Two siblings from Palawan who stitch shoes to earn extra money for school inspire netizens after their story went viral on Facebook.
While a lot of students afford to take a rest and spend their time after school at home or anywhere else, a Grade 8 and Grade 7 students from Palawan National High School choose to go straight at a sidewalk not to take a rest or play around but to repair shoes so that they can earn money for school projects, food, and transportation allowance.
Photos courtesy of: Facebook/Jernnanie Jethro Juaton
Manuelita Borbon, 13, and his brother Micko Borbon, 12, wowed a lot of netizens after they were photographed while repairing shoes on a sidewalk. They were the first two of the four children of Emmanuel and Mary Anne Borbon who are also making a living from stitching shoes.
According to Manuelita, there were times when they intentionally didn’t mention to their parents that they have school projects. Instead, they would just spend their own money for it without asking from their parents.
“Minsan pag may project ‘di na kami nagsasabi kila mama, kami na lang po bumibili,” said Manuelita.
Manuelita and Micko’s family resides at a makeshift house located at Wescom Road Barangay San Pedro, Puerto Princesa City where they also established their shoe-repair stand, the primary source of income for Borbon family.
Their mother, Mary Ann, admits that they’re having a hard time earning for a living and that they don’t have their own house.
She also added that when there are no customers for shoe repair, she had to resort in doing laundry just to help her children in schooling and to provide them a life different to what they have experienced growing up.
“Gusto nila makapagtapos. Tapos, gusto ko sila magkaroon ng hanapbuhay na hindi lang ba yung, hindi nila maranasan yung ano namin (kahirapan),” added Mary Ann.
In times when their parents run short of money, the two siblings would then visit the shoe repair shop of Ruel Gines, a family friend who resides near Manuelita and Micko’s school.
Gines shares that he’s proud of the two for developing a skill that would help them sustain themselves.
“Pero actually, proud ako sa mga batang ‘yan kasi nagkaroon sila ng skills about sa pagtatahi. Dahil yung pangangailangan nila sa school nila, pwede nilang gamitin yun para matustusan even siguro sa baon nila,” said Gines.
Micko added that they would visit the said shop when they have none left for transportation allowance while Manuelita said that they also run to their “Uncle” Ruel when have a school project to buy.
According to Jernnanie Jethro Juaton, the person who posted Micko and Manuelita’s viral photos on Facebook, the siblings do not mind being looked at by a lot of students who pass by the area where they do their work. As of publishing time, Juaton’s post has already garnered four thousand and five hundred shares.
The two siblings who both dream of becoming soldiers learned to stitch shoes by watching their parents on how to do it.
Way to go Micko and Manuelita!
Source: ABS-CBN News
