‘Sir Mex’ melts hearts online after helping a Grade 3 learner who did not want to burden his parents
ANTIPOLO TEACHER NEW SHOES – A public school teacher in Antipolo, Rizal is winning hearts online this week after he bought a new pair of shoes for one of his Grade 3 pupils, who had been wearing badly torn ones to avoid adding to his family’s expenses. The story spread widely on social media on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
The teacher, Mexdren Funtilar Badillos, known to his learners as “Sir Mex,” said he could not stop thinking about it after he noticed one of the boy’s shoes was almost falling apart that morning.
After class, he asked the pupil why he had not asked his parents for a new pair.
“Kinausap ko na siya kung bakit niya tinitiis ‘yong sapatos at doon ay sinabi niya sa’kin na para raw makatipid kasi alam daw niyang walang pera ang kaniyang mama/magulang. Nagagamit pa rin naman ayon sa kaniya,” the teacher said.
Sir Mex immediately offered to buy him new shoes. When he posted a video about it online, help began pouring in from netizens. Aside from a new pair of black school shoes, the boy also received rubber shoes and socks, and the teacher said he plans to buy school supplies together with the child’s mother using the extra donations.
The pupil’s father works as a security guard, while his mother stopped working to care for his youngest sibling.
Sir Mex has been teaching for more than four years and currently handles classes at Sapinit Elementary School in Antipolo. He said he dreamed of becoming a teacher since he was a child.
“Hindi lahat ng bata ay kayang sabihin ang kanilang mga pinagdaraanan. Minsan, sa likod ng kanilang pananahimik ay may kuwentong naghihintay na may makinig at umunawa,” he said.
Many netizens praised the teacher and called on others in the profession to keep the same open eyes and heart for their learners. For Sir Mex, that is the real measure of the job: “Ang tunay na pagiging guro ay hindi lamang nasusukat sa mga aral na naituro natin, kundi sa pagmamahal, pag-asa, at kabutihang naibahagi natin sa buhay ng ating mga mag-aaral.”