Street children hero and icon Joey Velasco died of kidney cancer complications at 43. Joey Velasco was the one who painted the popular “Kambas ng Lipunan (Canvas of Society)” featuring twelve street children eating supper with Jesus Christ. Joey Velasco has no formal education in painting, but he did several paintings that made him very popular especially among street children mostly from slum areas in Manila, Philippines.
Joey Velasco spent his remaining years in doing social works after he was diagnosed with a kidney cancer sometime in 2005. At first, Joey can’t accept his situation being too young and has lots of goals to achieve in life, but the discovery of his disease was also the day wherein he discovered that he can paint. At his sick bed, he started to paint using an elementary coloring tools only to discover that he has the natural talent of a painter.
To see the video of Kambas ng Lipunan, click HERE
Joey Velasco received several citations from different awarding bodies as recognition of his untiring willingness to share not only his talent but also his earnings in helping the less fortunate in the society. Joey built houses for most of the street children included in the Kambas ng Lipunan characters and helped them buy school supplies to inspire them finish their schooling.
Joey Velasco will be remembered as someone who did not easily give-up life but fought for it by way of doing good for the betterment of other’s lives. May we see more Joey Velasco in such a time as this where hopelessness is hounding the nation as a whole due to endemic poverty – a cancer disease in the society that has been diagnosed several decades ago that needs miracle from on high to heal it.
