CHILDREN all around the world look forward to Christmas because of Santa Claus and the gifts he delivers.

One teacher in Sorsogon has been playing Santa to students for the past five years.

Michelle Rubio has been the real Santa Claus in Calao Elementary School in Prieto-Diaz Sorsogon. She distributed gifts to her students in the past but this year, because of the pandemic, the teacher included other children in her list.

Wearing a pink Santa Claus dress, Rubio continued her gift-giving tradition as “Pinkdemic Santaco Teacher” and distributed learning materials to children.

This is in line with her project “Pinkdemic Corners” or the establishment of home libraries in select households.

“Gusto ko pong makatulong lalo na ngayon may health crisis po tayong hinaharap. Gusto ko pong iparamdam sa ibang tao, lalo na sa mga salat sa buhay na hindi sila nag-iisa sa pagharap sa madilim na bahagi ng buhay nating lahat,” Rubio said.

Aside from learning materials, teacher Santa distributed health kits and vitamins to children.

Rubio also established the Dugtong-Buhay program which enabled her to distribute school supplies and other assistance to poor families and senior citizens during the early months of the pandemic with the help of some donors.

Also, she created “Project M,” named after her departed scholar Manuel Dorado, Jr., which gives scholarships to poor children.

Rubio also launched the MODULOVE or Modules with Love that includes food items in the modules she gives to her students.