When In Manila, we all wish our country could improve and rise from the current state its in. Though it might be true that one man cannot change the world, it’s definitely true that one man CAN make a difference.
Carlos Celdran shares this story on his FB page:
*Disclaimer: This photo is the rightful property of Carlos Celdran. We do not claim ownership of it and are simply sharing his story to inspire others
“#HumansOfRoxasBoulevard. Meet The Mystery Lugaw Godfather. Last night, while walking home from Luneta, I stumbled upon a group of people who were lining up in the dark. It was hard for me to figure out was going on and it was even harder for me to get a picture but from what I gathered, they were lining up to get FREE rice porridge from a cart. Apparently, every weekday night, there’s a cart that gives out enough Lugaw for a couple hundred people for no charge at all. Anyone can partake. Street children were lining up. So were vagrants, security guards, tricycle drivers, students, taong grasa, you name it. People were filling up their thermos, their mugs, old soft drink bottles, and whatever they could use as a container. And believe it or not, they were disciplined about it and not climbing over each other for free food. And when I asked the woman ladling out the porridge who the benefactor was, she simply said “Hindi ko alam”. The benefactor wanted to remain nameless she said. He only goes by the pseudonym, Leon. It’s really cool that there are some Filipinos out there who give without fanfare and are the complete opposite of what I’m used to around here. The Filipino elites trumpet their ridiculously lavish fundraisers while politicians slather their face on anything that doesn’t move to stay relevant. Meanwhile, Leon just gives quietly. Now, whether this perpetuates the culture of mendicancy and dependency within the Manila Urban Poor and is it an effective way to alleviate poverty in the long run? Um… well… that’s the topic of another post altogether. #vivamanila”
Our thoughtful acts may not change the country overnight, but if we all continue to treat others with kindness and respect just as Leon does, then there’s no way to go but up.
On the other hand, Carlos Celdran posts a very interesting questing at the end of his post. What do you think? Think Leon is helping or making things worse?
