1.

Ma. Fe Sotelo

Ma. Fe Sotelo, a security guard, achieved her dream of becoming a police officer when the national police waived its height and age requirements just for her. This was after she returned P500,000 to a Chinese businessman who left his bag at the comfort room of the Festival Mall in Alabang on January 7, 2003. The businessman tried to give her money as a reward but the honest guard politely declined the offer. She said she did not think twice about returning the money. Maria Fe Sotelo Ma. Fe Sotelo, a lady security guard, achieved her dream of becoming a police officer when the national police waived its height and age requirements just for her. This was after she returned five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to a Chinese businessman who left his bag at the comfort room of the Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines on January 7, 2003. The businessman tried to gave her money as a reward but the honest lady guard politely declined the offer. She said she did not think twice about returning the money. Whether you are somebody or just an ordinary citizen, you can be a hero in your own way by helping others and doing good deeds not because you want to be rewarded or because you want people to remember you as a kind person but you do it because its the right thing to do, its what you want to do, and youre happy in doing it and not expecting anything in return. Thats a hero, a real hero. I am sure that there are thousand others who are like them out there. I salute all of you. Forget all about the rewards and recognitions, fame and popularity, the most important thing is, every good deed youve done no matter how small, it is recognized by no less than our Almighty God.

2. Sajid Bulig On July 2, 1993, a pagoda carrying hundreds of Catholic devotees during the annual pagoda festival in Bocaue, Bulacan sank into the muddy Bocaue River. About 279 people, including children, drowned in the incident. One victim, Sajid Bulig, died a hero after saving four children out of the river.

1993: Paglubog ng Pagoda May kulang-kulang sa 300 katao ang nalunod noong Hulyo 2, 1993 sa paglubog ng sinasakyang Pagoda sa pagdiriwang ng mga Katolikong deboto ng kapistahan ng Banal na Krus sa Bulacan. Nangyari ito habang binabagtas ang ilog ng Bocaue. Ito ay tinaguriang Bocaue Pagoda Festival. Sa gitna ng sayawan, kantahan, kainan, at kasiyahan ng mga deboto ay unti-unti itong lumubog. Higit sa nararapat na bilang ng tao ang sakay ng Pagoda. Ang hindi pantay na bigat sa magkabilang bahagi nito kasabay ang pagdagsa ng mga tao ang nakikitang dahilan nito. Dahil sa pangyayari, sinimulan ng pamahalaan ang taunang pagsisiyasat sa Pagoda at iba pang materyales na gagamitin upang masigurado ang katiwasayan ng pagdiriwang. Ang grupong pinangunahan ni Richard Gordon ang unang nagbigay pansin at tulong sa pangyayari. Pansamantalang natigil ang pagdaos ng okasyon mula 1994 hanggang 1999 at sinimulan muli noong 2000. Sa kabila nito, may natatanging parangal ang iginawad kay Sajid Bulig, isang magaaral sa elementarya, na namatay matapos iligtas ang apat na bata sa pagkakalunod. Ang kanyang katapangan at kabayanihan ay kinilala at naging laman ng aklat na "Ang Lahing Pilipino Sa Nagbabagong Panahon" na akda nina Rose Sablaon and Lazelle Rose Pelingo. Siya ay itinuring na isang Makabagong Bayani. Ito ay nailathala noong Pebrero 2007 at ginagamit na sa pribado at pampublikong paaralan. Ang Bocaue Pagoda Festival ay ipinagdiriwang tuwing unang linggo ng buwan ng Hulyo.

3. Ruffa Gutierrez has recovered her six pairs of expensive custom made shoes which were left by her personal assistant in a taxi last Monday.

Ruffa personally went to the radio station, DZMM to personally thank the honest taxi driver, Ariel Dalangin, who returned the shoes in the station during the program of anouncers, Kaye Daver and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

Ruffa was grateful to Ariel for his honesty and as what she has promised, Ruffa hugged him and kissed him on his cheek. Before she hugged and kissed the taxi driver, she explained to her two daughters, Lorin and Venice that it is just a friendly gesture. The actress also gave Ariel her personal card and a reward money.

The actress looked happy now and it seems that she has settled her issue with her former husband, Ylmas Bektas, who was earlier reported claiming his daughters thru a court hearing.

Good for her. Its nice to have good news like this. More power to Mr. Ariel Dalangin. Hopefully, he will be an inspiration to all Filipinos, to stay honest in every circumstances. TOFIL Awardee

4. Antonio P. Meloto, Jr. TOFIL Awardee for Humanitarian Service, 2006 Bayanihan, which means people helping other people, being a hero for others, used to be the norm, rather than the exception in the Filipino culture. Somewhere along the way, however, it lost its flavor until it became almost nonexistent. After all, minding ones business has become in fashion. It would take a seemingly ordinary man to start a revolution, where people would again become heroes, this time, as they build homes and lives for the poorest of the poor. This man is Gawad Kalingas Executive Director, Antonio P. Meloto, Jr., 2006 TOFIL Awardee for Humanitarian Service.

Tito Tony, as he is known among the GK Circles, was acutely aware of how it was to live with poverty. Although belonging to a low middle class family in Bacolod

City, with parents who used to teach in public schools, they nevertheless lived near a shoreline squatter community. He finished his undergraduate degree in Economics on a full scholarship from the Ateneo de Manila University. Knowing he did not want a life of poverty for himself or his family, he worked to become a successful entrepreneur. However, this did not provide the fulfillment he so desired, that in 1985, he and wife Lyn renewed their faith when they joined the Couples for Christ (CFC) Movement in their village in Novaliches. He was so consumed by the spirit of his mission, that he brought CFC to his hometown in Negros Occidental, and later became instrumental in setting up the CFC Family Ministries in 1993 to include not just couples, but also kids, the youth, and the singles. Two years after that, he answered a calling for him to start work with the poor through a youth program in the slums of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City, spearheaded by the Answering the Cry of the Poor (ANCOP) Foundation International.

Poverty brings with it a defeatist attitude. A slum environment develops slum behavior. Here, hopelessness is evident, crime is rampant, and the poor eternally depends on the government for their subsistence, blaming it if their conditions get worse. But Tito Tony could not, and would not settle for this. In his words, How can an ordinary Filipino like myself contribute towards the realization of the dream of our people to rise out of poverty? Traditionally, everyone looks to big business and government for answers. Filipinos see them as powerful that we have depended on them to lift our country out of poverty and then blame them when they are unable to do so. We fail to recognize that there is just so many of our countrymen we have left behind that big business and government do not have enough power to lift them all up. What can we all do? I cannot answer for big business or government, yet I represent the vast majority of Filipinos who also have the power to change this country.

The youth program Tito Tony started finally gave birth to what is now the very inspiring and successful Gawad Kalinga (GK), a movement that builds integrated, holistic, and sustainable communities in depressed areas, a movement that has

spawned a different kind of revolution among Filipinos, a revolution that addresses poverty through environmental and social engineering, a revolution towards nation-building.

Suddenly, people from all walks of life banded together to fight the worst enemy of all time: poverty. The rich and the poor, the government and its opponents, Christians and Muslims, competing businesses and schools, fraternities which were once hostile to one another, even Filipinos who chose to seek greener pastures abroad, all worked side by side, building homes, and building lives for the poor. Suddenly, too, it was not anymore a question of who will lead and who will serve, for GKs principle is anchored on Jesus example of foot washing being the heart of leadership, where the beneficiaries leaders are the last to own their house. After all, to be leaders meant to serve the community first. This is best captured by the tenet Una sa serbisyo, huli sa benepisyo

Indeed, GK was not just a revolution, it was the realization of a dream when the spirit of bayanihan would once again be a major part of the Filipino culture, where Filipinos would endeavor to be heroes for others, working together as a community for the greater good.

Today, Tito Tony continues to education, health, and livelihood projects, while a neighborhood association, called the Kapitbahayan is the stewards of their own communities. Each GK Village is a middle-class community, where crime is virtually nonexistent, former street children are going to school, and the jobless are motivated to find employment to lead productive lives. GK is able to do all these through its 5-point strategy: Land for the landless; Homes for the homeless; Food for the hungry; Water for the thirsty; and Light for those in darkness.

For his outstanding humanitarian work, Tito Tony has received numerous awards, such as the Outstanding Alumnus of Negros Occidental National High School; the

OZANAM Award from the Ateneo; an award from the Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints for Family Values; the Heidi Yorac Award from the MERALCO and the University of the Philippines; and just recently, the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Service.

At the heart of Tito Tonys vocation is his belief that his success will never be complete without the total support of his family. His vision is shared not just by his wife Lyn, but also by his children. Their eldest Anna is a volunteer team leader for the GK News Bureau, and is married to Dylan Wilk who is a fulltime worker for GK. Their second, Amalia is a GK Communications team volunteer, while son Jay is the regional coordinator for Bicol working for the rehabilitation of typhoon victims. Their fourth, Camille, is also a GK volunteer for its special events. Their youngest, two-year old Celine, will be able to enjoy playing with other Sibol preschool kids once she is enrolled in the GK Sibol School in Brookside next school year.

Tito Tony Melotos work is far from over. Everywhere he goes, he inspires courage and the willingness to do something for the country and the Filipinos. To those who would listen, he says Never stop hoping for our country. Dont stop caring for our people. Demand greatness of yourself as a Filipino. Inspire greatness in other Filipinos.

Truly, becoming a bayani for others was once a forgotten business. But now, Tito Tony, a hero, has risen among us, and he is asking that every one become a hero for others. It is only heroes who will extend their power and resources to help others beyond themselves. It is only heroes who can rescue a failing nation and a suffering people. It is only the hero in you that I appeal to, that our people cry out for.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23

They are heroes. And they are Filipinos!

5. Aris Canoy Espinosa On January 30, 1994, Aris Canoy Espinosa, a 13-year-old boy from Lanao del Norte province, did something for his friends. A grenade on the ground was about to explode near the children. Aris quickly jumped and covered the grenade with his own body. The children were saved, thanks to the sacrifice of Aris! Aris Canoy Espinosa was a 13-year-old Boy Scout from the Lanao del Norte (the Philippines) Council. At around 1440 hours on January 30, 1994, a hand grenade was being played like a toy by some boys. When it was accidentally dropped near young children playing rubber bands, he jumped and covered the grenade with his body to protect those innocent children. When the hand grenade exploded, it caused his untimely death. Truly, Aris was a young boy, but not an ordinary one... he has a big heart. At his very young age, he exemplified a deed not everyone can do. Because of this gallantry, he was awarded th Gold Medal of Honour by the National Court of Honour of the Boy Scout of the Philippines.

Rona Mahilum On May 26, 1996, a fire broke out inside a house in Barangay Divina Colonia, Sagay town, Negros Occidental province. Rona Mahilum, a young girl, sustained third degree burns on her back. Despite the pain, she rescued her five brothers and

sisters out of the house on fire. Then she tried to put out the fire with water from the nearby well. In 1997, Rona was cited for her bravery and heroism. Amazing!

Chrisanta Seboc On July 5, 1996, Chrisanta Seboc, a four-year girl from Barangay Sta. Teresa in Jordan town, Guimaras province saved the lives of her three-year-old sister and two-year-old brother from fire which engulfed their house at a time their parents were away for work. She was about to rescue another sister, an infant, when her neighbors stopped her from going into the house on fire. She cried because she could not help her.

Enteng Tagle In its September 2002 issue, the Reader's Digest cited the heroics of Enteng Tagle, who was ten years old when he saved the lives of his one-year-old brother and eight-year-old playmate at the Payatas tragedy on July 12, 2000. Nearly 500 garbage scavengers who were living literally at the Payatas dumpsite in Quezon City were buried alive under tons of garbage when a 50-foot garbage mountain collapsed on their makeshift houses at the height of torrential rains.

Agapito and Garcia In the devastating earthquake that hit Luzon in June 1990, Florencio Agapito and Robin Garcia of Cabanatuan City died helping their schoolmates out of the Christian Colleges of the Philippines building that collapsed.

Cayabyab and Naga In November 2002, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has recognized 15-yearold Rico Cayabyab, 12-year-old Elorde Naga, and two adult fishermen of Paranaque City for saving three survivors, including an Australian tourist, from an

airplane crash at the Manila Bay on November 11.

Godofredo Latoga In 1985, Godofredo Latoga lost his life while rescuing his tour group members from a fire at the Pines Hotel.

Emilio Advincula Emilio Advincula, a taxi driver, has been cited for his sheer honesty. In 1996, his passenger, a Filipino expatriate, left jewelry amounting to P2 million and several thousands of US dollars inside the car. Advincula returned everything.

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Whatever you as working Colossians 3:23

do, for

work at the

it with all Lord, not

your for

heart, men.

Manny Pacquiao