There used to be a popular radio drama on DzRH back in the 80s that I produced and directed. It was named “Magnon”. An action-fantasy story wherein the main character, Magnon, carried a small person on his shoulders named “Weng-Weng”. Weng-Weng would give the hero luck and had supernatural powers.
In real life, Weng is 2ft. 6 inches tall and goes about in a wheelchair. His real name is Erwin “Weng” Dayrit and he suffers from a brittle bone disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. His Extra Ordinary talent was creating paintings using a mere ballpen. He was the special feature on our show “Kasangga Mo Ang Langit”, on PTV4, 10PM every Fridays.
Ever since he was young, he loved to draw and never let his physical deformities stop him from dreaming and aiming big. When he was a kid, he would fracture his bones easily, like 4 times in a year, causing his extremities to deform.
It was when he was in high school that he realize that he was different. He couldn’t do what everybody else could. I could not enjoy going out with friends, hanging out and other activities teenagers would do. That said, Weng was still able to finish a 2-year drafting course. He wanted Fine Arts, but since there was no course like that in his province in Pampanga, he settled for the 2-year course rather than travelling daily to Manila. Now, he is a part of Guhit Pinas, a social media group of artists.
He has created portraits of Whang-Od (that he was able to personally deliver to her in Kalinga)and Senator Manny Pacquiao (his idol and hero).
As Weng narrated, “una ang gamit ko lang doon acrylic, tapos charcoal tapos nung nasama ako sa group may nakita ako na nag bo-ballpen, ano ballpen art yun. sinubukan ko yun tapos yun naka drawing na ako tapos dun na ako nakilala yung sa ballpen. Dahil impluwensya na rin ng social media nakikita mo na may mga artist na magagaling parang na eengganyo ako na mag drawing, so nung nag drawing ako dati parang napansin nila. So lalo pang na push ko yun sa paunti unti nag stop nako sa art and signs ayun kaya eto inano ko na sya parang ginawa ko ng full time ko na sya tuloy tuloy ko na yung ano. Kaya nga pinalad na ano, salamat sa opportunity na ibinigay na magka one man show ako.”
Last September 3, he was able to put up a one-man show at the Buenas Artes Art Facility.
In gratitude, Weng adds,” marami akong gustong pasalamatan lahat naman lahat naman skin ano. Pero ayun nga yung sa Buenas artes nga sila maam maxy ramos sila fernan de cena tsaka yung guhit pinas lahat naman sila eh parang naging supportive sakin malaking tulong na din sila sakin dahil sa tiwalang binigay nila sa akin. Ayun na appreciate nila yung mga gawa ko salamat.
Weng’s story has served as an inspiration to many. He is the living proof that nothing is impossible if we believe in ourselves and in what we can do.
“Wag lang mag give up kung may pagsubok tayo, so tuloy -tuloy lang tayo walang bibitaw laban lang,” Weng said.