MANILA, Philippines – He was too tired and sleepy after a busy night selling balut, but a young boy would go viral for his determination to sell his goods even if that meant resting for a while before going off again to find customers at dawn.
It was Areane Reanoga Tabalan who shared the story of the young balut vendor later identified to be Jerahmeel Dela Cruz, called “Memeng” by his neighbors living at Paradise, Malanday in Marikina City.
A Grade 7 student, Memeng had actually started selling balut back when he was still in Grade 5. According to Areana, the boy had already lost his mother while his dad is sick and could not do much to support him in his studies. So, the boy took matters in his own hands and sold balut to earn money.
But because of his age and the fact that he still spends his entire day in school, the kid gets tired as he sells balut at night.
It was in one of these nights that he stopped to ask whether he could rest a while at the chairs in front of Areana’s house. He was tired and sleepy, but still determined to sell all the balut in his box. It was already quite late into the night, but he wanted to try and sell everything before he goes home to rest for a while.
Then, he has to prepare for his class at 7AM.
Netizens were touched by this boy’s determination, with many calling on the local government to provide him with scholarship. Others said that perhaps netizens should send the kid some money to help him in school so he wouldn’t have to stay up so late just to sell balut.
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
It was Areane Reanoga Tabalan who shared the story of the young balut vendor later identified to be Jerahmeel Dela Cruz, called “Memeng” by his neighbors living at Paradise, Malanday in Marikina City.
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| Photo credit: Areane Reanoga Tabalan - Hanep TV / Facebook |
A Grade 7 student, Memeng had actually started selling balut back when he was still in Grade 5. According to Areana, the boy had already lost his mother while his dad is sick and could not do much to support him in his studies. So, the boy took matters in his own hands and sold balut to earn money.
But because of his age and the fact that he still spends his entire day in school, the kid gets tired as he sells balut at night.
It was in one of these nights that he stopped to ask whether he could rest a while at the chairs in front of Areana’s house. He was tired and sleepy, but still determined to sell all the balut in his box. It was already quite late into the night, but he wanted to try and sell everything before he goes home to rest for a while.
Then, he has to prepare for his class at 7AM.
Netizens were touched by this boy’s determination, with many calling on the local government to provide him with scholarship. Others said that perhaps netizens should send the kid some money to help him in school so he wouldn’t have to stay up so late just to sell balut.
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
