Seeking love on Christmas Day
"There are those who spend their money on expensive coffee and how I wish they can sacrifice one cup of coffee or one to two slices of pizza to help those in the streets. Christmas should not only be celebrated once a year, it must be celebrated everyday.">>>passage from the Author that strike through my heart. Small Act of Love can change the life of one child, one family and become bigger in the eyes of God...
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Christmas day is coming. People are now busy decorating their houses; putting colourful Christmas lanterns, adorning their trees with Christmas lights.
Streets and main roads are filled with delightful street lights. Children are excited to decorate their own Christmas trees and busy attending parties.
It is indeed, a warm and colourful day to celebrate But for Monique Palleleo and for her daughters, this year’s Christmas is cold and gray.
Monique is a 19-year-old mother of two; she got pregnant when she was 17 and gave birth to her eldest daughter. “Bata pa lang kasi ako nabuntis. Two years old na ‘yung panganay ko tapos ‘yung sumunod naman ay seven months na” Monique said.
Unfortunately, her husband left them after she gave birth to her second daughter.
“Iniwan na ako ng asawa ko, hindi ko alam kung nasaan na siya ngayon, umalis na lang, wala siyang ibang iniwan sa akin kung hindi ang mga anak namin” she narrated. “Wala pa naman akong trabaho umaasa lang ako sa tatay ko, eh tricycle driver lang siya, kung ano na lang ng ibigay niya, ‘yun na lang. Kaya nga araw araw problema ko ang gatas ng bunso kong anak” she added. Her family is currently residing in Diego Silang, Quezon City, in a settlement area beside a creek.
Worse comes to worst
Finding ways to survive is a huge task for Monique, yet she has to face another challenge. Her eldest daughter Yuna is suffering from seizures due to head trauma and blindness.
“Nahihirapan nga ako sa sitwasyon ngayon ni Yuna dahil hindi na talaga siya nakakakita, nabulag siya noong pinanganak ko kasi may malaking pagkakamali ‘yung hospital kasi hindi nila namamalayan na mataas pala ‘yung oxygen niya noong nasa incubator siya kaya ‘yun ang nangyari” she narrates.
After that, another catastrophic incident happened. While the nurse was checking the pediatric ward, he unconsciously bumped the incubator of Yuna and the baby fell on the floor. “Masakit sa akin na hindi lang isa kung hindi nasundan pa ‘yung nangyari sa baby ko, lumapit ako sa kinauukulan pero walang nangyari at hindi man lang ako pinansin. Bata pa kasi ako noon, 17 lang ako kaya ok, ok lang. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na panghabang buhay pala ‘yun dadalhin ng anak ko” she said.
"Pasko sa gitna ng kalsada"
One the other hand, Jeffrey or Jeff to his friends a 12-year-old street vendor, would rather spend Christmas on the street. “Mas malaki po kasi ang kita pag pasko, marami kasing mga bumibili tapos ‘pag nangangaroling ka pa sa mga jeep at mga dumadaan nadadagdagan pa po” he said.
Jeff is a street vendor since he was seven years old and lives in barangay Nitang in Quezon City. Unhappily, he hasn’t gone to any school and was not registered legally because he doesn’t have a birth certificate.
He is the eldest boy amongst his four siblings, his mother died because of a severe disease and his father left them.
“Sa lolo ko po kami nanirahan, pero sobrang liit lang ang kinikita niya sa pagtitinda kulang pa para sa pagkain namin,” he said.
He roams around Novaliches Market to sell bananas and vegetables. During his free time, he collects plastics, bottles and other recyclable materials, which he sells to the junkshop. Jeffrey works double time not only for himself but also for his siblings. “Kapag po kasi wala akong kinita wala pong kakainin and mga kapatid ko, kaya kahit pangangalakal po ay ginagawa ko minsan nga po kahit may sakit ako pinipilit ko pa din, kelangan po kasi talaga” he said.
Oftentimes, he skips lunch and dinner just to earn more. Their grandpa is aware of what Jeffrey does but opts to close his eyes. “Gusto ko mang tulungan sila at ako na lang ang matrabaho hindi ko naman kaya, matanda na ko at hindi ganoong kalakasan madami pa kaming utang, minsan naiiyak ako na nakikita sila na lagi nalang asin ang ulam may pagkakataon pa ngang hindi na kami nakain. Wala kasi talagang pambili eh” his lolo said.
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I personally got excited because Christmas time is near, but on the other side, it burdens me to think about others. I think about Monique and her daughters; or how Jeffrey will spend Christmas asking from spare coins from passersby. How can those kids spend “Pasko sa gitna ng Kalsada” and be helped.
There are those who spend their money on expensive coffee and how I wish they can sacrifice one cup of coffee or one to two slices of pizza to help those in the streets. Christmas should not only be celebrated once a year, it must be celebrated everyday.
Author: Emanuel Bagual is a freshman college at UP Diliman taking up Community Development. He was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2009.
