Jan Angelo Batongbakal

Krystal Mejes gives back to Samar hometown for 18th birthday celebration

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Push Team

<p>Most young women would dream of a grand debut, but for <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pinoy-big-brother-collab-v2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><em>Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0</em></strong></a> second big placer Krystal Mejes, marking her 18th birthday meant something else entirely – giving back to the hometown that shaped the woman she has become.</p><p>On Saturday, July 11, Krystal handed out bags filled with goodies to residents of the Pier Dos area in Catbalogan City, Samar. </p><p>Photos from the event showed her dressed simply in a shirt and sweatpants as she went around the community.</p><p>In an exclusive interview with <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>PUSH ABS-CBN</strong></a>, Krystal explained why she chose to hold an outreach for her milestone birthday instead of throwing a lavish party.</p><p>Known to her friends as Tala, Krystal said her mother had reminded her that she was used to living simply, so a modest celebration would be more than enough.</p><p>&quot;Most people would think or say na I should have a grand celebration because it&#x27;s my 18th birthday. Pero ako po kasi, I really grew up simple po talaga. Hindi po talaga ako ma-party na tao,&quot; she said.</p><p>She admitted her mom had wanted her to have a proper debut to mark this special chapter in her life as a young woman. But Krystal decided she would rather share her blessings with the people who watched her grow up.</p><p>&quot;Even my mom was telling me po to have a debut or a birthday celebration. But I think what&#x27;s more fulfilling for me is celebrating my special day with people who actually support me and who believe in me po,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Parang it&#x27;s more important for me to be fulfilled with my community. So, ang sabi ko po kay Mama na umuwi na lang po kami at mag-outreach na lang po kami sa Samar. Tapos kung saan po ako talaga lumaki,&quot; she added.</p><p>For Tala, it mattered that she return to the place that made her who she is and remind the people there that she has never forgotten them.</p><p>&quot;Para mabigay ko po ulit sa kanila &#x27;yung feeling na &#x27;I&#x27;m back, and I&#x27;ve not forgotten about the people I grew up with,&#x27;&quot; she said.</p><p>Krystal also opened up about how fulfilling the experience turned out to be once she saw how grateful the residents were for her simple gesture.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s actually so nice po nung umuwi ako. They didn&#x27;t care about what I gave them, but they remembered being chosen,&quot; she said.</p><p>She recalled how one person came up to her and said, &quot;Tala, damo nga salamat nga ginpili mo kami (Tala, thank you so much for choosing us), sharing your birthday and your blessings with us.&quot;</p><p>For Krystal, that moment alone made everything worth it.</p><p>&quot;Ako po doon ko na-realize na people remember feeling like they matter. And I want to let them know that because of them, I&#x27;m where I am right now because they&#x27;re the first people who believed in me and saw me grow up,&quot; she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fanne.lash.nails%2Fvideos%2F1523928608623483%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="517" height="876" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>The same community was struck by a fire last June. Thankfully, her relatives said, the blaze was stopped before it could reach their area.</p><p>That close call, Krystal shared, was what pushed her to go ahead with the outreach, since it was all she could offer at the moment. She made sure the fire victims were the first to receive what she had prepared.</p><p>&quot;Kaya pinush ko rin po talaga kay Mama na mag-outreach program dahil hindi po ako makakapagbigay ng malaki o makakaabot ng malaki. Pero just the thought na someone is thinking of you guys, someone actually cares about you guys, I want to let them know that po,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Kaya ang inuna ko pong mabigyan ng outreach program ay &#x27;yung mga naapektuhan po talaga ng sunog,&quot; she added.</p><div><br/></div><div> </div>

<p>Krystal Mejes flew back to Samar to deliver relief goods to fire victims and hand out goodies in the community where she grew up.</p>

Krystal Mejes flew back to Samar to deliver relief goods to fire victims and hand out goodies in the community where she grew up.

Krystal Mejes gives back to Samar hometown for 18th birthday celebration

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Krystal Mejes gives back to Samar hometown for 18th birthday celebration

Push Team,

Paolo Lim

Published July 23, 2026 07:59 PM PHT

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