Police, volunteers build house for blind guitarist in Quirino

Angelo Sotto, 57, and father of five, receives a new concrete house that was built under the Project SOUL or Shelter for Unity and Love of the 1st Quirino Mobile Force Company and the Company Advisory Council. (Photo from 1st Quirino Provincial Mobile Force Company)

AGLIPAY, Quirino –– Blind since he was 4, Angelo Sotto never thought he and his wife would eventually raise their family while living in their dilapidated nipa house in Barangay Old Ligaya here.

57-year-old Sotto, a father of five recently got a free concrete house courtesy of the Philippine National Police’s 1st Quirino Mobile Force Company police and Company Advisory Council (CAC) members, who pooled their personal money through a mission called, “Project SOUL or Shelter for Unity and Love.”

“Life has been hard ever since I was young with a stepfather and could not see anything. I never thought I would fall in love and eventually marry Remedios and eventually have three kids,” Sotto told the Inquirer in Ilocano in an interview on Wednesday.

Blind guitarist Angelo Sotto and his family used to live in this dilapidated nipa house in Aglipay town, Quirino province. (Photo from 1st Quirino Provincial Mobile Force Company)

Although blind, he would love to strum his guitar and sing his favorite Ilocano songs that he composed. His lyrics include getting physically abused by his father and an advice on avoiding drug use.

“These songs are based on my own experiences, so it is emotional on my part. Yet, it is a lesson to those young ones now,” he added.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Nebalasca Jr., 1st Quirino Provincial Mobile Force Company commander, said the house was built for free by police and volunteers.

“All for free and this has been a team effort of the police, volunteers, and donors,” Nebalasca said, adding that the Sotto family was picked from among the “poorest among the poor” as recipient during their relief distribution to villagers in the province.

“It was supposed to be a repair only but we got a boost of support so we built a new and sturdy house,” he added.

Donations poured in, reaching P150,000 to finish the house for the family, according to CAC chairperson Joan Javier.

LZB