ILOILO CITY — An artist from Antique province has decided to slash prices of his oil-based paintings to raise funds for his family’s coastal homes that were damaged by Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) in Culasi town, Antique province.
“We were just badly hit by a strong storm surge and we need enough funds to at least repair our homes. Free shipping anywhere in the Philippines,” said Rolando Zaballero in a Facebook post.
Zaballero explained to Manila Bulletin that while their homes were destroyed, his paintings were all saved as he took it to the nearby school for safekeeping before the typhoon struck.
Zaballero’s oil-based paintings that mostly depict the rural life in Antique province are discounted anywhere from 25-percent to 40-percent.
The 33-year-old father and husband said that he and his family were made to go back to their damaged homes after they temporarily evacuated to a nearby school.
Zaballero didn’t really want to slash the prices, but he needed to sell his paintings as fast as he could for his family.
There are two adjacent damaged homes. One is for Zaballero, his 32-year-old wife and five-year-old daughter.
The other is the home where his 57-year-old father, 54-year-old mother, 24-year-old sister, 15-year-old brother, and two other children are staying.
Zaballero said he hopes all of his remaining paintings will be sold. Zaballero turned to painting last year after losing his job as a graphics artist for a company in Boracay Island.