Rico believes he was brought to Don Bosco by an angel disguised as an old man. When he was 14, Rico ran away from his neighbor to escape his cruel and harsh treatment. "Ako ay taga-alaga ng mga baboy niya nang siyam na taong gulang palang ako. Hindi niya ako pinapayagang maglaro o mag-aral. Limang taon akong nagtrabaho sa kanya at ni minsan hindi ko natanggap ang suweldong pinangako niya sa akin na P300.00." (I used to take care of her pigs when I was only 9 years old. She would not allow me to play or study. I served her for 5 years and she never gave me the salary of P300.00 that she promised).

      Not knowing what will happen to him, he escaped without any money and walked the whole day until he found himself at Cubao where he met the old man. "Hinatid ako ng matanda sa Don Bosco at noong magpapasalamat ako sa kanya, bigla siyang nawala. Himala, siguro siya ay isang anghel." (The old man brought me to Don Bosco. When I was about to thank him, he had suddenly disappeared in the darkness. Strange, he must be an angel.)

      Rico has been in Don Bosco even before Tuloy formally started. When Fr. Rocky was newly installed as Parish Priest of St. John Bosco Parish in 1991, he found Rico at the doorsteps of the convent, shivering from cold and hunger. "Noong unang dumating ako dito sa Don Bosco, nakilala ko si Fr. Rocky. Pinayagan niya akong maligo at pinakain pa niya ako. Akala ko pagkatapos noon ay paalisin na niya ako. Hindi ko akalain na ako ay mananatili na dito. Dito ko natutunan ang lahat: mag-aral, maglaro, magdasal at iba pa." (I met Fr. Rocky when I first came to Don Bosco. He allowed me to take a bath and he even gave me food to eat. I thought after this I would have to leave, not realizing that he would allow me to stay. This is where I learned everything: how to study, to play, to pray and other things.) Fr. Rocky often speaks fondly of him. He is like a son to him and has so much faith in him even in moments when Rico gets into trouble. "I know Rico will always come around and see the light. He is a good boy." True enough, Rico is now one of the valuable assistants of Tuloy who helps in the daily chores of waking up 120 children, assembling them for breakfast , lunch, and dinner, monitoring the dorms, aside from being a big brother to all of them.

      Rico is now graduating from High School. He plays basketball with a lot of passion. He is not too worried about his future because he knows Fr. Rocky has his best interests at heart. He has expressed his desire to help in Tuloy's mission and has, in fact, been doing his share of this noble work. It was not easy for him to adjust to the boys. In the beginning, he would lose his patience and would punish them for not following him. He had in fact gotten into fistfights with them. He has come a long way. He is gradually learning the art of persuasion and avoids shouting at them.

      Time will tell if he is healed from his own hurts and trauma. To this day, Rico blames his mother for giving him away to the neighbor. He has not forgiven her and does not relish the thought of visiting her as she now resides with another husband. He has seen her once since he left, but he didn't talk to her. He has already visited his cruel neighbor and has, in fact, found the heart to forgive her, but not his mother.

      One thought which continues to bother him is that he has no birth certificate and his birth is not even registered in the provincial registry where he was born. He has a baptismal certificate and he has kept it like it was his only treasure.

      Rico has a bright future ahead of him. With faith in God and in himself, he will surely rise above the hurts of his past and grow to become strong in the pursuit of his dreams and in the service of his fellow streetchildren.

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