A photo of Faustina Serrano, an elderly woman living on the streets of Cebu City. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— A netizen is asking help for a homeless elderly woman here who has an eye condition and a face wound that needs medical attention.
Leigh Ybañez, 24, who works in a bank in Cebu City, was doing a donation drive last July 4, 2020, when she chanced upon an old lady in Barangay Capitol Site.
Ybañez identified the elderly woman as Faustina Serrano, 87 years old, originally from Mantalungon in Dalaguete town, which is around 88 kilometers south of Cebu City..
According to Ybañez, Serrano has been living with her son, John, in a makeshift home along the Jasmin Street in Barangay Capitol Site. John, Leigh learned, supports his mother with his earnings from selling candies and cigarettes on the streets.
“Dugay na gyud daw sila dinhi sa Captiol, pabalhin-balhin sila kay na demolish pud ilang gi puy-an sauna,” said Ybañez.
(They have been living in Capitol for a long time, they went from one place to another after their home was demolished.)
Faustina and her son John’s small makeshift home along Jasmin Street in Barangay Capitol Site in Cebu City. | Contributed photo.
Ybañez said that she was able to give some grocery items and food packs to the Serrano family.
But aside from their living condition amid the coronavirus pandemic, Ybañez noticed a huge wound on the elderly woman’s face.
This worried her.
“Iyang samad kay severe naman kaayo. Gikatol lng na niya hantod nidako. And hanap na daw iyang panan-aw. Murag naa nay cataract ata. Basta kay hanap jud kuno, sige ra silag eye drop lng,” added Ybañez.
(The wound on her face is already severe. She scratched it until it has gotten this big. She can’t see clearly, she said. From the looks of it, she may have a cataract. All she said was she can’t see clearly and she just keeps on applying eye drops.)
This is why Ybañez is calling out anyone who can help with Serrano’s condition in any way possible.
“I hope naay maka tan-aw nga doctor ni Lola for her eye condition ug ang samad intawn sa iyang nawng before it gets infected,” she said.
(I hope a doctor can come and visit Lola and check her eye condition and the wound that is on her face before it gets infected.)
For now, Ybañez was able to give Serrano her eyedrops and helped cleaned the wound on her face.
Those who want to help can message Leigh Ybañez on Facebook. /bmjo