Filipinos abroad, like always, have found ways not just to adapt and survive, but also to thrive during the coronavirus pandemic. CourageON
were a dark time for Andrea Martinez, a 44-year-old international PhD student in Psychology at King's College London.
Her mother's situation half a world away was compounded by her own in London – she's constantly worried about contracting the virus as she shares a flat with frontline nurses. The panic buying and empty shelves during the first few weeks of the lockdown also left her disoriented. Stuck in isolation, Martinez was consumed by thoughts swirling in her head, unable to get on with her research work.
On top of course work, final projects, and dissertations, they've also had to manage their mental health, the uncertainty around the pandemic and the lockdown, and worrying about friends and family in the Philippines. Martinez said Filipino nurses, who comprise the third biggest group in the UK's health service staff after the British and Indians, preferred Kanlungan's programs regardless of similar offerings in their respective hospitals largely because of language accessibility. The mental health program conducts sessions not just in Filipino but also in Kapampangan, Bisaya, and Ilocano.
With her background in contingency and continuity planning for national government agencies and local government units in the Philippines, Nery offered advice to Kanlungan in the early stages of the pandemic as the organization sought to convert itself into"response mode" for the crisis.
Originally from Cebu before moving to Manila, Yan started looking into the Chevening program in 2010 but felt he was too inexperienced to apply then. After some time in the development sector and the social enterprise field and working with nongovernmental organizations, he attempted to apply in 2014 but quickly learned that his undergraduate degree in education from the University of San Carlos in Cebu was not enough to get him into a UK university.
Six scholars, including Yan, flew home together in a flight that was canceled thrice throughout May and June before finally pushing through also in June. The prolonged anxiety from the cancellations was stressful enough that by the time Yan left, he had long stopped mourning over leaving early and was just happy to be done with it.
As someone with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the uncertain conditions of a pandemic could easily trigger her known tendencies to spiral. Although Ballesteros had access to a therapist from the Philippines and was aware of the necessary responses to anxiety attacks, she knew there was no substitute to being home.
After volunteering with Kanlungan throughout the pandemic, Mejia hopes the organization can be a direct beneficiary of Phinix someday, with Filipinos in the UK who lost their jobs as seamsters.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
David Foster shares advice to Pinoy artists during pandemic
Read more »
Disney's all-Asian 'Mulan' makes historic small-screen debutDisney's lavish $200 million live-action film featuring an all-Asian cast was due to hit theaters in March, but became an early victim of the pandemic
Read more »
ROUNDTABLE: How Filipinos can future-proof their finances amid the pandemicConsidering a career in financial planning? This roundtable discussion will give you insights into what it takes to be part of this industry. Bookmark this page to find out more. BrandRap
Read more »
How you get viruses and germs on your clothes, and what experts recommend to remove themDuring this Covid-19 pandemic, the quarantine protocols have forced us to StayAtHome, and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has mandated the
Read more »
'A blessing to many': Friends, fans mourn death of Lloyd CadenaThe Filipino vlogger is remembered by friends and fans for his humor, energy, kindness, and generosity.
Read more »
GMA offers free use of digital TV channelsMANILA, Philippines — GMA Network Inc. is offering the free use of two of its digital television (DTV) channels as the government prepares to implement remote learning during the COVID-19
Read more »