Even before saying anything, Anne Curtis was already feeling choked up. The morning she spent with the aetas of Tarukan was only a fraction of their daily lives. Yet, it was one of the most meaningful experiences of her life. “Gusto mo silang tulungan, ‘yun lang ‘yun, na wala kang hihinging kapalit,” she explained. They truly deserved to be helped, especially after meeting teacher Ginnie Victoria Panguelo. She has dedicated her everything to giving Tarukan’s youth a shot at a better future by providing them with an education.
Not only does the commute take nearly four hours, Teacher Ginnie has to walk and hike through extreme terrains. But she does it anyway which makes her an “everyday hero”. Anne believes that the students would never forget such an inspiration, and neither would she, “I will always remember Teacher Ginnie”.
Behind-The-Scenes: Anne Curtis with Teacher Ginnie
The It’s Showtime host shared how she hopes to visit their community again when she has time because they are genuinely some of the most welcoming people. “Napaka-innocent pa rin ng kanilang mga ngiti,” she described. Despite being isolated up on the mountains, they do have a television to watch It’s Showtime and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano. They even pose and do finger hearts for pictures.
Unfortunately, their warmth has been taken advantage of which is why Anne has a very strong message for future guests. “To those who visit, if you promise something to them, you better keep your promise to them,” she stressed. There have been groups in the past who never followed through on commitments. And Anne wants everyone to know that communities like the aetas of Tarukan are not just for pictures.
On a lighter note, this entire experience has been eye opening for Anne. “You have gained a fan in me,” was her final salute to Teacher Ginnie.
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