everyone has a story to tell: totoy
every person has his or her story to tell. i always like hearing stories about people and what they go through their lives. although there are some similarities in some instances, no two persons have exactly the same situations.
i long wanted to write about stories of ordinary people… ordinary meaning they’re not celebrities or famous. i want the world to know their presence in this world and for the others to understand why it is best to understand each other compared to compete or to outstage one another.
anyway, while i accompanied my friend to the cathedral, i met totoy. he’s 10 years old and a student in one of the public schools here in our city.
he approached us to ask for money. i don’t normally give money to those who beg for it because i know that some are just being lazy but this time, there was something in his eyes which convey that he really needs the money. i asked him where he lives and he said he lives at the squatters area right beside the church. i asked him where his mother is and if his mother knows that he’s out begging for money. his answer was his mother was looking for money also to buy food for them.
like i said, i don’t normally give money but when i asked him if he’s willing to pose for me to get his picture, he was just quiet. didn’t know actually what to answer. i knew then that he needs money. don’t let me explain why. i always knew by instinct who is in need than those who are just too lazy and too cunning to work for a living.
anyway, he still wants to finish school and someday look for work to help his family. i told him to spend more time studying because that’s his ticket to have a better life. he nodded and looked at us as as we went away.
i don’t pity him. during that time i felt that if he is given a better life, he will succeed. at least he still have that drive to finish school despite of his situation. i admire him in fact because i can sense that he’s a shy boy trying to overcome his shyness just to gather some money to augment his needs.
i hope that as he goes on with his life, he will not be caught up with the idea that he’ll settle for less because he has to go by. i hope he won’t be swallowed by the world’s idea of survival; to grab what’s only good for today and not prepare for the future. he still has a good future to hold on to if he will not give up. life is lived by choice. so how to live it fully is up to him.
you know what? i want to go back there and give him a pair of tsinelas (slippers). he was barefoot and i couldn’t shake it off from my mind. i want to promise him that a lot of people are doing their best to make this world a better place. he just needs to hold on. i will give him this picture too. i know it’s not the best but at least he has this one.
parang kinurot ang puso ko sa titig ni totoy…
i just pray na sana one day mabigyan sya ng pagkakataon na makaahon sa hirap…
Lyzius
September 14, 2008 at 6:00 am
you definitely have a good heart. i hope that you’ll be able to find where he is by the time im in bacolod. i might bring something for him.
im looking forward to my bacolod visit. looking forward to meet you and hopefully other bloggers too.
please email me at i.dongho@gmail.com so that we can communicate thru text.
thanks! see you next week.
donG hO
September 15, 2008 at 3:32 am
im sure sis na itatago nya itong picture na kuha mo.. at ito ang magpapaalala sa kanya na minsan sa kanyang buhay ay may na meet syang isang angel na nagpangiti at nagpasaya sa kanya..=)
rio
September 15, 2008 at 4:28 am
remember the guy from iloilo?lol..anywas murat cool shots na ha!weeeeee!!!…me and you were going to walk from streets to streets , makikinig sa kanilang mga kwento..gudluck to us! to totoy!! keep the faith God loves you..
amorgatory
September 15, 2008 at 5:18 am
alam mo ngayon ko lang to isusulat pero isa sa mga dream ko ang makapagtayo ng foundation… pero as of now kelangan ko munang istable yung sarili ko.. sana makita mo ulit sya…;p
http://anakngpiso.wordpress.com/
anakngpiso
September 15, 2008 at 7:19 am
nabura yung pagkahaba haba ko na comment. di ko alam kung bakit napunta ako sa frontpage at nabura yung comment ko. ayan tinamad na ako irewrite. ganda pa naman ng sinabi ko. LOL
bluepanjeet
September 15, 2008 at 7:43 am
anyhow sa chat ko na lang sasabihin, mahaba eh. BTW the song is great. it brings back so many memories. I practically grew up with smokey mountain. Ka age ko sila hehe
bluepanjeet
September 15, 2008 at 7:46 am
hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko.malungkot, naiinis at maraming marami emotion.
kamotenista
September 15, 2008 at 8:39 am
i just hope someone from the leader of our nation will have fear in Him and know Him deeper.then all will follow.
great shot ifoundme. grabe ang bilis ng improvement at ang ganda and dramatic ng shot!!
gmacomics
September 15, 2008 at 12:10 pm
you are good my fellow ilonggo…
and hey, u took that foto really well.. nice natural lights.
kris jasper
September 15, 2008 at 5:23 pm
awww. so touching..
sana nga maging ok cya and successful pag laki nya,.
vanny
September 16, 2008 at 2:36 am
touchy naman yan.Nakakaawa talaga ang mga batang hindi kayang alagaan ng magulang. Kung marami nga lang sana akong pera.. ang sarap tumulong.
nanaybelen
September 16, 2008 at 6:26 am
hi, honestly ang daming ganyan sa pinas. at habang tumatagal tumataas ang bilang nila.
sometimes, i am also hesitant na magbigay sa mga katulad nila kasi madalas pinangsusugal o pinangddrugs lang nila ang mahihinging pera. thou hindi naman lahat ganun, pero as much as possible kahit naaawa na ako ayoko paring magpadala sa emosyon ko. dapat hindi pera ang binibigay sa mga ito kung may pagkain ka cguro its better na food nalang para sure na deretso sa sikmura nila yun. haaay.
nwei, this is life. we have to deal with it.
yhen
September 16, 2008 at 7:25 am
I, too, don’t give alms as a general rule. I’m a true believer of the idea that if you strive hard enough, you’ll get by, and if you continue striving, you’ll get yourself out of the muck. Take it from someone who experienced how it is to be really, really poor. I heard this from someone “God gave us poverty to make us wise.” I hope this kid, as you have said, has enough drive and courage to want to make the tables turn for him. People like you, who show genuine concern, can give him the strength he needs. And our prayers will, too.
katcarneo
September 16, 2008 at 7:40 am
maraming totoy sa ating lipunan, at sana, kahit na sobrang hirap na hirap sila e hindi sila mapunta sa masamang landas.
kengkay
September 16, 2008 at 7:56 am
[...] is actually a response post from IFM’s entry called “totoy” which she narrated her experience with a street kid who asked her for alms. With the current [...]
Children of Yesterday’s Dream : OTWOMD | Bluepanjeet.Net
September 16, 2008 at 8:51 am
edukasyon ang pangunahing dapat isulong sa pinas, kasama pati ang kalusugan. kung may konsyensya lang sana ang bawat politicong nakaupo..
utakmunggo
September 16, 2008 at 9:17 am
Nice. You never cease to amaze with the way you express yourself in words. Keep it up. =)
kirksydney
September 16, 2008 at 10:12 am
By the way, I added you up sa links ko. So expect me to drop by here everytime na online ako, hehe. =)
kirksydney
September 16, 2008 at 10:13 am
I dunno what to say. I a ambivalent on this issue.
Richmond
September 16, 2008 at 10:38 am
ifm, na-miss kita musta ka na? ano na nangyari dun sa nz application mo?
madbong
September 16, 2008 at 11:12 am
nakakaantig naman yang istoryang ito.
Mahalia
September 16, 2008 at 11:40 am
i must admit i’m teary eyed by merely looking at his pic.
he is a proof of poverty, of life, of reality!
an irony of others who are living in luxury.
Geisha
September 16, 2008 at 5:04 pm
anu pangalan nung bata, totoy lang?
maganda… kakainspire… nakakalungkot nga lang…
kase minsan, yung mga walang pera sila pa yung gifted… may puso..may isip at may experience na hindi matututunan sa school o di kaya sa kahit sa anung klase ng libro..
malay mo si totoy, sya yung hinihintay ng pinas para umunlad..
congratz..ganda ng pic nya
kosa
October 1, 2008 at 4:18 am
Ah, yes. He has very expressive eyes.
I see pain in them.
Hardships.
Questions.
But I think I see glitter of hope somewhere as well.
brainteaser
October 4, 2008 at 3:58 am
Hi!
xoxo
I made with photoshop animated myspace pictures.
have a look at them:
http://tinyurl.com/5bxl7f
Thanks a lot 4 your site
Omiggimepef
November 28, 2008 at 2:55 am
[...] is actually a response post from IFM’s entry called “totoy” which she narrated her experience with a street kid who asked her for alms. With the current [...]
Children of Yesterday’s Dream
May 8, 2009 at 11:12 pm