Christmas, as national hero Jose Rizal once noted, is a holiday for children.
And for Biñan City, Laguna Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, what better way to manifest this than by “paying it forward” to Biñanense children, especially those who are currently bedridden?
Last December 23, Alonte played the role of Santa Claus to children currently confined in various hospitals in Biñan City, through his “Munting AnGEL Gift-Giving Project.”
The vice mayor visited Biñan Doctors’ Hospital, Ospital ng Biñan (ONB), Perpetual Help Medical Center Biñan, and Unihealth Southwoods Hospital and Medical Center to spread Christmas cheer to children who are staying there for medical treatment.
This year, Alonte's “Munting AnGEL Gift-Giving Project” was also made possible through the support of Lagunense actor Alden Richards, Richard Faulkerson, "Direk| Carlites De Guzman, Tenten Mendoza, Patrick Nava, and the local branch of McDonald's in Biñan City, among others.
‘Purpose po natin ang tumulong’
In an interview with OpinYon Laguna, Vice Mayor Alonte stressed that the main purpose of the “Munting AnGEL Gift-Giving Project” is to spread the Christmas spirit of selfless giving to Biñanense children.
“Taong 2013 ko pa po ito pinasimulan ang proyektong ito, noong konsehal pa po ako sa Biñan City,” Alonte related to OpinYon Laguna.
“Ito po ang aking munting paraan upang kahit papaano ay makatulong po sa mga batang may karamdaman sa ating lungsod. Nais nating maibsan kahit kaunti ang lungkot na kanilang nararamdaman ngayong Pasko,” he added.
Aside from bringing gifts to bedridden children, Alonte added that his office, along with the city government, would also provide financial assistance to selected children for their medical expenses.
"Siyempre, nais rin po natin na hangga't maaari ay makapag-celebrate ng Pasko ang mga batang pasyente sa piling ng kani-kanilang mga magulang. So sa abot po ng ating makakaya, tinutulungan po natin sila para makalabas ng ospital bago sumapit ang Kapaskuhan," he explained.
Spreading joy to children
For children who had to spend the holidays within the confines of hospitals – where they often face loneliness and isolation – Vice Mayor Alonte’s “Munting AnGEL Gift-Giving Project” meant a lot for them, according to some hospital officials who were interviewed by OpinYon Laguna.
“In fact, mas nakita po natin ang naging impact ng mga pagbisitang ito ni Vice Mayor Gel noong panahon ng Covid-19 pandemic,” Dr. Arcadio Tamayo, Senior Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs of the Jonelta Group of Companies (Perpetual Help Medical Center Biñan), said.
“Isipin po ninyo, kahit na noong panahong iyon na kailangan po talagang i-restrict ang ating mga pasyente, lagi pa rin pong nagpapadala sina Vice Mayor at ang LGU ng Biñan support para sa ating ospital.”
These personal visits, Dr. Tamayo added, are also a morale booster not just for the patients but for medical staff who also have to spend Christmas and New Year away from their families, as they fulfill their duties.
“The fact that our public officials, including Vice Mayor Alonte, take such risks to visit us despite the fact that at the time, we are still unsure of where the pandemic will take us because we don’t have a vaccine yet, ay nagbibigay ng ginhawa sa ating mga empleyado na noo’y humaharap sa matinding panganib para ma-accommodate ang mga pasyenteng may Covid-19,” he stressed.
'Nandyan ang LGU'
Aside from the material benefits of the gifts that Vice Mayor Alonte brought to the hospitalized children this Christmas, parents, and guardians said his personal visit also reassured them that the local government is ready to assist them in their time of need.
For instance, Dess Villalon, the aunt of a child who was confined at the Perpetual Help Medical Center due to dengue fever, noted that aside from the gifts brought by the vice mayor, the city government was also able to provide financial support for their family.
"Bukod po sa Pamaskong Handog ni Vice Mayor, halos kalahati po ng bill namin sa ospital ang sinalo ng local government ng Biñan. Malaking tulong na rin po sa amin ito, dahil nailabas na po namin sa ospital ang pamangkin namin,” she told OpinYon Laguna.
(Report by James Veloso and Catherine Go)