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Saturday, November 10, 2007
Wishes come true after young girl's suicide
By Nelson C. Bagaforo
DAVAO CITY -- Before she hanged herself to death, 11-year-old Marianeth Amper wished to pursue her studies and provide a better life for her family.
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In death, some of the poor girl's wishes come true. The government has vowed to extend financial, health, and livelihood assistance to the Amper family, who lives in a shanty that has no running water or electricity in Ma-a, Davao City.
On Saturday afternoon, Marianeth will be featured in "Wish Ko Lang," GMA-7's reality program that grants wishes of the viewers.
The show's host, Vicky Morales, was in Davao City to condole with Marianeth's family and see they need to lead a better life.
"Nalaman na nagsimula palang gumawa ng sulat si Marianeth sa 'Wish Ko Lang!' ngunit hindi na niya ito nagawang matapos. Maghahandog ng tulong ang programa sa mga magulang bilang pag-alala sa naunsyaming pangarap ng dalagita," GMA 7 said a press statement e-mailed to Sun.Star Friday.
Before Marianeth hanged herself with a nylon cord on November 2, she wrote a letter addressed to the program, asking for a bag, a new pair of shoes, a bicycle, and a better-paying job for her parents.
"I suspect she did it because of our situation," said the girl's father, Isabelo Amper, a construction worker who has been jobless for a year now because of a kidney ailment.
Also Friday, Mike Enriquez tackled Marianeth's case in his top-rating morning program on radio station dzBB in Metro Manila.
"Maraming tawag at sumulpot sa station na willing to help the young girl's family," said Barbette Atienza, regional publicity specialist of GMA Network, Inc.
Many were shocked to learn that at such a young age, Marianeth was so affected by their poor living condition that she took her own life.
In a letter she left behind, Marianeth asked God to help her parents make ends meet and that she was disappointed she could not go to school because she did not have money for transportation and food.
In the same diary, Marianeth revealed she had been absent from school for more than a month.
The night before she killed herself, according to reports, she asked her father for P100 for a school project but he did not have any money.
Her father said he had been out of a job for several months while his wife works part-time at a noodle factory, earning less than P50 a day.
Marianeth's death put a human face to poverty blighting the nation, where nearly 14 percent of the 87 million population live on less than P50 a day, even as the government insists the economy is on a roll. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (November 10, 2007 issue)
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