Vlogger Small Laude eyes hover around the small shanty where The Voice Kids Champion Lyca Garanoid grew up in.
It only took three seconds for Laude to check out the humble home due to the minimal space of the place then the socialite-philanthropist asks, “Saan ang toilet?” (Where is the toilet?). The seventeen-year-old singer and actress candidly answers, “Sa dagat po”.
This moved Small and businessman husband Philip Laude to volunteer to fix her home where her grandmother, 87, lives. But there are just people who are happy and contented on where they are and Lyca’s grandmother is one of the people blessed with the gift of contentment, she respectfully declines the help offered by the philanthropist couple.
Last August, Lyca decided to sell the house and lot she won in The Voice Kids championship because her grandmother also refused to live there and go back to the fishing village in Tanza, Cavite where they live.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Lyca says, "Talagang marami po akong memories na binuo sa house na 'yun, and para po kay Lola, gusto niya po kami makasama, kaysa naman po malayo kami. Pero dinala po namin siya doon sa house na 'yun, pero umuwi, umuwi po siya. Ayaw daw po niya talaga doon, ang tahimik daw po," (“I really built a lot of memories in my ancestral home. And as per my grandmother, she said she really wants all of us together as one family. But when we brought her to the new house, she wanted to go home, and she did. She said it was too quiet and lonely in the new house.”)
The singer was forced to sell the beautiful home and buy a simpler apartment beside the house of her grandmother so she and her parents can take care of lola. The Voice Kids champion explained why she and her family decided to transfer to a simpler apartment. "Parang gusto ko lang po talaga 'yung ganitong life, parang masaya po. Parang ayoko po ng tahimik, 'yung wala akong naririnig na ingay," (I think I am happier with this kind of life. I don’t like to quiet, when you don’t hear any noise from the neighbors.), Gairanod said. Lyca indeed loved her neighbors. When broadcaster Karen Davila asked her how she wanted to celebrate her birthday, she asked if she can share something with her neighbors.
As Lyca has said in their newest vlog premiered on her natal day, Nov. 21: “Ayaw kasi namin na mag-birthday kami, na kami lang masaya. Gusto rin namin na may mapapasaya kami.” (Ate Karen and I don’t want to celebrate our birthdays with just us being happy. We wanted others to be happy too.)
Through the help of Karen’s sponsors and friends, they gave away 45 bicycles, loading business starter kits, which includes 14 smartphones and 10 pocket wi-fis, to Gairanod’s neighbors.
The neighbors also enjoyed lechon and cochinillo aside from other festive food prepared by Illo’s Party Trays since it was also the birthday of the owner of Illo’s Party Trays. Chef N. Vlogger Small Laude is a close friend of Davila who joined the celebration and gave Lyca a Gucci bag for her birthday. According to the vlogger, she is currently discussing with Karen how they can help in making Lyca’s lola feel comfortable in her home in Tanza.