Punch and Kael: When tiny arms reach for comfort

In Ichikawa City Zoo, Chiba Prefecture, a baby Japanese macaque named Punch has captured global hearts.

- Ligaya Rabago-Visaya

Abandoned by his mother, this tiny creature found solace clutching a stuffed orangutan toy. Videos show him relaxing only when cradling its synthetic fur --those small fingers gripping desperately for what nature denied him.The world calls it "cute." But for Filipinos, Punch's story cuts deeper. It mirrors our most primal fear: a child left alone, reaching for whatever comfort remains. I see Punch in my almost two-year-old grandson Kael. This little boy lives for his mother's voice. Every tumble, every uncertainty, every waking moment --he cries out "Mama!" with urgent clarity. Whether it's a scraped knee or simple hunger for attention, those two syllables carry all his trust, all his world. His mother responds instantly, scooping him up, and suddenly Kael is whole again. That bond is Filipino family at its essence. We don't just raise children; we carry them --in arms, in laps, in hearts. Extended families mean titos become second fathers, lolo