Girl, 11, lauded for saving playmate from plane crash

MANILA, Philippines - Education Secretary Armin Luistro on Thursday commended an 11-year-old girl who saved her playmate from a plane crash in Parañaque City last December.

Luistro told Rodelyn Molina not to be ashamed of the scars she sustained for saving three-year-old Clyde Reflorida during the re-opening of F. Serrano Sr. Elementary School.

“I am very happy to see Rodelyn again. Don’t hide your scars. Others may not like it but for us these scars symbolize your heroism. To us you are a hero,” Luistro told Molina.

The two children were playing with Reflorida’s sister when a light aircraft crashed on Taiwan street in Barangay Don Bosco on Dec. 11, 2011.

Despite sustaining burns, Molina grabbed Reflorida away from the fire. The boy, however, escaped from her arms and insisted to save his sister.

The Reflorida siblings died while Molina was taken to the hospital.

In an earlier interview with The STAR, Molina’s father said he rushed his daughter to two hospitals but none attended to her needs until Luistro came.

The education secretary immediately ordered the girl’s transfer to the Makati Medical Center, where she stayed for about two months because of the degree of her burns.

The scars of Molina’s heroism remained from her face down to her legs.

“Even children can be heroes,” said Luistro.

Luistro was elated that the school, which was also burned, had been rebuilt in six months. He lauded local government officials for their unity in times of tragedy.

Government in action

The four-story school has 60 classrooms, almost twice the number of the classrooms in the old F. Serrano. Forty-three of the classrooms are already being used while others are still undergoing finishing touches. Once completed, the school can achieve the ideal ratio of one teacher to 50 students.

Malacañang’s swift release of the P128-million budget has enabled local government officials to proceed with the construction of the school.  

“This is government in action,” said master teacher 1 Lumen Perez.

Hardship over

According to assistant to the principal Nelita Belen, the school was formally opened on Aug. 1, ending the five-month hardship endured by the students and teachers in their makeshift classroom in the covered court of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Barangay Don Bosco.

“Our hardships are over. We can now go back to teaching in real classrooms,” said principal Rosalia Morit.

The students were forced to hold classes in the church’s covered court following the plane crash last Dec. 10. Fourteen people died while hundreds were rendered homeless due to a huge fire.