The year was 2020 and the whole country was celebrating it with the usual celebratory fanfare, but what made it even more special was the exact number combination of 20-20. Everybody was looking forward to having a good year – with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, vigor, vitality, and of course, looking forward to making the most out of the new year.
Just a few weeks into January, what further greeted the new year was a different kind of firework. Taal volcano erupted, after more than four decades since its last eruption in 1977. It destroyed everything in its path with an accumulated damage to agriculture, property, and infrastructure estimated to be in the billions, not to mention, displacing thousands, especially those living in the vicinity of the volcano.
Come February, besides the all too normal politicking of politicians hogging the limelight,came the first reported cases of COVID-19 in the country and by March, the whole country was already placed on lockdown. Nine months later, December, the country remains on lockdown with more than 400,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases with almost nine thousand deaths.
But out of the chaos, fear, sadness, and anger brought about by the worldwide pandemic, out of the woodwork also came the country’s newest heroes – Frontliners including doctors, nurses, and the whole staff of hospitals around the country; effective LGU officials including mayors and governors, implementing timely new normal rules and guidelines for their constituents; and security personnel for continuously keeping the peace.
What’s neglected though are the unheralded riders who also stepped up their game, helped in keeping the country’s economy afloat, and provided the needs of everyone, majority of which were either working or learning from home. These riders should be considered heroes themselves, as they deservedly are.
Just recently, while strolling through the pages of Instagram, these six private individuals (some of them quite known in fact) thought it best to pay it forward by rewarding some riders who they booked, and then surprised, with their own Noche Buena package. These individuals were Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2016 Nicole Cordoves, husband and wife team, Jaco and Janelle Benin, sportscaster Jinno Rufino, popular DJ and host Riki Flores, online influencer Nikki Yanong, YouTube content creators Nicole and Faith Torres and Madam Ely, and martial artist Janice Lizardo.They were able to get the support of PLDT Home who provided the goodies, including a sack of rice for the riders! They all booked three riders each for a total of eighteen riders all in all. Not a big number but it is really the act in itself that counts.
As expected, these riders arrived at the pickup point and met up with those who booked them. Unbeknownst to them though was that the packages that they were supposed to deliver, three packages in total, was actually for them and their families. They were all taken aback and pleasantly surprised by the generosity of these people. Some of them were actually on the verge of tearing up as evidenced by the shaking of their voices. Here are some video clips and posts for your enjoyment:
Nicole Cordoves:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CJA2PLdHM5q/?igshid=jmfom63q9aqx
Jaco Benin:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CI_9iaFnCS3/?igshid=qmxlrl89f633
Janelle Benin:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJASeUYnXxu/?igshid=152txzvzif13
Riki Flo:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJAkFvaB0BV/?igshid=g7fr0drpceol
Jinno Rufino:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJAx0vyrbm1/?igshid=kerqijkwm4hp
Nikki Yanong:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJAxsdPltu8/?igshid=1rdr1qzb0kv30
Janice Lagman-Lizardo:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CJBW7CfhKF3/?igshid=bin0n67e2iy6
Madam Ely:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJBCVeSnYXM/?igshid=ru265cr9j7nl
Nicole Torres:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJDmIpol9Vi/?igshid=ecbj4ftnjjrw
Faith Torres:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJDZl0ahxXr/?igshid=wgcbd3y0ypx9
Indeed, there are heroes within all of us. It is just a matter of being grateful for the blessings we all receive and using these for the benefit of others. Not everything in 2020 turned out to be bad after all.
