Actress and vlogger Ivana Alawi has been earning praise from people online for giving fishermen a platform in her latest YouTube video.
In her most recent vlog, Alawi heads out to sea with real fishermen to experience a day in their shoes. She shadows 25-year veteran fisherman Tatay Elmer as he and his fellow fishermen set off, only to return to land without securing a catch.
According to Tatay Elmer, he earns Php 1,000 a day as a fisherman. While this might initially seem like a decent amount, half of it goes toward renting their boat. The remaining Php 500 is then divided among five fishermen, leaving each of them with a meager take-home pay of just Php 100.
In order to make ends meet on days when he had no catch, Tatay Elmer took on other jobs. They occasionally even had to turn to groups like the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. (AGAP) for assistance.
Alawi then offered Tatay Elmer some money at the end of the video to help with his family’s expenses. This thoughtful gesture earned praise from social media users for the support she extended to Tatay Elmer.
One user wrote, One user wrote, “Si Miss Ivana ang nagpatunay na kahit wala ka sa politika pwede kang tumulong sa iba. Ginawa ka talagang instrumento ni Lord para makatulong sa iba. God Bless you, Ms. Ivana [Miss Ivana proved that even if you are not in politics you can help others. Lord really made you an instrument to help others. God Bless you, Ms. Ivana]!!”
Another user wrote, “I’m a fisherman’s daughter, fisherman’s sister and a fisherman’s friend. Hindi biro ang kanilang pagod at sakripisyo [Their exhaustion and sacrifice is no joke]. Saludo po ako sa lahat ng mga mangingisda [I salute all the fishermen]. May God bless you Ms. Ivana.”
A third user wrote, “Ivana is so genuine to help. You can really see in her eyes na she really admire those people na lumalaban sa hirap ng buhay [You can really see in her eyes that she really admire those people that are fighting through hardships in life]. I cried while watching. Let’s all pray na lahat ng taong naghihirap, makaka-ahon din [Let’s all pray that all the people who are suffering will be able to get out]. Thank you Ms. Ivana for being an instrument to help those who are in need. God bless you greatly!”
Ivana Alawi’s latest vlog was posted on her channel last April 2 and has amassed 4 million views as of this writing.
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