‘Damayan’ brings cheer to Bataan folk

For 77-year-old Lucia Tamayo, blood is not always thicker than water.

After all, it was Lola Lucing’s relatives — whom she loved and supported in her youth — who drove her to the "Bahay Puso," a shelter for abandoned elders in Sitio Mathay, Barangay Puyo in Balanga, Bataan.

Although now wheelchair-bound, Lola Lucing vividly remembers how her brother-in-law, niece and nephews drove her out of her own house on Sto. Rosario street in Orani, Bataan after supporting them from her income as a maid in Sucat, Parañaque City.

Lola Lucing said she regularly sent money to her sister’s family, who were living in her house, when she was still working as a family maid in Parañaque for five decades.

"When I met an accident in Parañaque, it became difficult for me to stand and walk, I went home to Orani. (But) the family of my sister, who had already died, was staying in my house, drove me away. They said that they did not know me," she said.

Her neighbors took pity on Lola Lucing and brought her to Bahay Puso which became her home for the past five years.

This Christmas season, Lola Lucing is looking forward to the visit of her former wards who sent word that they are coming to visit her.

"Other people are better than our own relatives. They don’t drive you away like an animal. I am here now and I don’t intend to go back to Orani. This is my home and the people here are my family," she said in Filipino.

Lola Lucing is but one of 30 Bahay Puso residents who were deserted by their loved ones during their twilight years.

And to share the spirit of Christmas with them, "Operation Damayan," the public service arm of the STAR Group of Publications, organized a Christmas party there recently.

Damayan was established by the STAR’s late founding chairwoman Betty Go-Belmonte and is now being continued by her son, STAR president and chief executive officer Miguel Belmonte.

Damayan was conceptualized to provide relief to the sick and the poor.

The party also benfitted 19 orphans and over 20 day-care wards at the "Munting Tahanan," a shelter for children which, like Bahay Puso, is also run by the diocese of Balanga, Bataan.

According to Rev. Edilberto Pomer, director of Bahay Puso and Munting Tahanan, the two institutions were formed by the diocese to assist poor and orphaned children and those who have been abandoned and neglected by their families.

"We give shelter to those who have none and love to those who need it. But our priority for those abandoned or neglected is to reintegrate them with their family. We also provide livelihood assistance to families to enable them to take care of their kids," Pomer said.

The priest recalled the story of eight-year-old Diosdado of Olongapo City, a former street child who was brought to Munting Tahanan by social workers.

"On All Saints’ Day, he went on a three-day vacation with his family. When he came back, he looked miserable and hungry. The best way to assist children like him is really to educate the family," he added.

During the party, the covered basketball court of the two institutions were filled with the laughter of the children.

Wards of the two sisters also feasted on spaghetti, hotdogs and fried chicken prepared by Damayan volunteers, whose efforts were compensated by the joy of watching the children and the elderly enjoy the parlor games they prepared.

One of the elderly, blind Lolo Levi, did not allow himself to be upstaged by children and gamely participated in the Christmas carol singing contest as as did the nuns who help run Bahay Puso and Munting Tahanan.

And to complete the party, Damayan gave clothes and backpacks filled with notebooks, packs of milk, pens, umbrella, notepads, face towels and other school accessories to the 19 wards of Munting Tahanan. The day-care students also went home with packs of goodies.

Damayan also donated one washing machine with dryer, laundry soap powder and bars, six plastic tables and 19 chairs, one set of computer and printer, a plastic cabinet and first-aid-items, two sacks of rice, packs of adult diapers, boxes of tootpaste, packs of milk, umbrella and six goats for the livelihood of the two centers.

The Christmas party was made possible with the help of RM Enterprise, Ad Creator Advertising Agency, employees of The Philippine STAR and Pilipino Star Ngayon, Philippine Star Printing Co., Elvie Estavillo, Mead Johnson for Alactagrow, Sustagen Sr. and Lactum, Kenneth Lao and STAR news editor Ibarra Mateo who gave P10,000 each.