‘Kuya Berta’ now works as assistant admin staff of Safehaven

Berta, once the face of Cebu’s street dwellers, is now a proud employee of the facility that helped him get back on his feet.       | Photo from Safehaven Addiction Treatment and Recovery Village FB page

DALAGUETE, Cebu—Roberto A. Plando Jr, commonly known as Berta is now working as an assistant admin staff at the facility where he also received treatment.

Berta is the street dweller in Cebu City who melted netizens’ hearts for his transformation. 

He is so happy to share that he now does his daily biometric finger scan when he reports for work.

When asked how he is doing, Berta said he is happy and is enjoying his work and his new life.

“Trabaho gihapon.Happy kaayo ko. Enjoy pud sa work. Moduty  ko sugod sa alas 8 sa buntag hangtod sa alas 5 sa hapon,” he happily told CDN Digital in a video call. 

“Nya ako trabaho kay assistant ko sa admin diri. Mura semi secretary,” 

“Excited (sa work). Nya daghan karon patients kay tingboang kuno ron panahona. Hahaha. Mao’ng ayaw mo pagsige og gawas-gawas,” he added. 

Berta has graduated from his six-month-long rehabilitation from drug addiction under the loving care of SafeHaven Addiction Treatment and Recovery Village last April of this year. 

Berta even has a message to his supporters and fellow Cebuanos. 

“Akong mensahe nila, magpadayong magpuyong boutan, malinawn. Keep moving to this life. Kanunay maampingan kanunay moampo sa ginoo. Manawag sa Ginoo kanunay. Usa pa di mawad-an pag-asa karon pandemic’kay ang tanan problema naay solution. Keep moving forward lang kay ana ang life. Padayon bisan unsay mahitabo. Magmauswagon sa kanunay,” he said. 

The recovery story of Berta started last October when a group of bloggers and vloggers tapped SafeHaven to help Berta get back on his feet after spending years on the city’s streets.

/rcg