The story of Joseph Pascual

Joseph’s day starts very early. Because his school is a bit far he has to get up at 6AM to prepare for school. Although there are other schools nearer their home, Joseph chooses to study at Manuel L. Quezon High School because he has a cleft palate and the school he goes to has a program for students with disabilities. After waking up, he has a wash, eats rice for breakfast, and then catches a jeepney to school.

Classes usually start at 7 in the morning and end at 3 in the afternoon. At lunchtime, he eats the baon he brings from home – rice – together with his friends. His favorite subject is Math, while he has most difficulty with English and MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health).

After school, Joseph runs to the Student Center (a five-minute run), where he can use the computer and participate in activities. He usually goes home with the other students; they walk together going home.

Once he gets back to the area where he lives, he usually meets with his friends and they roam together around the neighborhood, which one of his hobbies (together with sleeping.) He goes home around 8:30 in the evening, then he rests, eats some rice, and afterwards helps in the cleaning – sweeping and polishing (using the bunot, or coconut husk) the floor, and washing dishes.

After cleaning, he sleeps. At their home, they choose whatever spot they want to sleep in. Joseph usually sleeps near the stairs. He has a mattress to use, while his parents and elder brother sleep on the floor.

Joseph dreams of becoming a seaman someday, “to continue my father’s former work.” His father was a graduate of Nautical Science, but is now working as an extra in a printing shop. His mother is a housewife. Because his father does not earn a steady income, there are days when they do not have money to buy rice, or for Joseph’s jeepney fare to school. On such days, Joseph has no choice but to stay at home, because even if he walked to school, he would be too weak and hungry once he got to school and would have nothing to eat there.

Now that the school year has ended, Joseph usually spends his time swimming with his friends at Puting Bato. He says that he will be celebrating his thirteenth birthday (on April 12) with his friends there too.