Their father’s calling for service must have etched an indelible mark in their young minds.
As rains pounded the northern and northeastern parts of Negros last week, three Cadiz City siblings – Anna, 24, a Marketing graduate, Jay, 19, an Entrepreneurship sophomore, and Salvador III (Dingdong), 18, a 12th grader – hatched an idea of initiating relief work.
They are the three children of Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. and wife, Mariel.
The siblings, with cousins, Trisha and Ryan Inocencio, initially kept to themselves the idea of helping flood victims by donating clothes, food packs and other items to keep the victims warm. Many were left in the cold and they needed help.
“We took the challenge believing that no sacrifice is too great, especially in turning frowns and tears into smiles,” Salvador III confided. After packing their solicited relief goods and items, they braved the downpour and the muddy canefields to distribute them to more than 100 families in Barangays Mabini and Tinampaan.
The gesture of service and volunteerism touched their parents. “Their simple act of kindness made me proud as a father” the mayor said, adding that their exposure to our long years of public service influenced them to be of help to those who are needy, especially during calamities.
His wife expressed her joy and pride “with the initiative they have shown out of concern for others.”
Their exposure to our way of public service and their experiences in volunteer and mission work at the University of St. La Salle have greatly influenced them in their action last week, mom Mariel added as she smilingly said, “they now realize how it is to traverse muddy trails with relief bags and boxes in their hands in the name of service. “We helped not only because we had to but, more so, because we can,” said Dingdong, who recalled that the desire to reach out to the flood victims came after their eldest, Anna, and cousin Trisha posted the call for help via the social media.
Jay thanked volunteer friends for helping them as he recounted doing a similar mission for locked down families due to the coronavirus crisis.
The experience, he added, provided him the insight “to always, be ready to help others without reservations.”
And will they do it again soon?
Yes, anytime of the day, we are ready to serve the community, the three siblings said. – ETL
