Getting by with 13 kids

With 13 children, Romulo Guarin remains hopeful of a better future for them despite  hard times.

“Wala nako maplano akong mga anak. Agwantahon nako. (I wasn’t able to plan my family. I’ll have to bear with it),” said the 52-year-old Guarin,  ground commander of the Cebu City Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.

His wife works as a quality control officer at Gaisano Mall in Colon.   Guarin said he plans to revive his tailoring business to supplement the family income.

The City Hall employee showed up for the Independence Day parade flanked by his twin 10-year-old daughters Alexandra and Alexis.

He said his 13 children give him fulfillment and motivate him to work hard for their sake.

Guarin said he usually starts the day meeting all of them to divide the household chores.

“Mag-concentrate ko aron mahuman og eskwela ang akong mga anak (I will concentrate on working hard so my children can finish their studies),” he said.

Guarin said his eldest child  finished college and is  working with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

He has two more offspring in college, two  in high school and five in elementary school.

His youngest children are the twin girls.

Guarin said he doesn’t resort to physical punishment to discipline his children.

“Ako pa man gani ang kasab-an (It’s my children who even scold me),” he said.

With God’s help, he said he hopes to give all of them a good future.

“Bisan taliwala sa kalisud, di ta magpakawala sa paglaum (Amid difficulties, let us not lose hope),” he said.