Written By: Cyprus Jeremy Geremia
STRIVES FOR LIFE. Florencio Omaña Jr. is seen riding his tricycle from the hospital. Photo captured by Cyprus Geremia.
In the small town of Trece Martires, province of cavite a 49 years old tricycle driver Florencio Omaña Jr. who happens to be a dialysis patient for six months is also a single father to three young children, Janina omaña 14 years old his eldest, Florence omaña a 12 years old lad, and his youngest Kristine Jazzlyn Ayson.
Florencio works as a tricycle driver listed under barangay cabuco terminal section. His earnings reach up to 600 maximum and 300php minimum with the deduction of a 150php for his boundary fee. This said earnings isn't really for regular, for he is in need to attend his dialysis session every twice a week that costs over 1100php per session which is fortunately deducted by the given government support that lessens it for as low as 380php per session in which excludes his medical necessities like medicines and other aiding equipment in which according to him, he does not mind to purchase such needs at all for it will only burden their budget and instead spend it for much more necessary things, like foods and shelter for his children.
‘’I need this job for my children, I need to keep myself alive everyday to feed them and give them shelter to live in. If I die today, what do you think would happen to the future of my kids?’’ - Florencio Omana
His situation is already burdened by the crisis of pandemic and gone far worse when a sudden increase of gasoline price occurred recently up until now.
Earnings in his job with no consistent regularity is in a serious threat that could possibly load more burden and problems to him and to his hungry little children.
What more to expect, Florencio Omana is only one out of millions of Filipinos who suffered and currently suffering from extreme poverty and other issues that is rapidly killing our community, there are other children who’s hungry, an elderly who cannot afford to buy medicine, homeless people who’s astray looking for shelters to sleep at night and other Filipinos who’s dying everyday because of sickness, virus and hunger.
Is our government really that blind to look below our poverty line? Do these regular individual’s daily earnings is really enough to fuel their chance to survive this vast community?
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