January 14, 2004 – Davao City
8:00 AM
A young father stared at the prescription he was holding
anxiously, beads of perspiration starting to form on his forehead. The list of medicine was long but the word
Beractant scribbled in the physician’s almost unreadable handwriting stood out
from the list. After all, it was
underlined and the doctor reiterated that he should get that medicine right
away or else, he might lose his daughter, delivered via C-section (they were
not financially prepared for this) just a few minutes ago. The doctor has already left but he could
still hear her voice in his head. “Kinahanglan ug 2 vials imong anak ani
Sir. Ang usa ka vial is more or less
11,000. ASAP jud ni kinahanglan Sir ha?
Ayaw jud paglangay kay ang kinabuhi sa imong anak nakadepende aning tambal.”
(Your daughter needs two vials of this (Beractant). A vial costs about 11,000
pesos. This is needed ASAP so don’t delay because the life of your daughter’s
life depends on this.)
8:15 AM
He opened his wallet and found a lone 500 peso bill, the
last of his savings. He made a few phone calls asking family and friends for a
loan but they either say they don't have money to spare or outright turned him
down.
8:45 AM
The young father was desperate. His wife was still in the recovery room and
she too has a set of prescriptions but her doctor said it could wait. The baby’s medications have to be
prioritized. He was pacing back and forth trying to think of a way to come up
with money when he saw a woman rushing to the OR. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop but he heard it
anyway. Thank God he heard it. “Doc naa na ang tambal. Maayo lang kay
gitabangan mi ni Mayor Duterte.” (Doc, here’s the medicine. Good thing Mayor
Duterte helped us.) The young father’s sunken spirit liven up with what he
heard and rushed out of the hospital to go to the city hall.
9:00 AM
While he was in the jeepney, he remembered that he is not a
registered voter of Davao City. What if
they turn him down? He has heard stories
where government officials ask for people’s voter’s IDs first before they give
help. But he has to give it a try. Mayor
Duterte is his last hope.
10:30 AM
The line of people queuing to visit the Mayor’s office was
long. It was VERY long. Should he just leave and try to find help elsewhere?
But he has tried asking everyone he and his wife knows but to no avail. He whispered a prayer and approached the
personnel’s table outside the mayor’s door.
“Ma’am, pasensya na kung nagcutting ko ha? Pero emergency man gud ni Ma’am. Kinahanglan
dayun ni sa akong anak nga tambal Ma’am ba.” (Ma’am, my apologies if I went
ahead of the others. But this is an emergency.
My daughter needs this medicine the soonest.) The personnel looked at
the prescription and said “Ah, Beractant! Okay wait lang. Receta pud nang isa
ka papel? Ambi na.” (Ah, Beractant! Okay wait. Is the other paper a
prescription too? Give it here.) She
proceeded to the closed office and came out after 10 minutes with an envelope
in her right hand and a paper bag in her left.
“Naa ang kwarta diha ug ang receta sa envelope. Kani pagkaon para di na
ka magpalit ug paniudto ingun ni Mayor.” (The money and prescription are there
in the envelope. Here’s food so you don’t have to buy lunch anymore the mayor
said.) The young father peeked at the envelope and was stupefied for a moment. The amount he saw was more than the cost of
two vials of Beractant. It was enough to cover all his daughter’s medications
and his wife’s too! “Hoy lakaw na padali kay kinahanglan dayun na ihatag sa
imong anak ang tambal!” (Hey, hurry and leave. (Your daughter needs to be given
that medication right away.) He looked at the mayor’s personnel with grateful
tears. “Thank you kaayo Ma’am ha? Salamat jud kaayo!” (Thank you very much
Ma’am. Thank you so much!) The lady just smiled and said, “Kang Mayor Duterte ka
magthank you pero sunod na kay naa pa sya’y meeting.” (It’s Mayor Duterte you
should thank but you have to do it later since he’s still in a meeting.)
5:45 PM
He looked at his wife who was lovingly carrying their
daughter in her arms and breathed a prayer of thanks to God. “Someday Mayor Duterte, I will be able to
thank you for your kindness. I was nobody, not even a voter of Davao yet you
allowed your secretary to disturb you in a meeting because I needed help.” The young father mused to himself.
April 25, 2016
When all others have turned my husband down (yes, Ruel Tags
was the young father) Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was the only one who helped
us. I want a president I can turn to
when everyone else can’t and won’t be there for me. I want a president that will listen to me
even if there’s an important meeting going on. I want a president that can see
my greater need, not only the one I’m asking for. We personally experienced that with Mayor
Rodrigo Duterte and he’s the only presidential candidate I can entrust my
daughter’s future with. Say all ill things you can come up with against him,
but as for me, I will stand tall and proud as I raise my fist high in the air.
I am for Duterte, I am for change.
Source: Joy Tagolgol Facebook
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