So what do Filipino women do when faced with death and destruction? They face it with grace and with courage. And when we are tempted to believe that there is no hope for the Philippines, we need to remember the courage of these women, who like other brave Filipinas face the future with hope.

Mommy has done a lot of things. I feel blessed whenever I meet people who tell me that my mom has inspired them to accomplish things. I feel so proud. I always say, “That’s my Mom!”

My son is now a teenager. Some friends told me this is a difficult stage and they had problems with their teenage children. I sometimes worry that I will also experience some hardships with my son.