Science high school alumni use art to help COVID-19 frontliners

MANILA, Philippines – Former students of the Philippine Science High School-Manila are accepting commissioned artworks and logo designs in exchange for cash donations to purchase face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers attending to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) patients.

Dea Amparado, 19, one of the organizers, said the PSHS-Manila Batch 2019 council launched the “Covid19 Fundraiser: Donate for Commissioned Art” in collaboration with artists from their batch “to help alleviate resource burdens in times of COVID19 crisis.”

The price of the artworks range from P50 ($1) for portraits and simple sketches with shading from head to bust to P720 ($15) for full body portraits. 

Rate for minimalist logo designs starts at P384 ($8). 

Amparado, now a first year student from Smith College in the United States, said proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the University of the Philippines- Philippine General Hospital andCaritas Foundation.

“We knew how bad the situation is for COVID-19 frontliners and for those whose livelihoods have been affected by the quarantine and transportation ban. We wanted to help in some way,” she said.

The fundraiser, she said, was inspired by one of their artists, Matina Partosa who was already offering art in exchange for proof of donations.

As of Sunday, the group managed by Amparado, Julianne Negre, 20, from Marquette University and Alyssa Guevara, a 20-year-old Intarmed scholar from UP-Manila, announced on its Facebook page that it has already collected P44,700  out of their P100,000 target cash donations. 

Amparado said they are also accepting dollar donations since some of the artists and contributors go to college in the US and wanted to spread awareness about the fundraiser. 

Hiyo Cafe, 19, a freshman at the University of the Philippines – Diliman, said volunteering was her way to maximize time.

“I think (this) is a very relevant cause in these current circumstances. It feels wrong somehow to be doing nothing in my safe little bubble while the rest of the world burns. We need to use our privilege wisely,” she said, adding that art has been her passion since she was a kid.

“Citizen-led initiatives like these are important in these trying times because our healthcare professionals and other frontliners need all the help they can get. They are out there putting their lives on the line; the least we can do is to help protect them while they’re doing the work they do,” she added.

Mattie Balagat, 20, said the fundraising will help “support our already-collapsing healthcare system.”

“I hope our donation effort also brings hope to the frontliners that they are not forgotten in this crisis, and that we are greatly indebted to their service.”

Balagat, who is into lettering for five years, currently stays indoors while doing personal projects, and volunteering remotely from Japan.

“I wanted to offer what I do best to support an initiative that serves the vulnerable in this crisis. It’s frustrating to read the news and see how the national government is bungling the management of this crisis, and has yet to put out a concrete plan to protect our frontliners,” she said.

“It is left to the local government units, non-government organizations, private businesses and individuals to help our fellow Filipinos, so this is how I wish to contribute to that,” she added.

The group, however, does not allow commissioned projects depicting sexually explicit or hateful materials, or nudes of people without consent.

Commissioned works, the group said, will be kept confidential. No revisions are allowed except for logo designs.

The other artists aged 18-21 include Partosa, Megan Gozum, Waki Salvador, Ramone Tumonong, Nina Larona, Brian Juat, Cyril Pintor and Paolo Mutuc.

Donors may send their donations via GCash (09276734976), BPI (4239132877), coins.ph (09672709697) and Venmo (@Dea-Amparado or @JuInNegre).

For more details, reach their group through their Facebook page “Covid19 Fundraiser: Donate for Commissioned Art.”

GSG