A police officer of Isabela town in Negros Occidental raffled off his painting to build a house for a senior citizen.
Captain Joseph Partidas, chief of police of Isabela Municipal Police Station, said his team had been helping out 72-year-old Raymundo Remilla of Barangay 5, whose house needed repair, however, they needed funds for the project.
When he checked on the senior citizen himself one day, he saw his painting materials sitting at his car trunk, and that gave him the idea to paint for a good cause. He added he did not want to ask money from the stakeholders.
He said it took him two weeks to complete the “Ruins of Isabela” painting.
He said he has to do the painting after his work, but there were days he could not even paint because he was also busy in their operations.
After completing the painting, he urged his team and Facebook friends to join the raffle draw.
He said he used the “Spin the Wheel” mobile application for the draw, and that each of the 40 participants were to pay P100 to enter the contest.
In the end, one of his men won his masterpiece, and that he was able to raise P4,000.
He said they added a few more money so it will be enough to buy materials for the house of the elderly man, which was built by the latter’s children. They also brought some groceries for him.
Another needs help
After helping Remilla, Partidas said he received numerous messages to help 71-year-old Eddie Canatoy of Barangay 9, whose house was already inhabitable.
He said there was already a hill inside the dilapidated structure, “I saw the house many times already, I did not think someone was still living there.”
Partidas said he and his men quickly raised funds, “each of us chipped in our own money, and took some from the allocation of the local government unit,” he added.
He added that it was also them who built the house for Canatoy.
Partidas, who had been the chief of police of Isabela town since March this year, said that it was his goal to help senior citizens, especially abandoned elderly fathers, every month.
He said he has a soft spot for elderly “tatays,” since he lost his father when he was 14 years old.
He recalled he was watching TV beside his father when the latter had a heart attack in his sleep.
Meanwhile, he said he had been telling his men to be involved in the community, and helped those who have less in life.*