I shed tears because of my neighbor, Carmen Espinosa, an old widow, a laundry woman and charcoal packer who lives in a small quarter on my backyard.

 

Friday I went around the neighborhood to ask for donations for my relief operations on Saturday. I went from house to house.

 

Today I was stepping out of the house to have lunch when someone called my name. “Gie! Gie! Gie!”  She handed me something wrapped in a plastic bag. It was an open pack of powdered milk, but only half-full.

 

She said, “Pasensiya ka na, ’yan lang talaga maitulong ko sa taga-Leyte. Walang-wala ako ngayon. Pero puwede mo ’yan itimpla sa mga bata doon. Magugustuhan nila ’yan kasi Ber Bran (Bear Brand) ’yan.”

 

I was dumbfounded. My tears fell. I took the milk and went back to my room. I couldn’t hold back my tears, I felt like my heart was about to explode.

 

My friends and I had created the One Hug Project on Nov. 12, after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” hit the Visayas. We wanted to help the victims.

 

Our plan was to accumulate 1,800 packs of noodles. We started the #OneHugForLeyte drive, going to busy areas in Cebu, offering hugs in exchange for donations.

 

The idea spread and many supported the drive. Friends from social media donated, too.

 

On Nov. 17, we had our first relief operation in Linao, Ormoc. We traveled from Cebu to Ormoc with 52 sacks and five boxes of relief goods. We didn’t coordinate with local officials to avoid partisan interests. We were able to give relief goods to 600 families.

 

We brought Nanay Carmen’s Bear Brand milk and, with our host gladly accommodating us, we invited the kids in Linao to drink the milk.

 

Nanay Carmen really was an instrument in the success of our plan. We would like to do this every weekend, especially after my friends and I witnessed how people in Leyte suffered, and how they beg for food.

 

OJ Atilano is a member of the One Hug Project.