Five stories that moved us in 2014

MANILA, Philippines — It was a year of opening up, closing a chapter, and moving on. 

Rappler’s Movers expressed their thoughts, took action to correct injustices, and simply shared their stories.

Join us we look back at some of MovePH’s best stories of 2014 as chosen by you, our readers. 

INC and the mentality of exclusivity 
by ‘Malaya dela Cruz’

“There is harm in a mentality of exclusivity when we operate in the context of a larger society.”

‘Malaya dela Cruz’ is a young woman who shared her deepest thoughts on her faith and the religious community she grew up with. She is a member of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) and also the daughter of an INC minister.

She did what no other INC member her age dared to do: speak up about a topic normally kept to the confines of one’s own community. 

Malaya questioned INC and its teachings. She described INC as a religion shaped by “righteousness, a culture of apathy, and exclusivity.” 

Some readers praised Malaya’s brave and sharp arguments, while others criticized her for hiding behind a pen name and false claims. 

Malaya’s words pushed many of us to take a deeper look at how our personal and shared beliefs affect us and the lives of others.

Finding ‘Frederico’ 
by Fritzie Rodriguez

“This issue is not new. Frederico only pushed the public to revisit (the) Reception and Action Center (RAC), and the vicious cycles of poverty, neglect, and abuse experienced by street children.”

This story proved how citizens and the media can help bring about social change.

Netizens first met ‘Frederico’ on Facebook, when the NGO Bahay Tuluyan posted a photograph of a malnourished boy lying naked on the floor of the Manila Reception and Action Center, a government-run shelter for abandoned chidren. 

An angry letter, a protest action, a meeting with a mayor and two Senate resolutions later, the city government of Manila promised it will renovate the center and fix the broken system that failed to take care of Frederico. 

Thanks to the vigilance of a few and the power of social media, stories like Frederico’s do not need to end in broken dreams. Frederico is now slowly recovering in a children’s center outside of Metro Manila. 

Learn more about Move.PH’s #HungerProject and help end hunger in the Philippines today!

What they don’t tell you about the OFW life
by Shakira Sison

 

“Sometimes the sacrifices, the loneliness and the challenges are simply too much to make up for being away.”

Earning a living in a foreign country is not always the green pasture it first promises to be. 

Shakira Sison showed us what it really feels to be an overseas Filipino worker (OFW). The secret lives of OFWs is a tough one; behind those big balikbayan boxes and dollar bills are stories of sacrifice and yearning.

This is just one of the many #Balikbayan stories Move.PH featured in the past year. Do you have a story to tell? Email us at move.ph+balikbayan@rappler.com. 

Why I’m willing to share my husband
by Ellen Licup-Medina

“Never have I felt unloved in all the years that we have been together, despite the occasional distance and busy schedules. I guess love – real, selfless love – only grows richer over time.”

This particular story got a lot of attention for its headline. Many readers chastised Rappler for the title of the story and left it at that. Thankfully, many more readers actually took the time to read the story to learn what it was really about.  

It is a beautiful story of Ellen Licup-Medina’s love of her husband, a municipal health officer married to his job, despite the challenges of ‘sharing’ him with his patients. 

The couple’s story revealed the difficult and selfless lives of local health workers – who are underpaid yet overworked; unrecognized but fullfiled. Ellen’s love story is more than just a story between two people; it involves an entire community.

Movers took the time to give thanks to the doctor and his wife, and to pay tribute to all those who sacrifice their personal lives for others. 

For yuppies who want to quit, a word from Jessie Robredo
by Aika Robredo
 

“It is too early to tell what you are meant to do. But quitting this early will not be good for you. While you may be unhappy and stressed, there is a better way of coping with it.”

Aika Robredo inspired hundreds of tired, jaded yuppies  all over the country by sharing the wise words of her father, the late DILG secretary Jessie Robredo.

His letter to a young and anxious Aika gave comfort and guidance as she struggled with finding herself after college. 

Aika’s decision to share her father’s words with the public in turn inspired many to keep on pushing on, in spite of all the fear and uncertainty one may face. It also made older folks reminisce about the early stages and challenges of their careers.

#Inspired

We get all kinds of stories from our readers – from fearless opinion pieces which we put in #iSpeak, to eye-opening stories which are regular features on #ProjectAgos, #HungerProject, and #BudgetWatch. Our favorite stories are those that inspire action for a better community, a better Philippine nation. 

Thank you for sharing your year with us. We hope that 2015 will bring plenty of meaningful stories for you to read, share and enjoy. Tell us your story today! – Rappler.com