Some say cancer is a journey in which the afflicted walks the road alone.
In the case of Presildo Abuke, he undertakes the journey with his stage 4 lung cancer in the company of his family and with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) within his reach.
A former family driver, Presildo has been fighting the disease for 7 years now, a serious ailment he believes to have been caused by excessive drinking and chain smoking during his younger days.
Through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, Presildo is able to receive assistance to buy his life-saving medicine every three months.
“Nung nagpacheck-up po siya nung 2018, nalaman po naming na meron po siyang sakit na cancer sa baga. Matagal na po siyang family driver, pero nun nagkasakit po nahinto sa pagtatrabaho kaya po kami lumalapit dito sa DSWD para po sa gamot niya,” Jenny Abuke, Presildo’swife, told the DSWD’s “AICS Chronicles” team.
AICS is one of the social protection programs of the DSWD that provides financial assistance in the form of medical, funeral, transportation, food, and cash relief assistance, including material assistance, psychosocial support and referral services to individuals and families who are experiencing extreme crisis, as assessed by social workers. Clients needing continuous medical assistance, like Mr. Presildo, may avail of AICS every three months.
During the interview, a teary-eyed Presildo narrated the hardship his family is going through as his maintenance medicine costs P1,000 per day and without a job, they had no other recourse but the DSWD. Presildo also recently had a stroke which added to the difficulties the family had to face every day.
“Ang hirap nga eh, ang hirap maghanap buhay dahil hindi na ako nakakalakad eh, nagpapatulong na lang. Kaya malaking tulong ang DSWD sa akin, dahil nakakakuha ako para sa cancer ko, nakakahingi ng tulong. Malaking bagay po yun. Lahat ng mga ano (tulong) sa dialysis, sa cancer doon lang yun. Maraming salamat po sa DSWD batasan, malaking tulong sa akin yung tuwing tatlong buwan nakakahingi ako ng tulong,” an emotional Presildo said.
To help with his medical expenses, Presildo’s wife Jenny takes on regular laundry and one of their children gives them some money which she diligently budgets. However, with their youngest child just 9 years old, the Abuke family has difficulty making both ends meet.
Full of gratitude and positivity, Jenny focuses on the help they receive from the DSWD every quarter as their family’s ray of hope while they continue to walk with Presildo in his fight against cancer.
“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa DSWD nabigyan po yung asawa ko ng pambili ng gamot niya at saka pang araw-araw din naming pang gastos,” a grateful Jenny said.
The AICS Chronicles is a new online program of the DSWD hosted by Media Relations Officer Mel Cabigting of the Digital Media Service (DMS).
The program, which airs every Monday via the DSWD Facebook page, features real-life stories of individuals and families who were able to overcome financial challenges through the help of the agency’s AICS. (GDVF)