TOP energy sector leader Ruth Owen, President of PhilCarbon, and a number of volunteers including Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, turned over on Saturday under Oplan Malasakit 1,000 shoeboxes to Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) commandant Major Gen Emmanuel B. Salamat for the troops now fighting in Marawi.
The first beneficiaries, of course, were the Marines who were wounded in Marawi and are currently confined and recuperating at the Manila Naval Hospital at the Marine Headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
“Part of it goes to you and part of it goes sa mga tropa natin sa Marawi,” Ruth told the wounded soldiers. She later clarified to me that her group would be donating to as many government troops in Marawi as possible.
“It has been a heartwarming experience to be able to share the shoeboxes with the wounded soldiers,” Ruth said. She expressed her gratitude to the volunteers who earlier repacked the donations, including her close family friend retired Marine Lieutenant General Juancho Sabban.
Wounded soldier Lieutenant dela Pena was beaming with delight as he read a note written by a school child tucked inside his shoebox. The note read: “To our pogi and brave soldiers: Thank you for serving our country. Keep safe. From Cheska.”
Hidilyn was fighting back tears as she handed shoeboxes to the wounded from one hospital bed to another. She thanked everyone for their sacrifice. Upon seeing one shoebox without a note, she took a paper and wrote down her personal note to the soldier. She also talked in her native tongue to fellow Chavacanos and in Cebuano to the Visayan-speaking. I salute you, Heidi, for your genuine compassion.
She would later write on her Facebook wall: “Thank you to those who helped us in giving donations for the soldiers in Marawi. If you can read the thank-you notes and letters from the children, it was really touching. Expect that all of these will be received by our soldiers fighting in Marawi or the so-called “Marawi heroes.” I was able to visit the wounded Marine soldiers. Let’s continue praying for them, for the government troops, and for peace in Mindanao.”
Aside from the thank you-notes from school children, each shoebox would also contain Hanes underwear and t-shirt, a pair of socks, biscuits, candies, tetra pack juice, shampoo, bath soap, Hanes t-shirt, face towel, a toothbrush and a toothpaste. BEEN THERE DONE THAT/JOSEPHINE CODILLA
