A delivery service rider from Caloocan City turns to selling “chicharon” or deep-fried pork rind in his spare time so he could earn extra income for his family’s needs during the pandemic season.
Allan Dahildahil, 39, has been selling chicharon to customers inside a coffee shop in St. Charbel, Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City since a nationwide lockdown was imposed in the country at the start of the coronavirus outbreak early this year.
Photos of Dahildahil were shared on Facebook by netizen Ryan Nolasco last November 30 after he caught Nolasco’s attention when he saw him offering goods inside the coffee shop. According to Nolasco, he approached Dahildahil and asked him about his sideline.
ANG DAPAT NATIN TULARAN ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
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Naisipan namin bumili ng pinsan ko dito sa Starbucks…
Posted by Ryan Nolasco on Monday, November 30, 2020
“Kuya, bakit hindi ka na lang po mag Grab, ang dami naman po atang nagpapa-order ngayon [ng pagkain] lalo na’t pandemic at maraming nasa bahay lang[?] (Brother, why don’t you work as a Grab driver especially now that there is a number of people ordering food online during the pandemic and many are just at home?)” Nolasco asked.
“Sir kasi kailangan ko po dumoble ng kayod. [Nagdedeliver] din po ako pero pag tuwing walang booking [ng customer], dito talaga [ako] pumepwesto para i-resell itong mga chicharon na nabibili ko [sa Santa Maria, Bulacan] (Sir, it is because I need to work harder. I also deliver [through Grab] but when there are no [customer] bookings, I actually position myself here to resell these chicharons I bought from Santa Maria, Bulacan),” Dahildahil responded.
“Sa sobrang hirap ng buhay po lalo ngayon, kailangan ko po [itong] gawin kasi eto lang po ang bubuhay sa pamilya ko (Given how difficult life is especially now, I have to do it because this is the only thing that will keep my family alive).”
Dahildahil also told Nolasco that he does not earn much as a delivery service rider so he looked for other income sources. Fortunately, the manager of the coffee shop in St. Charbel allowed him to sell in their area.
In an interview with INQUIRER.net, Dahildahil said he has been working as a delivery service rider since 2018. Due to slack in customer bookings and delivery services, he had to find ways to generate other sources of income to continuously provide for the needs of his children and have enough money to pay for their electricity and water bills.
Right now, Dahildahil lives in a makeshift house in Caybiga, Caloocan City, together with his wife and their two children. Allan’s wife has no job right now and only manages their small “sari-sari” store at home.
Allan Dahildahil’s makeshift house with “sari-sari” store in Barangay Caybiga, Caloocan City. Photo courtesy of Allan Dahildahil/Facebook
“Isinasabay ko po ang [pagtatrabaho sa Grab] at pagtitinda. Pag wala akong booking, nagtitinda ako. Pag may booking, aalis muna ako sa pwesto at [magdedeliver] muna (I am [working for Grab] and selling at the same time. When I do not have bookings, I sell. When there are bookings, I leave from my post for a while and attend to my Grab deliveries first),” Dahildahil told INQUIRER.net.
Dahildahil said his earnings from his delivery services and from selling chicharons differ from time to time. Sometimes, he earns around P500 to P1,000 a day, including his income from his deliveries, and sometimes, he earns less.
“Kahit paano, pang maintenance rin ng motor ko para sa pang araw-araw na biyahe (Somehow, it is also for the maintenance of my motorcycle for my daily trips),” he said.
For Dahildahil, he needs to continuously find means to support his family and to fulfill his family’s dream of having their own house and lot in the future. [ac]
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