Security guard teaches street children to read, write

A security guard has gone beyond his regular duties and responsibilities and has opted to teach street children to read and write, GMA News' Corinne Catibayan reported on Saksi on Wednesday.

"Wala naman akong gagawin, wala namang customer. So ang ginagawa ko basic muna. sabi ko, "Sulat niyo pangalan niyo." Hindi marunong. Pero kapag sabi mo " Ano'ng panhalan mo?" alam nila. Pero kapag pinapasulat mo, hindi nila alam," said Renz Abelita.

After they learned to write down their names, the lessons were extended to basics of reading and writing.

Abelita started teaching one child. Today, he serves as the tutor of four children.

The children are cousins, who live near the pawnshop that Abelita guards.

He prepares the lesson plans at night and also administers exams for the children.

And every day, he adds, he sees an improvement in the children.

Abelita once asked the children for the reason they stopped going to school.

The children told him that their mother had to tell them to stop going to school because they do not have enough funds.

Archie Tagalog, the father of one of the children, said he does not have the time as he had to focus on earning a living

Tagalog expressed his gratitude towards the security guard for spending time to tutor the children. -- BAP, GMA News