The Big Fight

He stood there like a king surveying his surroundings from a balcony. Like an eagle on the watch for the slightest movement of a prey. As I walked to him, I hesitated for a moment, scared that he might scold me and thought of how I would introduce myself. There's just something so intimidating about him. Maybe it's his height or aura of authority. But I've learned to gather some courage and come up to him. And so I asked, “Ikaw po ba si Kuya Big Boy? (Are you Big Boy?)”

His whole name is Leovigildo Debulgado, Jr and he is the Information and Security Coordinator of the Ateneo High School. Students, graduates and employees of the Ateneo High School, fondly call him “Big Boy”. He smiled as he was asked the story behind the name “Big Boy”. “When I was assigned here in the Ateneo High School, there was already a “Big Boy”. He's also tall, but since I'm taller, the students called me “Bigger Boy”. But the name was too long and eventually Big Boy retired, so I was called “Big Boy”. With his 6'2 height and wide frame, anyone could mistake him for a basketball player. He graduated from the FEATI University, with a degree in Engineering. “I studied Engineering for 10 years. I was a working student then and I got delayed since I was a stubborn kid.” He shared that he didn't give up and did not let his stubbornness stop him from finishing college. 3^rd among 4 children, his father was a government employee and his mother was a public school teacher.

Life was normal for him until in January 2, 2006, the doctors had found a tumor in his brain. This proved why he had a hard time speaking. “I didn't feel any pain”, he shared. “Well, except that I easily got tired especially in the afternoons.” He is very much grateful to the Ateneo for creating fund-raising projects. “Even those who were former students of the Ateneo High School who are now based abroad made fund-raising projects for me.” He bowed his head and showed his scar from the operation. It's shaped like a thunder, as if he had a crooked hairline. After he had his operation in September of last year, he changed his views on life, his lifestyle and habits. “I felt as if I shouldn't waste time on little things”, he shared. “Remember that I was on the brim of death, so I savored each and every moment.” Before he got sick, he felt that he could do anything he wanted. He felt that he was on top of the world. “The students were so scared at me because I used to curse at them. I even cursed the parents, can you believe that?”. He shared his bad habits. “I used to drink and smoke a lot”. He needed to put those habits to a stop for they decreased his chances of survival. “Life is something to be cherished. We are granted with only one life so we shouldn't take it for granted.”

This is his 21^st year working for the Ateneo High School and he's one of its most popular and long-time employees. “I really love it here. Maganda ang samahan dito. (This school has great camaraderie.) The students respect and love me. He recounts his funniest and most memorable experience in the high school. A former student asked him a question about the novel “El Filibusterismo” by Jose Rizal. “I gave him the wrong answer. But good thing he passed the exam.” He laughed.

He shared some interesting things that he students do at school. “During class hours, some of them come to me and tell me they have a school activity outside school and the APSA allowed them to leave. And so I let them leave. Eventually I found out that they were just making it up.” He stopped to think of another one then said, “The boys are just really rowdy. You can't imagine.” He laughed.

Asked about his goals for the school, he said that he hopes to be an example to the students. Like him, they should come to school early. “At dapat hindi sila susuko sa kahit anong gawain. (They shouldn't give up on any task.) If I gave up just like that, I won't be alive today.” He wants to help the principal of the Ateneo High School, Fr. Raymund Benedict Hizon, S.J., achieve his goals for the school which are improvement of facilities and improvement of education. “Before I retire, I want to do something for the school.” And what made him stay in the Ateneo this long? “I stayed because of the love and happiness I feel when I'm around the students. They should always remember that I scare or even scold them not because I want to, but because I care for them and I know it's for their own good.”

Through Big Boy's experience, we realize how important life is. It is a gift that we sometimes take for granted or we overlook. We think that there's always tomorrow, that's why we don't treasure the things we see, hear, feel, taste and smell today. We can also infer from his experience that we can find life and happiness in others. He found life in the people around him, hence, the students. He realized that he's happy when he's around the students, so he found his drive to live.

There may be moments in our lives when we are in pain and we want to give up. But actually, we shouldn't give up because there are things worth living for and there are good things we are yet to see. We just don't see them because we are too busy and we don't want slow down. Big Boy taught us to fight; to fight for something we believe that is extremely important and worth celebrating, and that is life.

092650, R17