PWD who used his pedicab to get home from Caloocan to Sorsogon assisted by riders

Pedicab driver Rommel Balbona, 25 years old, with orthopedic disability used his pedicab to get home from Caloocan City to Sorsogon. He decided to go home together with his wife Gina Cabalse since their source of income stopped when Caloocan City was placed under quarantine in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo credit: news.abs-cbn.com

He's been working as a pedicab driver for 3 years. It is the family's main source of income. When Community Quarantine was implemented, pedicabs were restricted on the streets of Caloocan. The government local units send out relief packs which Rommel's family received. The assistance from the government helped them alot but months of no income gets the toll out of their family. It was then they decided to take risk and leave Metro Manila to search for a job in his hometown, Sorsogon City.

He can't afford transportation fare for him and his wife, so he choose to use his own pedicab to travel home in Sorsogon City instead.

"Kaya po ko nagbalak umuwi ng Sorsogon, gawa po na hindi na po kasi kumikita nang maayos sa pagpe-pedicab sa Caloocan. Kaya nag-isip na lang po na kung may makakatulong po sa amin do'n na mabigyan po nila ako ng kabuhayan, hindi na po ako babalik ng Manila," (The reason why we planned to go home in Sorsogon is that I no longer earn much from driving my pedicab in Caloocan. I thought if someone could help us and give me a job there, I would no longer go back to Manila.) he explained.

Balbona had written his destination on the front and rear of his pedicab when a member of the Bicycle Scouts Project spotted them in Alabang. Bicycle Scouts member Gabriel Nolasco asked them to stop by the side of the road so he could give them food. It was then Nolasco took a photo of them, posted it in facebook and it went viral.

One of the leaders of Bicycle Scouts seen Nolasco's post and shared it to the organization's Facebook group.

It quickly inspired members of the Bicycle Scouts Project to find the couple so they could safely reach Sorsogon.

In a span of 3 days, Balbona and his wife safely arrived in Sorsogon City on July 2 thanks to the help of the Bicycle Scouts Project.

The couple thanks the all of the riders who helped them along the way. They are now in Sorsogon City's quarantine facility for a 15-day quarantine.