This is ME.

Lately, I’ve been posting a lot of photos of the work that I’ve been doing, and this June, it mostly involved kids. Some were orphans, some abandoned, and some disadvantaged. As I write this, I feel so blessed with all the things that I have because there are so many who have less and still manage to go on living with smiles and without complain.

During the whole month of June, everybody in Tacloban celebrates the fiesta, and my boss decided to take the kids from the different shelters under the City Government, to some of the events.

I planned a 3-day outing for 90 kids and during the first day, we all went to the Tacloban Convention Center to watch the Pahambugan Dance Competition. Mostly the dances are hiphop themed and lots of crumping and air flips.

Sobrang natuwa yung mga bata kasi most of the time, sa Showtime lang nila napapanood yung ganon and iba talaga yung excitement pag live! Although the competition started a bit later than I expected and the younger kiddos were already asleep, keri lang kasi nag enjoy naman yung iba. 

For day 2, we brought them to the BoomBLASTic Unity Ride and Gift Giving at the City Hall Grounds. Here I am briefing them of the order of events and announcing that they will be part of the motorcade!

Sobrang nakakatuwa kasi masaya na sila na kasali sila sa motorcade kasi may mga malalaking motor na parang napapagitna-an sila. Diba? Simple joys lang that most of us overlook pero sa kanila sobrang big deal na. 

Minsan, we tend to want more. ALL THE TIME. We never realize na pwedeng maging masaya sa simpleng bagay. The girl here with the shaved head was born partially blind and was abused by her foster father. Meeting her made me appreciate my Dad, despite all of his shortcomings. I was lucky enough to have one who gave me all the things I needed and sometimes kahit wanted lang.

Here are the members of BLAST MC giving school supplies to the children. When I talked to the social workers, they told me na minsan the kids use slippers lang to school. Tapos sobrang maalikabok na yung mga paa nila but they don’t mind kasi they really want to learn. Tapos tayo, magcocommute lang, nagcocomplain pa?

For the third day, we all went to the Grand Carnival and they got to ride for free! The joy on their faces was worth all the effort it took to bring them there. And kahit wala akong weekend dahil sa mga lakad namin, okay lang. What is one weekend for the joy of 90 kids diba?

The others rode the horror train and seryoso, natakot talaga sila. Some even cried daw pero when they got out masasaya naman pala. Haha. Ang cool diba? To be part of that kind of experience. :)

Here we are having dinner after the Carnival rides inside the Astrodome, which was another happy thing because we got to watch the rehearsal of Synergy! The acrobats from San Carlos City who have crazy air stunts! Ang swerte talaga ng mga bata kasi hindi naman lahat makakapanood sa kanila pero sila with dinner and dessert pa!

After one week, we met again for the final lakad, the Lion King Stage Play at the Balyuan Amphitheatre. Here are the kids with the cast, complete with jungle animals. Nakakaaliw kasi aliw sila sa show! :) Tapos dumaan pa si Mayor and Maam Cristina kaya mas lalong memorable for the kids.

They all call me “Ate Chikay” and it flatters me na they all know who I am. Walang prejudgement na nagaganap. A lot of people think that I have this bad personality, siguro din kasi tahimik lang ako lagi tapos minsan hindi ako nakikialam kahit masama na yong sinasabi about me. Pero, these kids, wala silang keme. Tanggap lang nila ako kahit minsan patawa lang ako ng patawa o minsan naman strict.

These siblings made me cry during our last day. They haven’t seen each other for an entire year and for that duration they didn’t even know where the other was. They are 4 in the family and it’s so sad because they have no idea where the other 2 are. :( They were separated from each other after their mother died and they were taken away from the custody of their father. I was happy to be a part of their reunion. Kasi feeling ko parang naging bahagi ako ng way na magkita sila ulit. The brother is from the Tagpuro Shelter while the girl is in the Women’s shelter. I often take my siblings for granted kasi nga they’re both just a phone call away, which is wrong kasi we should always treasure the people who love us. 

This was taken after the play while we were waiting for their bus. They tried to teach me how to juggle 3 bottles, pero hindi ko talaga natutunan. The bottles just kept falling! Hahaha. Tawa nga ng tawa yung kids kasi para akong stupid na trying hard maging juggler! :p

So there you have it. My 4 days with the children. My boss was teasing me pa nga na mga anak ko daw sila lahat. Si Mayor naman sabi niya mag asawa na daw ako at mag anak ng ganito karami. Hahaha! Hindi kaya ng powers! :)