Neo’s Little Garden
Neo was a small boy in a big city. He lived in a small house in Manila with his Nanay and Tatay. In their home, mornings began with soft sunlight, the sound of the radio, and the yummy smell of breakfast. While his classmates received stars in school, Neo earned smiles from Nanay when he made his bed. He got a thumbs-up from Tatay when he watered the plants. “Home is the best classroom,” Nanay always said. He was not at the top of the class, but Neo had many friends. He shared his baon. He listened when someone felt sad. He liked playing luksong tinik and piko during break time. One morning, Neo saw the neighbor’s trash on the street -- banana peels, plastic wrappers, and old cans! “Yuck!” said the other kids. But Neo paused. He looked at the cans a little longer. He picked them up, washed them clean, and filled them with soil from the park. He planted kamote tops and kangkong. “Let us grow food!” Neo said with a smile. H...