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Why does this mother keep one of her children inside a cage?


“Junjun,” not his real name, is a young boy from Camarines Sur who does not seem to act his age.

At 6 years old, he refuses to eat solid food and prefers to drink formula milk from a bottle.

 


“Junjun,” the third of four children, was a healthy baby boy when he was born, his mother Josefa recalled. Nine months later, that all changed.

"Nu’ng 9 months niya na nagkaroon po siya ng sakit. Nangingisay po siya, naninigas ‘yung katawan niya tapos natirik po ‘yung mata niya na. Hindi ko na po maintindihan kung anong gagawin ko. Kasi kada isang oras po noon, tatlong beses po siyang atakehin," Josefa said.

["Junjun” was 9 months old when he got sick. His body convulsed and his body went stiff. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. That happened thrice in an hour.]

They rushed “Junjun” to the hospital, but because his family did not have enough funds to support his medical expenses, he did not complete his treatment. His older brother Clark had to stop schooling, too.

It came to a point where “Junjun’s” life was put in danger twice. He had accidentally swallowed inedible objects. That’s when his mother decided to lock him up inside a cage.

 


"Kapag tinitignan niya ako, naaawa ako. Para po siyang wala sa sarili tapos minsan, Wala naman po kaming magagawa. Hindi namin po siya mapa-doktor kasi wala naman po kaming pera," said Clark, who was in tears.

[It’s difficult seeing him locked up. He doesn’t look like himself. But we can’t do anything about it. We don’t have enough money to go see a doctor.]

To help “Junjun” and his family, the KMJS team brought him to a pediatric neurologist for a check-up.

According to Dr. Fe Delos Reyes, “Junjun” had cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

"Mali talaga na ikulong. Hindi kasi nagde-develop ang pag-iisip ng bata," she said.

[Locking him up in a cage would not help him—it would only impede the child’s development.]

After learning about her son's condition, Josefa promised to never lock “Junjun” up again.

For those who want to help “Junjun” and his family, please deposit to:

BDO WALTERMART-NORTH EDSA
ACCOUNT NAME: Erwin Candelaria
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 006320528477

— Angelica Y. Yang/LA, GMA News

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