Zosimo and Family

Father:      Zosimo Permejo Sr.  35 years old

Mother:    Leah May Permejo    30 years old

Children: 

Cyrus Jay Permejo      9 years old  M  (Grade 4)

Zsallemar Permejo     8 years old   F  ( Grade 3)

Zosimo Permejo Jr.    3 years old   M  (Kinder)

Gabriella Permejo      1 yr & 8 mos F

Zosimo the head of the family hails from Mulanay Quezon Province, Northern part of the Luzon, Philippines ( Region 4-A) while Leah May is from Capiniahan Lemery Iloilo (Region 6). They met in Metro Manila when Leah May was a saleslady in the grocery store and Zosimo was a barber. Their working place was just nearby and their employers were siblings. That was their relationship started.

Zosimo is an expert barber and trained in hairdressing. Starting a family is hard for the couple, the first baby and second was born in Manila. When the older baby turns four the family decided to settle in Lemery Iloilo, the hometown of Leah May. During their stay the husband decided to go back to Manila to continue to work in a barber shop for two years. After that Zosimo went back to Lemery and until now he never visited his family due to the distance and financial struggle.

During typhoon the family had three children that time; the youngest was only 1 month.  The house was located in the middle of rice field. The family evacuated when strong winds and heavy rains. Leah May secured her new born baby wrap in cloth and run fort their lives crossing fields with knee deep water. While husband tied his two children to his waist ( the girl, Zsallemar at the front while the boy Cyrus at the back) while running foreign objects were flying from different directions, iron sheet hit Zosimo that supposed to be to his daughter’s directions but he offered himself  instead, a true father’s love indeed. Even his life, Zosimo narrates that he is willing to sacrifice for his children.

When the family arrives in the secured house they were all wet and nothing to eat. Zosimo went outside to burst his feelings and keep on crying and cannot believe that happened. While Leah May was restless also because she was thinking of her family especially her parents who were trap but later on it was known her family evacuated only in the cornfield to hide while heavy rains.

The family stayed for a night only and went back to their house to rebuild what is left. Zosimo’s family was worried that they seen on local news on television. Electric power was off , no signal for communication.

The family had now four children healthy and well behaved. The eldest Cyrus a Fourth Grader is an active boy, a top 5 in his class but during his primary level he was a First Honor. Zsallemar the second children is now a Third Grader is also doing good in school. While the third child Zosimo Jr., a three years old attending the Saturday class in the village.

Leah May is one of the in charge in the garden; she planted some of the veggies and attending with the help of his husband during their free time.

Zosimo is currently working in the construction (road) in the village. On his free time he cuts hair for an extra income.

Zosimo’s dream is to have his own barber shop and tools for him to have a regular income and sustain his family’s needs especially all children are in school, and one more thing to see his family back in Quezon Province so that his children will have a glimpse of his hometown too.

The family extend their gratefulness to the Foundation for being one the beneficiary and to have a secured house for any untoward incidents in the near future.. The family experienced during Typhoon Haiyan was one of the lesson learned that they will never forget for the rest of their lives.

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