February 18, 2026
Post-Valentine Humanities class centered on loving-kindness
By Joy Rojas
Not all meaningful Valentine’s dates involve roses, chocolates, and dinners for two.
Tzu Chi scholar Ryza Corpuz spent February 14 playing volleyball in PE class before bonding at home with her family. Fellow scholar Jemuel Fuerte listened to a discussion about history at the Philippine Normal University (PNU), then met up with two friends for karaoke, coffee, and conversations about their plans for the future.
“Valentine's Day is not just about romance or partners. It’s also about appreciating the people who are in your life,” says Jemuel, who is taking his Bachelor in Social Science Education at PNU. “I do community work and I realized that maybe what I have with my friends and the children I teach is also love.”
A post-Valentine’s Humanities class had them experiencing the loving-kindness espoused by Tzu Chi founder Dharma Master Cheng Yen—one that is compassionate, non-judgmental, and without expectation. Held at the Jing Si Hall of Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus (BTCC) in Sta. Mesa, Manila, the class was attended by 299 scholars from Grades 6 to 12 and in the college level, and online by scholars from Tzu Chi chapters in Pampanga, Bicol, Davao, and Zamboanga.
From Hearts to Hearts
In the activity “From Hearts to Hearts,” each scholar wrote their name on a paper heart and passed it to the person seated next to them. The objective is to write a message of appreciation to the scholar whose name appears on the paper heart, then pass it to the next scholar, until their paper heart goes back to them.
“The messages were very heart-warming. I didn’t expect that they would say this to me,” says Ryza. The early childhood education major from Quezon City University felt giddy reading what those in her group wrote to her: “I really love how confident you are, especially when speaking your thoughts”, “Keep that smile, I hope you never lose it”, and “You are so beautiful. Thank you for being here with us.”
For Jemuel, the messages he got were a revelation: “I admire your kindness. Thank you for being helpful”, “I appreciate the energy you give to the group”, “Thank you for answering so enthusiastically in our group activities.”
“I thought I was a very silent person, a very mysterious type,” he says. “It was surprising that they acknowledged how I talk and represented the group during discussions. I really appreciate it because that only means that they are observing me.”
Different ways of expressing love
Other activities in the class highlighted different ways of expressing love. In the segment Master Tells Stories, the “Friendship Between the Horse and the Goat” is a touching tale of the genuine connection forged between two different entities. Tzu Chi volunteer Edward So spoke about the mission of Humanities, which is walking the path of gratitude, respect, and love. And the game “Find Someone Who” taught scholars to extend compassion and care to peers who shared personal accounts of forgiveness and acts of love.
By now, scholars are familiar with the foundation’s culture of loving-kindness—a pleasant and sincere show of niceness, warmth, and respect.
Jemuel appreciates how volunteers check on him every time they see him at Humanities class. “They don’t put a wall between me and them because we’re all still human,” he says. “We’re all part of this endeavor; therefore, we should be relatable to each other.”
Despite being the only scholar invited to a Thanksgiving event hosted by Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool Philippines last December, Ryza was welcomed wholeheartedly by the teaching staff and volunteers. “I feel like they are my family,” she says.
Moved by the goodness extended to them by volunteers, scholars cannot help but treat others in the same way. The daughter of a taxi driver and stay-at-home mom, Ryza is looking to be a part of Tzu Chi after she graduates, as a way to reciprocate the help that she received for her studies. Jemuel, whose mother passed away from multiple health complications in 2024, would like to get into volunteer work, not just with Tzu Chi but his community.
“I can show my love for Tzu Chi by continuously advocating for the betterment of all lives,” he says. “Love comes in different forms and I have the power to show love to other people and encourage them to do the same.”
Nearly 300 Tzu Chi scholars from grades 6 to 12 and in the college level attended the February 15 Humanities class held at the Jing Si Hall of Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus.
Scholars from Tzu Chi chapters in Pampanga, Bicol, Davao, and Zamboanga were able to participate via livestream.
Tzu Chi scholars Sydney Antoinette Alipao (left) and Krishianel Jarina served as hosts of the morning event.
In the activity “From Hearts to Hearts,” scholars wrote their name on a paper heart and passed it on to their seatmate, who wrote a message to that scholar before passing it to their seatmate. The paper hearts were continuously passed and written on until they reached their original owner.
In the activity “From Hearts to Hearts,” scholars wrote their name on a paper heart and passed it on to their seatmate, who wrote a message to that scholar before passing it to their seatmate. The paper hearts were continuously passed and written on until they reached their original owner.
Scholars held up their paper hearts with messages written by their fellow scholars.
Each scholar got to take home a paper heart with kind and encouraging messages from their peers.
Scholars took turns reading what their fellow scholars wrote to them on their paper heart.
Scholars took turns reading what their fellow scholars wrote to them on their paper heart.
Tzu Chi volunteer Edward So engaged his young audience with his talk “The Mission of Humanities: Walking the Path with Gratitude, Respect, and Love.”
Tzu Chi Education Committee Head Rosa So (right) presented Humanities class speaker Edward So with a flower décor handmade from fuzzy wire by Tzu Chi scholars.
Jaycee Cabiao (left) received a token of appreciation from Tzu Chi Education Committee Head Rosa So after he gave an uplifting success story on his journey from Tzu Chi scholar to thriving seafarer.
Ryza Corpuz (fifth from right) joined fellow scholars in the spirited group game, “Love, Hope, Joy.”
One of Jemuel Fuerte’s strengths is representing his group in sharing sessions. His fellow scholars thanked him for it in messages they wrote in his paper heart.
For Ryza Corpuz, expressing loving-kindness to Tzu Chi means “showing up for Humanities class. It means that I am interested.” The early childhood education major from Quezon City University is looking to be part of Tzu Chi after she graduates, so she could reciprocate the help she received for her studies.
Apart from wanting to be a teacher someday, Jemuel Fuerte would like to live a life of volunteerism, “not just in Tzu Chi but in my community,” says the social science education major from the Philippine Normal University.
Prizes were given to the group of scholars that bested other teams in the game “Love, Hope, Joy.”