‘Why war isn’t good for kids, tadpoles’

TV ACTORS Bettina Carlos and Mike Tan read a book on war through the eyes of a child at the INQUIRER Read-Along on Saturday. RODEL ROTONI

More than 90 children listened in rapt attention as two actors and an educator read stories about a young child growing up in war-torn southern Philippines and a tadpole learning about tolerance and acceptance during Saturday afternoon’s Inquirer Read-Along.

The session, which featured actors Mike Tan and Bettina Carlos and Sophia School principal Ann Abacan, was held to mark Peace Month.

Tan and Carlos did a tandem reading of “War Makes Me Sad,” a story by Mary Ann Ordinario-Floresta about a child growing up in war-ravaged Mindanao.

Carlos noted that the subject was “quite heavy,” but added that storytelling was “a good way of relaying a message to kids.” Carlos can be seen in the GMA 7 drama series “Sana ay Ikaw na Nga.”

“I am used to reading fairy tales and fantasy stories to kids. They’re different from war stories,” said Tan, who stars in the Kapuso soap “Faithfully.” “But I think it is a nice way of making kids aware of what is happening around them. Storytelling is a good way of making kids listen.”

Abacan, with the help of some child volunteers, read Heidi Eusebio Abad’s “Polliwog’s Wiggle,” a story about a tadpole who grew up with a school of fish.

Appreciate what they have

Seven-year-old John Mark Florence Supil found “Polliwog’s Wiggle” “entertaining,” noting that “it is possible to be friends with other people even when you have differences.”

After reading “War Makes Me Sad,” Carlos told the children they should be thankful that they did not have to live the horrors of war and that they should “appreciate what they have.”

“It was a great experience. The children were interested in the story and they had a positive response to it. I believe in establishing the value of reading at a very early age. It is a productive pastime,” said Carlos, who reads regularly to her 1-year-old daughter.

No one needs to suffer

Ten-year-old Isabella Roaring liked “War Makes Me Sad” because she learned about the fate of children living in countries torn by conflict.

“Peace is important because if there is peace, no one needs to suffer or fear for their lives,” she said.

When asked how she could help promote peace, Roaring said she could start by “praying for war-torn places.”

Eloisa Domingo, a student of Camp Crame Elementary School, said the war story taught her “to value life and pray for those who are living a difficult life because of war. I will pray for peace so that the world will be a better place for everyone.”

War is wrong

Melan Supin, representing the organization Service for Peace from West Crame, San Juan, brought 45 kids to the session, believing that the Read-Along is “effective in teaching children that war is wrong, especially if it is simply due to people having different religions.”

“The program was beautiful in its attempt to teach the lesson of peace to the children,” she said.

Saturday’s session, hosted by Libre editor in chief Chito de la Vega, was held in cooperation with Hands On Manila, Service for Peace, Building Bridges for Australasia Inc., ChildHope and GMA 7, represented by Marian Domingo and Jazel Guerrero. Schatzi Quodala, Marielle Medina and Mary Beatrice M. Ponce, Inquirer Research