(This open letter addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte, the Inter-Agency Task Force, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia was written by Sister Marietta B. Banayo of the Missionaries of the Assumption in Davao City, on behalf of those who have been stranded in Cebu Citysince the lockdown two months ago. The nun has been stranded there since March 16).
CEBU CITY (MindaNews / 19 May) – Greetings of Peace!
I am one of the stranded persons here in Cebu since March 16, 2020 because the decision of lockdown was immediate and we were not given an early notice, so we had no choice but to stay hoping that it will not be long.
But as days went by, we were put in a situation in which most of us were forced to rent either a hotel room or a house to stay in, incurring additional expenses on our part, including food and other needs.
Good for me because I was able to stay in a place where I did not meet these problems. Thanks be to God. But, just the same, it is already two months of overstaying and I also felt the shame that I am being fed without doing anything.
It is okay because I am always assured to feel at home. But what is heartbreaking to me are the others who commented that they are suffering and are just eating two times a week to save. Until today, other stranded persons are sharing that they, too, are already suffering due to scarcity of money and they are not able to receive any ration from the barangay where they are because they are non-residents. I believe anyone of us can feel what we are feeling at the moment, just waiting when we will be allowed to go home to our families.
So personally, I made many attempts to message our Mayor (of Davao City, Sara Duterte), the Mayor of Cebu City, the Governor of Cebu, Secretary (Harry) Roque (Presidential Spokesperson) and now President Duterte, to please allow domestic commercial flights to operate so that we can go home since we have plane tickets. The government need not spend for our fare. What we need is your compassionate heart to hear our plea. Thank you! God bless!
For and on behalf of all the Stranded Persons,
Sr. Marietta B. Banayo
May I ask all my FB Friends to please like this and share it to your walls so that we will be heard. Thanks!
(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Sister Marietta B. Banayo posted this on her FB page on Tuesday, 19 May 2020. Sister Marietta is a member of the Missionaries of the Assumption, a resident at Assumption Convent, Assumption College of Davao along JP Cabaguio Avenue in Davao City).
