Maxine Angel Masagcaa, a pupil from Culiat Elementary School in Quezon City, has some heartfelt words to say about the gallant soldiers fighting terrorist elements in the raging standoff at Marawi City: “Nagpapasalamat po ako sa kanila dahil kahit pagod na po sila nagagawa nila lumaban para satin (We are grateful to them; they are carrying on the fight even as they must be so tired already).”
Shamira Guiani: “Thank you for saving Marawi. Lakas loob lang po (Courage).”
From Robert Canillas: “We love Army! Maraming salamat po at niligtas nyo po ang nasa Marawi. Laban lang po ng laban, wag kayo susuko (Thank you for saving our brothers in Marawi. Keep on the fight; don’t give up)!”
These are just some of the messages that the Grade 6 pupils have penned in simple hand-written sheets of touching letters – at least 2,500 at latest count – addressed to the fighting men in the frontlines of the Islamic City of Marawi.
Many of the letters are illustrated with drawings, crude yet elaborate, simple yet deep.
One letter even had a tiny ID photograph of the letter sender clipped with it.
The still younger ones unable yet to write legibly opted to send their messages as a collage of handprints bursting with color and youthful energy.
These letters and works of art will be brought by the surgeon Dr. Tiger Garrido to Marawi, along with relief goods and a supply of socks and underwear for the soldiers in Marawi.
“We we’re figuring it wouldn’t be so bad if we could bring along messages of support and encouragement for our fighting soldiers and policement down there. We didn’t count on collecting this many. This is so touching,” Garrido said.
And when the news reached social media, even those living abroad expressed the desire to also send in their messages and letters.