Nurse feeds the elderly living outside Baclaran Chuch through 'Pandesal Project'

Every Wednesday night, Charles "Bam" Romana carries a bag full of pandesal and commutes to Baclaran Church in Paranaque.

And every Wednesday night, elderly people wait for him there with a smile.

The 28-year-old nurse has made it his life's mission to feed the old men and women camped outside Baclaran Church through his "Pandesal Project."

In a "Front Row" documentary by GMA Public Affairs, Bam said that these men and women are homeless, or struggling to provide for their families.

"Karamihan sa kanila, walang matirhan. Yung mga may matitirhan, sa mga anak. Ang lagi nilang kwento sakin, nanangalakal, [nagbebenta ng] sampaguita, namamalimos," Bam said.

"'Pag may pera sila, dadalhin sa bahay ng anak nila. Mga three or four days, paparamdaman na sila, 'Nay kailan ka babalik ng Baclaran?'" he added.

Bam's project was inspired by the death of his older sister, who passed away after a 4-year battle with leukemia.

Rain or fever can't keep him away. Only if he can't hail a jeep does he skip out on his weekly mission. He heads to the church after work, picking up donations from home, and pandesal from the bakery.

Bam makes the pandesal with the help of a baker he calls "Tatay." The idea came to him when mulling what snack matches coffee, which he thought they would appreciate.

"Dahil nagtitinda ng sampaguita, puyat. Sabi ko kape. Anong ka=partner ng kape? Pandesal," Bam said.

Aside from the pandesal, Bam also brings old clothes, activity books, and coloring materials with him.

While it was a small offering, it was gratefully accepted by the community.

"If I can remember that Wednesday night, sabi ko 'Magandang gabi po, wala po akong mabibigay na mabubusog kayo, pero ang dala ko po ay pandesal. OK lang po ba sa inyo?'," he recalled.

"Tapos nagulat ako, para kang nagpa-buffet. Palakpakan sila," he added.

Bam quickly developed relationships with the nanays and tatays in Baclaran Church, staying to chat with them after distributing the food.

"Ang Baclaran, parang naging pangalawang bahay. Para akong may inuuwian, yung parang may naghihintay sayo na magulang doon. Pagdating doon, kahit gaano ka ka-stress from work, kahit anong pinagdadaanan mo, pagdating dun wala kang karapatan magreklamo," Bam said.

The impact Bam has made in the lives of the elderly in Baclaran goes deeper than having one sure meal one night of every week.

"Hindi ko makakalimutan, one of nanays there, isa sa mga lola, sabi nila, 'Alam mo hindi lang naman ikaw yung nagbibigay dito, pero ikaw yung matatandaan ko.' Sabi ko, 'Bakit 'Nay? 'Kasi ikaw lang umupo katabi ko eh,'" he said.

"From then on sabi ko, 'Ah 'di na ko titigil. Mahihirapan ako itigil to dahil dun sa sinabi ni Nanay. Not because napasaya ko sila sa pandesal but because dun ko na-realize 'di sila gutom sa pagkain, gutom sila sa may makikinig, saka gutom sila sa may makekwenthuan. Gutom sila sa atensyon," he added. —Jessica Bartolome/JST, GMA News