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One hundred school children who were victimized by a
devastating earthquake in China personally thanked President Gloria
Arroyo on Friday for bringing them to the Philippines for a
week-long rehabilitation visit.
In Heroes Hall of Malacañang,
the official residence of the Philippine president, the children,
dressed in school uniforms and ethnic attires, sang a Chinese song
Grateful Heart in front of a smiling Mrs. Arroyo.
Students of Qiang ethnic group
also presented the President a homemade goodwill bag, which is
traditionally believed to bring fortune and happiness to the
recipient.
“During the trip, we felt the
warmth of Filipino people almost everywhere,” said Fan Caiwen, a
high-school student from Beichuan, Sichuan province. “I felt so
grateful that I pray for the ever-lasting happiness to President
Arroyo and all Filipinos.”
Fan’s hometown was hit by an
8-magnitude earthquake on May 12, 2008 that left more than 87,000
people dead or missing.
And many more were orphaned by
the quake, considered the most devastating natural disaster China
experienced in three decades.
During her trip to China that
included a visit to Sichuan quake zone in August, Mrs. Arroyo
formally invited 100 quake-stricken children to rehabilitate in the
Philippines. She named her special envoy to China, Carlos Chan, to
facilitate the children’s visit to the Philippines.
The 100 children, aged 11 to 16,
who came from 11 high schools in landlocked Sichuan, started their
eye-opening trip to the archipelago on Sunday. During the week, they
visited schools, museums and interacted with local students in
Manila, while touring around Tarsier farms, Chocolate Hills and the
stunning beach in Bohol province in central Philippines.
“I was so excited because it
was my first time to get close to the ocean. It is so beautiful and
magical that I was able to put all worries and concerns aside,”
said Leng Ke, a student from Dongqi high school in Deyang city.
He said the sand on the beach was
so fine and pure white that he could not help drawing on it “I
love Bohol, I love the Philippines” with his fingers.
Du Kewei, head of the delegation
who is also an official with China’s Education Ministry in charge
of primary and secondary education, told President Arroyo that the
weeklong trip has helped the kids to shake off psychological shadows
of the killer quake and has broadened their minds which would
certainly benefit their growth.
“I would like to thank
President Arroyo again and say, ‘We love you,’” Fan said.
--Xinhua
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