MANILA, Philippines – Last year, he went viral as the ‘Ukulele Boy’ for his impressive performance while caroling with his ukulele, but Chan Jonlie “Tongli” Cabradilla, 12, recently lost his ukulele in a fire that burned their house down just a few weeks before Christmas. With no house to live in and no ukulele to use in caroling to at least earn some money for food, his mother is seeking help so they can have something as the new year begins.
According to Jojie Cabranilla, the mother of Jonlie, the family had gone out caroling on that fateful night, December 9. After hours of being out, the family were tired and immediately fell asleep at their home in Barangay Lawaan III, Talisay City in Cebu. It was quite lucky, actually, that they heard their neighbors shouting “Sunog!” (Fire!)
Jojie’s husband was the first to wake up. He immediately woke the family and they all rushed outside. In their confusion and panic, they were not able to pick anything from their house – all they had were the clothes on their back.
As their next-door neighbor’s house was already engulfed in flames and the fire already licking at their home, the family had no choice but to flee. Going back to their house would have been a disaster. Sadly, their house burned to the ground, with everything in it – including all their clothes, appliances, and the family’s ukuleles.
With the ukulele being the musical instrument that Jonlie is known for and the one that got him a regular gig at the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House during weekends, Jojie appeals for help in getting her son a new one. The rest of the family also used ukulele for caroling, but it is Jonlie who earns more for the family in his regular gig at the tourist spot.
Right now, Jonlie borrows a ukulele from his uncle to continue playing at the ancestral house so they could rebuild their home.
Here’s a throwback of the video that made him go viral last year:
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
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| Photo credit: Chan Jonlie “Tongli” Cabradilla / Facebook |
According to Jojie Cabranilla, the mother of Jonlie, the family had gone out caroling on that fateful night, December 9. After hours of being out, the family were tired and immediately fell asleep at their home in Barangay Lawaan III, Talisay City in Cebu. It was quite lucky, actually, that they heard their neighbors shouting “Sunog!” (Fire!)
 |
| Photo credit: Tj Clemente / Facebook |
Jojie’s husband was the first to wake up. He immediately woke the family and they all rushed outside. In their confusion and panic, they were not able to pick anything from their house – all they had were the clothes on their back.
As their next-door neighbor’s house was already engulfed in flames and the fire already licking at their home, the family had no choice but to flee. Going back to their house would have been a disaster. Sadly, their house burned to the ground, with everything in it – including all their clothes, appliances, and the family’s ukuleles.
 |
| Photo credit: Chan Jonlie “Tongli” Cabradilla / Facebook |
With the ukulele being the musical instrument that Jonlie is known for and the one that got him a regular gig at the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House during weekends, Jojie appeals for help in getting her son a new one. The rest of the family also used ukulele for caroling, but it is Jonlie who earns more for the family in his regular gig at the tourist spot.
Right now, Jonlie borrows a ukulele from his uncle to continue playing at the ancestral house so they could rebuild their home.
 |
| Photo credit: Chan Jonlie “Tongli” Cabradilla / Facebook |
Here’s a throwback of the video that made him go viral last year:
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
