Smokey Mountain kids turn to baseball for shot at education

Only four years ago, there was a mountain of garbage on the patch of land where the Field of Dreams baseball diamond now stands in Tondo, Manila.

Today, youths aged from 5 to 16 years old train and practice baseball in the hopes of getting a shot at free education provided by athletic scholarship programs.

Read: Playing for keeps: Smokey Mountain kids find hope in baseball, softball

In a report on GMA's “24-Oras” program on Tuesday, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila 2015 president Steve Baltao said they aim to provide brighter futures for kids through the sport.

“Kung kaya namin baliktarin 'yung sitwasyon sa Smokey Mountain, kaya namin pakita sa mundo na may pag asa tayong umunlad,” Baltao said.



JCI was among the first organizations that pitched in to help Field of Dreams, even inviting Japanese baseball legends, including Nihiro Komoda, to come and teach the kids to play.

Among the kids who tried out was 12-year-old Ryan Mitra, whose family earns a living through scavenging.

His mother said she wants her son to try baseball so he might have a better shot at getting an education.

“[Gusto ko po ng] maayos pong buhay [para sa kanya]. Hindi po yung katulad namin,” she said.

For former JCI Manila president Steve Tycangco, baseball is more than a sport—it could be a key to success for the children of Tondo.

“...[Kapag] matuto sila ng baseball alam nilang mayroon silang pupuntahan,” Tycangco said.

The Field of Dreams is a former dumpsite that has been transformed into a lush baseball field through the help of non-government organizations like JCI Manila, Little League Philippines and Gawad Kalinga.

There are at least 3,000 hopefuls who are participating in the Field of Dreams' baseball program which gets them a step closer to education and a better future. — Andrei Medina/BM, GMA News