By Anna Valmero

AT first look, anyone can mistake him as the lost twin brother of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. But blood relatives they are not.

Pacman’s double “Manny Paksiw” joined the motorcade of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao along Metro Manila. Riding a yellow truck at the end of the convoy, Manny Paksiw said it is his way of showing support for the international boxing champ.

“Hindi ko lang siya idol, kaibigan ko rin siya at ito ay paraan ng pagsuporta ko sa kanya bilang kaibigan [He is not only my boxing idol, he is also my friend and this is my way of supporting him],” he said.

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By Marjorie Gorospe

SCAVENGING might be the last resort for most people. But for those who live near the Smoky Mountain, it is their only choice for living.

Dave Bajado, 18, never knew how to define a peaceful life. Recalling his childhood, all he can remember is her mother selling his sibling for P500. He has many siblings but all have different fathers.

When he was 12 years old, Bajado experience moving from one home to another. He admitted taking drugs mainly because of his peers’ influence. Along with his peers, they worked for an illegal recruiter who sent them to a bar in a province.

Bajado had no father figure to guide him. She also lost her mother soon after selling her child.

He was also taken in for rehabilitation after was caught using illegal drugs.

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By Marjorie Gorospe

DOGS are man’s best friend. But for Sergio Redolosa these loyal creatures are his partners in life.

It has been five years since Redolosa started training and taking care of his dogs. His dogs are named “Bagwis,” “Habagat” and “Amihan.”

Habagat became part of the “Enteng Kabisote” movie and “Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang” series in local television. Habagat apparently knows how to add and subtract and say “I love you.”

Redolosa is not a professional trainer. His pets are also not of imported breed. But he has trained his pets because they are his partners in street shows.

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By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Renato “Boy” Samson discovered magic when he was six years old.

Due to his persistent desire to learn, he volunteered to be an assistant to a magician for free. In return, he was taught how to be one until finally he has polished the craft.

Samson was eventually known for combining sleight of hand with charm, making sure he maintains rapport with his audience.

Samson is one of the founding members of Inner Magic Club of the Philippines. It is one of the pioneering clubs of magicians in the country.

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By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

MANILA CITY, Philippines — Alfred Herrera or “Naning” is just one of many Filipinos selling Sampaguita to believers of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila.

At the age of 16, Herrera already sees the need to support his own finances, while making sure his siblings are fed. The second of nine children, he knows his income from selling Sampaguita is needed.

But unlike others selling Sampaguita, Herrera can only go every Fridays to Quiapo. From Monday to Thursday, he has to attend his classes.

“Nagpaalam naman ako sa teacher ko na ‘pag Friday, hindi ako papasok kasi magtitinda ako. Naiintindihan naman niya (I have told my teacher that I have to work every Friday. She understands my situation),” Herrera says.

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By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net

AT first glance, operating a ferris wheel seems like a mundane job requiring little skill. Sort of like operating an on/off switch, like I thought it was, remembering annual “peryahan” or carnivals in time for fiesta in my hometown.

But when you’re in charge of keeping as many as 144 people safe while screaming their hearts out (out of joy and anxiety), as in the case of Enchanted Kingdom’s Patrick Abrantes, running a ferris wheel that’s about 45 meters tall – a lot more massive than most - requires you to pass exams. Aside from being extra attentive, of course.

By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

“Bili na kayo [Buy now], kamoteng kahoy”, this is the line which Aling Feliza dela Cruz would always yell to encourage passers-by to buy her product.

Dela Cruz, 60, lives alone in Baseco, Manila and sells kamoteng kahoy for a living.

To costumers, eating this crop means satisfying their hunger. But for her, it means survival. Dela Cruz gets her income from selling kamoteng kahoy for her weeklong supply of rice. If she’s lucky and earns extra, she might have something to buy coffee.

Sadly, a small portion of her sales goes to her because her supply of kamoteng kahoy is provided by her neighbor.

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By Izah Morales

A loss of one is a gain of another. When someone dies, not everyone weeps for a few make the dead their living.

Lolo Roque Rafon and Mang Rommel Ocampo are among those few people whom I recently met at the Manila North Cemetery.

Since 1961, Rafon has been a caretaker of the graves of Jose Rizal’s family and the late president of the Philippines Manuel Roxas when the former caretaker got him from the province as replacement. During his first few years, Rafon revealed how scared he was about the idea of living in a cemetery.

“Nakikiusap ako na ‘wag naman akong takutin dahil natatakot ako [I was asking them not to scare me since I scare easily],” said Rafon referring to supposed spirits that he felt. Nonetheless, Rafon had no choice but to stay in the cemetery since he could not leave his job.

“Parang nasiyahan na rin ako ditong magtrabaho kasi nakapirmi na ako dito. Una, di ko rin naman kayang magtrabaho ng mabigat dahil may diperensiya ang katawan ko [I eventually liked working here because this is where I eventually stayed. In the first place, I cannot do hard labor because there’s something wrong with my body],” explained Rafon.

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By Anna Urquiola-Green

WHEN I was invited to write an article about a Filipina’s life in the United Kingdom, I jumped at the opportunity. Mainly because I want to share the experiences I had in this country and quite a lot of these were eye-openers for me.

Moving here three years ago, I learned to adapt quickly especially with the climate. My family and I spent the previous 10 years in the Middle East and from a place where there is only one season — summer, and here in England when they have 4 seasons, it is a total shock to the system. After all, out here one can sometimes experience 4 seasons in one day! I did enjoy shopping for clothes and acquiring a few pairs of boots and not realising that after winter, you have to store the bulky clothes you’ve collected which has taken space in the closet. This is one of the few instances a Filipino’s inborn talent of maximizing the space of a cardboard box when sending pasalubong (presents) back home to the Philippines comes in handy.

Although we Filipinos have English as a second language in the Philippines, here in the UK, I have realized that I still have a lot to learn too, not with the accent but the ordinary words we know. When somebody offers you a fag, it doesn’t mean they’re fixing you up on a same sex blind date, it is an offer for a cigarette! I must have heard this line before I just can’t remember where but it does show that a single word can mean two different things and could land you in hot water.

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By Anna Valmero and Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

MAKATI CITY, Philippines – For 20 years, Consuelo Foundation has offered hope to about 50,000 children and families in the Philippines.

Offering support to non-government and nonprofit organizations, the Consuelo Foundation has been involved in programs for the development and rehabilitation of abused children and spouses, as well as the homeless.

The Consuelo Foundation has about 125 partner organizations both in the Philippines and in Hawaii.

The Consuelo Foundation started a year after Consuelo Zobel Alger’s meeting with Patti Lyons who established Child and Family Service Philippines in 1987. Lyons was foundation president and CEO until 2006.

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