Do you recognize this scene from a TV commercial?

This is not fiction.

This is based on the story of a family whose father and kids endure crossing this unsteady

monkey bridge to get to school and, eventually, to a brighter future.

Every day, the Donceras kids walk a 2 kilometer road to get to school.

They always walk because jeepney rides to school are usually packed.

They also cross a monkey bridge on their way to school.

THE DONCERAS FAMILY: WHO ARE THEY?

Allow us to show you how they triumph life’s daily challenges with sheer strength of will (tibay ng loob)

 that encompasses the true strength of a Filipino (tibay ng Pinoy).

That’s because their home is totally separated from the rest of their town by the

Madlum River and the only cable that connects them to the other side is a monkey bridge.

Why rely on a monkey bridge?

Because the Madlum River turns into a deadly course that must not be crossed on rainy days.

What pushed Tatay Adrian to build the monkey bridge?

It was the need to keep his family safe from the river’s unpredictable high tides and unmanageable

strong currents that they saw the bridge as a better option than rafting.

The monkey bridge was built in year 2000. Though it appears to be a perilous pair of cables to cross, to the Donceras family, it served as the only path that can take them home whenever the river is impassable.

But the cables, 27 meters in height and 25 meters in length, later on served a greater purpose. To Tatay Adrian’s sons, the monkey bridge became their bridge to education.

Tatay Adrian and his wife, Nanay Cecille, were at first not keen about letting their children cross the bridge. But then, they decided to strengthen their hearts and face the risks head on because they cannot let the situation impede their children’s way to success.

How did he build the bridge?

With the aid of five other relatives and friends, and of cables, pliers, and rocks, and his unwavering strength of will (tibay ng loob), Tatay Adrian built the bridge that helped connect them to the rest of Sitio Madlum.

Crossing the bridge

“Nakakakaba tumawid noong umpisa, kasi baka mahulog kami...”

Was it all worth it?

It was the fact that their children's future weighs heavier than their fears that Tatay Adrian and Nanay Cecille

had the strength of will (tibay ng loob) to let their young ones cross the bridge.

Had they not taken the risk, their children would never have experienced receiving recognition such as being the "Best in Character" and the "Most Industrious" in class, and the

little ones would never have enjoyed the opportunity to bring home swimming medals, just as how they do now.

“Ang nagpapatibay po ng loob namin ay sina mama at papa. Gusto po naming makapag-tapos

ng pag-aaral para po makatulong kami sa kanila.”

Adrian Donceras

“Susuportahan ko kung ano yung gusto ng mga anak ko. Kasi mahirap kung ang magulang ang

may ambisyon at hindi yung mga anak. Baka hindi nila pagsikapan kung hindi nila gusto yung kurso.”

Cecilia Donceras

“Ipag-iipon namin sila para maitaguyod  yung pag-aaral nila. Sa paggugulay namin,

pinag-iipunan yung para sa kinabukasan nila,

para makatapos sila at makakuha sila ng magandang trabaho. Hanggang makatapos sila, nandun pa din yung suporta namin para sa kanila.”