Inquirer Read-Along: Be bigger for others

LESSONS OF GREATNESS Miss Air Philippines 2018 Zahra Bianca Saldua reads the story of a conceited carabao who learns to be humble. —INQUIRER PHOTO

In trying situations, always be the “bigger person” for other people.

This was the takeaway of over 400 pupils from fables on generosity, gratefulness and kindness told during the Inquirer Read-Along on Jan. 25 at Tugatog Elementary School in Meycauayan City.

Guest readers were Mutya ng Pilipinas 2018 first runner-up Mary Justine Teng, Miss Air Philippines 2018 Zahra Bianca Saldua and teachers from Sophia School.

The Friday session was Inquirer Read-Along’s 10th year collaboration with Adopt-a-Kid, an outreach project of Sophia high school students for poor students in public elementary schools.

Teng, a returning storyteller, said she related to Mike Bigornia’s “Si Putot,” a short story about a dog’s change of heart over its short tail.

Personal experience

“I’m part Spanish, Filipino and Chinese,” Teng said.

“I could always relate to people from these races, but I never really felt that I belonged to one,” added Teng, who is also an interior designer and licensed gemologist.

But Teng said she later learned to focus on the positive side and make the most of being “unique and what makes you unique makes you beautiful.”

Saldua, on the other hand, read “Rosa Albina,” by National Artist Virgilio Almario, which tells of a conceited carabao that learns to be humble and get along with others.

Being raised by a family that valued love for reading, Saldua said she wanted to inspire parents to make reading a bonding experience with their children.

Ant lessons

“It’s not enough that parents inspire their kids to read. They have to really instill that habit of reading,” she said.

Sophia teachers Pauline Morenos, Belle Limos and Jonas Alaba read “Si Langgam at Si Tipaklong,” an Aesop fable retold by Alberta Angeles.

It is about a diligent ant which relentlessly stores food for the rainy season despite the disdain of a grasshopper friend, which always wanted to play.

The two-hour read-along program was hosted by Bianca Kasilag-Macahilig, Inquirer senior corporate affairs associate, and Dyali Justo, veteran storyteller from Adarna House.

The session was held in cooperation with Ricardo de Guzman, principal of Tugatog Elementary School; Norma Esteban, division superintendent of the Department of Education-Meycauayan; Sophia School Parents Core Group; Cafe Nenzo; Mutya ng Pilipinas Organization; Miss Earth Foundation; and Smart Communications.

Inquirer Read-Along is a corporate social responsibility project of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and has reached more than 20,000 kids, ages 7 to 13, from about 50 cities nationwide. ——RAFAEL L. ANTONIO, INQUIRER RESEARCH