Set during the administration of
Corazon C. Aquino, Mila Cabangon is a public school teacher who deeply loves and cares for her students despite living with her abusive and good-for-nothing husband, Nato, whom she later leaves because he would often take all of her salary for gambling. She also would be a second parent to Jenny, who is struggling to learn and being pressured by her mother, and Boyet, who was always forced to sell sampaguita by his lazy and drunkard father. During a teacher's convention, Metro Manila teachers decided to go on strike. However, the school principal, Miss Pangan, threatened to terminate them if they went on strike. Despite all of this, they went on strike. Mila met Primo, a young waiter, and they started living together. But, as time goes by, Mila would discover that Primo is addicted to shabu. He said that he would do this every time he has problems. The teachers on strike decided to go on a hunger strike after the Department of Education issued an order for all teachers to return to their duties or they would be dismissed. Primo would become worse. Mila found out that some of their appliances are being sold by Primo, and the money is used by Primo to buy shabu. As Primo attempted to take the stereo, Mila stopped him and destroyed the stereo, and broke up with him. Primo wanted to reconcile with Mila. Mila agreed to reconcile with Primo on condition that he undergo rehabilitation. After having a conversation with fellow teacher Linda, Mila left and roamed around Manila until she reached the red-light district of Ermita, where she met Winona, a known GRO, Rona, and her daughter Leni. She also encounters street children, including Peklat. There, she became a teacher not only on the street but in some GROs in Ermita. Upon the assumption of
Fidel V. Ramos as president, some of the Metro Manila teachers who went on hunger strike became sick. Linda and Teresa saw Mila and asked her to visit them. There, she was reunited with her fellow co-teachers. As she returns to Ermita, Mila, Winona, and Peklat see Rona bringing Leni to an American pedophile by Kalbo, who is a known pimp in Ermita. But, Mila told the American that he can be subjected to possible imprisonment or deportation. The American understood what Mila said and left. This left Rona furious. As time goes by, Mila would suffer from coughs due to her life living in the streets of Ermita. Kalbo was arrested for the exploitation of minor women. When Winona saw it, she feared that she might be a target. Her lifeless body was found along the shores of Manila Bay. Afterwards, by order of Mayor
Alfredo Lim, all nightclubs and bars in the red-light district of Ermita were closed, causing some of the GROs to lose their livelihood. Rona and Leni decided to go to
Carmona, Cavite to start a new life, and Rona reconciled with Mila. She would visit her ailing mother. Mila would ask her why she abandoned Mila, and they reconciled. One rainy evening, Mila decided to join a fellow homeless family despite her deteriorating health, before going to sleep with only an umbrella. The next morning, Belay and Peklat tried to wake up Mila, but she never woke up. Mila was given a hero's funeral by her fellow teachers, attended by her students and from Ermita. It was also during Mila's funeral that the teachers who went on strike were reinstated to their teaching duties. ==Cast and characters==