Mel packs to return home from Manila

Mel is      a  young Filipino man  from a very  poor provincial family     who  has, in recent    years, been attempting to make it in the big city.

While surviving, during the  final examination period, on one meal a day, Mel   succeeded in completing the first year of a computer course at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).

Funds were insufficient for him to continue at the university, however.

With some assistance Mel undertook, successfully, a coffee-making (barista) course.

Casual employment followed, with Starbucks, Jollibee (the Filipino equivalent of McDonald’s) and then, until now, a McDonald’s fast-food restaurant in Asia’s largest megamall: the Mall of Asia.

Now Mel’s employment with McDonald’s is coming to an end. He had decided to return home to be with his mother and close relatives.

At 12:49 a.m. today Mel used his rooming house mate’s laptop,  to send me a message via Facebook.

Oh Bern, I’m going home tomorrow in the morning.

We can chat when I’m in Magdapio; there's a computer shop there for sure.

I don't wanna waste time and days here in Manila: when I’m in Magdapio I will find [an] internet cafe so we can chat and chat.

I’m sorry we didn't make it to have a chat. When I’m in Magdapio I’ll promise we can chat.

I miss you Bern and thank you for being there always; I love you and goodbye for now, I will need to prepare my stuff for a trip back to Magdapio.

Bye bye

Love

A boy in Magdapio with a carabao: Image by 333junction via Flickr

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Mother and nephew feverish

Tina, the main breadwinner and mainstay of a poor extended family in Kalayaan, Laguna, Philippines, and her young nephew Ken-Ken are ill but without antibiotics already prescribed, and unable to afford them.

Image via Wikipedia

• At 09:57   GMT+08,   from     the Yahoo    Messenger       computer program, I sent a text message to Tina’s cellphone.
• Tina replied: she was still sick with tonsillitis.
• Eight-year-old Ken-Ken was also ill with wounds and a fever.
• They needed 1,800 pesos to buy antibiotics  but  could  not  afford them.

---

Bern:

Hi Tina, good morning. I've just re-installed Yahoo Messenger. This is just a test message to see if I can text you. I'm hoping it will work. Bern.

Tina:

Good a.m. Bern, I’m glad that I received the text from your  Yahoo.

Please help me; I have fever because of tonsillitis.

I need to buy antibiotics costing 1,200 [but] I cannot afford to buy [them].

Also antibiotic for Ken’s wounds; it was inflammation and infected; he have fever too.

Bern:

Tina, I'm glad you received the text but I'm [financially and emotionally] exhausted… To make matters worse, Ross has just mis-called me [from Manila, needing help ASAP ].

I'm appalled to hear not only that you're still sick but also that Ken has wounds. I wonder how he got them and wonder if the fever is a result.

I promised to ring Ross [a Manila householder facing possible eviction] so I should do it now.

Also I promised to help a friend do  some work, starting about now. But I'll stay in touch.

An hour later Tina texted again: “I hope you received my text: Ken’s antibiotic costs 600.”

Regrettably there was nothing more to be done. I was without sufficient funds to help until Wednesday.

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