Stranded Filipinos in Macau, HK, PH turn to social media in cry for help amid travel ban

HONG KONG (Update) - Desperate Filipino tourists stranded in Macau are turning to social media for help, three days into uncertainty since the Philippine government expanded a travel ban to China's two special administrative regions in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has killed one person each in the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Jayson Ocenar, a hotel housekeeper in Macau, said an estimated 100 Filipinos had sought help from the Philippine Consulate there. And given it has been some days now, he expects more may come forward.

Contacted by ABS-CBN News on Thursday, Lilybeth Deapera, the Philippines' Consul General in Macau, confirmed that Filipinos who claim to be stranded in the territory have indeed reached out to the consulate.

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"We are monitoring the situation as there are flights to third countries where they can book a flight to Manila," Deapera said in a text message.

ABS-CBN News was able to interview some of the stranded Filipinos, including those who have infants with them and a pregnant woman. Some of them have lost their jobs.

Ocenar himself has his baby; his mother-in-law, Fe Magdaraog; and his wife's nephew, Ryan Clit Marcaida, a person with disability. Their visit was originally for two months. But worries over the novel coronavirus was supposed to cut it short, only to be extended by the travel ban the Philippines imposed on Macau and China.

Although Filipino nationals are not prevented to return home from Macau, Ocenar says he could not get flights for his family when he tried to book on Feb. 2 and Feb. 4. He know of some Filipinos in a similar situation, too, who later opted to seek help from the Philippine Consulate.

"Yung iba na stranded dito, ang problema nila, 2 months po sila walang work dito. So wala sila income. Wala sila pambayad ng house. Yung panggastos nila, maauubos na," said Ocenar. "Ang sabi nila, 'buti yung sa Pinas, nabigyan ng cash assistance ng government. Sana, sila din daw po," he added.

(For some of the others who were stranded here, their problem is, they've had no work for two months. So they don't have any income, they don't have money to pay for the rent. Their money is running out. They envy those who were stranded in the Philippines and are being assisted by the government. They hope they'd be given the same.)

One of the videos shared by Ocenar to ABS-CBN News shows Khimie Tercias, who is six months pregnant and with a baby. She said she is scared to go out amid reports of the rising number of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases.

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"Hindi po ako makapagpa-check up dito dahil natatakot po akong nadagdagan mga infected, dahil nag-aalala din po ako sa mga anak ko, kasi prone din po sa virus yung mga baby po, saka yung mga bata. Ang gusto lang po namin, sana makauwi na po kami," said Tercias.

(I am unable to go for a check-up because I'm scared about the rising cases of those infected with the novel coronavirus because I also worry about my children… Babies are also prone to viruses. What we want is to just go home.)

As of Feb. 4, there have been 10 recorded cases of the novel coronavirus in Macau. The former Portuguese colony recently ordered its casinos to be shut for two weeks.

Luckily, Ocenar is still required to go to work.

Another mother with a baby is Lhanie Esguerra, who said they have been staying put indoors. She said her visa will expire soon, but is reluctant to have it extended because she doesn't want to have to expose her child to make that trip.

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"Sana po bago matapos yung mga visa namin, mai-uwi namin sila kasi napakahirap po sa amin. Sana po matulungan niyo kami," said Esguerra.

(I hope before our visa expires, we'll able to get them home because it's so difficult for us. I hope you can help us.)

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Tourist Nelhet Bautista said her flight home was supposed to be on Thursday (Feb. 6). She hopes she can head home soon as her visa is expiring on Feb. 15.

"Sana matulungan niyo kami kasi ang hirap talaga dito ngayon. Wala kaming trabaho. Hindi naman po kami pwedeng magtrabaho," said Bautista.

(I hope you can help us because it's hard here. We don't have work here. We can't work here.)

Dianne Arga, an overseas Filipino worker who hails from Lemery, Batangas, was supposed to fly out to the Philippines, for good, on Feb. 10. Her visa is expiring on Feb. 12. She hopes the government will listen to the plea of OFWs.

"Sana po pakinggan niyo po ang mga hinaing namin dito, na 'wag naman po sana i-cancel po lahat ng flights. At gusto ko lang makauwi dahil po yung family ko po na nasa Lemery, Batangas, nasa danger zone po sila dahil nag-aalburuto po yung bulkang Taal," said Arga.

(I wish you would listen to us not to cancel all the flights. And I want to go home because my family is in Lemery, Batangas, a danger zone because of Taal's eruption.)

Meanwhile, some Hong Kong-based Filipino expats who are skilled workers and permanent residents have set up a "#StrandedPH" Facebook group as they feel they have been left out by the Philippine government's advisories.

Many of them are not OWWA members and thus, cannot avail of the P10,000 assistance. The group is encouraging members to share their experiences and news or updates about their condition.

Joms Ortega, a Hong Kong resident stranded in Manila, helps man the page. He said even some employers are worried about the situation of their helpers and have been constantly checking on him for updates.

"One is worried of her helper because she just arrived (in the Philippines), not sure if under quarantine. And one is trying to get her helper back," said Ortega.

"Why would they (Philippine government) keep us here if they can't do anything if we're sick. Also, if we do get sick, they're just going to charge us an arm and a leg for the hospital quarantine," said Ortega.