A Filipino organized a music concert in Taoyuan on Sunday to raise funds for his son, who is battling cancer in the Philippines.
Choi Mallari, 27, a migrant worker from the province of Pampanga, said that with the help of the Filipino community, he organized the concert because he needs 100,000 pesos (US$1,911) a month to pay for his son’s treatment.
“I found out last December that my seven-year-old son has leukemia, and in January, he started chemotherapy treatments that will last three years,” Mallari said. “He is now eight months into the treatment, so he has another two years and four months to go.”
To raise funds to pay for the chemotherapy, Mallari began selling T-shirts with “Lifesavers” printed on them, because people who buy them are helping to save the life of his son, Gabriel, he said.
At the suggestion of friends, he organized a concert, which was held at the Southern Taoyuan Youth Activity Center, Mallari said.
Admission to the concert was NT$50 and “Lifesaver” T-shirts were on sale at the venue for NT$400 apiece.
About 200 people showed up to the see the performers, which included a mime group, a hip-hop dance crew and bands.
The Evergreen Hand Mime performers put on a show with neon lights reflecting off of white gloves to portray praying for Gabriel, while Bizrhyme Band captured the hearts of the audience with covers of popular rock songs.
When the Filipino community heard of Mallari’s plight, they wanted to help, said Marie Yang, a Philippine community leader and host of the concert.
“Every Sunday, there are groups of volunteers helping Mallari sell the ‘Lifesaver’ T-shirts,” she said.
“I think the child is undergoing chemotherapy three times a week, and you know the salary of an overseas Filipino factory worker is not enough to pay for it all,” Yang said. “We have the heart to help, especially me, as I have children of my own.”
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