Bike is life for these breadwinners

Many people have turned to delivering food on a bike to make ends meet amid the pandemic—but what if that bike is old, rusty and unsafe to ride?

As part of its 21st anniversary celebration, “Unang Hirit” featured the stories of six breadwinner delivery riders who risk their lives on the road just to feed their families.

Danilo Perialde, 60, refused to let his age stop him from earning money, even if it meant travelling great distances on a rusty old bike.

“Kahit malayo ang nararating ko, pinagtiya-tiyagaan ko parin. Kahit pa makalas-kalas na yung kadena, pinagtiya-tiyagaan ko parin,” he said.

The road is also perilous for Carlo Camarillo, who had to borrow someone else’s bike to deliver ulam whenever his rickety one gave up on him.

“Kapagka wala talaga akong mahihiraman ng bike, pinipilit ko talaga na ideliver [kahit] lakad lang,” he said.

Vincent Salvador recently lost his job at a factory but he still needs to earn money to support his wife and kid. That’s why gets on his bike to deliver food every day, even if it sometimes takes five trips to make P150-P200.

“Pinagkakasya ko po yung kita na ’yun sa pangkain-kain lang naming mag-asawa at sa diaper ni baby,” he said.

Meanwhile, Grade 9 student Nino San Jose is supposed to be in school, but since COVID-19 happened, he decided to work as a delivery rider and make money to help his parents.

Bike is literally also life for a female delivery rider named Jessabel Araneta.

She had to sell her bike after experiencing difficulty in breathing, and she used all of the P3,000 she made for her X-rays, medicine and other essential needs.

Inspired by their hard work and determination, “Unang Hirit” gave each of the six delivery riders a brand new bike, along with some safety kits and tablets to help with their children’s schooling. – Margaret Claire Layug/RC, GMA News