Student who brought carabao to plow school garden receives gifts from GMA Kapuso Foundation

While most parents and students brought cleaning materials for Brigada Eskwela, one 12-year-old boy from Lal-lo, Cagayan, arrived with something unexpected — a carabao.

According to Mel Tiangco’s report on “24 Oras” on Friday, JM Andres, a student of Bangag Elementary School, volunteered to plow the school's garden using his grandfather's carabao named Gelo after seeing that teachers were having difficulty preparing the land.

JM said he offered to do the work after talking to his teacher and seeing how challenging the task had become.

“Nag-usap kami ni ma’am na ako na lang mag-araro dahil nahirapan na sila,” JM shared.

Former school head Lilia Tayamin recalled initially telling JM that she would first ask permission from his parents before allowing him to help.

“Ipaalam ko muna sa magulang mo. Medyo matigas po 'yung lupa kaya hindi po minsanan 'yung pag-araro niya,” Tayamin shared.

JM learned how to plow fields when he was just nine years old and preferred to help on the field than to play with other kids.

"‘Yan hindi mo inuutusan, kusa siya tumutulong ng trabaho,” said JM’s mother, Belinda Bitos,

Photos of JM plowing the school's garden were later shared online, where they drew praise from netizens who commended his diligence and willingness to help.

Following the viral post, the GMA Kapuso Foundation visited JM at his home and gave him a school bag, school supplies, shoes, and groceries from a sponsor.

“Sa lahat ng nagpaabot sa'kin ng tulong, maraming maraming salamat po,” he said.

The GMA Kapuso Foundation also visited Bangag Elementary School and distributed complete school supplies to kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils.

The foundation likewise donated vegetable seeds that students can plant in the school's garden.

“Ang aming paaralan ay nagpapasalamat. Maraming salamat kay JM, dahil sa 'yo anak, marami kang natulungan,” Head Teacher III Catalina Waña said.

For those who wish to support GMA Kapuso Foundation's projects, donations may be made via Metrobank, Land Bank, BDO, Bank of Commerce, UnionBank, PNB, Cebuana Lhuillier, GCash, Lazada, Shopee, and Palawan Pay. Visit the GMA Kapuso Foundation website for more information.

—Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News