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2020-09-04 Β |Β β±οΈ 22:04 Β |Β ποΈ 32.4K views Β |Β π 3.8K likes Β |Β π¬ 1.1K comments
Pea and her friend Jen take 5,000 pesos (about $100 USD) to the Dumaguete wet market and assemble five food packs to distribute to people in need around the city. The video documents each purchase, each recipient's story, and how far the food will stretch β showing what a modest sum can accomplish in the Philippines during the pandemic.
What's Covered β
Shopping at the wet market
- Pea buys five sacks of rice at roughly $5 each β each sack contains 5 kilos (about 11 pounds)
- She estimates a family of six can eat for 2β3 days on 5 kilos of rice, drawing from her own experience growing up in a family of six where her mom could stretch rice into porridge for up to six days
- Additional purchases: seven kinds of canned goods, two flavors of instant noodles, three-in-one instant coffee (which she says Filipinos love), and crackers
- Total budget: 5,000 pesos ($100 USD), divided into five equal food packs
- Her math: 30 people can eat for up to a week on this amount
Recipient 1: Nanay Clarita
- A mango vendor along Dumaguete Boulevard, selling mangoes for 10 pesos each (about $0.20 USD)
- Has been selling at this spot for seven years
- Lives with three children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren β a full house
- Had made no income yet that day when Pea approached her
- Was in tears receiving the food pack, saying it was a big help for her family
Recipient 2: Kuya Ernie
- Found outside the Dumaguete church
- Lives with his wife and a 13-year-old child β three people total
- He is the sole income earner in the family
- Said the food pack would last more than one week for his family of three
Recipient 3: Nanay Nolita
- A 56-year-old peanut vendor at Quezon Park, also roaming Dumaguete Boulevard
- Sells bags of peanuts for 10 pesos ($0.20 USD) each
- When asked how long the food would last, she said she could stretch it up to a month
Recipient 4: Ate Gina
- Pea ran into her unexpectedly at Quezon Park β same spot, same woman from her earlier pandemic video
- Gina was still selling the same items: biscuits, candy, and water
- Was visibly happy and emotional to see Pea again
- Said she had something to cook that night because of the food pack
- Estimated the rice would last three days and the canned goods could be stretched to three weeks
Recipient 5: Tata (the musician)
- A street musician playing along the streets of Dumaguete
- Has been performing there for 20 years β two decades
- Plays from 5:30 AM to 8:00 PM daily
- His favorite music is OPM (Original Pilipino Music)
- Supports his wife, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews (nine people total)
Cultural and practical notes throughout
- The weather during filming: 32Β°C (about 89.6Β°F), feels like 35Β°C (about 95Β°F) β Pea emphasizes how hot and humid it is while walking around
- Pea uses the Filipino terms of respect throughout: "Nanay" for older women, "Kuya" for older men, "Ate" for older sisters, "Tata" for elderly men β explaining that this is the Filipino way of showing respect to elders
- The video serves as the first episode in what she plans as a recurring "Random Acts of Kindness" series