KALIBO, AKLAN – Arlanie Luciano, 42, is a mother of two from Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan. Both of her children are currently high school students. Arlanie is a housewife and their family rely mainly on the income of her husband for their daily needs. However, due to COVID-19, her husband’s source of income was affected, which pushed her to do laundry servicing to augment for their needs.

Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, Arlanie’s husband works as a car mechanic in a small shop. His daily earnings is just enough for their family to eat at least three times in a day and for their children to go to school.

When pandemic happened, Arlanie’s husband’s source of income was affected as the number of customers going to the mechanic shop declined. “The impact of pandemic to us is big. Now, the income of my husband was affected because there are no more customers in the shop, because the customers do not also have the means to pay in the first place,” Arlanie said.

“Sometimes, I accept laundry service as an extra source of income. Sometimes, if we really have nothing, I ask for my parents and siblings,” Arlanie added when asked how are they surviving despite the economic impact of the pandemic.

Arlanie is one of the 885 beneficiaries of Mercy Relief’s Relief Assistance for Communities Affected by COVID-19 in Western Visayas, 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.

“We are really grateful to those who helped us, those who gave this. This will really help us now because this is what we need at the moment,” Arlanie said. “We call on those who have big heart to continue helping us and those who are in need because of this pandemic, Arlanie ended./PCDR