A tearful photo of Maximino Simon, a parol maker from Manila, went viral on Thursday night.
His Facebook posts revealed that he was buried in debts after a buyer who ordered 700 pieces of Christmas decorations worth around P50,000 from him backed out of the deal.
"'Di na kukunin 'yan ng buyer, sayang, P100,000 lahat ng bayad 'yan. Paano na ako? Baon nanaman ako sa utang (The buyer will no longer get this, what a waste, it is all worth P100,000. What about me? I will be buried under debts again)," one of his posts on Wednesday read. "'Di ko mapigilan umiyak (I cannot help but to cry)."
After clamors of support from Filipinos online, all of Simon's handmade Christmas lanterns were bought by one buyer: none other than Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso.
In an interview, Simon said he was still crying and drinking at his stall at Central Market in Sta. Cruz, Manila when he was approached by Manila city government personnel on Thursday night.
He admitted that he felt hopeless and no longer cared if he was ordered to leave his stall because he was drinking.
"Nakakapagod na, eh (It's exhausting)," he said. "Sinasabi ko sa asawa ko, bukas RIP na ko... hindi ko alam kung magpapakamatay o... (I was telling my wife that I would die tomorrow, I don't know whether by suicide)," he said.
"Kagabi lang, pinuntahan ako ng tao ni Mayor. Nabuhayan na ko. Bakit pa ko magpapakamatay, eh may mga tumutulong sa akin (Just last night, people working for the Mayor came to me. I was rejuvenated. Why would I kill myself when there are people helping me)," he added.
Now, Simon's Christmas decorations hang all around the city.
The parol maker said the sudden turn of events stunned him, but after what was happening dawned on him, he said he felt nothing but gratitude for the Manila mayor.
Simon has been a parol maker since 1993. It took some time for his business to pick up, but when it did, he used his earnings to build a house in his province, Tarlac, and even hosted Christmas parties for his workers.
But things changed after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) crisis hit. He admitted that he will use his earnings from the sold Christmas lanterns to pay off some of his debts.
With this, the parol maker was moved to tears and said he would be happy to have a simple meal with his complete family on Christmas Day.
Simon said the best thing to happen to him recently was that he was finally reunited with his youngest child, who was left in Tarlac for months due to the travel restrictions brought by the pandemic.
"Masaya na ako kasi dumating na 'yung bunso ko, kahit wala na kaming handa... basta magkakasama kami (I am already happy because my youngest child is here, even if we do not have food prepared on Christmas Day... as long as we are all together)," he tearfully said. "Mahal na mahal ko ang mga anak ko (I love my children very much)."
"Kahit hindi nakuha 'yung mga parol na 'yon, masaya ako, basta kumpleto lang kami (Even if those Christmas lanterns were not sold, I will be happy as long as we are all together)."