Highlights
- Thousands of businesses in Australia are forced to close or reduce their operations as impacted by coronavirus restrictions.
- The Australian government has announced a couple of stimulus packages including the $130 billion Jobkeeper program to assist businesses affected by the eonomic impact due to COVID-19 pandemic.
- Many people, like temporary-visa holder Warren Se, are not able to access the Jobkeeper program as they do not satisfy the eligibility requirement.
Warren Se moved to Australia from Macau in November 2019 with the hopes of providing a better life for his family.
Five months on, when the pandemic was declared, the chef can barely support his daily needs and currently survives from the local community's support for food and rent.
His company was forced to stand him down after the Australian government announced coronavirus lockdown measures and the restaurant's operations were reduced to take-away service only.
"When the lockdown was declared and my company notified me not to come to work for now, it was really difficult as I have bills to pay, two maxed out two credit cards I used for the processing of my visa to Australia," shares Warren adding "I also have my family, a seven-month-old baby I need to support".
Despite the financial hardship, Warren Se is surviving his "no work, no pay" situation with the help of the Filipino-Australian community in Dubbo as well as his landlords who agreed to put on hold his rental payments.
Members of the community have also provided money and food for the chef during this trying time.
The restaurant where Warren Se works was among the thousands of businesses in Australia struggling to continue their operations and employ their staff due to the coronavirus restrictions.
The kitchen is Warren Se's playground and comfort zone. Source: Supplied
Being the newest in the restaurant, Warren has to take the blow of not getting any work shift.
Although saddened for his current situation, the Filipino chef considers himself still lucky as he is just temporarily jobless. The other Filipino chefs who arrived with him in Australia last year echo the same sentiments.
Warren Se remains optimistic that all of these (challenges) will pass and everything will return to normal just how it was before.
Warren Se (right) with five other Filipino chefs when they arrived in Sydney in November 2019. Source: Supplied
"Even though my situation at the moment is difficult and a lot harder, my faith in God grew stronger because He's the only one I hold on to right now and of course the people who are helping me," ends Warren.
