Storytelling, songs for young evacuees

A STORYTELLER, a singer and a city official were among the partners of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), who in their own little way, became healers themselves.

The three well-known personalities helped the DSWD heal the wounds of the typhoon survivors.

Mary Melody Remorca, a storyteller from Manila, immediately headed to Cebu last month upon learning of the children housed in evacuation center in barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

Remorca brought to life each character in the book with her voice, actions and words. She spent the whole afternoon doing interactive storytelling.

Arts and crafts using cutouts, coloring books and face painting were also presented to the evacuees from Samar and Leyte, both children and adults.

Sitti Navarro, the “Philippine Queen of Bossa Nova,” entertained the evacuees with her song.

Navarro also interacted with the children, who confided to her about their classmates and relatives being left behind and houses damaged due to supertyphoon Yolanda.

The most touching part was when the children shared that they have no reason to go back to their place because their houses were already gone. Yet they were still looking forward to spending Christmas with their relatives.

The children, however, were still happy as they were provided with food and other needs.

Cebu City Councilor Margot Osmeña also dropped by the evacuation center, where the former Cebu City first lady listened to the evacuees recounting their experiences from the typhoon.

After a day of fun, 10-year old Stephanie, a typhoon survivor from Tacloban City, approached Remorca and gave her a box of cookies and said “this is for you, thank you for spending time with us.”

The storyteller was surprised and said “It was a very humbling experience and it inspired me to help the DSWD more. I just did this for a day, but DSWD workers are doing it every day.”

Navarro ended the event with the song ‘Christmas in our Hearts’ by Jose Mari Chan. The song was continued by an 11-year old survivor as Navarro was already crying. “Ang tapang nila, nakaka-inspire” (They are so strong, it is inspiring),” said Navarro.