You’ll never understand the plight of other unless you experience it first-hand. For the Kapamilya TV host and actress Anne Curtis, this is exactly what she realized in a special episode of the hit noontime show “It’s Showtime” for the Lenten season. The 33-year-old actress disguised as a vendor for a day to help Maring and Carlos Cinco to sell rags at a footbridge and highway. According to her, she needed to dress like a rag vendor to avoid the public’s attention.

Curtis took up the challenge of doing the job of Maring Cinco and her grandson Carlos for a day, while the rags maker and vendor, together with their family, were given the VIP treatment by other hosts of the noontime show. Curtis, known for her sartorial taste and regular OOTDs, was given a “makeover” — apart from practical clothes to wear on the street, she wore a wig, a hat, and a face mask to conceal her identity.

Initially, Curtis stayed on a footbridge, until she was told by a barangay official that vendors are prohibited there. Agreeing that “laws should be respected,” the actress instead went on a sidewalk to sell the rags to passing drivers. Her turn as a street vendor was met with several rejections, to a point that she Curtis admitted she felt like crying, now realizing the daily experience of Cinco and the difficulty of earning enough for food and other daily expenses.

She said: “‘Yung pinaka mahirap doon, kahit ano’ng effort mo, ‘yung mga tao, hindi ka pa papansinin. Dadaanan ka lang nila, kahit ‘hi,’ ‘hello,’ pagbibigay man lang ng recognition na nandiyan ka, as in wala. At one point, gusto ko nang umiyak, kasi ito ang nangyayari sa kanila. Dadaanan lang sila ng mga tao. Imagine, you’re there trying to sell pieces given to you by your lola or your mom, gusto mong makabenta kasi wala kayong kakainin, or kailangan mo ng pambaon bukas, tapos walang pumapansin sa ‘yo. Sabi ko, ‘Gosh, ang hirap ng ginagawa nila.’ Nilalagay ko ‘yung sarili ko [sa posisyon nila].”

As the day passed, however, Curtis managed to sell several pieces of the rags, for a total income of P1,670. She turned this over to Cinco and her family at the end of the segment, but that wasn’t the only thing they received. They were surprised with groceries, a laptop, a washing machine, a television set, as well as a four-year college scholarship for Cinco’s grandson, Carlos.

Reflecting on her experience as a street vendor, Curtis said: “Doon ko na-realize, that’s how hard it is. ‘Yun lang ‘yung way of them to have a living, ang magbenta ng basahan, e hindi nga lahat ng tao, kailangan ng basahan every day. Iba ‘yung respeto ko. ‘Di ba, tayo, we take them for granted, hindi natin pinapansin ‘yung mga kumakatok, ni hindi nga natin na-a-acknowledge. Iba na ‘yung [pananaw] ko — ‘Sige na, bili tayo, para makauwi na sila.’ Now na alam ko kung ano ang istorya ng isang basahan na ‘yun, iba na ‘yung respeto ko sa mga nagtitinda.”

Source: Pilipino News