It all started with a picture and a heart-warming story.
Few months ago, a picture of a poor Filipino old man beaming a smile with his missing front teeth spread like wildfire in social networking sites. As one takes a closer look of the image, you’ll see an old man with graying beard flashing a tired but genuine smile. He was wearing a camouflage jacket under a red shirt, a green worn out towel covers his head. It was a picture that caught a lot of attention from thousands of netizens or social media users, but the story that was attached with the picture gained much more attention.
The story that came with the picture revealed the brief encounter of the writer named Joemil, a 22 year old Kapampangan, and the old man in the picture he knew as Mang Roldan. Joemil met Mang Roldan at his friend’s canteen in Mexico, Pampanga one rainy afternoon in July.
He wrote, “He was not asking for money nor anything. Instead, he ordered P5 worth of rice. He cannot even look directly because he feels so shy. He said, "Maaari po bang bumili ng limang pisong kanin?"”
Joemil offered Mang Roldan to order more food and he would pay for it. After Mang Roldan ordered a vegetable dish, Joemil found out more about Mang Roldan’s life and how he ended up on the street, “Years ago, he needed to sell their house and lot because his wife had a bone disease. Sadly, everything was spent but his wife didn't make it. He had three children. The first born were twins, died because of bronchopneumonia. While the youngest was ran over by a bus. He tried putting a small business by selling fishballs in Manila, but in the time of Bayani Fernando, MMDA took his carts and destroyed them”
As they conversed, Joemil also found out that Mang Roldan wanted to go back to his province in Kawayan, Isabela but because he has no means to go back to his province, he’s walking every day until he gets there. Before Mang Roldan left, Joemil offered him his camouflaged jacket and a little amount of money but before they finally part, Joemil was dumfounded when he saw a priceless scene that day, Joemil wrote, “He saw a beggar on the side. You know what he did? He did not share the food that he had, HE GAVE EVERYTHING! Rice, bread, and water.“
Joemil shared his wonderful encounter with Mang Roldan on facebook with his picture and it was shared and read by thousands of netizens. But Joemil did not imagine that this encounter would give his life and Mang Roldan’s a full turn-around. Joemil decided to launch a Facebook page called Finding Roldan Pineda Jimenez. The facebook page which has more than a thousand fans now, called out to netizens to find the humble man the world came to know through social media. Along with the Facebook page, Joemil hoped to see Mang Roldan again by looking for him on the street where he could possibly be. He went as far as Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan to look for the old man. Joemil also posted Mang Roldan’s picture in every street he has been to and he even distributed flyers of the old man’s picture and his story.
This search came to the knowledge of GMA 7’s program Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho. Much to Joemil’s relief, the program helped them in their endeavor. Saturday, September 1, Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho aired their feature on Joemil’s search for Mang Roldan but at the end of the segment, sadly, no Mang Roldan was found. But a day after it was aired, the TV show got a call, finally Mang Roldan was found in San Fernando, Pampanga. Two good Samaritans recognized Mang Roldan from the TV show, took him to a shelter and informed the TV program.
Joemil and the old man whose real name is Mang Roland was reunited again. Through Joemil, Mang Roland felt loved and hopeful again. In an interview by Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho, Mang Roland revealed how he had wanted to end his life, “I felt hopeless, I wanted to end my life, I drank pesticide but I did not die, I realized I should just go on with my life.”
True enough, good things are waiting for him. A group of dentists gave him free dentures, now he smiles with complete front teeth! GMA’s program also helped him find his older sister he has not seen in years. Through donations and financial help coursed through Joemil, he was given a fish ball cart with a bicycle and he is now selling fish balls in Pampanga. Joemil and his uncle opened their homes in Pampanga for Mang Roland too so he doesn’t have to sleep on the street again. Life is starting to get brighter again for the once, hopeless, homeless old man.
For Joemil, this unexpected turn out of his simple act may be God’s sign to his bigger calling, his lifelong dream of helping more homeless through a foundation, “We are planning to continue with the foundation. I was able to get some information on how to do it, how to raise funds, and who are the people we are going to help. We may need a big amount of money but we believe that God will provide”
But until this bigger dream comes true, Joemil takes a smaller step to continue to spread hope and love beginning in social media sites.
Few months ago, a picture of a poor Filipino old man beaming a smile with his missing front teeth spread like wildfire in social networking sites. As one takes a closer look of the image, you’ll see an old man with graying beard flashing a tired but genuine smile. He was wearing a camouflage jacket under a red shirt, a green worn out towel covers his head. It was a picture that caught a lot of attention from thousands of netizens or social media users, but the story that was attached with the picture gained much more attention.
The story that came with the picture revealed the brief encounter of the writer named Joemil, a 22 year old Kapampangan, and the old man in the picture he knew as Mang Roldan. Joemil met Mang Roldan at his friend’s canteen in Mexico, Pampanga one rainy afternoon in July.
He wrote, “He was not asking for money nor anything. Instead, he ordered P5 worth of rice. He cannot even look directly because he feels so shy. He said, "Maaari po bang bumili ng limang pisong kanin?"”
Joemil offered Mang Roldan to order more food and he would pay for it. After Mang Roldan ordered a vegetable dish, Joemil found out more about Mang Roldan’s life and how he ended up on the street, “Years ago, he needed to sell their house and lot because his wife had a bone disease. Sadly, everything was spent but his wife didn't make it. He had three children. The first born were twins, died because of bronchopneumonia. While the youngest was ran over by a bus. He tried putting a small business by selling fishballs in Manila, but in the time of Bayani Fernando, MMDA took his carts and destroyed them”
As they conversed, Joemil also found out that Mang Roldan wanted to go back to his province in Kawayan, Isabela but because he has no means to go back to his province, he’s walking every day until he gets there. Before Mang Roldan left, Joemil offered him his camouflaged jacket and a little amount of money but before they finally part, Joemil was dumfounded when he saw a priceless scene that day, Joemil wrote, “He saw a beggar on the side. You know what he did? He did not share the food that he had, HE GAVE EVERYTHING! Rice, bread, and water.“
Joemil shared his wonderful encounter with Mang Roldan on facebook with his picture and it was shared and read by thousands of netizens. But Joemil did not imagine that this encounter would give his life and Mang Roldan’s a full turn-around. Joemil decided to launch a Facebook page called Finding Roldan Pineda Jimenez. The facebook page which has more than a thousand fans now, called out to netizens to find the humble man the world came to know through social media. Along with the Facebook page, Joemil hoped to see Mang Roldan again by looking for him on the street where he could possibly be. He went as far as Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan to look for the old man. Joemil also posted Mang Roldan’s picture in every street he has been to and he even distributed flyers of the old man’s picture and his story.
This search came to the knowledge of GMA 7’s program Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho. Much to Joemil’s relief, the program helped them in their endeavor. Saturday, September 1, Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho aired their feature on Joemil’s search for Mang Roldan but at the end of the segment, sadly, no Mang Roldan was found. But a day after it was aired, the TV show got a call, finally Mang Roldan was found in San Fernando, Pampanga. Two good Samaritans recognized Mang Roldan from the TV show, took him to a shelter and informed the TV program.
Joemil and the old man whose real name is Mang Roland was reunited again. Through Joemil, Mang Roland felt loved and hopeful again. In an interview by Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho, Mang Roland revealed how he had wanted to end his life, “I felt hopeless, I wanted to end my life, I drank pesticide but I did not die, I realized I should just go on with my life.”
True enough, good things are waiting for him. A group of dentists gave him free dentures, now he smiles with complete front teeth! GMA’s program also helped him find his older sister he has not seen in years. Through donations and financial help coursed through Joemil, he was given a fish ball cart with a bicycle and he is now selling fish balls in Pampanga. Joemil and his uncle opened their homes in Pampanga for Mang Roland too so he doesn’t have to sleep on the street again. Life is starting to get brighter again for the once, hopeless, homeless old man.
For Joemil, this unexpected turn out of his simple act may be God’s sign to his bigger calling, his lifelong dream of helping more homeless through a foundation, “We are planning to continue with the foundation. I was able to get some information on how to do it, how to raise funds, and who are the people we are going to help. We may need a big amount of money but we believe that God will provide”
But until this bigger dream comes true, Joemil takes a smaller step to continue to spread hope and love beginning in social media sites.
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