By Marie Manalili

Some residents from Barangay 128 Smokey Mountain in Tondo wished for food and a permanent shelter from future sponsors in an Christmas Charity Event 2024 of The Daily Manila Shimbun on Wednesday.

The Daily Manila Shimbun and other Japanese sponsors handed early gifts for the holidays to individuals from two barangays in Tondo in a Christmas Charity Event 2024, on Wednesday.

In an interview with The Daily Manila Shimbun, Carmen Tibudan, 57, and Rhea Abalos, 39, shared their experiences of living in Smokey Mountain amidst poverty and their relocation in early 2025."We really request for rice in events like this ... that's what we want here as it serves as a big help as we can easily look for something to eat along with rice unlike rice where we often need to purchase", Abalos stated.

Abalos, who is from Bulacan, said they hope people will provide at least rice to alleviate the hunger of her children emphasizing their need for food.

Tibudan said that she hopes private organizations will help give them a permanent shelter and job despite her old age in case a demolition will push through.

"In case our place gets demolished, I hope they will give us a house so that our children will be able to finish their studies." she added. Tibudan said she receives benefits from the government's 4Ps program which helps them a lot.

Abalos has six children, with three of them residing in Bicol, while her husband is a laborer. Tibudan is a mother of nine children.

Tibudan said their daily life as a family for the past 12 years consists of scavenging wood and trash in the area. They sell these in order to purchase food and allowance for her children who go to school.

Abalos has lived for seven years in Smokey Mountain, along with her three young children, does volunteer work in a nearby company. DMS