Today’s society faces a lot of challenges, may it be personal conflicts and even the battles we fight on our own. Through the passing days, mental illness has been an alarming issue that raises the concern of many groups and individuals.
In light of this, the Letran Peer Facilitators Association (LPFA), with the Office of Student Welfare and Development (OSWD) and the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), has devised a project in order to send out a message that mental disorder can be defeated.
The Hug-A-Bear project, a campaign involving numbers of stuffed toys available for everyone to hug, is done to contribute to people who are battling with different types of mental issues. With this project, those who are within the Letran premises are able to engage themselves into enjoying the presence of stuffed animals donated by students and faculty members
The said campaign started at December 12-14, 2017 with LPFA officers maintaining the whole project to explain to those what it is all about and make them enjoy inside the booth if the participants are willing and curious enough.
At the opening of the project, LPFA’s president Carin Jane Villegas said that the activity has been conceptualized after researching about the positive feedbacks caused by a simple hug. She also pointed out that they made the booth to appear as welcoming as possible that it almost looks like someone’s typical hangout spot.
Those who are willing to test the toys are asked to give up their IDs before entry to the LPFA officers who are present within the booth. From the 1st day up to the last, Letranites were still going in and out from the booth proving that project was indeed successful in its mission as students who participated all left with a smile on their faces.
With the efforts of LPFA’s Asst. Prof. Liberty Rosauro along with the members, the project was made possible, reminding us all that there is always a way to battle out our stress and mental disorders.
"You have your own story to tell. You are unique just like everyone else. Accepting who you truly are is part of the battle," said Villegas. "Your courage, dedication, willingness and eagerness to become better are all a vital part of the process. This is our gift to the Colegio, a gift of hug, a gift of love."