Bianca Umali spends birthday conducting storytelling, acting workshop

MANILA, Philippines — Just how do you celebrate your birthday? Breakfast in bed, a hotel staycation, lunch with your beloved in your favorite restaurant, an out-of-town trip with the family, or a candlelit dinner with live music, roses and chocolates? Actress Bianca Umali might have experienced all these in the past, but her idea of the perfect birthday celebration this year is totally different.

It is spending the day with the children and youth of World Vision Philippines, which is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

World Vision is very close to her heart, as she has been its celebrity ambassador for over seven years now. Thus, the star of the upcoming fantasy show "Encantadia Chronicles: Sang'gre" chose to pay it forward and make a difference on her birthday last March. 

Bianca recently joined the World Vision kids and youth from Molinete in Laurel, Batangas, for a meaningful birthday celebration. She had fun picking okra and bananas, sharing meals with the nanays of the community, and trying local delicacies such as Talinum Leaves Salad and Tilapia Ice Cream in the Batangas farm. She concluded the day with an exciting and interactive storytelling session and acting workshop with the kids.

The celebration was far from over as her World Vision family sneaked in a surprise birthday cake for her and a happy birthday song from the kids.

With this experience, Bianca confessed, “Getting to spend time with them makes me happy. Wala akong nararamdamang pagod kahit pa napaka-init, kahit pa nasaan, kahit pa gaano kalayo. It doesn’t matter because my only goal is for them to know me and for me to know their stories.”

She added, “Hindi po ito ang unang beses na ako po ay naka-experience na magtanim sa isang community. But this community is different because of what they’ve built here. They own it! And that is such a big factor for me. Nakakagana lalo kasi nakikita ko na masaya sila. They’re self-sufficient, and personally, 'yung independence na ganun is very close to my heart because I am also such an independent