In the heart of Sampaloc, Manila, amid the daily hustle and bustle, Richard Villarosa, a 35-year-old native of Nueva Ecija turned carpenter, embodies the struggles faced by many Filipino families striving for a better life in the urban jungle.

His journey from the fields of Nueva Ecija to the cramped quarters near an estero in Sampaloc tells a story of hope, hard work, and unyielding determination.

Originally a farmer, Villarosa sought greener pastures in Manila due to the uncertainties of farming income.

Now working as a carpenter foreman on a construction site, he earns a meager P900 per day. This income supports his family of five, including his three children — two in college and one still in high school — all enrolled in the local public school, E. Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST).

Villarosa, like many of his neighbors, cast his vote in favor of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., drawn by promises to alleviate the cost of living, particularly the prices of essential commodities such as rice, pork, fish, cooking oil, LPG gas and vegetables.

“What he wants the President to do,” Villarosa said in Filipino, “is to bring down the cost of foods like rice, which we eat every day, so that it becomes more affordable for us who are struggling to make ends meet.”

The allure of affordable rice, a staple in Filipino households, was a key promise that resonated deeply with Villarosa and his community. He recalls the days when rice was priced at P42 per kilo, expressing hope in the President’s pledge to reduce it to as low as P20 per kilo.