PUSONG BAYANI NI GERALD ANDERSON, MANA SA INA

Minana raw ni Gerald Anderson ang pagkamaawain at ma­tulungin sa kap­wa, kaya hindi siya nag-atubiling kumilos noong panahon ng pananalanta ng super typhoon Carina noong July 2024.

Ani Gerald,  hindi naman ito big deal. May nangangailangan ng tulong at capable siyang tumulong kaya tumulong siya.

“I don’t know why it’s such a big deal. It’s just something you naturally do,” aniya.

“The floodwater was starting to rise. I was able to bring all my cars to higher ground, and I was in the process of bringing up my motor­cycles, too.

“Someone in an inflatable pool passed by our garage and said, ‘There are people still trapped at the end of that street.’

“That person spoke directly to me, so I couldn’t just say ‘OK, good luck!’ That’s how it started. After that, we got on our own inflatable pool and started helping,” pagkukwento pa niya.

Naanod ng baha ang apat na motorcycles ng aktor pero mas binigyan niya ng atensyon ang pag­liligtas sa buhay ng tao, na sa palagay niya ay mas mahalaga.

“Yung motorcycles, maipapagawa o makabibili ng bago,” pagdidiin niya. “Mas mahalagang mailigtas ang tao. Buhay ang usapan dito.”

Minsan daw, natatakot si Gerald sa biglang pagbaha.

“Every time we would return to the end of the street to rescue more people, we would feel the water rising even more,” kwento pa niya.

“There was even a time when we had difficulty getting inside the compound.”

Ngunit kakaiba rin umano ang sayang nadama niya nang makita niyang ligtas na ang lahat.

“May teamwork kami kaya naging maa­yos ang lahat, at napakasarap sa pakiramdam na nakatulong ka. That feeling is priceless,” pahayag pa niya.

May ganoong pananaw sa buhay si Ge­rald dahil daw sa kanyang inang si Evangeline Opsima.

“I was still very young when I first became aware of the things she does to help relatives and friends,” aniya.

Kahit daw walang wala rin sila noon, guma­gawa ng paraan ang kanyang ina para makatulong sa iba sa abot ng kanyang makakaya.

“It’s important to be kind and patient because we don’t know what other people are going through,” sabi pa niya. “I’m young and physically strong, so I know I can still help others.”

RLVN