A Legacy That Began with Kindness

𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

On this day, 𝟯𝟴 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼, we remember one of our founders, 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗹𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗹, 𝗦𝗝, fondly known as Father Ola.

As the chaplain of Culion, then the world’s largest leprosy colony, Father Ola saw beyond the disease. He saw people who deserved 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲. He stood beside them as a comforter, advocate, and friend.

He turned his compassion into action. He raised funds to 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. He wrote thousands of letters seeking support from around the world and tirelessly advocated for the introduction of 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 (𝗠𝗗𝗧) in Culion.

In 𝟭𝟵𝟴𝟳, he witnessed the first group of patients declared cured—a milestone made possible through years of perseverance and partnership.

Father Ola’s kindness became more than a personal mission. It became the foundation of an enduring legacy through the 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗜𝗻𝗰., which continues to serve and uplift those in need today.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗱𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

Source: Rodriguez, M.C. (2003). Culion Island: A Leper Colony’s 100-Year Journey Toward Healing.

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