Touching lives. Kids beam for the camera in the company of Lazatin, Garcia and CSF Tourism Office chief Ching Pangilinan. Photo by Bong Lacson
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A kids’ day-out at the mall.
Not just any ordinary kids but brave, beautiful ones fighting cancer. Not just any mall but SM San Fernando Downtown.
For the whole day yesterday, some 20 cancer-stricken children at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital here were treated to games, movies, food, and shopping at Pampanga’s newest mall.
The main feature of their Valentine’s Day theme “Love is for kids” moved not a few shoppers to tears as they watched the children do what kids of all ages normally do – find fun in the simplest of activity.
“So young, so full of life. I am deeply touched by their courage to fight,” said vice mayoralty aspirant City Councilor Jimmy Lazatin who was the lone local official at the event.
In his brief message, Lazatin lamented the absence of politicians, wishing they should have “taken a break from politicking and come here to soften their hearts.”
“These children teach us to care, to love and to serve – the very essence of our calling as local leaders,” Lazatin said.
He enjoined the children and their parents, to “keep the faith. Believe in miracles. Ours is a caring, loving, healing God.”
To SM San Fernando Downtown OIC mall manager Bong Garcia, hosting the children was “a special privilege” for the mall. Co-sponsor for the event is the Kythe Foundation.
Part of the corporate social responsibility of SM Prime Holdings through its SM Cares and SM Foundation is the hosting of events for differently-abled children.
