Being a good Samaritan
THE coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has brought the best and worst of humanity. Apart from fear and uncertainty, the pandemic has also made people show utmost generosity through relief goods and medical equipment donation drives by private individuals, groups, and companies.
Dabawenya entrepreneur Rebecca Michelle Prudente is one of the hundreds of individuals who initiated activities to help frontliners and families heavily affected by the pandemic.
The 25-year-old good Samaritan has been doing rounds of donations to frontliners and affected families since the first case of Covid-19 was recorded in Davao Region. She just recently ended the third batch of donations last Wednesday, April 15.
Prudente shared this wasn’t her first time doing this as she also conducted donation drives even before especially during flash floods.
“Nakahuna-huna ko na mag donate para sa atoang frontliners kay kabalo ko na lisod pud ilahang kahimtang karon ug isa pud sa reason para matabangan pud ang atoang government kay daghan na’g gasto ang government ron may nalang ma-less gamay ang expenses sa government ug pakaon sa atoang frontliners (I thought of doing this with the frontliners as my beneficiaries because I know they are making big sacrifices for our country. I also want to help our government even in this little way),” she shared in an online interview.
Prudente, with the help of her two close friends and a partner, had distributed 200 food packs (beef lumpia with togue) and 200 bottles of purified water.
Some of their recipients were security frontliners in Davao Central 911, checkpoints in Buhangin, Quimpo Boulevard, San Pedro, Mintal, Deca Tacunan, and some vendors and families in Buhangin Public Market who have yet to receive ration goods and financial assistance from the government.
“I just hope that all will abide by the rules of the city government, stay at home, because if we will not follow these rules, all the sacrifices made by our frontliners will be put to waste,” she said in vernacular.
But Prudente shared that she is also affected by the enhanced community quarantine as she was forced to close her business as ordered by the city.
She is running an auto repair service company and a water refilling station.
“We suspended our operations for both businesses. We can’t afford to risk the health of our employees. We keep on checking on them, I personally do the groceries for them and deliver it to their houses just to make sure that they have something to eat during this trying time,” she said.
She called on her co-businessmen to support their employees in any way possible.
“Ayaw tawon ninyo pasagdi inyohang mga empleyado mapa gamay o dako man ang income sa inyohang negosyo kay dili mulambo inyuhang negosyo kung wala sila (Kindly keep an eye on your employees no matter how small or big your business is. Remember, they are the core of your business, so let’s take care of them),” Prudente added.
Asked on why she still extended a hand amid her businesses’ volatile situation, she said she used her small savings for this purpose.
“Naa man mi natigom gamay, amoa nalang pud gi-share sa uban (We were able to save a small amount of money so we thought of sharing it to others) – our employees, families, and frontliners, because these are meant to be shared, we are reminded today that all material things are useless for own consumption, so might as well share it to those who need it,” she shared.
Prudente emphasized that one of the few things she realized during this pandemic is that being frugal is important, but being generous and compassionate goes an extra mile.