Education is considered as one of the top problems of a third world country. In my beloved Philippines, we have a lot of issues that makes us stick to being third world or Class C in general. This is because majority struggle because of poverty. What’s sad is that some who are less privileged reduce their opportunities by adapting the known Philippine folklore character noteworthy of uber laziness Juan Tamad and other than that, the government’s budget to improve Philippine education seems inadequate.
Hence the cry of poverty.
Perambulating to the root of this post, most of us were so lucky to have gone to school with complete supplies and I shamefully admit that at some point I became ungrateful for the stuffs my parents provided me. I asked for nicer things, whiter paper pad, cooler pencil cases and more expensive notebooks. I can still recall how I felt ecstatic every time the teacher would write the requirements for the school year and how I fraudulently add other unnecessary stuffs too. The smell of the pages when you flip through the leaves of the notebook, the remnants of the pencil right after sharpening it and the colorful sight of crayons.. Nothing compares to carefully writing on that nice first sheet too. Howbeit no other feeling can top that when I was a kid, I still felt discontented.. Little did I know… I was one heck of a lucky kid.
Whenever I complain about school or when my parents try to thrift me with the projects because they felt like I was just trying to keep up with my classmates having nicer things.. They’d always say “swerte gani ka.. Ang uban bata gani wala jud bisan isa.. ”
And I didn’t listen to that.. At first I just thought it was something they used to stir off my feeling spoiled brat mood. Forgive me if I didn’t mind demanding. Forgive me if it took me years to realize that it was indeed a fact and not just something my parents used to bluff their way out.
Until we have a clearer glance at things.. Not until we become more aware of the certainties, the sloppy ways, the darker shade of the system. But there’s so much more we can do than blaming the victim.. Blaming the system.
We all have different perspectives and we all had our fair share of my-story-is-more-sad-than-yours- come-pity-me moment. But in the event that you count your blessings more often, you’d definitely slap your face a million times — no pun intended, because deep down inside you always know you had the advantage..
More over, I am also lucky for having to meet people with dynamic personalities. People who seek for adventure and fun and all the moments where they’d feel the world is so much better. My ever loved group, MALAK▲T Outdoors decided to go for a charity climb which will benefit the kids of Mantalongon. It’s hard to go to school with recycled stuffs or hand me downs but it’s even harder to go without anything at all, right?
So with the help of 1&1 Management and our ever supportive colleagues, we distributed a few school essentials to the kids. We never thought donations would be overflowing and that there were plenty of people who joined the event. Despite the weather condition, we managed to gather the kids. We were able to distribute 100 sets of school supplies and snacks for the pupils and for their guardians as well. Though it took us time to start the program and Jun, Ciano and Gege had to rush over to the peak since we noticed there were a lot of campers paving their way up, we have to get the bigger camping space and that kind of made things stagnant because Jun didn’t leave any special instructions and there was only one kid present.
But being the awesome group that we are and some of us being BDO we find ways, things went off smoothly…
Melvin prepared a fun trick for the kids to enjoy and I must say he really did a great job!
It was not like any other outreach program.. It wasn’t something grand but the feeling it gave me, the fulfillment, the satisfaction. I was like a vampire locked up in a coffin, feed off with fresh human blood– that sort of satisfaction. And I think everyone who helped felt the same way. It was nice to see the smiles, how they bragged to each other that they had whiter paper pads now.. The look on the parent’s face when they said thank you and the way they raised the envelopes containing other school stuffs while shouting “YAAAYY!!”.
At some part the event was like a guilty conscience needs no accuser moment for me having to quit school by choice. It may have not patched the bad educational choices I had, at least, in my own little outdoorish ways, I have pitched in something to put smile on their faces.
For a moment, I felt that the world is so much better.
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Disclaimer: Apologies for the non-malakatish quality of photos. We ran out of DSLR supplies. aw.
Hello, it’s me you’re looking for…… aw
Getting things started with Batang 90’s.
Early birds catches the worms and the snacks. aw.
Melvin giving a brief introduction about Malakat.
Meanwhile.. some guys invaded the playground.
The Mantalongon Kids, their parents and a random balut vendor who decided to join us.
Wala nagka dima-o nga mga dagway.
Samot ka wa nagka dima-0 nga dagway.
Trivia: Drive by download.
Me and Marie 🙂
Stairway to Mantalongon…… meheheh.
Oh the perks of publishing the post, I can choose photos with me in it.
Teacher Honey helping us out.
So.. About the chocolates, it started pretty normal. Giving a piece per bata…
Sorry, can’t help it. lol.
Happy kids.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to 1&1 Management and all the teams for the help and donations. Also, special thanks to our fellow outdoor group Tribu Padidit for the notebooks they donated!
salamat ma’am sa pag-acknowledge sa among pina-ma’y nga mura’g true nga grupo.. 🙂
-Tribu Padidit
wala ko sa pictures…. huhuhu… pero in fairness na secure ang favorite spot nato. hehehe…
ang pangutana: kinsa mn jud ang salarin sa 2 packs nga lollipop? hahaha
first pack solved – salarin: rubing hahahahaha
wa sad mi sa pics, huhuhu 🙁 i miss the charity pro cge lang nalingaw man sad ko overall super bahala naay kasakit sa dughan awp
ok ra na princess.. there are a lot of fishes in the sea
nalingaw jud kos pagsabwag sa mga chocolates ug candies.. hahahaha
di ko palabot! wala ko sa mga pictures! awp! hahaha
nice nice nice…