Aired (February 8, 2025): Sa 15 anak ni Mary Ann, tatlo lang ang nakapag-aaral ngayon--sina Mary Jane, 12 taong gulang, Ella, 11 taong gulang at Junior, 8 taong gulang. Pero lahat sila nasa Kinder pa lang. Pipilitin daw nina Mary Ann na makapagpatuloy sa pag-aaral ang tatlong anak. Panoorin ang buong detalye sa #ReportersNotebook.
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00:00At 6 in the morning, Marianne and her four children are shown by the sea.
00:16One of her children, Jonathan, is one year old.
00:23He is in labor and is in pain.
00:26And because there is no medicine to buy, she expects the sun to heal her son.
00:40On the way home, her eight-month-old son is still sleeping on the floor.
00:46The coffee is served to the children along with rice and a can of milk.
01:02In a jar, it is obvious that the children still have milk, but she says she needs to save it.
01:19I only buy two bottles of soy milk.
01:22If I don't have money to buy soy milk, I ask them to buy soy milk.
01:28Because there is no money to buy soy milk, in a group feeding program, Marianne's family relies on her.
01:47The children share mung bean and rice.
02:02The eight-year-old son, Junior, was asked to eat lunch.
02:12He and his four younger siblings share lunch.
02:16Their smiles reach their ears because they often eat soy or salt.
02:23I will get a pot and put it on the plate.
02:27I will cook soy.
02:30I will just eat it.
02:32It's delicious.
02:34Only three of Marianne's children, including Junior, are studying.
02:38Other children do not have a birth certificate.
02:44We are here at the baseco compound to check on Marianne.
02:49Marianne is only 44 years old, but she already has 15 children.
02:54The children are studying.
02:57It was beautiful yesterday.
02:59Oh, they are still small.
03:00What are their names?
03:02Call them.
03:05I am Mackie.
03:06I am Jessica.
03:07I am Marianne.
03:09Will they be able to follow?
03:11Yes, they will be able to follow.
03:12This is just one person.
03:13There are two more outside.
03:16I will count.
03:17They are here now.
03:18Is it complete?
03:191, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
03:25How did they grow up like this?
03:28I was born in a town.
03:31I was born in a town.
03:34Why didn't they have a birth certificate?
03:36Because of their birth, they don't have a birth certificate.
03:40All of my children have a birth certificate.
03:42Why don't they have a birth certificate?
03:44My children don't have a birth certificate.
03:50That's why they don't have a birth certificate.
03:53Yes.
03:54Because of the education, Marianne was able to have her three children.
03:58However, they were not placed in the right place due to the lack of requirements.
04:03The 8-year-old junior, instead of being in Grade 3, is only in Kindergarten.
04:09The 12-year-old sister, Mary Jane, is in Grade 7.
04:16The 11-year-old sister, Ella, is supposed to be in Grade 6.
04:21My teacher told me,
04:23if we didn't go to Grade 6, we should be in Grade 6.
04:28Because they are small, but I am big.
04:33Sometimes, I feel like I am bigger.
04:37Some of my friends are in Grade 6, but they don't know how to swim.
04:44Despite her young age, Ella is able to understand the situation of her family.
04:50Sometimes, we don't have rice. It's hard.
04:54I don't have a job. My brother doesn't have a job.
04:59Do you know that the children don't eat properly?
05:04I don't know what to do.
05:07Sometimes, at night, I cry because they don't eat properly.
05:12I don't know what to do.
05:17Every day, Mary Anne receives P250 from her 17-year-old daughter
05:23who works as a vendor in Divisoria.
05:26She uses this money for other expenses of the family.
05:30The first thing she needs to buy is water for bathing and washing dishes.
05:37Four of this and one of that.
05:40Five or three?
05:42Three buckets.
05:43Four.
05:44Four.
05:45And one of that.
05:47The remaining P200 is used for other needs,
05:52like one kilo of rice, two sachets of coffee,
05:56one can of milk, and two diapers.
06:03Mary Anne also bought a car.
06:06She doesn't have a car.
06:08She doesn't have a car.
06:10She doesn't have a car.
06:13Mary Anne also bought water for the whole family to drink.
06:20They will share this with her 12 children for the next two days.
06:27She also bought biscuits and snacks for her children.
06:32It's not even noon yet,
06:34but Mary Anne only has P100 left.
06:40I was crying earlier when you were interviewing me.
06:43I was supposed to have a bottle of water.
06:45I only have P900 left.
06:47I can't go to the bathroom.
06:50I don't have water.
06:51I don't have water.
06:52I don't have water.
06:53I don't have water.
06:54I don't have water.
06:55I don't have water.
06:56I don't have water.
06:57I don't have water.
06:58I don't have water.
06:59I don't have water.
07:03On the coming days, Mary Anne's pocket is a bit restless
07:07because her husband, Edito, went home last night.
07:12He immediately gave Mary Anne P500
07:16that he earned from fixing the truck all day long.
07:20This is tiring.
07:21If we don't help each other, we won't have money.
07:25We need to find someone to eat with.
07:30In the 5 days that we followed Mary Anne's life,
07:33only 14 people mentioned her name.
07:36Edmond, her 4th child, was born in 2012 due to illness.
07:42My husband died when I was 6 years old.
07:45Maybe if I'm still alive now,
07:47I would be the same age as Edmond.
07:50I don't know.
07:51I don't know.
07:52I don't know.
07:53I don't know.
07:54I don't know.
07:55I don't know.
07:56I don't know.
07:57I don't know.
07:58I don't know.
07:59He was 17 years old.
08:01He had a diphtheria.
08:02He had pneumonia.
08:03He was injured.
08:05We were in the hospital for 2 days.
08:07My son died.
08:08He was injected with blood.
08:16Because the children can't eat enough every day,
08:19they brought a reporter's notebook to a pediatrician.
08:24According to the doctor,
08:26some of the children are undernourished and have an infection.
08:30All of them have a low weight for their age.
08:34They are also a bit small for their age.
08:36Maybe because of what they eat,
08:39their nutrition is not complete.
08:42The medicine was prescribed and vitamins were given to the children
08:46to strengthen their resistance
08:48and help increase their strength.
08:52After the story of Mary Ann's family was aired,
08:55many people reached out for help,
08:57like groceries and financial assistance,
09:00which is said to be a big help to the family.
09:02The City Social Welfare and Development Office, or CSWDO of Manila,
09:07continues to monitor Mary Ann's family,
09:10especially the health and education of her children.
09:14For more stories, visit www.cbs.org