Melody Damayo builds a school in the Phillipines

Mimi Miyagi (Melody Damayo) was born in Davao City in the Phillipines in 1973. She is known for her work in the adult film industry from which she retired in 1996. Recently, she accepted the Hall of Fame “Legends of Erotic” award many years after her retirement.

Mimi was the second of four siblings growing up in a very poor family. “I grew up in a bunk bed in our kitchen, since our house was so small,” admits Mimi in an online interview, “Growing up poor did have its advantages. It gave me ambition!”

At six years old, she moved to Los Angeles with her family but was sent back to Mindanao for High School. Her family enrolled her in a Seventh Day Adventist academy in remote Bukidnon province, hoping she would absorb Filipino values.

After finishing high school, she enrolled in an Adventist college, but dropped out her second year. She returned to Los Angeles and obtained a scholarship to the American College for Fashion Merchandising, but dropped out without graduating.

Having little money, she answered an ad for “partial nude modeling” and found herself in the adult film industry shortly after.

Today Mimi, also known by her birth name Melody Damayo, should not be so easily judged by her past. Those who are smart enough to invest the time to get to know her will find her a reliable friend, a devoted mother, and a smart and savvy business woman. She accepts her past and is unashamed of it. During her run for Governor of Nevada in 2006, she said “I have nothing left to hide, everybody has seen all of me already.” One of her slogans was “I’m bare and honest at all times”.

Today, Melody invests much of her time and money in a charitable endeavor with her family back home in the Phillipines.

“I recently invested in building high school & vocational schools as well as residential communities in the Philippines. Construction just started to pave roads in Lanao Del Norte for the impoverished to get to the MLD Charity school I’m involved in.”

Currently, the school services the 1st through 3rd grades but the hope is to build the school up to the high school level. Melody is leading the fundraising for the Damayo family.

For more information about the school and to send donations please go to:

www.mldschool.com/index.html

Although I have known Melody for only a short period of time, I can personally attest to her amazing ability to adapt to any situation. No challenge seems to be too much for her to take on. During the course of her career, she has published her own successful magazine and is an adept web designer and programmer. This outspoken, honest and ambitious woman has a heart of gold and is making changes in her community and giving children a chance to learn and grow.