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Playing for keeps: Smokey Mountain kids find hope in baseball, softball
Once a garbage dump, the clean and green Field of Dreams is now a place where the kids of Smokey Mountain can play on. Photos by Amanda Fernandez.
It seems almost hard to believe that what used to be a mountain of garbage has transformed into a safe haven for impoverished kids in Tondo, Manila.
A wide patch of green land, situated at the topmost area of a busy village in Smokey Mountain, is where youngsters have found hope, discipline and camaraderie in team sports.
This is where kids from Team Smokey learned and developed their skills in baseball and softball. And for most of them, it's not just a hobby: it is their ticket to college, to a better life, and away from poverty.
The younger kids found inspiration in former Team Smokey members, such as Jenny Pangilinan and Marinela Llave, who were able to make significant strides in their lives and study in universities in the Philippines through athletic scholarships.
"Naglalaro kami para makakuha ng scholarship sa college, sa mga university tulad ng mga dati naming mga kasama," said Ellalyn Martinez, referring to Jenny and Marinela.
Ellalyn, 15, plays softball for Team Smokey and has received an athletic scholarship to the University of the East.
"Mas maganda kung makapag-aral ng libre, 'yung walang gastos ng mga magulang, at mayroon pang dorm, may allowance pa," she said.
Another U.E. incoming freshman, Lovely Joy Rejada, 16, said she joined the team to lift the burden off her parents from paying tuition fees and other necessary expenses in college.
The Field of Dreams
With the help of non-government organizations Little League Philippines, JCI Manila and Gawad Kalinga, the dumpsite was transformed into a baseball and softball field—called Field of Dreams—for kids ages five to 16 years old.
"Dati, bundok lang siya ng basura. Inayos namin, pinatag po, nagbunot ng damo," said Lovely Joy.
"I am happy to always come back here," said Senator Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, a member of JCI Manila. "Bumabalik talaga kami rito. Dati, wala pa 'yang locker room na 'yan. Itong fence na ito, basura lang ito lahat [noon]."
Angara, together with JCI Manila, spent his birthday with Team Smokey last Monday, donating baseball equipment and shoes.
"We are in the middle of Tondo. We built [the field] and people came [to help out]. Good souls," he said.
On the same day, US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. paid a visit to the field to present Team Smokey with equipment donated by the US Embassy.
Thomas, who has been to the field before, said that as a former Little League player, he felt inspired to help out the kids because of their perseverance and hard work to overcome poverty.
"What I'm most impressed about is some of these boys and also girls have been able to get scholarships," he said.
"After they graduate, they can move their families up, move their families out. So I think, everybody should come here, everybody should all see how to work with these children so they have a chance if they choose to move out," he added.
He said that while this may be his last visit to the field, he hopes that the next Ambassador to the Philippines will continue helping the kids.
A little help
Manuel Llave, head coach of Team Smokey, coaches the kids in baseball and softball after classes and during weekends.
"Ang pag-coach ko ay for free," he said. "I am a former varsity player of FEU; nagkaroon rin ako ng scholarship. And then noong nag-enter ako sa public school, iyon ang naging objective ko na talagang matulungan ko sila, para magkaroon ng scholarship for college."
He said that coaching the kids also means teaching them the value of time management and proper discipline, "kung ano man ang maituturo ko sa kanila, ang tamang paggastos ng pera, disiplina sa sarili, sa katawan, sa lahat ng bagay. Nagkakaroon pa nga kami ng values formation, nagkakaroon pa nga kami ng Bible study—mayroon akong ka-tie up na pastor."
"Para ma-develop sila sa kabuuang buhay nila, hindi lang sa paglalaro: iyon talaga ang objective ko, na matulungan sila, at para maging scholar sila sa college," he added.
The kids are also occasionally trained by Little League Philippines, a group of volunteers who conduct clinics all over the country to teach little kids to play baseball.
"It's about time. Kailangan namin ng suporta, especially [for] these kids. Wala silang equipment, wala sila lahat. What I see now is a lot of equipment. It's going to help a lot," said the Little League team's Michael Zialcita.
Justin Zialcita, a member of Baseball Philippines and a Little League Philippines volunteer, said their group has been traveling around the country teaching kids.
"Well, I've been playing as a kid, and baseball has grown so much. So many players are now playing, pero they really lack the good coaching and the right equipment. We see the potential of baseball in these kids," he said. "It's something to give back to the community." — BM, GMA News
A wide patch of green land, situated at the topmost area of a busy village in Smokey Mountain, is where youngsters have found hope, discipline and camaraderie in team sports.
This is where kids from Team Smokey learned and developed their skills in baseball and softball. And for most of them, it's not just a hobby: it is their ticket to college, to a better life, and away from poverty.
The younger kids found inspiration in former Team Smokey members, such as Jenny Pangilinan and Marinela Llave, who were able to make significant strides in their lives and study in universities in the Philippines through athletic scholarships.
"Naglalaro kami para makakuha ng scholarship sa college, sa mga university tulad ng mga dati naming mga kasama," said Ellalyn Martinez, referring to Jenny and Marinela.
Ellalyn, 15, plays softball for Team Smokey and has received an athletic scholarship to the University of the East.
"Mas maganda kung makapag-aral ng libre, 'yung walang gastos ng mga magulang, at mayroon pang dorm, may allowance pa," she said.
Another U.E. incoming freshman, Lovely Joy Rejada, 16, said she joined the team to lift the burden off her parents from paying tuition fees and other necessary expenses in college.
The Field of Dreams
With the help of non-government organizations Little League Philippines, JCI Manila and Gawad Kalinga, the dumpsite was transformed into a baseball and softball field—called Field of Dreams—for kids ages five to 16 years old.
"Dati, bundok lang siya ng basura. Inayos namin, pinatag po, nagbunot ng damo," said Lovely Joy.
"I am happy to always come back here," said Senator Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, a member of JCI Manila. "Bumabalik talaga kami rito. Dati, wala pa 'yang locker room na 'yan. Itong fence na ito, basura lang ito lahat [noon]."
Angara, together with JCI Manila, spent his birthday with Team Smokey last Monday, donating baseball equipment and shoes.
"We are in the middle of Tondo. We built [the field] and people came [to help out]. Good souls," he said.
On the same day, US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. paid a visit to the field to present Team Smokey with equipment donated by the US Embassy.
Thomas, who has been to the field before, said that as a former Little League player, he felt inspired to help out the kids because of their perseverance and hard work to overcome poverty.
"What I'm most impressed about is some of these boys and also girls have been able to get scholarships," he said.
"After they graduate, they can move their families up, move their families out. So I think, everybody should come here, everybody should all see how to work with these children so they have a chance if they choose to move out," he added.
He said that while this may be his last visit to the field, he hopes that the next Ambassador to the Philippines will continue helping the kids.
A little help
Manuel Llave, head coach of Team Smokey, coaches the kids in baseball and softball after classes and during weekends.
"Ang pag-coach ko ay for free," he said. "I am a former varsity player of FEU; nagkaroon rin ako ng scholarship. And then noong nag-enter ako sa public school, iyon ang naging objective ko na talagang matulungan ko sila, para magkaroon ng scholarship for college."
He said that coaching the kids also means teaching them the value of time management and proper discipline, "kung ano man ang maituturo ko sa kanila, ang tamang paggastos ng pera, disiplina sa sarili, sa katawan, sa lahat ng bagay. Nagkakaroon pa nga kami ng values formation, nagkakaroon pa nga kami ng Bible study—mayroon akong ka-tie up na pastor."
"Para ma-develop sila sa kabuuang buhay nila, hindi lang sa paglalaro: iyon talaga ang objective ko, na matulungan sila, at para maging scholar sila sa college," he added.
The kids are also occasionally trained by Little League Philippines, a group of volunteers who conduct clinics all over the country to teach little kids to play baseball.
"It's about time. Kailangan namin ng suporta, especially [for] these kids. Wala silang equipment, wala sila lahat. What I see now is a lot of equipment. It's going to help a lot," said the Little League team's Michael Zialcita.
Justin Zialcita, a member of Baseball Philippines and a Little League Philippines volunteer, said their group has been traveling around the country teaching kids.
"Well, I've been playing as a kid, and baseball has grown so much. So many players are now playing, pero they really lack the good coaching and the right equipment. We see the potential of baseball in these kids," he said. "It's something to give back to the community." — BM, GMA News
