2012 YEAR-ENDER: Move.PH Top Picks

The MovePH team took the time to look back at the stories generated for the year 2012.

We bring you the articles that moved us the most in 2012. Not necessarily in order, listed below are short excerpts from our top picks:
 

1. “He is always the last man on the street during typhoons, making sure that people are safe, and the first one to shovel the mud out of the city after the floods.”

Who among you wasn’t moved by Aika Robredo’s piece about her father, the late Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo? An award-winning essay written by Aika when she was 15 years old and published with permission on MovePH, the article immediately went viral and gained almost 40,000 shares. Read Aika’s article here: Aika Robredo’s source of inspiration. 
 
 

2. “Having read on Rappler about the plight of Sharifamae, generous strangers, including Jose Rizal’s great-granddaughter, donated to the Tausug student’s education. She also pledged to send Sharifamae to college.”

No other story had tugged at our heartstrings than that of Sharifamae and Alnajer (READ: Football: Stepping stone to education), children from poor Tausug families, who have been inspired by their love of football to dream bigger dreams. The quote above was taken from a follow-up article entitled: Tausug girl dreams of becoming first ‘Maldita’ from Sulu.
 

3. ”It reminds me — fully and completely — about why I do what I do, about not just the power of articles and news stories, but the power of the Internet and social media as well.”

 
Rappler’s Multimedia Reporter Natashya Gutierrez shared her story of how, through an article, a difference was made in the life of a child named Romnick. Read the story here (READ: When social media makes dreams come true).

4. “This is a story about a man who dreamed of a better life, and lost the little he had to a falling sky. His name is Jessie Baylon, widower, father of two.“

Do you remember the day of torrential rains and a horrible landslide that left a man with almost nothing? Netizens eventually knew him as Jessie Baylon (READ: The man who lost it all in the rain). Read about his story and watch the video here: The day the sky fell.
 
 

5. “I might have HIV….You may too.”

Rappler’s Devon Wong wrote an informative piece on why one must get tested for HIV, accompanied by a short clip that walks you through the entire process. Read and watch: Why I got tested for HIV.

 

As we look back to 2012, we realize that the stories that moved us the most were those that inspired awareness, hope, and action. We were awed by the tenacity of the human spirit when confronted with challenges, deprivation, and loss. We were pushed to believe there is a future to look forward to even when we are most tempted to be drowned by pessimism and doubt. – Rappler.com
 
 

What were the Top 5 stories under MovePH that you remember the most in 2012? Share them with us and let us know why. Tag @rapplerdotcom on Twitter or email desk@rappler.com.