Girl, 12, gets award for courage

MANILA, Philippines - Marimar Agnawa, 12, could not remember the exact date when the tragedy happened, but official reports say it occurred in the evening of March 30, 2012 in Tuba, Benguet.

She was sleeping at home in Sitio Cauculan in Barangay Taloy when she felt something unusually hot. When she woke up, Agnawa was shocked to see their house up in flames.     

“When I woke up, my siblings were already awake. There were five of us there,” Agnawa told The STAR in an interview yesterday.

“Maybe my siblings played with a candle,” she added.

Agnawa’s mother was in the market while her father, a miner, was working in Itogon when the fire took place.

She was 11 at the time and tried to overcome her fears as she rushed to her seven-month-old brother Jayver and brought him to safety.

Unfortunately, her three other siblings -- Jedric, 5, Jayvi 4, and Zowie, 1 - died.

“My brother (Jayver) was beside me that time. Only the two of us survived,” Agnawa said in Filipino.

Agnawa sustained injuries to her foot but she said these healed already.

However, her readiness to risk her life for others earned her the Gawad Kalasag National Award, an honor given by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to groups, agencies and individuals who have shown extraordinary courage, heroism, and sacrifice in times of emergencies.

Dressed in a white top, black jacket, pink skirt and heels, Agnawa received the award in a ceremony yesterday at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

She is the youngest recipient of the award.

Various local governments, non-government organizations, schools, hospitals and a private organization were also feted during the ceremony.

Despite the praises she received, Agnawa spoke quietly about her experience and was shy while being interviewed.

The 12-year-old heroine admitted that she is afraid to risk her life again but will still be ready to help others in whatever way she can.

This, she said, she would be able to do if she fulfills her dream to become a teacher.