Kids learn respect for ‘different’ kids at Read-Along

Actor Tirso Cruz III reads the book entitled Big Brother to the children during the Read Along event held at Inquirer's Pantry in Philippine Daily Iquirer Office, Makati City. INQUIRER PHOTO/RODEL ROTONI

They may be different but they should be treated with respect, just like other human beings.

This was the main theme of Saturday afternoon’s Inquirer Read-Along session held at the Philippine Daily Inquirer main office in Makati. The stories that were read focused on the experiences of children with mental disabilities and special needs.

Around 120 youngsters, among them some special children, attended the session. Veteran actor Tirso Cruz III, child actor Clarence Delgado and Alitaptap’s Rich Rodriguez offered their services as readers.

Rodriguez read “Xilef” by Augie Rivera and published by Adarna. The story dwells on the struggles of a boy with dyslexia and how his tutor helped him, step by step, to learn how to read properly.

Actors Cruz and Delgado read the story “Big Brother” by Grace Chong and published by Hiyas. It is about a young child’s experience with taking care of his older brother diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome.

Biggest obligation

Cruz said he had read many times to children before but noted that the children in yesterday’s session were younger. He tagged the session as special because “awareness on the plight of special children is very important.”

“In some situations, unfortunately, they are bullied or people look down on them because of their difference. We should learn to treat them like how we treat other people. They have their own world. They have their own way of interpreting things. We may think they are different but to them we may be different, too. It’s just a matter of accepting what God created us to be and learn to love your fellowmen as you love yourselves,” he said.

“I would say that the biggest obligation falls on the parents, who have to nurture in their children’s mind that in whatever situation where they meet people, no matter who they are, that they always put their best foot forward and befriend them,” Cruz added.

Cruz currently plays Dr. Anton Maniego in “Budoy,” a television series that centers around the life of a special child.

He remarked: “Well, I guess, time is on my side and I have been around for quite a while so even before doing ‘Budoy,’ I had encountered special children and mentally challenged children.  When we did the show, we became more enlightened and we began to better understand the plight of such children. We were able to see their world.”

Seven-year-old Delgado, cast as a friend of “Budoy,” said that yesterday was his first time to read in front of a crowd. But he said he enjoyed it because the children were listening intently, actively participated and asked good questions.

Delgado said he learned to read when he was 4. His favorite book was “Three Little Pigs.”

Commenting on the story they read, Delgado said special children should not be treated unfairly just because they have different needs.

Most of those who attended the readings were students from Makati Elementary School, from the Makati Sporting Association and from Virlanie Foundation.

Accompanied by coordinator Anna Marie Tan, some of the kids from the Makati Sporting Association were children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Down’s Syndrome.

Story about him

“Today’s program was really interesting,” Tan said. “We have been to a number of Read-Along sessions before and we always come back because the children learn a lot of new things and today’s session was no exception.  One of our children with special needs actually approached me during the storytelling of ‘Big Brother’ and asked me if the story was about him.”

Martha Encarnacion, one of the parents brought on board by the Makati Sporting Association, came to the session with her two sons, 9-year-old Louis Miguel and 7-year-old Lorenz Martin. A first time Read-Along attendee, Encarnacion described the program as a “fun way to learn.”

“My sons had a lot of fun while learning.  The readers were very good and I liked how they interacted with the children.  I also think the storytelling was a great way to create awareness about children with special needs,”  she added.

Remio Patricio, a Virlanie house parent, said her wards enjoyed the session. Virlanie Foundation brought around 30 children, including eight mentally challenged kids, to the Read-Along.

“I really liked the storytellers because my wards understood the stories.  They really enjoy events like this and some were already talking about sharing the stories with their friends back at Virlanie,” Patricio said.

Moral lessons

Sophia Marie Carillo, a 12-year-old from Makati Elementary School, said she liked the story “Big Brother” the most. “I learned how I am supposed to treat my siblings and special kids. We should love them,” she said.

Analyn de la Cruz, 16, from Virlanie, also liked the story “Big Brother” because “it’s a good story.”

Louie Andrew Junio, 11, also from MES, enjoyed the session and liked the story “Xilef” which he said taught him the importance of reading. “I read stories at our library or when I’m at home,” he said.

Cruz also commended the Inquirer’s efforts to promote reading.  “What you are doing is really good because you teach children moral lessons through reading. Children are more inclined to play and may only see reading as something done in school and would not want to read in their homes anymore. It is also important for them to see that reading is also fun.”

“I learned the proper way of reading. It is an important thing so that when the teacher asks a question, I can answer,” said Ashley Gonzaga, 10. She said she enjoyed Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines president Rich Rodriguez’s lively storytelling.

Saturday’s session, hosted by Libre editor in chief Chito de la Vega, was staged in cooperation with Kane Choa, PR director of ABS-CBN, the business unit of Deo Endrinal, Biboy Arboleda, ad prom head; Chesa Salas, ad prom project head; Nap Quinto, ad prom segment producer, and Kylie Manalo, production manager.

Books donated by the Rotary Club of Makati were given away as prizes. Marielle Medina, Schatzi Quodala and Ana Roa, Inquirer Research