Berto

March 21, 2023, 10:17 AM - Vertis North, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines - Orean Place CS 103 - Inklusive Creatives and Advertising's Temporary Office

Daniel's eyes lit up with the sudden idea that struck him that the grin on his face runs from ear to ear. He quickly scrolled through his phone's contacts and found Edbert's number, or Berto as his friends call him. Berto was a friend he had met long ago through a writer's community and had kept in touch sporadically.

After a few rings, Berto's voice came through the phone, "Hello?"

"Yo, bro, it's Daniel!" Daniel exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Hey, man! Long time no talk. What's up?" Berto responded warmly.

"I'm doing great, man. Listen, where are you right now?" Daniel asked.

"I'm at the volunteer center at Katipunan, why?" Berto asked

"Knew it! I had a feeling you'd be there! I'll go there alright? Wait for me. I should be there in around 30 minutes. Can't wait to catch up!" Daniel said, his words tumbling out in a rush.

"Eh? What's going on?" Berto asked, taken aback by Daniel's sudden burst of energy.

But before he could get any answers, Daniel had already hung up. Berto's confusion lingered as he stared at his phone, wondering what had just happened. He shook his head and went back to his volunteer work, figuring he would find out soon enough.

Daniel, then leaving his office, quickly informed his employees about an urgent meeting he has to attend, and rushed out of the temporary office. He hopped into his Ford F150 parked in the building's parking lot and drove off to Katipunan, his mind racing with possibilities.

__________________________________________________________________________

March 21, 2023, 10:53 AM - Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines - Angat Buhay Volunteer Center

Daniel parked his Ford F150 on the side of the road, a few blocks away from the volunteer center. From where he was, he could see the volunteers hustling and bustling inside. The sounds of laughter and chatter filled the air, denoting their camaraderie and enthusiasm.

As he walked towards the center, Daniel felt overwhelmed by the sense of purpose that permeated the atmosphere. The volunteers were all working hard, preparing packed lunches to be distributed for free to those affected by the ongoing transport strike, including drivers, operators, and anyone in need of a meal due to the strike's impact.

Daniel marveled at the diverse backgrounds of the volunteers, who were brought together by their shared goal of helping those in need during this difficult time. Their solidarity was evident, and it gave Daniel hope that even in the face of adversity, people could come together and make a positive impact.

Moving through the center, Daniel observed volunteers of all ages busy in the kitchen, some wearing aprons and bustling around, while others were packaging the meals in brown paper bags.

A woman in her mid-40s, wearing a shirt with the volunteer center's logo, caught his eye. She smiled warmly at him and asked, Hello there! Can I help you with anything?"

Daniel introduced himself and explained that he was there to see Berto, a friend he hoped to meet at the center. The woman nodded understandingly and pointed towards a group of volunteers outside, where Berto was standing.

Daniel thanked her and made his way toward Berto, who was busy directing the distribution of meals. When Berto saw Daniel approaching, he excused himself from the other volunteers and rushed over to greet him.

"Dude, what's up?" Berto said, giving Daniel a bear hug. "It's been ages since we last saw each other!"

Daniel returned the embrace, feeling grateful to see his friend again after a long time. "I know, man. It's been too long," he replied, smiling.

Berto pulled away from the embrace and looked at Daniel quizzically. "So, what brought you here?" he asked.

Daniel took a deep breath and pulled out a cheque from his pocket. "Actually, Berto, I'm here to make a donation to help with the food distribution," he said, holding out the cheque for Php. 1,000,000.

Berto's eyes widened in surprise as he took the cheque from Daniel's hand. "What?! Where did you get this kind of money, man?"

Daniel hesitated for a moment before answering, "I actually started my own business bro. A while back I was forced to resign from The Metro Times TV, which pushed me into depression, but I met someone who had seen something in me and invested money for me to start my own agency," Although Daniel wanted to explain the full story to Berto, he knew he couldn't reveal the true identity of his mysterious investor, the system.

Berto's eyes sparkled with curiosity and admiration as he listened to Daniel's story. "Wow, man. That's incredible! I knew you had it in you. You're a born entrepreneur."

Daniel chuckled modestly. "Nah, bro. I don't know about that. I just got lucky."

Berto shook his head in disagreement. "No way, man. You made your own luck. I'm really proud of you."

Daniel felt a surge of warmth in his chest at his friend's words. Berto had always been a supportive person, even when he was at his lowest. "Thanks, man. That means a lot to me."

Berto then handed the cheque back to Daniel and said, "Are you sure about this, bro? This is a large amount of money."

Daniel insisted, "Yeah, bro. I am. Consider it a donation from my company. Let's go hand it over?"

Berto and Daniel made their way towards the office of the center, passing by the bustling volunteers still preparing the meals. Daniel couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to help in his own way.

As they approached the office, they were greeted by a woman who introduced herself as the center's administrator, "Hi! Welcome to Angat Buhay. How may help you?"

Daniel replied, discreetly handing over the cheque, "I am here to make a donation to help with the relief efforts, especially with the current transport strike. I'm sure the drivers and operators would need some help since they won't be able to earn anything right now."

The administrator's face lit up with gratitude as she received the cheque from Daniel. "Thank you so much, sir. This will go a long way in helping our efforts to alleviate the impact of the transport strike," she said, beaming.

As they were leaving the office, some volunteers overheard their conversation and started whispering amongst themselves. "Did you hear that? Berto's friend just donated a million pesos!" said one of the volunteers, clearly impressed.

Another volunteer nodded in agreement. "Wow, that's amazing! We could really use that money for our relief efforts," she said.

Coincidentally, the founder of the foundation, who was a former vice president of the country, Attorney Leni Robredo, was about to leave the office when she overheard the volunteers' conversation. Intrigued, she went inside to thank the donor herself.

"Excuse me," she said, approaching Daniel and Berto. "I couldn't help but overhear that you made a significant donation to the foundation. I just wanted to personally thank you for your generosity."

Daniel looked up in surprise, recognizing the former vice president. "Attorney Robredo, it's an honor to meet you," he said, shaking her hand.

Berto grinned excitedly, proud to introduce his friend. "Attorney Robredo, this is Daniel. He's an old friend of mine, and he just started his own business," he said.

Attorney Robredo smiled warmly at Daniel. "That's wonderful to hear. It's always inspiring to see people give back to their community," she said.

Daniel nodded, feeling grateful for the opportunity to help. "I just wanted to do my part, especially with what's happening right now with the transport strike," he said.

Attorney Robredo nodded understandingly. "Yes, it's a difficult time for many people, but your donation will go a long way in helping those in need," she said.

Daniel smiled, feeling a sense of pride and purpose. "I'm glad I could help in my own small way," he said.

As they said their goodbyes, Daniel and Berto walked out of the center, feeling a renewed sense of hope and purpose. Daniel's donation may have been just a small drop in the ocean, but it was a drop that could create ripples of change and impact many lives.