Greetings to Neil on his 60th birthday from all his friends in the Philippines

 

When he designed this blog Chester introduced me to a new Tagalog word, Bayani, meaning heroes. Some time back a friend of mine in Bahrain , Isa, called me "Superman" and painted a picture of me in a Superman cape but with an N instead of S on the front. So for this blog series Chester combined the two to make "The British Kabayan, ready for Bayanihan!". Ready for Heroic work.

 

Now that's a bit of a big headed claim to make right? So here's the evidence which I received late on my 60th Birthday from a true life Bayani, Mama Jam, who runs a charity called HOPE in El Nido, Palawan. All I do is give money! He allocates the money to kids like Aimae and Jhoanna who I am proud to support, and arranges the HOPE events each year at different Elementary schools . I turn up and say a few words-"Magandang Umaga, Salamat, Malygyang Pasko , Mahal Kita, Ingat Palagi"( Good morning, thank you, Happy Christmas, I love you, Take care always) I also ask my friends like Jhoanna and her family, Kuya Ran and his friends, Ritchelle and the boys, Vin  etc to turn up and help us out. And then the best bit of all, seeing 400 excited kids receive their gifts.

 

So imagine receiving this video, my best and most treasured birthday gift ever. 

It made me cry, and I now feel that maybe, to some , I am a hero/ Bayani.

 

Thanks to everyone involved in making the video. It is so great to be appreciated by my friends when my eldest Brother did not even send me a Birthday card and only ever complains that everything I do is wrong.