On Tuesday afternoon, Filipinos who were queueing outside the Philippine Consulate-General’s premises at AIA Tower to collect aid that they had registered for, such as food packs and vouchers, were interviewed by The Macau Post Daily to learn how they coped during the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Macau.
Receiving the aid required meeting certain requirements and a registration deadline, with announcements made on the consulate’s Facebook page and website.
Faith during unpaid leave
A 39-year-old female non-resident worker (NRW), who works as a cleaner, said that coping with life during the outbreak required faith. “Of course, we can’t just live off of faith itself”, she pointed out, adding that finding a way to continue living in the city was necessary. She said that it was stressful as rent and bills needed to be paid, mentioning that she has been on unpaid leave for over a month and has not had a full salary since March 2020. She also talked about the hardship of having to go through unpaid leave.
“We are grateful to the organisations who are giving out assistance, particularly for the food” as it is a necessity, a male NRW aged 31, who works in the same company and was interviewed alongside her, added. Both interviewees also said that organisations who provided aid like Caritas, those providing free rice, as well as churches are where they got food from to get by for a month. Both emphasised that they were thankful for the aid from the Philippine consulate as well despite some of the complications that they had experienced. “For us, it’s alright. We just hope that the aid can be distributed to all [Filipinos] and I hope they can all receive something.
Unpaid leave is a chance to rest
Another male NRW who works as a cleaner said that he only started unpaid leave on July 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures. “I think my life during that time was still alright because I am not a spendthrift kind of person, so I still had some of my savings”, the 33-year-old said.
Having worked in the same company for nine years, he noted that the leave seemed in some ways to be a “favour” as it allowed him to take a rest. Remarking on the aid that the consulate was providing, he noted that the process was quite smooth and that the aid would still help him a lot. However, although grateful, he noted that there were some inconsistencies and inconveniences regarding the process.
‘We did not starve, no matter what’
“Throughout the whole month, I did not receive any aid [from any organisation], but by God’s mercy, I was still able to get by because of the people I am with”, a 54-year-old domestic worker said, pointing out her gratitude for her landlord and the people that she lives with, who helped each other out with food.
Moreover, she was also grateful as Macau’s citywide nucleic acid tests (NATs) and other measures during the pandemic have been free of charge. “That’s what I can be so grateful for”, she said. She also noted that she and her housemates were still able to go out and buy things. “We did not starve, no matter what.” Moreover, as she only has a small salary, she noted: “For whatever God may give me, all I can say is that I am thankful”.
‘Only following measures’
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old female NRW, who is currently unemployed, said that the help from the consulate means a lot to her. She noted that she was unemployed when the outbreak happened, but was able to have a little bit of money saved up from her previous job. “Of course, that will eventually run out”. Regarding the assistance from the consulate, she said: “I understand why it took a little bit of time because they are only following Macau’s laws and measures”.
Filipinos queue outside AIA Tower in Nam Van on Tuesday afternoon to receive aid they have signed up for from the Philippine Consulate-General. Photos: Rui Pastorin
This sign seen on Tuesday outside AIA Tower provides the consulate’s aid distribution schedule.
