04/10/2025
๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ผ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐จ๐ฝ
by Cherry Mae B. Andrada | Circulation Manager
The ground shook before the sun could rise. Walls trembled, windows cried, and prayers filled the spaces between heartbeats. A 6.9-magnitude quake, they said but numbers could never capture the fear that rippled through every home, or the silence that followed after the screams.
In the days that came after, the earth refused to rest. Aftershocks whispered reminders of loss of roofs fallen, of lives turned upside down, of dreams buried beneath debris. Yet amid the trembling and the dust, something else stirred: ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ช๐ฅ.
They didnโt have flashing lights or big names. No microphones. No spotlights. Just tired eyes, worn shoes, and hearts that refused to turn away.
At dawn, while others were still asleep, they were already at the repacking site, lifting boxes, folding donated clothes, sealing bags of rice. Some were students, skipping rest between online classes. Others were church youth, small business owners, even tricycle drivers who gave what little they had.
They came not because they had plenty but because they knew what it felt like to have nothing.
โ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฎ ๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ก๐, ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ,โ one volunteer said, sweat dripping down her face as she handed over a pack of canned goods.
Somewhere down the road, a tired mother clutched a bag of diapers to her chest, whispering, โ๐๐๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ฉ, ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ค ๐ง๐๐ฎ ๐ข๐ช๐๐๐ก๐ค๐จ.โ
A little boy smiled for the first time that day, holding noodles and milk like they were treasure.
No speeches. Just hands reaching out and others reaching back.
They didnโt ask:
โ๐๐๐๐-๐๐จ๐ ๐ ๐?โ
โ๐๐๐๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ช๐๐?โ
โ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ช๐๐?โ
โ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ค ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐?โ
Instead, they asked:
โ๐ผ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐?โ
โ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ?โ
โ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐โ๐ฎ ๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐?โ
And that made all the difference.
Because in the middle of disaster, it wasnโt just the goods that mattered. It was the presence. The kindness. The willingness to stay even when it was easier to look away.
To all the volunteers, donors, drivers, and silent helpers โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ฉ.
You may not be in the headlines, but you are in the hearts of every person youโve helped.
Padayon, mga bayani sa paglaum. May the kindness you give return to you a thousandfold.
Amping mo kanunay, mga liwanag sa dilim!
Written by Cherry Mae B. Andrada
Photo by John Nepomuceno Togonon
Layout by Kebin Escoton
