90-year-old woman lifts morale of injured soldiers from Zamboanga siege

MANILA, Philippines – Battle casualties at a military hospital in Quezon City were given a treat by a 90-year old woman on Monday at a gift-giving session there.

There were 126 soldiers at the Heroes Ward of V. Luna Medical Center who received gifts from Natividad Reyes. Eight of the wounded are soldiers who fought the Moro National Liberation Front rebels in Zamboanga City last month.

The woman, who declined to provide details about her, personally handed the gifts to each of the injured soldiers and offered them words of encouragement.

The tokens consisted of basic toiletries such as cotton, alcohol, toothbrush, toothpaste, laundry soap, towel and razor that were placed in a pail.

“Thank you, if not for you, we’re not here. Get well soon. Keep on praying,” she told one of the wounded soldiers.

Corporal Mujib Muslih, one of the gift recipients, was grateful. “Of course our morale goes high if we have visitors,” he said.

The 29-year-old soldier from the Army’s 15th Scout Ranger Company of the Special Operations Command was one of the battle casualties from the Zamboanga siege. He suffered shrapnel wounds to his right hand and left thigh during the fighting.

“Ms. Reyes said I should be grateful that I was not killed,” he said.

The 90-year-old woman appeared strong and sharp despite her age. Asked of her secret, she said she shuns meat.

She insisted on remaining anonymous, but said she took part in several feeding programs in the past including one in Payatas.

If she had it her way, she said she hoped that the Monday gift giving session at the Heroes Ward would be the last.

“I would like to meet them on a better setting,” she said.

Reyes said that to show her appreciation to soldiers who fought in the Zamboanga siege she gave away gifts to those wounded from battle.

“We should love them. If not for them we are not safe,” she said.

“I hope the government will protect them by giving them bulletproof vests,” she also said.