaign, donations would be given by sending the message CARITAS followed by a space and the amount to 2899 for Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers. Acceptable amounts are P5, P25, P50, P100 and P300.

A sample text message would read as: CARITAS 100.

"Help send a poor kid to a Catholic school. Do your share starting Christmas Day," Caritas Manila said in its campaign posters in parishes and churches.

Established in 1953, Caritas Manila is the lead Catholic agency for social services and development in the Archdiocese of Manila.

Apart from its scholarship program, the institution has also helped strengthen parish social services and development ministries in the areas of organization, education, operations and finance, volunteer development and management, and paralegal, social and pastoral services for the prison community, including children-in-conflict-with-the-law.

Earlier, Caritas Manila urged the faithful to donate to charity in lieu of usual gifts for loved ones this Christmas.

With a minimum donation of P200 for individuals and P300 for corporations, donors would be given acknowledgment letters and cards certifying their donations to CARITAS.

Caritas also launched a donation drive for relief and rehabilitation of communities affected by super typhoon "Reming" in Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Quezon and Marinduque provinces.

Donations may still be sent to Lanie Cabral, Public Service Coordinator, Radyo Veritas 846 at Veritas Tower, 162 West Ave., corner EDSA, Quezon City, through telephone numbers 9257931 to 40, or to Gina Santos, Administrative Officer, Caritas Manila, 2002 Jesus St., Pandacan, Manila, at 5639298 and 5639308.