Our hearts always break whenever we hear about abandoned babies, but this time we felt just a tinge of hope. In a viral Facebook post, Jollibee crew member Jesica Tan Verano shared how she and her fellow staff cared for an abandoned baby.
Jollibee Baby Found in An Empty Lot Beside The Fast Food Chain’s Imus, Cavite Branch
Now dubbed the Jollibee baby, a traffic enforcer found the little one in an abandoned lot beside one of Jollibee’s Imus, Cavite branches, specifically near barangay Pag-asa.
Because of this, the fast food crew named the baby “Hope,” because he was found near Barangay Pag-asa, which is the Filipino word for hope.
“Kung sino man po ang nag-iwan ng sanggol na ito malapit sa store ng Jollibee sa Imus Pag-asa si God na bahala sayo. (Whoever left this baby near the Jollibee branch in Imus Pag-asa, only God can judge you now),” Verano wrote in the caption of the post, which has been shared over 42,000 times and counting.
screenshot: Jesica Tan Verano Facebook page
“Sobrang naawa po kami kay baby. Nakakadurog po ng puso. (We felt so sorry for the baby. Our hearts broke),” said Jesica in an interview with theAsianparent. “Nung kinuha na nga po siya ng rescue team halos lahat kami umiiyak. Kasi awang awa po kami kay baby. Kahit po mga managers namin naluluha sa sinapit niya. (When the rescue team came to pick the baby up, almost everyone of us were crying because we felt so sorry for the little one. Even our managers were tearing up because of what happened to the baby.)
“Laking pasasalamat ko at breastfeeding mom padin ako kaht one year. and 6 months na bunso ko at least naishare ko sayo milk ko (I’m so thankful that I’m still a breasfeeding mom even though my youngest is already a year and 6 months old, at least I got to share my milk),”
wrote fast food crew Aganinta Jhelly, who also shared how she knew the little one was a newborn and needed milk immediately.
images from: Aganinta Jelly and Jesica Verano Facebook page
The Jollibee baby’s story truly gives us hope that there are kind strangers all around us, willing to care for little ones who are not their own. We pray that baby Hope finds a loving home soon.
What should you do if you found an abandoned newborn?
1. Keep them cool or warm
First, make sure they’re comfortable. Who knows how long they’ve been in the cold or heat? So depending on the climate, either bundle them up or bring them into the shade. You can also breastfeed them if you can, just like Aganinta, especially if they’re just a newborn.
2. Make sure they have no serious injuries
Before moving them, make sure that they have suffered no injuries. If, for instance, they have a neck injury, then chances are you shouldn’t move them so as not to risk further damage. Signs of this type of injury are bruising or swelling in the neck or crying uncontrollably when moved.
3. Bring them to the nearest clinic or hospital
Once you’re sure that they’re safe to move, rush them to the nearest clinic for medical attention. Some barangay health centers are also equipped with tools and provisions to administer first aid as well. In the case above, DSWD rescuers were the ones who came to the baby’s aid.
4. Call the authorities
After you have tended to the baby’s health, report what happened to the authorities. Either the Philippine National Police (PNP) or Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) can help in cases of abandoned children. Find out what your PNP local hotline is here and the appropriate DSWD office here.
Also READ: Stray dog saves the life of abandoned newborn in Cebu
