“I’m Via M. Ladiet. I’m 20 years old. I live in Brgy. Bacuranan Passi City, Iloilo. Currently, I am in second Year College, taking up Bachelor of Science in Criminology. There is a community quarantine all over the Philippines, thus, the government is very strict in implementing safety precautions. This includes closing public establishments, advising everyone to stay at home, guarding the borders and many more. Though I am at home with my parents, we are still worried. My sister, Michelle, is working as a cashier in a grocery store at Festive Walk, Manduriao, Iloilo. When other establishments closed down and workers were sent back to stay in their homes, people were concerned about where to get or purchase food. My sister’s workplace is one of the few establishments that were allowed to operate. And when the management asked for some employees to stay, my sister willingly presented. To protect herself against the risk of getting infected, she brings alcohol, wears mask and washes her hands every 30minutes. Still, my sister is facing many challenges. One is transportation. All public transportation services were limited, so she had to walk from work to her boarding house. Also, her customers includes foreign students; she is nervous that someone from their customers might be infected. She also worries that her consumption budget will not last if the quarantine will extend. She is very tired but always reminds us to take good care of ourselves.“
– Via, beneficiary of CAMELEON’s Community Development program, whose sister is a salesgirl in iloilo
