Kapamilya actress Maris Racal recently went viral after personally distributing rice and food packs to jeepney drivers as part of her 12th anniversary celebration in the entertainment industry.
In videos circulating online, Maris was seen handing out one kilo of rice and whole chickens to jeepney drivers around University of the Philippines Diliman as a way of sharing her blessings and expressing gratitude for her years in showbiz.
In the caption of her Instagram post, Maris wrote: “It’s been 12 years in the industry. Happy anniversary to us, Mariestellers. Love you all so much!”
While many netizens praised the actress for extending help amid the continuing struggles caused by rising fuel prices and the high cost of living, others criticized the scale of the assistance she provided.
One basher commented: “Grabe 15yrs milyon milyon ang kinikita tas 1kg bigas at isang buong manok ang pinamigay amazing ah.”
The remark quickly sparked debate online, with several netizens coming to Maris’ defense and pointing out that the actress was under no obligation to provide assistance in the first place.
Some supporters responded: “Kaloka ang midset mo teh. Baka mayaman ka, ikaw na lang kaya magbigay ng 1sako ng bigas kada jeepney driver. Hindi obligasyon ni Maris ang mamigay pero namahagi pa din siya ng blessings.”
Another netizen wrote: “Madam hnd nya obligasyon yon hnd sya politician pero naka aalala syang tumulong kahit knti. Masaya pakiramdam ng tumutulong lalo na masaya at na appreciate nla kahit maliit na bagay lng. AMAZING talaga kaya maging masaya kna lng dn para sa kapwa.”
Others also questioned why some people still found something negative to say despite the gesture.
“Obligasyon nya? Politiko B sya na may budget para sa ganyan?? Hirap ng tutulong kana may masasabi pa.”
“Ikaw ang best example ng mga taong ungrateful.”
“Mahiya ka nga s katwan mo. mabuti nga naisipan pang magshare ng blessings ang tao.wlang obligasyon ang mga artista s mga katulad nyong hnd marunong magpasalamat.”
Meanwhile, Bernadette Reyes of GMA News also commended Maris’ initiative and emphasized the importance of helping ordinary Filipinos during difficult times.
“Thank you for doing this, Maris. As a consumer beat reporter, this is one of the issues that really deserves attention right now because while there is political unrest, the public continues to wait for help for their hungry stomachs,” Reyes said.
Maris first rose to fame after joining ‘Pinoy Big Brother: All In’ in 2014, where she was introduced as the ‘Singing Sunshine of Davao.’ Since then, she has built a successful career in acting, music, and content creation.
