Making a difference

MANILA, Philippines - On the surface, Jeremy Lapeña is like any typical 13-year-old. He loves to romp and run. He loves dancing, dogs and horses. He enjoys plane and train rides.

He also gets lost in unfamiliar places. Jeremy got lost in Singapore twice. He also took the tricycle from his house in Alabang and couldn’t find his way back. Luckily, kind souls brought him back to his distraught parents each time.

Unlike other children, though, Jeremy cannot tell you exactly where his parents live or where they are at one point in time. He has Down Syndrome. After memorizing his home telephone number, Jeremy is practicing how to write his complete address in case he needs it again.

His parents, Elmer and Agnes Lapeña are hardly discouraged however. In fact, they found out that having Jeremy for a son is a blessing. It taught them to reach out to other parents like them through the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, Inc. (DSAPI) where Elmer is the chairman. Agnes, on the other hand, is vice chair for the recently-held Happy Walk, which raised awareness for Down Syndrome when it was held at Megamall.

“We will hold free clinics next month,” says Agnes. Also next month, Dyords Javier, Pinky Marquez, Bo Cerrudo and Isay Alvarez, also called The Ang4gettables, will hold a night of music and laughter at the GSIS Theater for the DSAPI. The concert, dubbed as Kantahan, Katatawanan, Kayang Kaya with The Ang4gettables, will be held on April 24 at 7 p.m.

The decision to have DSAPI as beneficiary was an easy one to make. Agnes Robles, one of the moving forces behind the concert, has been a friend of the Lapeñas for 13 years.

And because DSAPI has many projects that need to be funded sans government support, the Lapeñas jumped at the offer.

Ang4’s Dyords decided to check out the group first.

“We just don’t lend our name to any cause. It’s a responsible commitment to find out what we’re getting into,” he says.

Dyords talked to Elmer and found out just they were getting into this time. And what Dyords found out surprised him. He discovered a lot of things have yet to be done to make people aware of Down Syndrome. Some parents of afflicted children, still feel devastated. They need to know how to accept their child’s condition and learn more about it. This done, parent and child can have a healthier, happier relationship.

“Then, dealing with Down Syndrome need not be a burden,” explains Dyords. It can, as the Lapeñas are showing, be a source of joy.

Thus, Dyords plans to inject tidbits about Down Syndrome in the spiels the better to make the audience more aware of what it’s all about. But even with the serious topic of Down Syndrome woven in the show, Dyords promises that The Ang4 brand of music and laughter people have come to look forward to will still be there.

That’s shooting two birds — helping others and entertaining the audience — with one stone for you. Okay then. Let the show begin!