Here I am one small voice
Here I am one young soul
Let me join your world
Enjoy your world and take it as my own
I need your love!
The music comes reverberating from outside the booth of the FM station, a voice of a young girl who was sitting in the lap of the DJ. The DJ started to mumble some words for his frequent listeners and even introduced the girl, the Little Angle. “Friends and avid listeners this is, “little angel”, our featured artist of the day and our little DJ. By the way, she is among the street children who will be joining the first national congress for street children in Manila for the next few days.
Who could have forget being given a break and singing in the intricate booth of FM station where only the talented and fantasized artists where given the opportunity to do it?
I was only a small voice. Future is uncertain having been turmoil of the cruelty of fate came before me. Not special, since I was among those dirty-foul beggar watcher. The beggar blind was my father and I tend him everyday in the portals of the San Pedro Cathedral. After that, need to do some street life to fill my hungry stomach and needs for my father and my self. This is the usual sight of my daily routine. I have a father with me who nourishes me with love and we need to survive everyday in the fang of the street.
Who could have known that my life would be twisted inside out?
I first joined a series of capability building and self enhancing skills through the help our some part time street educators, to name Neneng Olivo and Robinson Uyamot. I thought it was a mere propaganda to eradicate the sight of these kids in the street. But believing that blessings is not handed from heaven but worked in the mask of other person wrapped differently, my luck started here. I became a scholar of Davao City’s Send a Street Child to School (SASS) program headed by Councilor Leonardo Avila III in cooperation with the Inter-Agency Working Committee on Street and Urban Working Children. This was the school year 1990-91 and I was a Grade II pupil at the Magallanes Elementary School.
The opportunity open a wide spread of horizon before me. Scholarships come one after another. I stepped one of the level of the stairs towards realizing my dreams and aspirations. Every after school year, I was given extra merits if I give them medals of recognitions. And that I did, never to fail them. A number of us were given the opportunity to take the placement test and then was accelerated from one level to another. Mine is an example from 4th grader to 6th. Also include my exposure and trainings regionally (the First Visayas-Mindanao Regional Congress for Street Children in Cagayan last November 25-29, 1991). I could still remember sleeping the office of the Councilor Avila with the cold of the air conditioned experiencing for the first time in my life. He gave us words to boost our confidence and introduced us to our beloved mayor, Hon. Rodrigo R. Duterte in the eve of our travel. Who would ever allow that foul street kids would sleep over your office whose smell will linger till the next day after?
Nationally, the First National Congress for Street Children in La Salle Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila last April 14-19, 1990 where 8 of us delegated our city. Luckily, I was among them who were able to visit and mingle to some of our pertinent leaders: Sec. Oscar Orbos of the Office of the President, Speaker of the House Ramon Mitra, where I happen to sing in his lap, of the House of Representatives, Senate President Jovito Salonga and other collegues Senator Herrera, Senator Estrada, Senator Tatad and many others of the Senate House. Our meeting with them is to help materialized the passage of the then bill: Special Protection Right of the Children from all sorts of abused and exploitation (now the RA 7610). It’s a real break to call.
Television appearance, where we became casts in the local TV production entitled the “Rugby Boys” headed by the Local Anti-Drug Watch Campaign shown last June 12, 1992.
The Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) Program for the street children where I am one among the recipients, as 11 year old in 3rd grader, it was too old for me to be there but came the next school year that I was accelerated from 4th grader to 6th grader in the initiative of the program.
What comes next? The 4-year lived in scholarship to Talisay, Cebu, The Sisters of Mary Boystown and Girlstown School. Two of us from the Street children program passed the exam and 10 other poorest of the poor become the first scholars of the city. I could still remember that we don’t have a fare going there. And it was risk since we were the first one to be going to that place and risk our future. But Councilor Avila never had a doubt in us but believe that our future is safe there. Without a word, he sponsored our fare (the 12 of us plus 3 escorts/guardians) going to Cebu. What would he get a mere thank you from us? But we never put his sweat to ash, instead we do our best and that till now a number of scholars were taken from the city to avail of such scholarships. To date, we are about a thousand of alumni in that school from our city. I’m not pretty sure if he could still remember my colleagues, from in their lips echoed a million thanks that if not for him, they are not professionals now and future is better defined.
I thought he would stop helping me for he had equipped me of all the skills and talents as young adult. After I graduated my degree in college, he asked me if I would be grateful enough to serve our city as a Street Educator. With zeal in my heart, I said absolutely. He made every effort to put me and 2 other colleagues in the position. How hard it is to work with the street children? But instead of quitting, I find it challenging and noble. For once I was them and now I’ll be guiding them to make best of what’s in them. Everyday is a big fight for me. But having seen in them the burning desire to serve without asking any return keeps me alive and never cease to help in multitude.
I could not imagine meeting a person with such a big heart. Many would doubt his sincerity. Some will say he will just use you for his own personal interest. How many lives did he change? How many dreams he helped achieve in silence? Did he ever published it and brag it to public? No.
He treated me squarely and special and never mentioned the length of help he extended to me and to my fellow street children and other friends.
Once he believed in the capacity of the person, he will outstretched his help and never count how much effort he poured out. He will never ask a single fruit from the harvest. A mere thankful is enough for him.
Live your life to the fullest that is what his asking from us always. He doesn’t want us to call him boss, sir nor councilor. For him, the word kuya is enough. He is the real BIG BROTHER to us, a brother who would want a better future to his siblings.
Now, when asked what he can do for our youth? There are a million of ways he had done and would still continue to do it. The mere love for service is the desire that would burn him to continue to help and find ways to better the life of our young ones. This isn’t propaganda. But a life he had lived in no doubts. Just like a drinking water, that would quenched his thirst. No question. He will keep drinking and would keep thirsting for it.
MELANIE BALIBER MACABIT-TABELIN
