Chinnie Balungcas, 17, a Grade 12 student, daughter, granddaughter, responsible, brave, ambitious, and a TOTGA. The one that got away. You might ask why, in what part or in what situation, and how. Well, her story happened.
Chinnie is in a family of eight—her parents and her 5 siblings. Her mother, Gina, is a housewife, and her father, Arnold, is an Overseas Filipino Worker(OFW) in Papua New Guinea. Her siblings are named: Pamela, Geselle, Karel, Justin, and John Michael. She is the fourth child of her parents. Her family lives in Manila except for her father who is working abroad, and she, who is living with her grandparents on her mother's side.
Erlinda Lapiz, 72, the grandmother, took her from her parents when she was eight(8) months old. It was because her parents couldn't sustain her needs; her father was jobless at that time and the reason why their family is financially unstable. So, Erlinda, together with Alejandro, 82, the grandfather, raised Chinnie like she was their own flesh. Chinnie grew up with them thinking the same way. In fact, she hasn't even been given a chance to meet her family personally.
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To Chinnie, growing up away from her primary family felt like nothing when she was young. However, as she grows up becoming an adolescent, there she felt the emptiness within her which made her feel like she was an unsolved puzzle and the only thing that could complete her was her family. There were a couple of times that she was asked by people around her if she wanted to be with them and ironically, her answer was always "no". She doesn't want to leave her grandparents behind especially since they are old now. She wanted to spend more time with them and cherish every moment. After all, they are the ones that acted as her parents throughout her whole existence and served as her support system. She wanted to tell them that she is beyond grateful to have them and would spit out endless reasons why she love them. They filled that emptiness.
Chinnie is thankful to her parents as well for bringing her into this world. For her, without them, she would not be here. And if given a chance to talk to them, she would definitely utter the word and of course, ask personal questions that she failed to get the answers alone like: "Why didn't they visit me here in Cebu?" There are also times that she is curious to know how does it felt like to have a mother on her side whom she can share her problems with and a father who can help her whenever she is struggling with her projects. Whichever angle she was trying to look at, it wasn't easy seeing complete families while she was alone. The only things that keep them in touch were the internet and the monthly allowance they are giving to her as financial support.
"Being the only one means you should train your mind to handle things on your own, that you must figure things out with less help from others. For me that was the hardest part, fighting on your own." Chinnie said. "To myself, I am proud of how strong you are because you have encountered several tough battles yet you are still here, still fighting. I am proud of what you are today, always keep striving hard, and whenever you feel tired just rest but do not give up. In the end, I know you will look back and realize how thankful you are for not giving up." she added.
Lastly, her message to those who are experiencing the same or similar situation as her: "Keep your courage on fire people, I know that God planned something great for us. But for now, let's endure the hard times and surely there will be a bright future that awaits us."
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