Children’s histories are still far from being written and they need us to help them write their life stories. In the order of who is responsible, we have the parents, their siblings, grandparents, members of the community belonging to different professions or callings who are capable of extending help, and, last, the accidental hero who are forced by circumstances.
If our purpose in life is only to exist, be left alone with what we want to do, and not get involved, what kind of world are we going to leave behind? Will people remember us?
Helping children in shaping their future is embodied in several Philippines laws and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) created to protect children, and our world, by recognizing that today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders.
“All of us must strive, in our personal, professional, and public lives, to include children in shaping the future they are inheriting,” said Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights.
I was in high school when my father got sick of debilitating rheumatism that severely affected his movement. Pain in his knees rendered him stationary in our store sometimes. Being a workaholic, he despised doing nothing. By a stroke of luck, an idea came to him to teach music, for my father was a musician taught by maestro Teodulo Publico.
He could teach the children to play the musical instruments he brought home from America. And maybe every time that my Fil-Am siblings, nephews and nieces go home to Buyo, they can bring second-hand musical instruments, too. Father played several musical instruments. So what he did was to round up children, most of them our relatives, and teach them how to read solfeggio (music education method used to teach aural skills, pitch, and sight-reading of Western music).
Once he determined that the student was ready to play an instrument, Father would give him an instrument suited for him after several tries.
By divine intervention, some of them became military men absorbed by the Recom 5 Band. They are Romeo T. Romero, Santiago R. Zafe Jr, Domingo Samar, and the late Virgilio I.Cardano and Edmundo T Vargas. Those alive have retired and are now receiving good pension.
There are those who became members of the Catanduanes State Colleges Band, where my father, Bailon V. Zafe, became the first band leader:
His students who became CSC band members were: Joel V. Ubalde, Domingo V. Zafe, Morito M. Tria, Edwin A. Zafe, Henry B. Tabo. Augusto (Marcelo) Panti, Bridigo T. Vargas, FICELCO GM Engr. Raul V. Zafe, Emilio F. Beo Jr., Romeo V. Zafe, Bencito V. Agito, Rey V. Agito, Joebe T. Beo, Daniel M. Tria Jr., Mariano M. Tria, Chito T. Tabo, Jose M. Tria Jr., Celso T. Vargas, Michael P. Zafe, Agustin Panti, Edmundo P. Zafe, Noe Quintal, and PBM Doc Santos V. Zafe, who was the youngest member with his French horn instrument.
Up to this time, those still alive continue practicing their profession and playing their instruments at funeral and church processions. Some of them have children who took to music as sideline to their real profession like teaching. The father of Doc Jose Z. Tria Jr. is my father’s student and is still playing his musical instrument, the trombone. Students of Papa go home to Buyo during the Holy Week to take part in the Good Friday’s procession of the Santo Entierro and Mother Dolorosa. This is an unwritten covenant between their maestro, our father, and his student-musicians.
As an advocacy, helping means being charitable and selfless, and it’s the kind of love that is given whether or not it’s returned. Sometimes it is discouraging, as a retired teacher told me this morning (Nov. 25, 2022) after the 6 AM Mass of Fr. Joey Tendenilla. She had been telling her students to finish a course in college before marrying but it all ended in vain because once Cupid’s arrow hit their hearts, her admonitions were forgotten. I answered her, maybe out of the 40 students who listened to you, five of them could have graduated in college. Would you be satisfied with that than doing nothing and letting 40 students marry without a degree? Would you be happy with doing nothing, taking for granted the children of other parents? I am not addressing this to you, being a teacher, but to all of us with love in our hearts.
There are many who helped their relatives, including non-relatives, to finish a degree but later some of them felt a little remorse or discontent for their efforts were forgotten. The sad part is that after acquiring a degree and later getting gainfully employed, the connection between them started to become like the song “When will I see again?”
They have not even paid a visit once every Blue Moon or during the birthday of their patron. Maybe they have forgotten the address or are too busy in their work or profession.
An ancient sage answered then, “If they forgot what you have done, St. Peter will not, for it’s permanently recorded in his Book of Accounts. In his Asset column, your liabilities/sins are offset by your good deeds on earth. Helping children becomes your asset; it is incorruptible, cannot be lost and is a lasting legacy.
In retrospect, ‘tis better to help than be the one asking for help.