Highlights
- Inanunsyo ni PM Scott Morrison na simulang Hulyo, maaari ng payagang bumalik ang mga international students sa "pilot basis".
- Tatlong buwan ng naiipit sina Joey Espino at ang kanyang asawang si Kris sa Pilipinas.
- Kinailangang pakawalan ng dalawa ang kanilang pinangungupahan na apartment at kinailangang mag-leave of absence si Joey sa eskwelahan.
Plano lamang ng international student na si Joey Espino at ng kanyang asawang si Kris na magbakasyon sa Iloilo ng tatlong linggo. Ang tatlong-linggong bakasyon nila ay naging tatlong buwan.
"Our trip was only supposed to be from February 23 to March 15, then the lockdown happened."
"When President Duterte announced on March 12 that there would be a shut down of domestic flights, we rushed to have our flight re-booked so we can fly to Manila. There were so many people who wanted to re-book,"saad ni Joey.
Nadiskubre ng dalawa na apektado rin ang mga international flights. Napilitan silang magdesisyon kung pupunta silang Maynila at doon maghihintay ng flight papuntang Melbourne o maiwan sa Iloilo.
"Our trip was only supposed to be from February 23 to March 15, then the lockdown happened." Source: Joey Espino
"We only had a 50% chance of flying out. We called up our parents and asked them what we should do. We only had enough money for our vacation and we don't have a bank account in the Philippines. Our moms said to just stay in Iloilo instead of getting stuck in Manila with nowhere to go."
"We didn't know if we wanted to cry or scream; but we had to have presence of mind to make the right decision. We decided to stay in Iloilo. We were depressed for a month."
Habang nasa Pilipinas, pinagdesisyunan din ni Joey na mag-leave of absence muna sa kanyang kursong law.
Joey in Melbourne Central, pre-pandemic. Source: Joey Espino
"The options given to me by the uni were: to take a leave of absence or to continue studying remotely. The internet connection in the Philippines is bad. I've had a bad experience with it when I had to take my assessments here due to an emergency trip. I decided to take a leave of absence instead."
Maliban sa leave of absence, kinailangan din nilang pakawalan ang pinangungupahan nilang apartment.
"Our landlord told us it would be such a waste if no one was living in the unit. We are lucky - our friends who are in Melbourne got all of our things and helped us vacate. We're so thankful."
"We are lucky - our friends who are in Melbourne got all of our things and helped us vacate. We're so thankful." Source: Joey Espino
"We had to still pay rent up until April and we had to pay our bills until early June. We explained that we had no source of income anymore. So instead of using up all of our savings, we opted to give up our place."
Ngunit kahit mahirap ang kanilang sitwasyon, nananatiling umaasa ang dalawa na mag-iiba ang sitwasyon sa susunod na mga buwan, mas lalo na't inanunsyo ni PM Scott Morrison na papabalikin na ang mga international students sa isang "pilot basis" simula Hulyo.
"We're hopeful that we can come back. We've been keeping up to date with the news on international students. We're hopeful," saad ni Joey.
"We're hopeful that we can come back." Source: Joey Espino
BASAHIN / PAKINGGAN DIN
