Child with special needs holds benefit concert for schoolmates without access to online learning

MANILA - In order to help raise funds for scholar schoolmates who have no access to online learning this summer and the upcoming school year because they neither have gadgets nor internet connection, 12-year-old Luis Ignacio Gatchalian, who has special needs, held a benefit piano concert for a cause.

Luis, who learned to play the piano when he was 6, performed to benefit his scholar schoolmates at the One World School despite being camera shy and always being nervous.

“These scholars don’t have laptops, or tablets then WiFi at home and because they don’t have that, they don’t have access to online learning. 'Yung teacher ni Luis decided to put together a benefit concert where people can donate. It’s not required but if they want to, they can donate while listening to Luis play or watching his play,” his mom Chie told ABS-CBN News.

Luis is a child with special needs, but this did not stop him from doing what he does best -- helping other kids.

“Nervous, but they’re not gonna see me when they clap for me. I won't hear them,” he said when asked how he felt about his first mini piano concert.

At first, playing the piano was just a hobby and a passion of Luis but it brought a purpose after his teacher approached him and his mom for an idea to hold a mini-concert to help scholars join the “new normal” in education brought by the pandemic.

Luis and Chie are both hopeful to raise enough funds for the cause and are both open to possibly holding another mini piano concert.

“If I keep finishing pieces, that means I might have another one,” the child pianist said.