A 46-year-old mother in Caloocan City who was waiting in line to get cash aid from the local government died after suffering from hypertension at the payout venue on Wednesday.
Josephine Magallanes was at a basketball court in Phase 10, Barangay Bagong Silang, around 1 p.m. for the distribution of P1,000 financial assistance from the city government, when she approached barangay officials in the area to inform them about the people in a disorderly queue.
“May napansin po si mama na mali sa process ng pagbibigay ng ayuda. Yung pagsingit sa pila, nagalit po si mama. Lumapit po s’ya sa isa sa barangay purok leaders para maging aware sila na may ganoong pangyayari, tapos hindi man lang sya pinansin,” her eldest son, Jonel, 23, said on Friday.
Her son said the incident and the afternoon heat triggered his mother’s condition.
“Kaya nagalit po si mama… pagbalik n’ya sa upuan n’ya, doon na po sya inatake,” he explained.
There was social distancing being observed at the payout venue during the incident, so people were not cramped. But her son was disappointed by the response and the alleged inaction of authorities in the area that time.
“Wala po any rescue team at emergency team tapos may sundalo [pulis], wala man lang nagawa for the first aid sana. Tapos ‘yung mga barangay officials, wala din pong nagawa,” he added.
It was only after a neighbor who rushed to their home 10 minutes later that they were informed of his mother’s situation.
Josephine’s husband immediately went to her and brought her to the hospital. But she was declared dead on arrival.
This kind of incident was not the first time that someone waiting in line to get cash assistance from the government died at the payout venue during the COVID-19 venue.
On May 1, an 84-year-old man died of heatstroke in Bacolod City. He was reportedly waiting for his turn to receive a Social Amelioration Program financial aid when he suddenly collapsed. (Joseph Pedrajas)
