Chie Filomeno urges public to help out-of-work drivers amid lockdown

Chie Filomeno donated to the group of jeepney drivers she saw along Katipunan Ave. Images: Instagram/@chiefilomeno

Chie Filomeno urged the public to help out-of-work jeepney drivers as they struggle amid the pandemic-induced lockdown.

Filomeno shared her experience of encountering a group begging for alms along Katipunan avenue via Instagram earlier today, April 14.

“A couple of days ago we passed by Katipunan [Ave.] at may nakita akong cartolina na nakadikit lang sa barrier at may nakasulat na “KONTING TULONG LANG PO SA AMING MGA JEEPNEY DRIVERS,'” she said.

(A couple of days ago we passed by Katipunan avenue and I saw a cartolina up on a barrier with the words, “A little help for us jeepney drivers.)

“Tapos nakita ko sila nakaupo sa side gutter, sobrang hinang hina at walang pag-asa, I wanted to give them something pero that time I didn’t have relief goods in the car and I didn’t have money,” Filomeno added.

(Then I saw them sitting on the side gutter, looking very exhausted and hopeless, I wanted to give them something, but at the time I didn’t have relief goods in the car and I didn’t have money.)

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Filomeno admitted that she could not stop thinking about the group since seeing them there, noting that her family knows how it feels like to have nothing to eat.

“Simula nung nakita ko sila hindi ko na maalis sa isip ko yung lungkot sa mata nila at yung nararamdaman nila, dahil naranasan din ng pamilya ko yun, naranasan namin, different situation pero alam namin yung feeling na wala ka nang makain sa plato mo,” she explained.

(Ever since I first saw them, I could not stop thinking about the sadness in their eyes and what they were going through, because my family experienced the same thing before; it was a different situation, but we know the feeling of not having food on our plates.)

Filomeno disclosed that she returned to the group of jeepney drivers yesterday to gave them aid, which they were very much happy to receive.

“Nung binuksan ko yung window ng car ko nakita ko na sumaya ang kanilang mga mata at hindi sila tumigil sa kaka thank you (When I opened the car window, I saw their faces light up and they could not stop saying thank you) ,” she said.

Filomeno also pointed out that one of the elderly jeepney drivers was not wearing a face mask, as seen in the photo. While she was not able to provide one as she did not have a spare, Filomeno promised that she would visit them again to give away face masks.

“Kung makakadaan po kayo ng Katipunan [Ave.] after UP Town Center tapat ng Manila Water papuntang Commonwealth you’ll see a cartolina on your right andoon po sila, any amount of money or relief goods will be a big help,” the young actress explained.

(If you go along Katipunan avenue after UP Town Center in front of Manila Water on the way to Commonwealth, you’ll see a cartolina on your right side, they are there, any amount of money or relief goods will be a big help.)

“Tulungan na lang po tayo dito (Let us just help each other here). Stay safe and healthy everyone,” Filomeno stressed.

The lockdown that started last year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on transportation industry workers, especially jeepney drivers. Aside from the group Filomeno helped out, many other drivers have resorted to begging for food and money for their families.

Some 16,000 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers have been hired by the government to operate last January, although many others still cannot get back to work as transportation is limited due to COVID-19. /ra

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