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Artwork: Jessica Bianca Espiritu
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "I wish that our family will soon have
a house and that we could be happy."
Photo Credit: Tomas Leonor/ AirJuan
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Dear kids of Tacloban,
It has been a month since we visited your beloved city, but
I am still getting emotional every time my memories fly back to that morning of
December 18, 2013. It was the day we all first met. We saw happy faces in the middle of makeshift
houses, disaster debris and obvious scarcity of everything. A life changing day that made me reflect how
I am living my life.
I could still remember my worry when we saw your big group
compared to the drawing materials we brought. We only have a few pieces of bond
papers and pencils.
Personally, I would want a whole bond paper and a complete set of color
materials for each of you to properly draw your wishes. It will be more fun
scribbling, sketching and creating your wishes with everything available within
your reach. Alas, life is not always generous.
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| Jessica Bianca Espiritu |
But you left me speechless and amazed when you happily
accepted half piece of papers and pencils poorly sharpened using a blunt
jungle knife. When I was your age, I
always wanted toys solely for myself. My brother and I also love to draw, but I
will not let him touch my coloring materials. I usually draw cartoon characters
and I always wish for super powers. But you are all different.
I would want to wish for world peace. I will always pray for
it for sure, every single day. I would want to ask for stronger faith for all
the Filipinos towards the government and the future of the country. We surely
need a huge amount of faith to keep our sanity intact, especially with all the
news about mismanagement and shameless betrayal to the Filipino citizenry in
the middle of mayhem.
But despite all these personal wishes, I still go back to
that priceless moment when I saw all your smiles when you drew your own wishes,
very different from what I used to wish when I was younger. Most of you wished
for houses with a garden full of blooming flowers. Some of you even have heart-shaped windows and flying bicycles. Your creativity and optimism is
limitless. Most of the time, your idea
of a community is more sensible than grownups like us.
I silently prayed that those sketched houses, playgrounds,
bicycles, butterflies and rainbows will all come to life.
When I heard that a wish could be granted through #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014, I
immediately remember Angelica, Cesar, Jessica and the rest of the kids back in
Rizal Central Elementary School in Tacloban.
I realized that everyone is busy building wrecked houses and
restoring the physical state of Visayas. Those are very important for sure for
everyone needs a shelter to continue with their lives. But how about broken
hearts and spirits, especially for the youngest survivors of the calamity? You
experienced a disaster an adult could barely understand. I never experienced
the actual horror of the typhoon but the aftermath I saw on the actual disaster
ground was unbelievably heartbreaking.
It is all right to think of rebuilding your houses and I am
with you on that hope, but let the adults worry about it. Do you remember when
your parents throw you in the air and you chuckle and squeal with excitement?
Give us the same trust. We will surely
find ways to solve it.
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| Some of the kids from Rizal Central Elementary School with Tomas Leonor/AirJuan |
Instead of worrying
about that dilemma, I want you to have a place of your own. Your own space to continue
building castle in the sky and keep you imaginations full of rainbows and
butterflies. Your own spot to keep being kids and just spend hours of running,
dancing, sliding and singing. A place
which you can call the Playground of
Hope.
The playground will have all the colorful slides, monkey bars
and seesaws, maybe it will have a swing for a group and a basketball ring. It
will not just put a smile to your faces, but it will surely teach you how to
share with others, take turns and cheer a kid like you, to be brave enough to
try the breath-taking slide. You will soon realize
that life is more meaningful if shared, better if you have a cheering squad
behind you.
Ultimately, I would want you to just be happy, play all day, get tired,
have a good night dream and wake up next day assured that the world will be a
better place as soon as possible, just like your playground of hope.
Sincerely,
Kuya Mc
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You could do your share by checking ProjectWonderful, AirJuan and Coalition Against Trafficking in Women -Asia Pacific
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Artwork: Juan Ignacio
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "My wish is to have my own
bicycle."
Photo Credit: Tomas Leonor/ AirJuan
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Artwork: Gerardine Tracy B. Solamo
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "My wish is to have our house
fixed" (and she wrote it in English, she wants to have Apple Trees in
their yard and to see birds)
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Artwork: Rannel C. Adesas Jr.
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "I wish to have a job and that our
family to be whole again."
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Artwork: Jenggoy T. Baranda
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: " I wish I could make a house."
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Artwork: Cyril Joy M. Lucente
Title: The Trees and Fishes
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: “I want to see more trees and fishes, so
that there will be fresh air and food. I also want to help fix her house and
the houses of others.”
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After spending a lot of time thinking, I come up with an answer. I would like to give the Philippines the gift of faith. Faith not just in terms of religion but faith in everything they were dealing as nation, and as a country. Faith that everything will soon be alright and will fall into its place. Faith that the government will be less corrupt and more in service. Faith that the church will continue to lead its community to the right path with the values instilled in each and everyone. Faith that will someday, a Filipino will wake up in the midst of silence where there's no war between military groups and rebels. Faith that broken heart caused by family separation will be healed. Faith that everyone will have an access to right education. Faith that in this world full of hate, there's still love that will always prevail. Faith that in every bad things happening around, there's always a reason to find the silver lining. "Faith and action are one. You can't separate them."
ReplyDeleteWe really need faith to keep our sanity. Thanks, Leo! :)
DeleteI really had a wild thought about what would be the best gift I could offer to my country, The Philippines. Mind-boggling it is, and the dilemma of helping is albeit critical that would make me weaken if I fail. I never doubted myself as a Filipino - a race full of intellectuals, creative, and vigorous humans amidst all misfortunes. I find it heartbreaking seeing my fellows suffer, no homes, no medicines, and worst no food to eat even for one meal in a day. Having so many questions in mind: Why can’t NFA give its reserve rice to those who suffer in famine rather than keeping it to spoil in its warehouse? Is this the reason why we import rice from other countries and sell it 30% higher than the world market? Why can’t DPWH stop improving the roads rather than build a house for those who are homeless? Can we not travel if the roads aren’t concrete or asphalted? So, I imagine myself as a millionaire or a business tycoon, I could adopt a family to support and help them recover, provide work and livelihood. How many Filipinos are millionaires? How many can support one family or even two? And so on... If we were not just greedy and have the purest heart to help, we can make things happen. The Philippines is a great country, rich in flora and fauna so we have the capacity to provide for everyone. I wish this is real.
ReplyDeleteWow. This is very moving, Mitch. I am praying the same thing, always.
DeleteThanks Mia! Very interesting wish indeed.
ReplyDeleteIf there is one thing I can give to the Philippines, and I'll be very ambitious here, is the gift of life: the gift of life that will bring back lost members of the family due to super typhoon Yolanda. Spending Christmas with mere pansit and pandesal is bearble if you have your whole family. You can just laugh about it and hope that next year will be better. But thinking how to move on, to live on your own at such a young age, to start from scratch, it would be hard to wrap one's head around such ordeal. Your story of little Cesar moves me so much that I wish he could get his family back, that none of this should have happened. I'm not much of a religous person, but whatever it is, if ever this was part of a greater plan, so be it. You, little Cesar and those kids from Tacloban will be destined for greater purposes that your family looking over you will be prouder than ever. I just wish they felt a sense of having a family knowing that many people are willing to help them get on their feet and push them forward towards a brighter future.
ReplyDeleteThank you my friend for such a heartfelt wish. Padayon! :)
DeleteA great leader is my gift for my entire country, a leader who has good gifts and substantial qualities that are innate. For the millions of Filipinos in need of good leaders and hungry of good governance, a Gift of Leadership is primarily what our country needs the soonest. As we enter this new year, we need to face the future with the gifts of faith, hope, strength, enlightenment, healing, wisdom, and forgiveness. And for that, having a leader armored with a great gift of leadership will gear our country towards a better life, a better future, and a better Philippines. #GlobeProjectWonderful2014 may aid us to provide organizations that will train and prepare to equip our young generation of today with knowledge and skills about nationalism and leadership. Globe’s wonderful projects in a joint collaboration with the Department of Education may lead to the realization of my dream. If children cannot go to school, let us bring school to children. More mobile classrooms (academic and trade) and more and mobile libraries are needed to facilitate accessible education that will surely help in honing more leaders and innovators. My wish would also then be realized by training and leading our nation's future leaders. Hence, I would also love to be an instrument and a leader of #GlobeProjectWonderful in rebuilding schools. A school is an anchor to a strong community that shapes great national leaders. I already signed up at http://www.projectwonderful.ph/ because I want to be a part of Globe's wonderful projects to the Philippines in rebuilding schools where our next responsible frontrunners, innovators, and government leaders will be fashioned.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your message, Eloisa. Our country really needs to reevaluate the our education system.
DeleteAfter everything that happened and everything that will be happening in the future, I have my top three wishes for the Philippines. (1) For the people of the country to have a heart and mind which are genuinely concern with their fellow Filipinos. No hypocrisy. But a sincere heart and mind that will not have any hesitations to do what's right and what's good for the betterment of everyone. In that case, no one will be alone. (2) For the people of the country to have unbeatable and faithful soul and spirit so that they can endure everything that will come in their way, whatever it is. For after the very long race, it's all about faith. (3) For the people of the Philippines to believe that they all have the guts to do everything that they want to do and to be the person or the country that they want to be. That they can actually make almost all of the wishes in here come true.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Faye. I think everyone wishes for those things as well. Keep praying :)
DeleteI would like to give the Philippines an Empowerment Package.
ReplyDeleteThe Empowerment Package is a series of program plans designed and customized for every individual in a target community for its long-term survival and sustainability. Every community is composed of basic, important unit: The Family. The package consists of specific programs designed for each family members and since the composition and dynamics of a Filipino family has evolved through the years, the assignments are definitely not gender-specific. Below is the list of the identified typical Filipino family member and the customized empowerment program for their role in the family:
The Family leader. The family leader will be given resources, materials and will be trained for livelihood projects that can make way for future income.
The Home maker. The home makers will be given basic tools to start up.
The Contributor/Believer - Family members that fall under this category may have the option to join the Homemakers and Family Leader.The contributor/believer's role is to keep the ball rolling.
The Learner -The Learners are the youth who would like start or continue their education beyond the limitations of the physical walls of a classroom. Globe can set up virtual classrooms with facilities and internet connections for free to be used for communication with relatives in other parts of the country or abroad, and establish distance learning programs.
The Wonderer - The wonderers are infants to children in pre-school. They will be assigned together in a make shift day care center or pre-school to undergo counseling or debriefing by volunteers and participate in enjoyable learning activities for them to make the most of their childhood.
The Empowerment Package is designed for long-term sustainability of each families in a community and at the same time provide support, boost self-esteem and confidence for each individual affected. The best thing about the Empowerment Package is it is not only it is implementable to those affected by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), it is also applicable and may also be adopted by other communities in our country, including those who are residing in the city but happened to be living in depressed areas. In short it does not cater only to one affected area alone, it is implementable in the entire Philippines!
Complete post at: http://keamistry.blogspot.com/2014/01/package-for-philippines.html