Julia Christine Botin

Article (news)

Jonathan Cellona

ABS-CBN News

The lamp posts along Burgos Avenue cast a soft, amber glow over the asphalt, a quiet contrast to the blurring headlights of cars whizzing along Roxas Boulevard. In the distance, the Great Flag at Luneta waves proudly against the night sky, marking the heart of a city preparing for its most sacred tradition. As the clock inches toward midnight, millions of Filipino homes are filling with the scent of hamonado and the sound of laughter. Noche Buena is, by definition, a portrait of completeness: Nanay and Tatay at the head of the table, children playing at their feet, and a roof to keep the world at bay.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766637213229BR0I2033.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Couple Michael and Marichu take their Noche Buena in their temporary home: A pedicab in Manila on December 24, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News But for Michael and Marichu, the portrait is framed differently. Their home doesn&#x27;t have a front door; it has three wheels.</div><div> A House Called a Pedicab</div>For the first time in their lives, this couple is spending the holidays without a permanent roof. Their &quot;house&quot; is a pedicab—a cycle-driven sidecar that has become their sanctuary, their bedroom, and tonight, their dining hall. The nearby street lamps provide their only electricity. A few thin blankets offer a meager defense against the midnight chill, but their biggest enemy is smaller and more persistent. &quot;It’s the mosquitoes,&quot; Marichu explains. Even on their limited budget, they have to set aside precious pesos for repellent. To them, a coil of incense is not a luxury; it is a shield against dengue.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766637645929BR0I2020.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Couple Michael and Marichu take their Noche Buena in their temporary home: A pedicab in Manila on December 24, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN NewsMichael (49) and Marichu (53) are victims of the &quot;Manila Dream&quot; gone sideways. Michael left his parents and children in Tarlac years ago, hoping a construction job in the city would provide a better life. For a while, it did; he worked as a parking attendant until a change in city administration left him jobless.</div>Marichu traveled even further, hailing from General Santos City in Mindanao. She came to be a vendor, but as time passed, the city&#x27;s unforgiving pace outran their dreams.<div> The Banquet of Handouts </div>Tonight, their Christmas &quot;lanterns&quot; are the neon signs of luxury hotels glowing in the distance. Their feast is a collection of kindness from strangers. Handouts from car owners who parked along the stretch of Burgos throughout the day. Their Noche Buena Menu for tonight consists of 2 rolls of sliced bread. Some Packets of 3-in-1 coffee (which doubles as a spread for the bread). A small remnant of mayonnaise, to keep the bread from tasting so-so, and two bottles of soft drinks, bought with Marichu’s carefully saved coins. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766637800410BR0I2072.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Couple Michael and Marichu take their Noche Buena in their temporary home: A pedicab in Manila on December 24, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News There are no smartphones to video call their families in the provinces. There are no gifts under a tree. There are only the two of them, the bread, and the coffee. </div><div> Pride Amidst the Struggle </div>Despite their situation, Michael speaks with a quiet, stirring dignity. He isn&#x27;t looking for a hand-out; he’s looking for a hand up. He stays close to the pedicab to care for Marichu, who now requires maintenance medicine for her health, earning what he can by sweeping the streets and watching over parked cars.&quot;I just want us to survive every day,&quot; Marichu says thoughtfully, her eyes reflecting the street lights.Michael adds a wish that is both modest and monumental: &quot;I hope we get the chance to rent a real house again.As If to say, when he finds someone who just gave me a chance, I would make the best of it. <div>A Message of Grit </div>As the rest of Manila erupts in fireworks and celebration at the stroke of midnight, Michael and Marichu will remain in the shadows of the secondary roads, their pedicab tucked away from the main highway. They represent the thousands of Filipinos for whom the street is their home and occasional passersby are their only company. Yet, their spirit remains unbroken. To those sharing their fate this Christmas, Michael offers a message of stubborn hope: &quot;Sa aking mga katulad, kahit anong danasin laban pa rin tayo. Sa tamang lugar kung saan tayo dapat.&quot; (To those like me: whatever you go through, keep fighting. Stay in the fight where you should be. ) For Michael and Marichu, the goal is simple: let this be the last year they spend Noche Buena under the stars. Until then, they have their bread, their coffee, and each other.<div> <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766637925333BR0I2010.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Couple Michael and Marichu take their Noche Buena in their temporary home: A pedicab in Manila on December 24, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</div>

For the first time in their lives, Michael and Marichu are spending the holidays without a permanent roof. Their 'house' is a pedicab—a cycle-driven sidecar that has become their sanctuary, their bedroom, and tonight, their dining hal

For the first time in their lives, Michael and Marichu are spending the holidays without a permanent roof. Their 'house' is a pedicab—a cycle-driven sidecar that has become their sanctuary, their bedroom, and tonight, their dining hal

A Noche Buena on Three Wheels

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A Noche Buena on Three Wheels

Jonathan Cellona,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 25, 2025 01:59 PM PHT

|

Updated December 26, 2025 12:57 PM PHT

Read More:

Christmas

Noche Buena

pedicab

Manila

Burgos Avenue

Roxas Boulevard

Pasko

Michael

Marichu

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