Sharing the LOVE with the PDLs on Valentine’s Day

For many, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of romance. For the Rotary Club of Southern Mandaluyong, it is a celebration of compassion in action.

For six years, our club has chosen to spend Valentine’s Day with the women Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. They are our chosen Valentine “dates” — women we intentionally visit to remind them that they are valued, remembered, and not forgotten.

This meaningful tradition began in 2020 during the presidency of Past President Cesar Manuel Manuel. What started as a simple outreach initiative has grown into an annual expression of love, dignity, and hope.

Each year, the PDL women prepare special performances, sharing their talents in singing and dancing. Their courage and joy shine through, even behind face masks. We bring gifts, chocolates, and food — simple tokens that symbolize care and inclusion.

On February 12, 2026, in observance of Heart Month, the celebration included a heart health talk. Practical guidance on caring for one’s heart through proper lifestyle and simple exercises was shared. Rotarians and PDLs exercised side by side, strengthening not only their physical health but also the bond of community.

Now in its sixth year, this Valentine outreach continues to touch lives — including our own. When we no longer see familiar faces, we feel hopeful, knowing it may mean they have regained their freedom and are beginning a new chapter.

As Rotarians, we live by the motto Service Above Self. Through this annual tradition, we are reminded that service is love made visible. In choosing them each Valentine’s Day, we affirm that every woman deserves dignity, hope, and a second chance.

And every year, we leave with hearts fuller than when we arrived.

Submitted by: Good President Roann Manangan, Rotary Club of Southern Mandaluyong