Firefighter’s tale

With wildfires raging in Southern California, “Pasko Sa Enero” first-prize winner and Guimaras deputy provincial fire officer Danilo Animas was asked why he chose his profession during our Christmas Contest awarding program in Molito, Alabang, last Sunday.

“Isa sa mga motivation ko ay service to the community, our country, those in need and God,” said Animas. “If you look at the salary, ‘di naman masyadong mataas pero iba ang feeling kung makatulong ka sa kapwa.” Animas said there were pockets of wild forest fires in Benguet early last year but was contained. He cited several factors that cause the spread of wildfires, including wind, weather and climate.

Animas, 52, said firefighting wasn’t on his mind when he took up nursing and environmental planning at La Salle Bacolod. After graduation came the chance to join the force in Calatrava, a town in northern Negros Occidental. Two years later, Animas was assigned to Guimaras where he settled down and raised a family. He married Glyzl Tejada 12 years ago and they have three children Danzl, 9, Daniela, 6, and Danilo, 3, all studying at Guimaras Baptist Academy in San Miguel, Jordan.

Animas said he’s a loyal reader of Philippine STAR and it’s his third time to join the annual Christmas Contest but first time to win. “I read the Philippine STAR newspaper for its balanced news, preciseness, accuracy and non-biased articles,” he said. “My favorite columnist was the late Max Soliven and now, my favorites are Francis Kong, Michael Gurfinkel and especially, Joaquin Henson.”

When Animas was advised he won first prize in “Pasko Sa Enero” early last week, he decided to fly to Manila with his wife to attend the awarding program. They took a 15-minute boat ride from Guimaras to Iloilo then went from Parola Port to the Iloilo International Airport for a flight to Manila. “We arrived in Manila at 1:15 a.m. Sunday then went straight to my wife’s sister’s home in Las Piñas,” he related. By 9:30 a.m., they were at Molito Alabang. The next day, they took the 4:10 a.m. flight back to Iloilo then Guimaras.

The first prize consisted of P20,000 cash, Purefoods ham from the MVP Group, gift pack (three kilos of rice, noodles, canned goods) from POC president Mayor Bambol Tolentino, Christmas box from Sen. Bong Go, Molten FIBA leather basketball, Nike shoes and jersey from SBP, coffee cup and electric saucer, T-shirt and umbrella from Meralco, coffee maker, jersey, T-shirt, PBA Annual and Bluetooth speaker from PBA, JoyRide AquaFlask, canned goods (Spam, corned beef, menudo) and San Mig Coffee from San Miguel Corp., T-shirts from Converge, Rain or Shine, Magnolia and Asics, soap and body spray from Ever Bilena, Vita Coco drink, Converge cap and more.

Animas said a project to construct a super bridge connecting Guimaras to Iloilo will start in the second semester this year and hopefully, by 2028, another super bridge connecting Guimaras to Negros.

“My favorite PBA team is San Miguel Beer since Samboy Lim’s time and in the NBA, it’s the LA Lakers since the Showtime Boys with Magic Johnson,” he said. “I played basketball and volleyball during my elementary days up to college. I was a point guard. Later, I coached in leagues in Pulupandan and Bago City in Negros. Then I became a sportscaster in those leagues.”