Thank
you God for GK!” These are the exact words that Mr. Marcelo Del Rosario Melano exclaimed when queried about Gawad Kalinga. He further explained with all sincerity and gratitude his feelings of relief and hope for a brighter tomorrow. “For 18 years, I’ve been dreaming of making an impact to my family… that of providing them with a decent house, good education, adequate food in the table, decent clothes. I was frustrated so many times because I cannot move. My only recourse was to seek God’s help to continue his divine guidance and prevent me from total collapse and hopelessness.
”
Mar as he is called by his friends and neighbors in the newly established GK-ANCOP- CANADA-FORMOSO Family Housing Project in Sto. Niño III, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija also lamented his poverty as contributory to his problems. Moving from Solano, Nueva Vizcaya to Palestina, San Jose City during his early years, he managed only to earn very minimal wages from many odd jobs he tried. He never finished his Grade VI. His lack of proper education severely limited his chances. But his heart was different from his mind. He fell head over heels for the charms of his wife, Teresita who gave him three (3) sons. Before moving to GK village, they lived in a makeshift house right in the farm in Barangay Sibut where he is working. This house is made of Sawali which reeked with rainwater during rainy season. They do their toilet necessities in their “pit system” comfort room, Situated near a river, they got flooded whenever it overflows.
Mar’s income from being a farm hand is very inadequate. He only earned about P16,000.00 a year. His wife’s income is only averaging P5,000.00 a year. His sons, Marson, who is now 16 years old had to stop schooling in a college in the City; Marilino, 14 years old, also had to discontinue his high school studies and only Marlon who is in Grade VI is still going to school. His wife also did not finish her secretarial course. “GK is a blessing to me! I am now full of hope for one of my major problems was. It will not be long for me to realize my other dreams…” GK is an instrument of our Lord to help the poor like me. I know that the GK Caretaker Team, GK Provincial and National Officials and other members, the City of San Jose which donated the land for our village, the CLSU and other volunteer schools’, the numerous NGOs, associations/ organizations, will not abandon us. They were all God-given, manna from heaven.
Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat at ipinangangako ko na bilang Pangulo ng Kapitbahayan, magiging instrumento ako sa pagpapalaganap ng pagmamahalan, pagtutulungan, pang-unawa at higit sa lahat, ang pagdakila at pagkilala sa Panginoon.
