Raphael “Yael” de Guzman
Location: San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines
Background: A very young boy, 9 years of age, born June 5, 2010. He is the son of Dr. Ana Katrina de Guzman, a Medical Diplomate in the Philippines. Yael, as he is fondly called, hails from San Mateo, Rizal. He is the grandson of PMF Executive Director for the Philippines, Enrico L. de Guzman. He is currently a grade 4 student of Marist School in Marikina City and a consistent honor student since his preparatory years. What is striking about this boy is his love for doing humanitarian work for less privileged children. Since age 5, he has been volunteering to join his “Dada Rico” (that’s how he calls his granddad) in almost all Toy Missions that his Dada has been organizing and even doing the work of leading the children in community singings before he leads in the distribution of toys to the children. It would be a great disappointment for this young boy if he would not be able to join in any one mission that he loves to do so much. There were also times that he would tell the children some inspiring stories which he learned from school. His experience, being the youngest PMF Volunteer, has reached as far as Syquijor Town in the Visayas, aside from joining almost all toy missions in the remote areas and highlands of the town of San Mateo, Antipolo City and Boys Town for orphans as well as visiting the homeless elderly at the Home for the Aged in Marikina City. Truly, Yael has been a great asset in all the Toy Missions that he has joined in, together with his Dada Rico, whom we fondly call as “The Amazing Toyman.”
Specialty: Raphael plays the piano and has had well applauded performances during all his piano recitals. Make him sing and you will also be amazed by his sweet angelic voice though he prefers to play the piano more than singing. Yael is also a recognized speaker and stands out among his peers with his proficiency in the English language, though he never neglects that he should speak more in the native Filipino vernacular.
Philosophy: At his very young age, he has his own philosophy in life, “that everything he has (which he understands as already an excess from what he needs and the toys he plays with) must be shared also with the other children who do not have them!”