Small steps that go a long way The SM Store Share Shoes Program brings joy to kids in Isabela

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Shoes are essential in one’s journey through life, especially forstudents. With a pair of good shoes, they will not only be able to fulfill their daily tasks with ease, but it can also inspire them to work hard and take little steps to achieve their dream. 

Students of Diasan Elementary School in Echague, Isabela celebrate after receiving their new pair of shoes.

For most students in the city, a school bus or a stroll down the sidewalk are their usual commute. But for students in the province, it is a different story. 

Samantha, a student from the Diasan Elementary School, shared the hardships she and her classmates face to reach school. 

“Malayo po ang nilalakad namin ng nakapaa. Madulas po ‘pag umuulan at mahirap, maputik ang daan. ‘Yung mga iba po na nakatira sa may bundok, naglalakad po sila ng malayo. (My classmates and I have to walk a long way to get to our school. When the rainy season comes, the slopes become slippery and dangerous which makes it harder for us. The others who live near the mountain walk even farther),” Samantha said. 

Diasan Elementary School is tucked in the middle of the Barangay Diasan, a remote farming community in Isabela with over 600 residents. Students like Samantha have to walk an hour or more on rough terrain to get to and from school and are sometimes forced to skip classes if the river is swollen due to heavy rains.

Despite the challenges, one would be surprised at the great lengths they are willing to go to for their education. The simple gift of a new pair of shoes will allow them to walk to and back to school in comfort and safety. 

These are the kinds of stories that inspired the SM Store’s Share Shoes program to reach to the community to continue its mission of bringing joy - through the gift of shoes that can help make the journey of the students easier and more comfortable. 

Sharing the gift of new shoes

Most students in Diasan have not set foot in a mall before, let alone a shop selling shoes, so as a treat for the kids, employee volunteers from The SM Store, Savemore and SM Foundationtransformed one of the classrooms into a shoe store. They assisted the kids in choosing and fitting their very own shoes from the display of clogs, sneakers, sandals, flats and slip-ons donated by The SM Store MLC Shoes and Bags, and SM’s retail affiliates Crocs and Simply Shoes.

A volunteer washes the feet of one of the kids to teach him the value of proper hygiene. 

Replicating the shopping experience, an employee volunteer from The SM Store Cauayan assists a kid in fitting her new footwear. 

The employee and community volunteers also set up a “Feet Washing Corner” before the shoe fitting to impart the importance of taking care of one’s feet. The kids could not hide their joy as they selected and tried on their new footwear. 

Apart from receiving new shoes, the kids were treated to fun games and groceries from Savemore. The kids even gamely participated in a Zumba dance number led by The SM Store Cauayan employee volunteers. Wearing their new pairs of shoes, the kids enjoyed the activities knowing their feet were comfortable and secure. 

Taking steps to a brighter future

Samantha said that having a pair of shoes is important to protect their feet from injuries.

“Masaya po ako nu’ng nakita ko ‘yung mga kaibigan ko na suot na nila ‘yung sapatos kasi ‘di na sila mahihirapan maglakad ng isang oras papunta ng iskul (I was so happy to see my friends wearing their shoes because now, they won’t have a hard time walking an hour to school),” Samantha said. 

An employee volunteer from The SM Store Cauayan assists a kid in choosing his new pair of shoes. 

Teacher in charge Domenador Mayuyo Jr. shared that for some of the kids, it was their first time to own a pair of shoes, with many of them walking to school wearing slippers or barefoot. 

“It’s the first time for some of our students to receive a pair of shoes. Having a new pair of shoes is like a dream come true for them. It is a blessing for them to receive new pair of shoes that they can use to go to school,” Mayuyo said. 

Through the gift of new shoes, The SM Store hopes to inspire these kids to take those important steps toward achieving their goals. 

A student of Diasan Elementary School walkshome with his new pair of shoes from The SM Store’s Share Shoes Movement. 

Promoting the culture of sharing and purposeful giving

The shoe donation was also accompanied by a medical mission through the partnership of The SM Store with the SM Foundation, Caritas Philippines and the Diocesan Social Action Center of Ilagan. Residents of the community were able to avail of medical and dental consultations, laboratory works, and had X-ray and ECG examinations, and medicines courtesy of the SM Foundation’s Mobile Clinic, all for free.

An employee volunteer and student beneficiaries bond after the program. 

The activity was a part of the SM Share Movement, a program promoting a culture of sharing and purposeful giving among SM shoppers all year long. Since 2015, the SM Share Movement has collected over 1.3 million donations composed of shoes, clothing, books, school kits, disaster kits and toys.

The SM Store’s Share Shoes program encourages its shoppers to donate brand new and pre-loved footwear not just to help kidswalk safely and reach their desired destinations, but to also inspire them to take important steps toward achieving their goals. 

“We would like to thank all the shoppers and our partners who donated and participated in The SM Store’s Share Shoes Movement. This wouldn’t be possible without you. Given the rough terrain and the challenges that these students of Diasan face just to get to their school, the new pair of shoes is a great help to them,” said Cielito Velasquez, Assistant Branch Manager of The SM Store Cauayan. 

One of the classrooms is transformed by SM employee volunteers into a shoe store to give the kids a shopping experience. 

Through the #SMShareMovement Project, the SM Store remains committed to its promise to give back to communities and to be a partner in their development. Through the simple but valuable gift of shoes, they can continue to be a part of Barangay Diasan’s journey as the children take steps toward a brighter future. 

Find out more about the #SMShareMovement’s quarterly donation drives and ways to contribute to upcoming projects, by liking The SM Store Facebook page and by following @TheSMStore on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Palarong Pambansa 2015 : Ella, the "Pulot Girl" becomes the tennis champ

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Tennis is one of the sports feature at the 2015 Palarong Pambansa, an annual multi-level national scholastic athletic competition conducted by the Department of Education and participated in by the elementary and secondary students both from public and private schools.

Known as an Olympic sport, Tennis is played at all levels of society and at all ages. A sport that can be played by anyone who can hold a racquet. People known Tennis is played by elite group because, tennis racquet is expensive. Not everyone can buy expensive tennis racquet and can play in a tennis court to pay for rent on number of hours.

Holding now in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Palarong Pambansa where students athletes play Tennis games. Who could have thought they can play an elite sports. 

One young and simple girl is now a Tennis player, even she has nothing to buy tennis racquet and even the clothes she use to play in a tennis court with the professional players or with the elite group of society. 

She is Mikaela Joy L. Javier, known as the "Pulot Girl" of Isabella, Region 2. 

Why? Ella, 16 year-old, and just graduateed from Magsaysay National High School in Alicia, Isabela. With her family, living near a tennis court where professional players regulary play. She was the "Pulot Girl" when she was 11 years old, tasked to get the tennis balls, retrieve for the players in exchange for a few pesos. She earned 40Php per hour, she uses in her school needs and was able to help her parents in their daily expenses. She even earned 300Php a day being the "Pulot Girl."

"Nagsimula po ako nagpulot, noon na naglalakad po ako sa tennis court, nakita ko po mga cousin ko po, sabi po nya sa akin, maganda dun at mababait yung mga tao," Ella shared.

"Isang araw pumasok po ako tapos may nagtanong kung namumulot ako ng tennis balls and sabi ko, opo. Pero kung susubukan mo at mag tennis ka wala ng balikan, ituloy tuloy mo na kasi makakatulong din ito sa iyo." Ella said.

She have love playing Tennis. When one player asked her to try to play, she said yes. That's the starting of her training, focus on her studies and tennis plays, and became a member of the school's varsity team.

She's happy because her friends and co-players are good people. They support each other, "masaya po sa paglalaro ng tennis kasi mababait po din 'yung mga kasama ko, magaan po kasi yung pag-approach ng tennis players, hindi po sila 'yung, pagkapasok mo, ay sino ka, hindi po ganun. Madalas po nag offer sila ng tinapay."

Regularly training, with her exceptional skills, she won medals in competitions. "Yung pong unang competition ko, yun po 'yung ginagawa ng coach na nagtuturo sa amin, pinaglaban-laban po kami, sabi po nya sige sali ka na tingnan natin kung ano mangyayari, nung una nga po hindi pa ako makakasama kasi wala po akong pera. . . for registration. Pero sobrang bait po ni coach at mga kasama ko kaya po nakasama ako at natuwa po talaga ako kasi naging first po ako dun, natuwa din po ako at gusto ko na po ang tennis."

"Pangatlong sali ko na po ito sa Palaro pero masaya po ako kasi maraming nakikilala at natututunan," said Ella, one of the delegates of Cagayan Valley Regional Athletics Association of their region to compete for the Tennis Sport Event in Palarong Pambansa 2015.

Giving inspiration to young students, "ang masasabi ko po sa mga sasali sa Palaro o mag tetennis, dapat po may disiplina at palagi lang po mag-training."

Ella will soon be entering college and she still choosing among the three college institutions with full scholarship offers. She wants to be a Teacher. 

Passion, determination and hardship, shaped this young "Pulot Girl" to a unbeatable tennis player champion. In the future, a full scholar college girl will become big someone in the society.