ILOILO CITY – Ma. Doris Soriano, 26, is a resident of Barangay Tanza- Timawa Zone II, which is locally known as Tanza-Patyo (Tanza Cemetery), since the Barangay is located inside a cemetery. Doris has three children, two are in school.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Doris worked as a Saleslady in a small shop that sells clothes and accessories. There, she usually earns 350 pesos per day. Her husband works in different jobs like pedicab driving, fish vending, construction works, and so on. Their work, before the pandemic, enabled them to provide the needs just enough for their growing children and family.

When the pandemic happened, Doris’ husband was not able to go back to work due to different policies like restrictions in mobility and the suspension of public transportation. Moreover, due to the declining customers, the shop where Doris worked before was forced to shut down, leaving her and her husband with no other sources of income. “Due to COVID-19, we lost our jobs. We are now inside of our house with no other sources of income,” Doris said. Doris and her family rely on her father, whose income in working in the cemetery is also affected by the pandemic. “Now we rely on my father, who sometimes has nothing to give. There are times that we eat twice a day, sometimes we eat nothing,” Doris added.

“If we have nothing, then we have no choice. We don’t have other sources of income,” Doris said.

Doris is one of the 400 beneficiaries of PCDR’s Relief Assistance for Families Severely Affected by COVID-19 in Iloilo City, where she received food packs composed of rice, mung beans, dried fish, cooking oil, and sardines. She also received hygiene kits composed of face masks, alcohol, and hand soap.

“All I can say to those who give us the relief goods is that I am very grateful,” Doris said. “Without all of these, we may not have anything to eat,” Doris added