Highlights
- Ginawa ni Ricky Vasquez ang lahat upang makapiling ang kanyang ina sa mga huling araw nito.
- Wala daw siyang nakuhang tulong sa pamahalaan ng Pilipinas at Australya upang makauwi ng Melbourne.
- Ang pinaka-maagang sweeper flight na maari niyang sakyan ay sa katapusan pa ng Oktubre, ngunit walang kasiguraduhang hindi ito makakansela.
"My wife is in Melbourne. She's the one holding down the fort. I've lost my job because of my mum's situation," Filipino-Australian Ricky Vasquez shares.
"We're trying to keep our heads up and solve one problem at a time. Right now, that first problem is how to get back home."
Mga huling araw ni inay
Ricky, na naninirahan sa Melbourne mula 2008, ay nagplanong lumipad patungong Pilipinas noong katapusan ng Marso upang alagaan ang kanyang inang may malubhang sakit.
"I already had a ticket, but events overtook me. The pandemic exploded and lockdowns happened."
"In the meantime, my mum's condition took a turn for the worse."
Ang lumalalang kondisyon ng kanyang ina ang nagtulak kay Ricky na maghanap ng paraan upang makapuntang Pilipinas.
Ricky and his mum Source: Ricky Vasquez
"Sweeper flights were organised to repatriate Australian citizens in the Philippines back to Australia; and on the return leg, Filipino citizens in Australia back to the Philippines. This was on April 19."
Bilang isang dual citizen, akala ni Ricky na makakapagbiyahe siya ng walang isyu. Ngunit, pagpunta niyang airport, sinabihan siya na kailangan niya munang makakuha ng travel exemption base sa compassionate grounds mula sa border force.
"It was on the spot. Luckily, the flight was delayed for about 3 hours and I was able to fly out."
Luckily, Ricky was able to catch a sweeper flight to the Philippines. Source: Sourav from Pexels
Pagdating naman niya sa Pilipinas, ang naging hamon para sa kanya ay kung papaano makarating sa kanyang ina.
"She was in the hospital already then. Coming from overseas, I was being required to do a two-week quarantine; but it wasn't an option because of her condition."
"I really moved heaven and earth to find a way to get to her. I was able to get a COVID test from the Philippine Red Cross. I waited a day and it was negative."
"I was able to get a COVID test from the Philippine Red Cross." Source: frolicsomepl from Pixabay
Dahil sa resultang ito, na-exempt si Ricky mula sa quarantine at nakasama niya ang kanyang ina bago ito yumao noong katapusan ng Abril.
'I just want to go back home'
Nahirapan din si Ricky na ayusin ang lamay at cremation ng kanyang ina dahil sa mga community quarantine.
"We couldn't hold a regular wake; instead we organised video chats so family and friends [could pay their respects]."
"My mum's wish was to be cremated. She didn't suffer from COVID and crematoriums then prioritised those who died from the virus. We had to wait 10 days to get her cremated."
Due to community quarantines in the Philippines, Ricky had a difficult time organising his mum's wake and cremation. Source: Ricky Vasquez
Pagod at napalibutan ng kalungkutan, ang ninanais lamang ni Ricky ay makauwi na sa Melbourne.
"I gave myself a month to tend to my mum's affairs...now, [everyone of us stuck abroad] just want to go home."
"The flight caps instituted by the government have been limiting our ability to fly home because airlines can't schedule flights because of the caps."
"Sweeper flights were originally scheduled on July 2 but were cancelled due to the caps. We have flights scheduled for end of October, but those can be cancelled again - especially because of the situation in Victoria."
Ricky just wants to go home to his wife in Melbourne. Source: Ricky Vasquez
Aminadong si Ricky na wala siyang nakukuhang tulong mula sa pamahalaan ng Australya sa kasalukuyan; ngunit, naniniwala siyang may kakayahan itong tumulong sa mga mamamayan na hindi makauwi.
"We're at their mercy at this point. Once they sort our their policies and recognise the plight we're in, we can then come home. That's our only hope."
BASAHIN / PAKINGGAN DIN
