A Filipina in Canada has stated that a CAD 2000 cash assistance given by the government of Canada is not enough. The financial assistance is a support provided by the Canadian government and is intended for workers who are affected by the pandemic crisis.
In an interview by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC News), Nym Calvez, shared her sentiments regarding the financial aid sharing that the amount converted to Philippine pesos as PHP 73,000 is insufficient.
Below is the video interview with Nym Calvez.
Nym Calvez and Canada Workers Seeking Long Term Assistance
Nym used to work as a hotel attendant in a Vancouver hotel. Based on her statement, the cash amount will not suffice her budget as she is not able to send money to her family in the Philippines. She’s asking the government to assist the affected workers for a long-term assistance.
In the video, she said, “The government helped us with the CAD 2,000 that they are giving us. Aside from that, there’s nothing much available for the workers and it’s pretty disappointing but we’re hoping in the long run or the long term, the government will figure out something for the workers especially in my industry,” says Calvez. “We are the most hard hit because we rely on tourism for our business and our work. Seeing things right now, it’s going to be a while before people want to travel or stay in hotels.”
Nym is worried about finding more income to send money to her family in the Philippines as the cost of living in Canada is quite expensive. She can hardly manage her rental and food consumption.
She’s merely seeking more help from the government to provide a longer-term to support the workers.
Reactions from other Filipinos
Other Filipinos have reacted strongly regarding the statements that were shared by Nym. Below are some videos we’ve found on YouTube sharing their sentiments: