Spreading Christmas Love with KIA porters

By Maria Solita Zaldivar Guzman

KALIBO, Aklan – For the second batch of the Movement of Gratitude Christmas Shoebox With Love Project, the recipients were the 32 porters of the Kalibo International Airport (KIA). And what better time to surprise them and share gifts of love than on Christmas Eve.

Each porter received a thoughtfully prepared set that included a dental kit, a spaghetti pack, a loot bag, breads, a Christmas present for a child or grandchild, and an assortment of clothes from which they could freely choose. The turnover took place at the seating and dining area of 7-Eleven KIA branch, a familiar spot where airport workers usually take short breaks or grab a quick meal.

This simple gesture came at a time when airport porters are experiencing fewer flights and, consequently, fewer passengers. With limited travel activity, most travelers today are light packers and frequent flyers who rarely require porter assistance. More often, it is the balikbayans arriving with large boxes and heavy luggage who need their help. As a result, daily earnings for porters have become unpredictable and, at times, insufficient.

Despite these challenges, the porters received the gifts with genuine joy and gratitude. They worked together to ensure that everyone present received one of each item, carefully setting aside the remaining gifts for colleagues who had not yet arrived or were not on duty at the time. Their sense of solidarity and concern for one another reflected the same spirit of generosity extended to them.

In the same spirit, extra gifts were also shared with the taho, kakanin, and pasalubong vendors inside the airport—many of whom are elderly and supporting families with grandchildren waiting at home.

The activity was a meaningful reminder that giving does not always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it is simply about sharing what you have and recognizing the dignity of people who work hard each day just to put food on the table. For the Movement, it was a wonderful experience to give love by sharing gifts, especially with those whose labor often goes unnoticed.

As the year ends, the Movement hopes that even more sectors will be reached in the coming year. It remains deeply thankful to the givers who never stop helping and who continue to keep the Movement going—proving that gratitude, when shared, has the power to brighten even the simplest of places, even on the busiest or quietest of days.

Thank you to our sponsors:
⭐ Provincial Health Office – Aklan through Mary Rose Rivalde
⭐ Stephanie Letheux
⭐ Jearlyn Navejas Castor
⭐ Stylish Clothing Boutique Hannah Pearl Taladtad
⭐ Irene Sutacio Abao and Paulo Kerjel Galvan
⭐ Cristine S. Gallito
⭐ Suzette Isberto Paner

📸 Jhonrick Magdael

PS. Thank you, as always, to Hannah U. Baquid, Chantal Jade Villanueva Tolores, and Hernan Alivio for doing the errands and for repacking. 😍