CRISTALLE HENARES BELO had an unforgettable experience in the remote Tara Island in Palawan as the special guest of the 10th anniversary of “Wish Ko Lang”. “Sabi the island is two hours away from Coron and I’m so scared as I have motion sickness,” she says. “But the boat trip took four hours dahil sa laki ng mga alon. In the island, my guides were Joey and Janice, Tagbanua brother and sister who study in another island that’s an hour away where they stay the whole week and return to their parents on weekends. Very sad ang life nila. They’re 10 brothers and sisters but four have died dahil walang health services sa island. Their younger siblings look malnutritioned. I ate with them, walang ulam sa rice but asin. Walang CR. Natuto ko to do it sa mga tabi-tabi lang, kinagat pa ko ng ants. ‘Wish Ko Lang’ left them so many gifts and supplies. I realized yung problem kong breakup sa boyfriend ko is nothing compared to their everyday problems. Before I went home, they made me a Tagbanua and gave me a new name, Ongkoy, which means dearest friend.”
Cristalle’s experiences in Tara will be shown in “Wish Ko Lang” today at 4 PM on GMA-7.
