‘Mystery benefactor’ gives out free rice porridge in Manila

Screengrab from Celdran’s Facebook account

People have been lining up along Roxas Boulevard in Manila every weeknight to get a taste of free “lugaw” or rice porridge.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, cultural activist and tour guide Carlos Celdran shared his encounter with a growing crowd near a cart as he was walking home from Luneta.

“It was hard for me to figure out was going on and it was even harder for me to get a picture but from what I gathered, they were lining up to get free rice porridge from a cart,” Celdran said.

“Anyone can partake. Street children were lining up. So were vagrants, security guards, tricycle drivers, students, taong grasa, you name it,” he added. “People were filling up their thermos, their mugs, old soft drink bottles, and whatever they could use as a container.”

Celdran also noted how people in queue were behaving properly while waiting for their turn to get a share of the free porridge.

“And believe it or not, they were disciplined about it and not climbing over each other for free food,” he said.

Celdran said he asked the woman handing out “lugaw” who the project benefactor was, but the latter reportedly replied that the benefactor wanted to remain anonymous: “He only goes by the pseudonym, Leon.”

“It’s really cool that there are some Filipinos out there who give without fanfare and are the complete opposite of what I’m used to around here,” Celdran added. “The Filipino elites trumpet their ridiculously lavish fundraisers while politicians slather their face on anything that doesn’t move to stay relevant. Meanwhile, Leon just gives quietly.”