Former Congressman Mark Jimenez with newly-baptized children (photo by POL BRIANA JR.)

“Even though I clutch my blanket
and growl when the alarm rings
thank you Lord that I can hear.
There are many who are deaf. 

--Dr. Lorina Cabaluna, Joy in Living Foundation

Disasters bring out the best in us, and the wrath of Mother Nature, unleashing an unprecedented amount of rainfall on us (the equivalent of a month’s rain in nine hours!)  “ Ondoy,” did just that—bring out the best in Pinoys.

There were exceptions (like some looting and hold-ups) but on the whole, there were many heroes, sung and unsung, generous hearts and willing hands that some centers had to turn to turn away eager volunteers. At the Tulong Bayan center at the Expo Center in Cubao for instance, hundreds of young volunteers had to go on rotation shifts so they could all help. They were all rabid supporters of the Noynoy-Mar tandem but none of the relief bags they packed and gave away by the truckloads had any indication where the goodies came from. That’s how the organizers: Cesar Purisima, Rapa Lopa, Ria Roxas ,Bledes Fores, wanted it to be. Coordinators Mely Nicolas, Mila and Frank Drilon, Mariel Tolentino, Andrew Masigan , Oye Fores and their hundreds of young and eager volunteers moved  more than 20,000 relief bags and distributed them to different evacuation centers without media  fanfare.   

* * * 

Amid the frantic appeals for donations, one man quietly decided to give a whopping one million pesos to the ABS-CBN and one million to GMA (that time it was only 800 thousand pesos donations in ABS CBN and 300 thousand pesos in GMA) fund drive hosted by Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda. From this initial donation from MJ, more big contributors followed.

To date, the name “Hulog” has been adopted by other entities including some politicians to carry out relief missions, but the original “Hulog ng Langit” belongs to “MJ.” I remember him telling some friends about it – how, when he was put in an isolation cell in a U.S. jail and because of his unorthodox ways of evangelizing and helping his fellow inmates, he received the inspiration for “Hulog ng Langit.”

It is easier to believe now with all the legal documents I have read, “MJ” is a daily Mass-goer and was sacristan in Paco where he grew up and became known for helping others.   Even in the Ateneo where he studied for a while, he was known as a good friend and was very generous to others. So there was a basis for his conviction in living God’s Word to help others as he is bent on doing now through “Hulog ng Langit.” This despite the brickbats thrown his way through malicious innuendoes and direct character assassination in media for the past several years.

Truth be told, it was much easier to believe  and write about the unsubstantiated accusations and labels against “MJ” than to dig further to get to the truth. When I first heard about it, it was also easier to accept that “Hulog ng Langit” was funding the mass baptisms of some 35,000  children during the past years out of the goodness of  the founder’s  heart (complete with baptismal clothes, food ,etc) without asking for any other donors! But that’s the truth, it turns out. I have since witnessed some awesome  mass baptisms organized by “Hulog ng Langit” including those held in historic San Agustin and Manila Cathedral when he had his youngest daughter baptized alongside the other babies and children from the squatter areas.

I was also there in Angono when several hundreds turned out to receive their “passports” to heaven as the :godfather” calls  the baptismal certificates. Why should the poor be deprived of these passports  just because they cannot afford to pay the church fees and buy baptismal clothes, he asked me? Why indeed?

So there you are. I found out many other charities of “MJ” through the “Hulog” – contributing to the burial of the victims of the “Wowowee” stampede, organizing and funding farmers’ cooperatives for contract growing  coffee, poultry and other agri products, helping nuns make hosts, maintaining small neighborhood chapels around Metro Manila, feedings programs, giving scholarships to the seminaries, always the first one to donate when there is a disaster. Most without media fanfare.

The people I have been able to help know, he assured us. That’s all that matters.

OK… that’s a “populist” for you!