February 13 2026

18 Years of Motherhood Beyond Blood: A Commitment to a Lifetime of Care

Mary Grace Gallo, fondly called as Mommy Pangging by the children she raised, is from Guimaraz. In 2007, she joined SOS Children’s Villages Pilipinas as an SOS Mother. Since then, she has dedicated 18 years of service to caring for children in need. Over nearly two decades, Mommy Pangging lovingly raised and nurtured 28 children, offering them not just a place to stay, but a family built on trust, understanding, and unconditional love.

The children in the photo were the first chapter of Mommy Pangging’s journey as an SOS mother.

Mommy Pangging’s journey is based on her love for children and guided by a deep sense of calling. She believed it was a fulfillment of her dream when she was young. Years back, Mommy Pangging wanted to become a nun, a vocation grounded in love and devotion.

“There is little difference between the two,” she shares. “Both require a life of service, devotion, and a motherly heart for those in need.”

When Mommy Pangging officially accepted her motherhood in 2009, she felt overwhelmed and afraid. She wondered if she could truly handle the weight of raising these children as her own. In her uncertainty, Mommy Pangging turned to prayer. She realized that her primary mission was simply to love them unconditionally.

With the guidance of their SOS mother, learning becomes easier and more meaningful for children.

Mommy Pangging fondly recalls the advice given to her by Papa Noel: “Treat them like plants; water them every day with care, and intime, they will grow and bear fruit.” These words became her guide in building a home grounded in love and belonging.

For Mommy Pangging, love should be consistent even on the most challenging situations. For her, love, means seeing each child not for where they have come from, but for who they can become. It is waiting patiently for a child to smile and feel love again.

As an SOS mother, Mommy Pangging is always present during the most precious moments of the children’s lives, like cooking together.

At home, relationships strengthen through simple moments, such as asking a child to be the assistant chef in the kitchen. Other times, it is allowing children to share their opinions, ensuring that their voice matter. She often tells them that they do not need to be the smartest or the best at everything, they just need to be themselves, and it is more than enough for her.

For nearly two decades, Mommy Pangging has dedicated her life to nurturing and caring for 28 children. Today, some of them have begun families of their own and are courageously pursuing the paths they have chosen.

Raising children from different backgrounds and experiences has not been without challenges, but love carried them through. Over the years, Mommy Pangging learned the love is a two-way journey. While she came to guide and nurture, they, in turn taught her valuable life lessons.

Being an SOS Mother has changed her for the better. She has become more patient, softer in heart, yet stronger in spirit. Trough them, Mommy Pangging learned she has so much love to give. She also hopes that people see SOS mothers beyond their title.

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More and more people are joining SOS Children’s Villages Pilipinas in giving hope a chance to children and young people.

Join our mission! Visit www.sosphilippines.org/donate or call +63 2 8373 8767.

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