73-Year-Old Man Makes Classic Parachute Toys Despite Old Age to Make a Living
A 73-year-old man in Tondo, Manila keeps making classic parachute toys and gives his earnings to his wife.
The vendor continues to bring smiles to children while keeping a beloved childhood toy alive. Every day, Butch Bagano carefully makes handmade parachute toys and sells them for only five pesos each.
Despite his age, he remains dedicated to his small livelihood, with every peso he earns going to support his wife.
Tatay Butch is known for selling colorful parachute toys made from simple materials such as plastic bags, strings, and small toy soldiers. He often sets up his stall along Herbosa Street and sometimes sells fruits alongside his toys to earn a little extra income.
On a good day, Tatay Butch can make around 20 parachutes by hand. Although the toys are affordable, sales are not always strong. With modern gadgets and digital entertainment becoming more popular among children, traditional toys are no longer in high demand.
There are days when he earns only a small amount, while reaching a few hundred pesos is already considered a lucky day.
As a child, Tatay Butch never had the chance to enjoy toys because he started working at a young age as a fisherman in Batangas. Through the toys he now creates, he finds joy in giving other children the experiences he never had.
One of those children was Ketzu, who still remembers seeing Tatay Butch outside school many years ago. At the time, he wanted a parachute toy but did not have money to buy one. Seeing this, Tatay Butch kindly gave him a toy for free.
Years later, Ketzu became a parent himself. Today, he buys the same parachute toys for his own children.
In a previous post, an elderly female vendor earns sympathy online after customer allegedly paid w/ old money
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