MANILA, Philippines – A viral Facebook post of a teacher from Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, touched the hearts of netizens after she found out the reason why one of her students was silently crying in the middle of her lesson.
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| Photo courtesy: Mechiel Warag Sugatan/Facebook |
Amid the class, Grade 9 teacher Mechiel Warag Sugatan of a public school noticed one of her students staring blankly out the window, seemingly lost in thought and weighed down by something heavy.
When she approached the student to get his attention, she noticed the child quietly in tears. Upon asking why, the student admitted that his stomach hurt from hunger, having not eaten anything the night before.
"Habang busy ang lahat sa pagsusulat Isang bata nasilayan kong laging nakatingin sa may bintana na parang ang lalim ng iniisip ayaw tumingin sa pisara, palihim akong lumapit sa kanya doon ko nakita ang lalaki ng mga luha sa mata yung umiiyak Pero walang tunog nahihiya siguro siya na malaman namin," it can be read.
"Doon ko nalaman nung tinanong ko siya ano ang nangyari 'Langga? May sakit ka ba? Sabihin mo sa akin. Sabi ng bata 'WALA MAAM' ehhh ano bat ka nagganyan ? Nakita ko ilang malaking luha pa ang pumapatak bago niya ako sinagot.”
"Sabi Niya 'MAAM ANG HAPDI PO NG TIYAN KO ,KANINA PA KUMAAKALAM KAGABI LANG AY NAUBOS NA YUNG BAON KONG BIGAS.'"
Deeply moved, the teacher immediately arranged for rice and a meal to be bought for the student.
In an exclusive interview with The Summit Express, Teacher Mechiel revealed that “Gary” lives far from their school and that his parents are farmers.
Because of the distance, Gary begins walking down from the mountains as early as Sunday to make it in time for school. He stays with a relative until Friday before returning home for the weekend. During his stay in the lowlands, his parents send him off with a supply of rice — but it quickly runs out.
After her post went viral, numerous concerned netizens extended their help to Gary.
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express