The Thought Junkie

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The Vision of Alan Peter Cayetano (Extended Interview)

I have always been a huge fan of politics and so to be able to interview politicians and pick their brains is a blessing. In the past week, I was given the chance to interview vice presidentiable, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, a part of which I have shared in my column.

However, the interview was extremely informative that I felt that need to share it on my favorite platform, my blog. So transcribed below are my favorite parts of the interview for you to enjoy and as a public service in helping you know more about Senator Cayetano and what he believes in.

On his greatest achievement so far:

“More than a single achievement its being an inspiration to people, being a kuya, being an instrument of change. I remember I told my sister when she was deciding to run, I said just by having one good person there, na box out mo na and isang trapo. Let’s face it, in the Philippines many people see politics as business and that won’t change if good people won’t enter government.”

On the importance of voting and making a difference: 

“Actually even in my generation when I was a councilor in 1992 and a congressman in 1998 and even those between 30s-50s ngayon yung botatnte ko when i started i was telling them that a lot of people were telling me, “wala naman natutulong ang pulitiko, di naman ako naapektuhan. 

First, let’s address that premise because it’s a wrong premise kasi kung wala kang pakelam, tataman ka parin. The premise that you can ignore politics and you won’t be affected, baliktad the more you don’t care about politics and politicians, the more ang effect sayo because you lose total control. 

Parang sinabi mo bahala ka na and hindi mo trusted yung bahala ka na. Parang pag iniwan mo ang baby mo sa nanay mo, iniwan mo sa kanya kasi trusted mo siya, hindi mo siya iiwanan sa kidnapper. By not having any pakelam or not caring about who governs, sino magogovern, nanay mo or kidnapper?

By making a decision to be involved, one is single handedly also choosing who is taking care of the government and eventually, that is what will cause the changes that we have always wanted to see.

On the power of social media, involvement and empowerment: 

“Empowerment is also in being active in social media which your generation is involved in. Two of the biggest issues that hit the administration was revealed through social media. It’s not just in voting, that’s also a wrong premise, binoto na kita, bahala ka na. Pero kahit binoto mo kailangan mo parin suportahan or i criticize kung tama or mali ang ginagawa. Sisingilin mo dapat ako sa mga pangako ko. May part parati ang citizen. Part of the social responsbility is criticizing and being part of the solution. Politics is part of everything in life, it’s not to ignore or fight but to make politics positive.” 

“That has been the challenge since 1986 but at that time, how? With technology, more and more ang empowerment. It’s the media and social media ang tunay na bumabalanse. On one hand, empower people and don’t underestimate the power of one person who believes in change but at the same time, also focus on what you can change because even if everything is broken, only one thing can be changed at a time. Walang magic spell sa government.” 

He goes on to mention the broken window system, saying that as long as you fix one part, you will be inspired to fix the others, one broken window at a time. This is how


On the youth:

“If you don’t want to suffer like the previous generations and go through what they went through, you have to fix it now. I always tell high school students, eto yung chinchange namin sa Taguig, kayo magbebenefit kasi by the time college kayo, libre na college niyo. The young people have to realize that if they’re not involved now, their complaints will not end tomorrow but if they help in the next five years, you can have 101 years of prosperity so we have to lay the foundation.”

On his authenticity:

For him, remaining authentic has a lot to do with the values he was raised with and his beliefs, at the end of the day, how he was raised will definitely shine through.

“The best way I can really answer is samahan mo kami for a day, me and my wife, kasi every politican will project a certain image but it’s only through seeing their life na talagang makikita mo. In my case, it’s the Christian values because I’m very conservative as a Christian and then yung pagpapalaki ng dad ko na very strict with using public funds for personal use. You have to have your own moral lines, it’s not easy because our system is built for people to fail and also, you’re also human. Ang helpful ay ang family because we all watch out for each other. There’s a way to par it but you also have to be authentic.” 








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The Strength in Nina’s Closet

One of the most influential people in my life is my mother. Feisty and determined, my mother has shown me through her own life experiences, that women can be strong and independent. She has shown this in the way she has raised my siblings and I, however, she has done so with the help of another influential person in my life: my dad.
However, as I have grown wiser, I have come to understand that not everyone has the same story to share. In fact, some women are left to care and provide for their children on their own. Single moms have always been a source of inspiration for me simply because they’ve always been an epitome of strength and confidence. One of these women is Nina Castro, who I met earlier this year through our common friend, Jodi Sta. Maria.
Nins, as I fondly called her, always seemed to exude such a confident and vibrant outlook in life which is why it was surprising for me to find out that she is a single mom of two and has gone through the darkest of times with no one but herself to pick her up. Now a thriving career woman who runs her own business while also taking care of her two beautiful girls: Cassie and Sasha, she can’t help but recall the dark times in her life as a way of inspiring other single mothers that they too can stand on their own two feet.
She says rather candidly, “There was a dark period in my life when I was having marital problems and I was going through quick fixes to make me escape reality. At the beginning, I was too fearful to face my problems, I was not functioning well, I couldn’t even take care of my kids because the situation was too painful and traumatizing. I just kept on praying until one day I just woke up, packed my bags, found a job as a real estate broker, and started again.”
Nins emphasizes on the importance of having a solid support system, in helping her pick up the pieces, “At that time, I thought it was the end of my life. I was too scared, too weak, and too negative. But God sent the right people to help you find your way again, trust yourself, and pick up the broken pieces of your past.”
What seemed like a dead end was only a “shift”. From her days as a real estate broker, the determination in Nins led her to go back to her first love: clothing. With a degree in Export Management from De La Salle University – College of St. Benilde, Nins has an extensive background in clothing because of her family’s business, “My parents have been in the garments business for as long as I can remember. My dad has a manufacturing factory and after college, I immediately opened shops in Greenhills.”
And although she stopped for awhile once she got married, she immediately went back to her first love and now has her own shop called Nina’s Closet located in Circle C Mall in Quezon City which specializes in casual and office wear for women of all shapes and sizes, including plus-sized women. She continues to help with her family business and recently opened the online version of Nina’s Closet on Instagram and Facebook to cater to a wider audience.
Despite her full schedule, her top priority are still her kids, “I make sure to be present in every milestone of their childhood. At times on weekends, I bring my kids to my shop so I can spend more time with them. And while being separated is hard because I still feel guilty, I hope that my love will be enough to fill whatever is lacking. I am not perfect but I try my best. God is the man in our home and that alone is enough to make us complete.”

And as for her advice to other single moms, she says, “With every big decision I make in my life, I make sure to always talk to my kids about it. They may be young but they understand, don’t underestimate your kids’ capacity to understand because they can, no matter how young they are.”

It’s people like Nina who reminds me that while life may not end up the way we want it to, it doesn’t mean it cannot be better than what we have imagined.
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Empowered by the Beautylista

“When women empower each other, incredible things happen.”
As a woman, I firmly believe that it is incredibly important to surround one’s self with women who encourage, empower, and promote each other. When we were younger, bickering and competing with each other seemed to be the way women treat each other. However, as you grow older, you realize that nothing brings greater joy than having a solid group of girlfriends who would tell you what selfie you should post, when to cut communication with that flaky guy, and women who would cheer you on when you’re both losing and winning in life.
Because of this belief, I always strive to be this kind of friend to the girlfriends that God has blessed me with. In the same breath, I make sure to consciously surround myself with women of substance and positivity.
One of my favorite girlfriends in the world is Angela Medalla- Yeo. The wife of famed Green Archer and now professional basketball player, Joseph Yeo, Angela and I met when Joseph and my dad were in the same basketball team together. We then developed a friendship out of our common love for optimism and everything else in between.
In my head, I would often describe Angela as a superwoman who does it all. A graduate of De La Salle University, the commercial model used to be a pre-school teacher before becoming a hands-on mom to her two adorable daughters, Mariana and Helena. Aside from taking care of her girls 24/7, Angela is also an entrepreneur who has Fizzle Fries branches of her own.
But Angela’s biggest passion lies in the field of make-up. After giving birth to her first child, Angela, pursued her interest in make up by studying in the famed Center for Aesthetic Studies. This led to bigger stints with Mega Fashion Crew and opportunities to share her work through magazine editorials and print ads.

However, what excites Angela the most is the opportunity to empower women through make up, “Make up empowers women in a way that makes her feel good about herself. It makes her feel confident and gives her the power to interact with people daily.”
This is the reason why she set up Beautylista on both Instagram and YouTube and launched her very own blog that will soon host her make up tutorials and other how-tos that will guide other super mommies like her.
Angela stumbled upon the idea when followers of her personal account started asking how she did her make up and what products to use. She then decided to use the power of the Internet for good and decided to pay it forward, “I learned so many things from watching YouTube videos so I felt this was a good way to share what I know.”
A one-woman team, Angela meticulously takes care of the production of her videos and she finds it a lot of fun, especially since she is able to do it while her girls are in school. For her, the greatest satisfaction is found in knowing that other women, through her tips, will be able to find ways to empower themselves, even through something as simple as perfecting their eyebrows before leaving the house. 
When asked what the secret was to her superwoman lifestyle, she was quick to say, “ Learn how to take care of yourself so you can take better care of others and don’t worry if you’re not perfect because there’s always another day to make things better.”
**
For more, follow Angela on Youtube and Instagram @beautylista and visit her blog www.beautylista.com.

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Of Coffee and Cocktails

I started drinking coffee at the tender age of six. I don’t know really what started the addiction in me, but I remember being six and demanding my dad to get me another cup. The addiction stayed with me well into my college years where I was taking in about five cups a day to stay awake.
As I transitioned out of college and into the working world, coffee shops became a place of solace. More than just taking coffee because of my dire need for it, it has become an experience, a time that I rest from the world and just be (which also means a lot of occasional people watching).
I associate my coffee drinking with relaxation, the first few minutes before my day starts or the minutes in between deadlines and meetings. It may come with age but I am also enjoying quality time spent with myself with just a good book, without my phone, and a new restaurant to explore. There’s something about being twenty something that gives you courage to go to unknown territories without questioning the whole concept of doing it alone.
However, there are just days when you want to fill the silence while experiencing something new and my go-to person is my good friend, Jap. Jap and I have been working together for almost three years now and our relationship has evolved from strictly professional to overly personal over the years (yes, she is often the recipient of my just woke up selfies). One of the new places we visited in our second home, SM Aura, is UCC Mentore. UCC Mentore is the spin off of the original Titos of Manila place, UCC, and just like any spin off, it is hip, exciting, and offers exciting ways to enjoy coffee.
UCC Mentore’s fine collection of Coffee and Liqueur Connoisseur selections basically puts together two incredible things together: coffee and liqueur. Mix that in with a great afternoon of Baked Brie with Fig Jam, Truffle Mac and Cheese, and good ole’ Lengua and you’ve got an afternoon to remember. Jap and I gabbed the afternoon away along with newfound friend, Janna Arceo and it made me realize that while doing things alone can be liberating it, you have a choice to actually not be alone. 
You have the choice to pick up the phone, ask your best girlfriends to hangout with you, and indulge in an afternoon of drinks of all kinds. While more and more places are welcoming brunch cocktails, UCC Mentore is the only place that gives you the opportunity to have a mix of coffee and cocktails at the same time during the day.
Our favorites in particular were Bailey’s with Sumiyaki Beans (Yes, coffee and Bailey’s right beside each other) and a Willy Wonka, which is a mix of vodka, espresso, lemon zest, and frangelico. So the next time you feel like you need a jolt of espresso while at the same time an hour of relaxation, UCC Mentore is the way to go. UCC Mentore in SM Aura also boasts of a Mini Golf putting area, which your friends can use to unwind or you can use during business meetings just like in the movies.
Truly, at the end of the day, all a busy woman really needs are her girlfriends, good food, strong coffee, and yes, a cocktail to get through just about anything.

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Grati-dad.

I’d like to believe that my dad is a walking fountain of well-meaning wisdom. As strong and as silent as he is, my dad doesn’t hold back from giving advices to those around him, he feels that this is his mission in life, to share what he has learned as much as he can to those younger than he is. As his daughter, these words of wisdom are often dispensed during our morning car rides while my brother and I tutor him on The Weeknd and other new artists (he hates listening to what he describes as ‘old people’ music).
One of my personal favorites is when my dad reminds me to be grateful for all the things going right in my life whenever life takes a bad turn. My dad is not a man who takes whining lightly. For one thing, he survived so many things growing up and for me to complain about mundane things frustrates him to the core. Ironically so, my dad has taught me to “man up” and pushed me to see how I can help make the world a better place instead of constantly asking, “what’s in it for me.” For him, life is not perfect but there’s always something to be thankful for and somebody to help.

This is the reason why I got overly excited when Absolute Distilled Drinking Water invited me to visit Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila. As many of you know, Fabella Hospital is known to take in mothers who do not have the means to give birth. September is a rather busy month for them since this is the month that produces as much as 70 babies a day. Fabella, while recognized by the World Health Organization as the model maternity, still needs all the help it can get in order to ensure that every mother who goes to them for help is attended to. Absolute wanted to make sure that the hydration of the mothers and babies are well taken care of by giving away tons of bottled water. Truly, a little goes a long way.
The team was briefed prior to visiting the maternity ward. We knew that sometimes up to four mothers, along with their babies, share two beds and this has become such a common occurrence that people are no longer surprised, but I was. I must admit that in the weeks leading up to my visit to Fabella, I have been consumed by situations that I shouldn’t have even wasted my time on.
And suddenly, in the sea of mothers who were just trying to ensure that their newborn babies were taken care of even if it meant surviving in a cramped and rather hot room (Fabella is doing a great job in taking care of the mothers although maybe a little more help would be great, can someone give them air-conditioning already), I realized just how selfish I was. These mothers, who were sweating while breastfeeding their babies, were actually smiling, as if oblivious to the plight of their lives. Most of them didn’t know where to get their next meals or where to get the milk to feed their babies and yet, they smiled. It was as if they didn’t have any care in the world. They didn’t ask why life was like that; they just knew that at the end of the day, they will be okay. They trusted in the goodness of life and it made me wonder why I had such a hard time believing it.
It is often said that we help in order to make the lives of those less fortunate around us better but in truth, in helping them, we truly help ourselves.
My dad was right, if we learn to look beyond ourselves and life’s petty problems (most of them we created ourselves), there truly is a lot to be thankful for.

And this is what keeps us going even on our worst days.
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Finding a Home in the Sky

On a regular, average day, it is not uncommon for people say out loud or think in their heads, “I really need to get away from the city.” The city, though highly amusing and entertaining at times, can be extremely limiting in terms of breathing space. No matter how much we enjoy our lives, we reach a point where we just need a break and somewhere to escape to.
Thankfully, VConsunji Incorporated, Stephen Ku, and Slater Young fulfills this dream through the Busay Sky House. Nestled in the beautiful mountains of uptown Cebu, Busay Sky House brings together smart and stylish while not being far away from metro giving everyone a chance to having the family / vacation home of their dreams.
The exclusive mountain top development boasts of Sky Houses, a visual once only seen on creative Pinterest boards as conceptualized and developed by real estate heavy weight Victor Consunji along with friends Stephen Ku and Slater Young and Architect Juan Serina of H1 Architecture. The literal sky house of our dreams is actually a unique modern Cliffside home that takes advantage of the beautiful view of Cebu City.

The sky houses feel like the tree houses of our childhood daydreams, floating above the cliff side, above tree top canopies with views that can leave anyone breathless. But more than just being strikingly beautiful, it’s meant to be a home, Consunji says, “We are primary home developers. This means no matter what the design or the location, our utmost interest is to create a lasting home for our home owners. A home that is big enough for their family, well built with premium finishes, organized and expandable to grow with their future needs. A home, whose design is lasting and adaptable, and architecturally forward looking to be as timeless as possible.”
The Sky Houses are conveniently located in Busay Hilands which is the right combination of desirable factors such as the view and the terrain and is the right mix of convenience and lifestyle. It’s being in the Metro without actually being in it, it gives you that needed space in between where you have to be and where you want to be, a place that gives you the solitude, fresh air, and privacy that you need.

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Breathe Fire

Girls, from the moment they are young, are taught to be pretty. They’re given frilly dresses to twirl in, beautiful shoes to walk in, and shiny glitters to put on their hair. Princesses only get their happy endings once they are given a make over making that transition from ordinary to stunning. Fairytales are cute and entertaining, this is the reason why they’re never questioned. Parents often just need a way for kids to entertain themselves and there’s nothing wrong with a little amusement but what are the underlying messages in it? Unconsciously, little girls grow to believe this – that they are only worthy when they are beautiful. So they spend hours primping, going to the gym, battling between not eating and eating, angling in front of their camera phones and choosing the perfect filter. Don’t get me wrong, there are strong women who do it for themselves, but at one point or another, we have become that woman. We have longed to become so beautiful so we get to be chosen. We hope against hope that we are the fair maiden that gets saved (with J.Cole screaming ‘don’t save her, she don’t want to be saved) at the end of the story.
Women are raised to be ornaments. If you are beautiful enough, you get to be the trophy wife. You get to be the prize the handsome knight wins at the end of the day. Nobody ever talks about the man being worthy enough for the maiden, by being male, he is already worthy. As a child, my father taught me to become a thoroughbred. Looks were not a major factor in our home, or maybe, I was the daughter who was taught not to rely on it. I was taught to focus on school, on being my own person, and growing into my own woman. This made me focus on school, priding on grades instead of dates but at the end of the day, any dorky girl wishes for one thing: to be noticed for her looks and not just her ability to crack a sarcastic joke or know the statistics of a basketball game. It’s true when they say that we often crave for the things we don’t have. But what happens when you finally get it?
Let me tell you one thing: nothing. Nothing changes. There is no magic, there is no pill, unlike the fairytales we love so much getting what we want doesn’t change much if our inner self isn’t right to begin with. We can get all the glitters in the world but at the end of the day, it doesn’t mean anything. For what is it to gain the world but lose our soul?
Happiness cannot be found in external sources. We can get all the praises in the world but once the excitement fades away, we’re left with ourselves, do we like who we are? Also, must we constantly find our worth in what the opposite sex says about us?
A recent viral post by a Georgian mom, Jessica Kirkland, over the Duggar scandal puts things in perspective:

“As a mother of daughters, this makes me ill. Parents, WE MUST DO BETTER BY OUR DAUGHTERS. Boys, men, are born with power. Girls have to command it for themselves. They aren’t given it. They assume it and take it. But you have to teach them to do it, that they can do it. We HAVE to teach our daughters that they are not beholden to men like this. That they don’t have to marry a man their father deems ‘acceptable’ and then stay married to that man long, long after he proved himself UNACCEPTABLE. Educate them. Empower them. Give them the tools they need to survive, on their own if they must. Josh Duggar should be cowering in fear of Anna Duggar right now. Cowering. He isn’t, but he should be. He should be quaking in fear that the house might fall down around them if he’s in the same room as she. Please, instill your daughters with the resolve to make a man cower if he must. To say “I don’t deserve this, and my children don’t deserve this.” I wish someone had ever, just once, told Anna she was capable of this. That she knew she is. As for my girls, I’ll raise them to think they breathe fire.”

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Sweet Home Santa Maria

As I write this, my almost five week vacation is about to wind down. Days have been spent visiting the most famous cities in the world, visiting memorable spots and seeing so many beautiful people my eyes can barely decide where to look. The last stop of our trip is in a quaint little town in the Central Coast, Sta. Maria. It has been my Ninang’s home for the past 25 years and my Mamang’s for quite some time now. After the busyness of the first three cities, it’s safe to say that Sta. Maria is a different change. For one thing, there is hardly any activity; it was so quiet that my baby brother Carl asked our dad if he was planning to place us in our very own witness protection program. My phone, which I haven’t been on that much in the first three stops, was now turned on actively. I have finished a total of three books in a span of three days and have completed so many writing assignments and yet still find so many hours stretched in between. I have also committed to double a day work outs and the days still couldn’t be filled.
I was looking for a activity. I was looking to see different people and see scenic places without realizing that I was in Santa Maria for a reason: to spend time with my still strong 80 year old Mamang and spend time with my Ninang. For the longest time, family often meant just our small family of four since everyone has long migrated to the United States so adjusting to family other than my parents and my brother took awhile. And for someone who fills her days to the brim, sitting down beside my Mamang while she indulged in her favorite teleseryes was a radical change. It brought me back to the simpler days where she took care of us after school. She constantly asked me what I was doing on my phone and was content in just being still. After a few days of adjusting to the slower paced lifestyle, I found myself enjoying the presence of my grandmother, who is possibly the funniest person I know. She is so like my mother that I couldn’t help but appreciate my mom even more. Our random conversations were peppered with wisdom. My Mamang is the real feminist because even in the 50s she walked away fearlessly from anyone who didn’t treat her the way she should be treated. She raised her three children on her own and to this day, continues to be independent. I see a lot of myself in her and it was good to be reminded.
Spending time with my Ninang has taught me the essence of how important perspective is in life. Also ferociously independent, my Ninang has been taking care of herself for years and her no nonsense attitude about life has taught me that life is a choice. One of the strongest women I know, she has inspired me to be strong and to love life, no matter what.

I was itching to get away the moment I landed in the quaint town but I must admit that it is already growing on me. I realized that I could see all the glitter that the world can offer but spending time with family is priceless. I could see the entire world anytime but to spend time with my Mamang doing nothing is something I cannot replicate. Everyday, I’m thankful to God for slowing my life down at the right time and for making me see the importance of the little things because these little things, it’s what makes life beautiful.
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Won’t You Save Me San Francisco?

It has been eight years since I started working and I haven’t had a proper vacation in ages. Excluding a few quick weekends in between, vacations often meant going to the mall and spending all day watching Scandal.
My dad changed my definition of vacation when he gifted our entire family to a trip to the States to visit family we haven’t seen in ages. Our stops included Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and lastly San Francisco.
This is my first time in San Francisco and since it’s the only place we didn’t have family and was on our own for the first time. Stationed in Holiday Inn in Fisherman’s Wharf, we had no clue how to get from one place to another but thankfully God sends his angels at the right time and this was true for our Tito, Warren Marcos. After being here for three weeks, we have come to understand that Americans are extremely busy and most of the time, vacationers are left to explore the city on our own. It was fun to be more than just tourists and to travel the way the locals do but since we only had three days to explore San Francisco, we wanted to explore as much as we can and this is the reason why we are thankful for Tito Warren for taking us everywhere. We left the comforts of San Francisco to travel the different parts of the famed “bay area” to visit Silicon Valley (the dork in me took a million photos at Facebook and Google), Palo Alto, and even the home of the Warriors, the “Roar-acle”. Tito Warren also patiently brought us to all the outlets where we spent hours trying to find the best deals. We also had a few “uh-oh” moments when our tire literally blew up in the middle of the Bay Bridge and we had to change it right there. We also had the experience of their “police” cameras when we took a wrong turn on the Fast Track.  San Francisco was everything I expected it to be. Truly, it’s a blessing when you are placed at the right place at exactly the right time with the right people.


It is true that when you travel, your perspective of the world changes. What used to be such a big deal back home is now seen as minute. Traveling with family is also a blessing because who else would you want to spend the most precious moments of life with?  This trip was the restart I needed just in time for my 27th year and I couldn’t wait to see what’s next.
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Tebow Cure Hospital: Love in Action

“Your devotion to God is authenticated by your love for others.” – Andy Stanley
As a Jesus follower, there are many questions I cannot answer. I will also be the first one to tell you that even if I am passionate about my love for Jesus, there are still days where I fall short. Following Jesus doesn’t mean I get it right all the time or perfectly good and sweet all the time. In fact, on most days, it’s only by His grace that I am able to smile through the craziest days. My own journey has often left me asking what it truly was to be a Christian. If it was not found in my perfection, then what did it truly mean? Lately, I have come to understand that loving God also meant loving His children which includes everyone in my little world: the good, the bad, the annoying, and even those who have betrayed me. It’s not easy, but I’m getting there slowly but surely.
I have come to understand that the greatest way to demonstrate God’s love is not in preaching (although there are ridiculously amazing ones who are great at it) but in walking in the message, daily. There are people who are able to do this in their daily lives and they are the ones who continue to inspire others to keep fighting the good fight, despite the most difficult days. There are the people who go out of their way to truly make a difference in the world and to make God’s love felt in doing so. One of these inspiring tales belong to the Tebow Cure Hospital in Davao City. CURE International have helped millions of children from across the developing world by providing surgery to physically developed children. They believe that conditions like clubfoot, bowed legs, cleft lips, untreated burns, and hydrocephalus can be treated and shouldn’t be the deciding factor in the success of children. A non-stock, non-profit organization that operates 10 hospitals around the world and manages pediatric specialty programs in 30 countries “where patients experience the message of God’s love for them, receiving surgical treatment regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity or ability to pay. The first of its kind in Southeast Asia, Tebow Cure Hospital was named after Tim Tebow, an American National Football League player born in the Philippines who is passionate about helping disabled and underprivileged children. It was through the partnership of Tim Tebow and CURE International that the Tebow Cure Hospital was born in Davao City.
Leron Lehman, who leads a dependable and “qualified” clinical and support team that what makes them different is their “focus on orthopedic conditions that can be corrected with elective surgery.” He goes on to say, “Our charitable focus is on children and we aim to provide assistance to those that have not had access to healthcare, primarily because of their economic situation. In many cases, children with physical disabilities are marginalized, they are unable to attend school or if they do attend, they are often ridiculed or bullied. In some cases, they are not accepted in their communities.”
More than just healing meeting their physical needs, Tebow Cure Hospital also addresses their spiritual and emotional needs, “We have a ministry team that meets with each patient every day to provide prayer, counseling and support. We have an amazing play room where kids can be kids and forget about their disabilities and just enjoy themselves.”


For the Tebow Cure Hospital, they believe that providing the surgery that these children need will give them a better chance at life, Lehman affirms, “Healing changes everything and in the lives of these children it completely transforms their lives.” Since opening in the summer of this year, they have healed over 150 children and it has been their greatest reward and they are encouraging others to be involved in the cause as well, “We have a big job and we can’t do it alone. We need people to refer children with physical disabilities to us. We hold a free clinic each Thursday where we provide screenings for surgery. Finally, we are also in need of funding to support these life changing surgeries.”

Truly, it is in the little things that our faith is magnified and it is in the ways we help others that the love we have received will be manifested. May this story inspire you to take a step of love today, whether big or small, because it truly makes all the difference in the world.