Christmas raffles offer hope to tragedy victims

HOW DO YOU celebrate Christmas after a tragedy?

For some, winning at a raffle is sheer luck, a bonus apart from the usual Yuletide bonuses. But for these people, it is a source of hope—that things can still go right despite the tragedies that have happened in their lives.

In Malabon City, 50-year-old Fortunato “Jojo” Fernandez, a contractual gardener employed by City Hall for 35 years, was no longer expecting anything at Christmas parties.

At 15, he started as an all-around city employee—working as janitor then gardener then street sweeper—while all the while trying to complete his studies.

He was a casual employee for nearly 22 years and was made a contractual employee again, without any leaves, hazard pay, bonuses or cash incentives —perks regular employees enjoy.

For him, it has been a long waiting game.

When his name was called at the employees’ Christmas party this week, everybody cheered and danced—except him.

“It has been decades since I last won at a Christmas raffle. I don’t even remember the prize now,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez won a P5,000 cash prize, which he quickly distributed to his family and friends. He gave P1,000 to the Christmas party of the Malabon City Environment and Natural Resources Office, P2,000 to his family, a giveaway of P900 to friends, and P200 to his godchild.

Left in his pocket was P900, which he will spend for Christmas.

“My winning is a blessing. It is a gift. Perhaps God saw something in me for me to deserve this reward,” Fernandez said, adding that winning over hundreds of other people at the party showed that “everything is possible.”

His being a gardener is already a gift, Fernandez said. “Without the plants I take care of and water every day, people in Malabon cannot have clean air.”

‘No crying, please’

Fernandez rejected the thought when asked if he wanted a bigger prize.

“Somebody out there must be needing that gift more than I do,” he said, adding that “being grateful” was enough.

In Valenzuela City, organizers of a Christmas party for the relatives of those who died in a fire that razed Kentex Manufacturing’s slipper factory made sure of one thing—the party would be a day of hope and joy, and a reminder to those present that, despite the tragedy, life was not yet over.

Seventy-four people died in the May 13 blaze in Barangay Ugong that broke out while a welder was fixing a door at the factory. Kentex later offered a P136,000 settlement to each family.

One of those at the party, Edgar Icuspit, 29, a City Hall employee who lost his wife in the fire, spread the word to others at the party: “Bawal ang umiyak (No one should cry).”

Most of those at the party were now living alone, having lost relatives in the fire.

Not easy to smile

For four hours, 168 family members gathered at City Hall to play parlor games, dance and sing, bond with the relatives of the other fire victims—and, of course, win a raffle prize.

The prizes ranged from grocery supplies, electric gadgets, including a washing machine as second prize and a 20-inch television set as the major prize, as well as cash prizes. These came from the mayor and councilors, according to Rhay Sousa, the city’s public information office chief.

For Icuspit, it wasn’t easy to be happy at the party. “They found it hard to make us laugh but we knew they were trying. The hosts made jokes to engage us all, but it was still not easy to smile.”

Icuspit lost his 33-year-old wife—a factory worker at Kentex—in the fire. Now, he is a single father to their three children: a 9-year-old daughter and 10- and 2-year-old sons.

Tragic day

“It’s not easy to move on. It’s not easy to smile, to stop being reminded of our departed loved ones, especially since Kentex had been our way of life,” Icuspit said.

“Every day, I brought my wife to Kentex. I didn’t realize that on that tragic day it would be the end,” he said. He still keeps a picture of her in his wallet.

RELATIVES of workers who died in a fire that razed Kentex Manufacturing’s slipper factory in Valenzuela City in May attend a Christmas party to remind them that life goes on despite the tragedy. JEREMIAH RUBIANO/VALENZUELA CITY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

His last memory of his wife was the sight and smell of her burned flesh. She was unrecognizable.

“I did not want my kids to see her. I told them she was still beautiful. She was irreplaceable,” he said.

Like most of the victims’ relatives, Icuspit considered not joining the party but thought of the financial assistance he could get by joining. He also wanted to get updates from relatives.

At the raffle, Icuspit won a lunchbox set and goodies. “It was a party where everybody was supposed to be a winner. It was a small thing, but it made me happy,” he said.

Loneliest Christmas

Charlyn Faith Yamido, 22, who lost her mother whom she had been with for only three years, said this was her “loneliest Christmas.”

“I was far from my mother when I was growing up and it was only then that I got the time to bond with her. But she’s gone now,” she said.

At the party, Yamido said she felt loneliness at the start. Instead of giving up, she got up and danced as energetically as she could.

Yamido was the icebreaker. She started dancing and the others followed, clapping, cheering and dancing, too.

“Otherwise, we will be unhappy,” she said.

Justice for mother

Yamido won a pack of goodies in the raffle. “It was not that big, but I’m grateful for it,” she said.

“I have yet to receive my biggest Christmas gift. I want justice for my mother and the rest of the victims. Up to now, the owners of Kentex factory have not talked to us. It’s hard to feel Christmas without justice,” she said.

Before Christmas Day comes, Icuspit said he had learned his biggest lesson: Spread love; try to make your love felt by the people you value before it’s too late.

For Fernandez, Christmas is not receiving but giving. “You may have all the riches in this world, but without love and friends around, life is meaningless,” he said.

“Life continues no matter what. We may have lost once, twice, but we will soon win. Just keep pressing on,” Yamido said.