Syrian vlogger buys all goods sold by disabled ice cream vendor, pays for his rent

A Philippine-based Syrian vlogger bought all of the items sold by a one-legged ice cream vendor and paid for his rent after the foreigner chanced upon the seller on the streets.

In a Facebook post, Basel Manadil, known for his “The Hungry Syrian Wanderer” vlogs, shared that he was on his way to a construction depot in Alabang for his house’s renovation when he saw the ice cream vendor.

“Kakatila lang ng ulan pero naglalako pa rin siya ng ice cream,” he wrote. “Instead of splurging the money I saved for the natural stones (tiles) I was eyeing for very long, I decided to give it to this well deserving person instead.”

After going down his car and talking to the vendor, Basel found out that the vendor has been selling ice cream for over three years now after his leg was cut off because of a tumor.

“I’ll pakyaw all your tinda, I’ll give you extra money, and I’ll pay your rent. Bayaran ko rent mo,” Basel told the vendor, sharing also that he was willing to give the vendor capital to start his own small business. 

“This material thing I was supposed to get is just a material, it can wait and come in a different time or alternative but the happiness you can give to people who can never repay you is priceless!”

The vlogger said people tend to complain about small things, while those like the ice cream vendor “do their best despite his situation just to provide for his family.”

“Rain or shine, even with just one leg he’s managing to carry his ice cream box,” Basel said.

This isn’t Basel’s first good Samaritan act. In January, the Syrian donated hundreds of N95 masks and cooked over 1,000 packed meals for victims of the eruption of Taal Volcano.

Basel, who came to the Philippines at 18 years old when war broke out in his country, describes himself as the “adopted son of the Philippines,” who is “Syrian by blood, but truly Filipino by heart.” – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News