COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 03 November) — At the height of the war in Marawi, amid the bullets and the tears, the worries and the fears, you came down and went to Marawi. You conversed with your people, sheltered them, and gave them cheer. You were a true helper when we needed you most, and you gave us sunshine at a time of desperation. You never forgot your people—you always treated Mindanao as your home. Even in your shining moments, there was a tear in your eye for your people. You have always remembered us; you have never forgotten.
In Marawi, you were the star of the night, the star that kept shining for the good of all. But you were not a Darna when you came to rescue your people, you were an Angel sent from up above, with the golden light of pureness in your heart. You saw others homeless but you came to them capeless, to meet them as an Angel where you were needed. You gave packs of food, school supplies, and other necessary goods in bulk. You visited them in evacuation centers, as a missionary of the divine. Indeed, in Marawi, you were an Angel.
So, it warms our hearts to know that when the earthquakes hit this past week, you joined all of us who bore witness to the calamity and we came together in a time of need. When Davao was beset by earthquakes of 6.5 magnitude and more, you were here with us, with your people. The earthquakes turned over homes and turned people into the streets. And yet, you again came, an Angel haloed with the light of the good.
You bought relief goods and distributed them to the most needy of all. You provided rice, canned goods, and hygiene kits for people without food and shelter. Again, in Davao del Sur, like in Marawi, you volunteered, donated, and gave assistance. When there was hunger, you gave food; when there was deprivation, you gave relief.
In all of these moments, you proved that when we show our charitable sides for our people, we can rise during hard times. You have proven that it is not only in the good times and in the shine of the movie theaters that you can succeed, but in the hard work of helping out when most needed. Indeed, we saw a side of you we will never forget—a true superhero in layman’s attire.
Angel, as someone who inspires us, and who inspires others to do more than sit around watching the news, to do better than simply read about others helping, you make us inspired to go out and make the change ourselves. The glitter of showbusiness easily fades. The Darna cape gets tattered with time. But we will not easily forget the goodness you have shown to your fellow Mindanaoans. Our gratitude for all you’ve done, as well as the gratitude of those people who you personally helped—the victims, the homeless, the families of the stranded—they all stand as a testament to your good will.
Thank you, Angel Locsin.
(Amir Mawallil is a Tausug writer. He is also a Member of Parliament in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. This piece was first posted on his FB page on 3 November 2019. MindaNews was granted permission to publish this).
