After the Maalaala Mo Kaya episode “Simbahan,” last Saturday (August 3) starring Gelli de Belen and Jerome Ponce, MMK host Charo Santos-Concio interviewed Agnes Nuñez, the letter sender whose unlikely love story touched and inspired us.
REVIEW: Gelli de Belen and Jerome Ponce’s unlikely team up is dreamy, effectual in MMK “Simbahan
“Kahit may kapansanan ako, patuloy na lumalaban sa buhay,” said the endearing paralytic who said she wanted to be an inspiration to fellow PWDs that even with their disabilities, their lives should go on just like anyone else.
Agnes shared that she always needed the help of others to simply move around is the hardest thing about her plight. She sometimes felt like a burden to others since she always needed the support and guidance of the people around her.
“Hindi po ako makagalaw. Hindi ko magawa ang gusto kong gawin,” she tearfully said when asked about the difficulties she faces daily due to her disability. She admitted that the only thing giving her strength and hope is her husband.
Agnes told the story of how she met her husband, Kiko Nuñez. Her family built a sari-sari store to earn extra income and she usually tends it. Kiko usually ate meryenda near their sari-sari store since he was a factory worker nearby. She shared that Kiko never left her side especially in times she had a hard time moving by herself.
Initially, Kiko never made a move on Agnes but he was constantly volunteering to stay by her side to help her on anything that she needs. Until eventually, he courted her because Agnes started to question why he was always in the sari-sari store.
“Binata ka, dapat magsaya ka at lumabas ka,” she advised Kiko to enjoy his youth since he seemed to spend even his weekends helping Agnes with the store. Due to her constant questions, Kiko finally admitted that he liked her more than a friend. He revealed that he’s always by Agnes’s side not because he pitied her but because he loved her.
At first, her parents were against their relationship due to their age difference and Agnes’ disability. Kiko was banned from going to the sari-sari store to see Agnes and so, they were forced to hide their relationship instead of breaking up. He would go to the store whenever her parents were out of sight.
Kiko proved his love to Agnes when he defied her parents’ wish because he couldn’t bear to be away from her. They hid their relationship for seven years until their relationship was finally accepted by her parents. He proposed to Agnes when her parents finally agreed to let them be together. “Para pong himala sa ganito kong kalagayan, may magmamahal sa akin at mangangakong alagaan ako,” she confessed how she felt when Kiko proposed to her.
“Dapat hindi po nila ikahiya ang kalagayan nila,” Agnes advises those with disabilities not to let their illnesses get in the way of their lives. She said that there might be things that they cannot do but there will always be things that not even abled people can do.
“Dapat po kumilos din kami, magpakita at makihalubilo sa mga normal na tao,” people with disabilities should also be entrusted with responsibilities instead of always depending on others for everything.