KRIZZIA MICU
I’ve always wondered why I was born on Christmas Day.
Of all the days in the year, why the very day the “OG Idol” of nations—Jesus Christ—was born?
For the longest time, it felt like a nice trivia fact about me… but nothing more.
Until recently.
When Handy invited me to be part of its pioneer team, something inside me clicked. Suddenly, I understood: my biggest goal in life isn’t just to build a career. It’s to live a life that matters—to be rich not only in resources, but also in heart and purpose—so I can help create jobs for more Filipinos.
My Papa used to tell me when I was young:
“Mas mabuti nang tayo ang nagbibigay ng tulong, kesa tayo ang nanghihingi ng tulong.”
(“It’s always better to be the one giving help than the one asking for it.”)
That line stayed with me my whole life.
And it came full circle when I found myself working with Gawad Kalinga again—not as a little ten year old girl tagging along to my Papa’s CSR programs, but now as a grown woman with the chance to help others in a bigger, more meaningful way.
So, What Is Handy?
Handy is Gawad Kalinga’s newest chapter in its mission of nation-building.
For more than 20 years, GK has been building homes and restoring dignity through shelter. Now, through Handy, we’re building livelihoods.
Our Service Providers (SPs) are former GK housing beneficiaries. Today, they are the very hands that clean homes, fix leaky pipes, care for children and seniors, paint walls, weld gates, and bring peace of mind to households across Metro Manila.
These may sound like ordinary tasks—house cleaning, plumbing, caregiving, masonry—but here at Handy, we see them for what they truly are: acts of dignity.
Work That Restores Identity
In our first month of operations, I met mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters—many of them unsure at first, but slowly gaining confidence as they wore their Handy uniforms with pride.
One mother said something that will stay with me forever:
“Maayos na trabaho ito, Ma’am. Hindi na ako basta tagalinis. May pangalan na kami.”
(“This is a decent job, Ma’am. I’m no longer just a cleaner. We now have a name.”)
That one line gave me chills.
Because what we’re doing isn’t just job-matching. It’s identity-building.
These Service Providers have always had the skills. What they lacked was a system that dignified those skills. A platform that gave them structure. A name that honored their work.
Handy provides that.
More Than Jobs — It’s a Partnership
As someone who has spent years working in marketing across different industries, I can honestly say this project has been the most humanizing and meaningful work I’ve ever done.
It’s not about conversion rates or fancy campaigns.
It’s about people.
Through Handy, I’ve seen this truth: the poor are not lacking.
In fact, they possess the most profound gifts:
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The ability to serve with heart
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The strength to keep showing up
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The humility to work with integrity
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The deep desire to provide—not just survive
This isn’t charity.
This is partnership—a bridge between those who need help and those whose hands are ready to offer it.
My Christmas Gift
I used to measure impact through numbers, metrics, and campaigns.
But Handy taught me that the real measure of success is this: how many lives are empowered simply because they are seen, trusted, and given a chance.
And so yes, I still sometimes wonder why I was born on Christmas Day.
But maybe… it’s so I would always carry the spirit of giving in my heart.
And maybe that’s why this journey with Handy feels like the most meaningful gift of all.