Matteo Guidicelli recalls bayanihan spirit in Cebu quake relief

October 24 ------ Matteo Guidicelli witnessed the bayanihan spirit firsthand when he visited his mother’s hometown of Bogo, Cebu, to extend help to residents affected by the recent 6.9-magnitude earthquake. “Cebu is recovering now, they’re in the rebuilding phase,” he shared with The Philippine STAR in a one-on-one interview. “We were able to move after a few days, we were able to collect a good amount of funds in one day, and then converted it into goods with Landers.

“Actually, in one day, we were able to raise 1.5 million and converted it to goods. We also added tents, mga trapal, banig, hygiene kits, food, etcetera.” He remembered how the trip to the northern part of Cebu province, which normally takes under two hours, stretched to nearly seven hours due to heavy traffic as relief groups made their way to the affected area. “Sobrang traffic, seven hours going there, 10 hours pabalik,” Matteo said.

Nevertheless, the experience reminded him of the Filipino bayanihan and spirit of compassion. “But, you know, this is where you see the heart of the Filipino, the heart of the Cebuano. Everybody wants to come out to help. Super nice! Yung ano lang, of course, they have parang post-traumatic stress from shaking all the time, yung tremors once in a while hanggang ngayon meron (as we speak). So that’s what, you know, is stressing them kumbaga, the aftershocks all the time.”

According to reports, the quake’s epicenter was located 19 kilometers northeast off Bogo City’s coast, leaving more than 12,000 recorded aftershocks (as of Oct. 19) and causing widespread damage and loss of lives. After Cebu, a magnitude 7.4 quake struck offshore from Davao Oriental, even resulting in tsunami warnings. At the time of this interview, Matteo’s team was already in coordination with partners in Mindanao. “You know, basta kung saan man may in need, moadto ta (we will go).”

Because, as an Army reservist, Matteo explained, this is part of his personal and professional mission — community service. “I think that’s part of being a reservist, being part of the army. We can gather funds right away from partners and then, with the help of the army, logistics, naman, and organized mobilization,” he said. Community-oriented and advocacy-driven initiatives, likewise, marked the recent third-anniversary celebration of G Studios and G Productions, the companies that Matteo co-owns with his wife, pop superstar Sarah Geronimo. “We just finished the anniversary week. I’m very proud of our team because instead of a party, we spread it out to partner with our different advocacies,” he said.

G Studios and G Productions organized the Green Market, wherein, for two days, they offered sustainable organic food and other products. The next day, community leaders of World Vision came to the studios to learn digital literacy. In partnership with the Department of Education, G Studios and G Productions also donated through the Khan Academy Foundation 46 tablets with three years of internet to a high school named Lake View Integrated School in Muntinlupa. Their last event was held at KYTHE Foundation for kids with cancer. “We also got two half-court groups and three-on-three (made up of) mga ex-PBA players, active PBA players, and they played basketball with the kids. So, it was very nice,” said the TV host and actor-athlete.

Engaging in social work is something everyone can take part in, he said. “I think it’s important for everybody, for anybody, kasi no matter who you are, how many followers you have or not, I think we all have a platform to try to add value to our country, our people, our community. So, it’s very important,” he said.

Matteo credited his wife for helping inspire such efforts. “Especially Sarah for animal rights, AKF (Animal Kingdom Foundation), she’s very active there,” he said, adding that they “always” support each other’s individual passions and causes. “That’s (AKF) very close to her heart. Ako, HERO Foundation, yung (para sa) mga anak ng mga sundalo (children left behind by military personnel who were permanently incapacitated or killed in action). World Vision, we do together, so at the end of the day, it’s both of us.”

Source: philstar.com