Family of mom who died while waiting for bus ride to Bicol gets assistance

The local government of Calabanga in Bicol has extended cash assistance to the family of Michelle Silvertino, the woman who died while waiting for a bus ride to Bicol amid the general community quarantine.

A single mother, the 33-year-old Silvertino left behind four children in Calabanga. She died last Friday after five days of living on a footbridge along EDSA-Pasay in the hopes of catching a ride back home.

According to Vonne Aquino's report on Unang Balita on Thursday, a P5,000 initial cash assistance has been given to Silvertino's family, as the local government of Calabanga considers more.

"Plano naming ibigay is yung pangmatagalan, pag-aaral, pagkain ng mga bata," said Mayor Eduardo Silvero.

Silvertino's eldest is 11 years old while the youngest is three years. The Unang Balita report said the children last saw their mother in January.

Long abandoned by their father, the kids will now be under the custody of their uncle, Silvertino’s brother Mario.

Police said Silvertino tested positive for COVID-19, but Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano said she had yet to be swabbed for confirmatory testing.

Silvertino was buried without a coffin in Pasay City but her family wishes her remains to be brought to Calabanga.

The case of Silvertino reflects the transportation woes experienced by many Luzon residents as quarantine measures bar the operation of public transportation vehicles.

Metro Manila, which includes Pasay City, is on general community quarantine from June 1 to 15, under which operations of provincial buses are not allowed. --KBK, GMA News