Diether Ocampo doesn’t just look at the faces of children who have nothing to eat. He sees himself in those hungry faces. More importantly, he just doesn’t sit there doing nothing.
The image of himself as a boy carrying a casserole and asking food from his grandma and aunt to share with his siblings in Cavite is still etched in his mind.
So Diether has decided to bring his works of charity to the next level. He volunteered to help raise funds for the United Nation’s World Food Programme, especially in conflict-torn areas like Mindanao.
“A lot of kids can’t study because they don’t eat right,” he says. “Let’s give them a good Christmas.”
He has affixed his signature to a Christmas postcard available at Pizza Hut to anyone who donates P40 to United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP). Until yearend, Pizza Hut will give P10 to the WFP campaign for every order of the Pizza Hut-WFP Bundle Feast. Taco Bell will also donate P10 for every purchase of Nachos Bellgrande Combo Meal.
And since target amount is a whopping P2.5-M, Diether showed up at the Pizza Hut branch at SM Megamall to promote the campaign himself.
It was not exactly the best of days for him. He was feeling under the weather, but he knew he had a job to do.
“There’s a special purpose why I’m here,” he muses. “I’m happy I realized it while it’s still early. And I’m glad I am being used to create awareness for youth problems which would otherwise remain unnoticed.”
Diether is just as happy to know that he’s not alone. He already talked to KC Concepcion about his anti-hunger campaign when they toured Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and other places in Mindanao to distribute school supplies.
“It’s nice to be with someone who can relate to what you’re doing,” he beams. Piolo Pascual, he adds, is one of them.
Diether knows other Star Magic talents like him who also long to help but they just don’t know where to start. So it’s best that he shows them how.
“Hungry school children can’t think straight,” he warns. “Hunger even affects the unborn. A hungry would-be mother is starting a chain reaction.”
Thus, he is asking for as much help as he can get. It doesn’t have to be money, he goes on.
“Volunteering your time and effort in your area goes a long way.”
Also making this Christmas extra different for Diether is Dalaw, his first Metro Filmfest movie. He is also in Slow Fade, one of the five indies shown last week, as a prelude to the Metro Filmfest.
“It’s my first Metro Filfmfest and I’m very excited,” he gushes.
The presence of his co-star, Kris Aquino on the set, may intimidate others. But not Diether, who had a breeze working with her.
“She’s very professional, a workaholic and someone with a big heart.”
Even if some of the staff and crew members have already stopped working, Kris — Madame Kris to him — is still up and about, reports Diether.
His Dalaw co-star also pledged to contribute to the programs of Diether’s Kids Foundation.
This season of sharing, Diether is never one to be left behind.