Due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), a street food vendor from Binangonan, Rizal lost his source of income and is now in debt for borrowing money to bury his son.
Lerwen Lasac had one last hope to cling on to—the financial assistance from the national government.
But, he and his parents were not on the list of beneficiaries of the national government’s financial assistance.
Lasac is appealing to the government to include him on the list of beneficiaries of the P1,000 “ayuda (assistance)” in order for him to pay his debt.
“Nananawagan po kami kay Presidente Duterte at sa Munisipyo ng Binangonan na sana po ay maisama kami sa listahan ng mga mabibigyan ng ayuda. (We are appealing to President Duterte and the municipal government of Binangonan to include us on the list of those who will get the assistance),”he said.
The grieving father said that, until now, the P8,000 fee for the burial of his baby, Anghel, who died a day after he was born on April 2, has yet to be paid.
“Hindi po ako makapagtinda para kunita ng pera na pangbayad sa utang namin kasi wala rin pong taong bibili ng mga paninda kong kalamares dahil sa ECQ (I can’t go back to vending to earn a living so that I could pay my debts because nobody buys my products due to the ECQ),” Lasac told Manila Bulletin.
The vendor said he could not still leave his wife alone at home since she is still grieving the death of their son.
“Malungkot po ang asawa ko. Palagi niyang iniisip ang pagkawala ng anak namin. (My wife is very sad. She always thinks about our son’s demise),” Lasac said.
Lasac lost his livelihood as a street food vendor when he, and his fellow vendors were told to vacate the streets near Taytay Tiangge when the ECQ was enforced in the town.
The Office of Mayor Cesar Ynares has assisted Lasac in paying the hospital bills of his baby.
The street food vendor said he wants to get back to work after the imposition of ECQ so he could provide for his family.