The day when I was visiting schools in my hometown that I was trying to work with, one of the principals told me that two of my batchmates were looking for me at the school's division office and seemed to be urgent. And why at the division office? Because another batchmate was there and overheard that I was around. So the principal who happened to have a meeting with me informed them that I was on my way to her school. So they came to meet me there.

It was quite an embarassing instant as the two guys approached me, I could hardly memember them and I apologized for not having recognized their faces. More than 30 have passed without having seen them and naturally physical appearance has dramatically changed including myself.

It was indeed good feeling to see them and we exchanged bla-blahs until I asked them why they were searching for me. One of the guys told me that they were actually looking for batcmates around in search for assistance. And when they have heard that I was around, they immediately came to see me.

He explained later that his companion, the other batchmate who was really shy and speechless was in great need of medical and financlail assiatance. His wife is being hit by cancer and she just got out from the hospital the other day by the doctor's advice because they couldn't afford to treat her any longer due to lack of money. She is asked to go back once they have money to pay for her chemo and other needs.

I was devastated upon knowing that and my heart just got broken. I really felt bad for them. I took the remaining amount in my wallet and handed to the poor batchmate of mine and I was wishing that I should have given more.

I told the him that that's the only amount I could afford as I had other expenses and my family needed my help too. That I had a brother who was going to undergo eye surgery and I had to help him too.

When someone goes home especially coming abroad, everyone in the family expects you to pay for everything, stay in your house until you leave.

Yes, that's how miserable life in the Philippines is. Only rich people are getting richer and poor are getting poorer. If you live in the Philippines and poor, better not get sick, getting medical assistance is almost inexistent.

I had the chance to visit a public hospital in my hometown and it was heartbreaking to see how the basic needs were lacking. Even bed sheets were lacking and I made an appeal to my cyberfriends to share their old linen and send it to the hospital. Patients are asked to bring their own bedsheets. Because patients are poor, they could not even provide for their own. So most of the hospital beds are linen less!

We have voted a new president hoping that life for the poor would be better but it seems that nothing extra ordinary has really taken place since he took the office. Where are those promises?

He promised to fight corruption.

That famous slogan "kung walang kurap, walang mahirap!"

And yet, we still see lots of people struggling to find something to eat in every meal. Children are dying of mal nutrition.

Young people who have finished school could hardly find jobs. Parents who have sacrificed in sending them to school only find their children jobless and doing nothing at home.

And I could cite more. I don't need to find examples to mention because I have them in my own family alone. No jobs fo them.

I feel so helpless looking at these condition back home. I was just hoping and dreaming that if I have this special magic wand that with its power I could just wipe out corruptions and set an honest government who has more concern to poor people. In that way, we'll see the Filipinos happy and all those modern day heroes...the OFWs would come home and be with their families and will never be treated as second human beings to their host countries anymore.

I know, this is just a dream. A kind of dream that not only me think of. I wish if this is true, no one dares waking me up...as it is just too good to be true!