Filipinos within the English speaking community of the Macau Cathedral were elated to know that the Fundação Macau andtheUniversity of Macau (UM), in conjunction with Caritas Macau had launched a health intervention program for Filipino workers.
The intervention program is one more gesture of compassion to help the Filipino workers who “experienced physical or mental health challenges caused by uncertainties during the COVID-19 pandemic.” As Macau News pointed out: “Under the project, Filipino workers in Macao will be invited to use the ‘Kumusta, Kabayan’ (‘What’s up, fellow Filipino’) mobile app as well as its website to understand and improve their mental health conditions.”
The Chaplain of the English speaking community of the Macau Cathedral invited some staff from Caritas Macau to introduce the program to a number of Filipino churchgoers. Mr. Paul Pun of Caritas Macau enthusiastically responded to the invitation and sent Caritas social workers last August 16, 2020 to the Cathedral.
It is “a valuable addition to social services available to this community during the pandemic,” the statement about the program says. The intervention program will help users cope with stress and emotional disturbance that may be prevalent this time of emotional crisis.
Information on the program and online registration are available on the Facebook pages, websites, and other social media platforms of Caritas Macau, the Philippine Consulate General in Macau, and UM’s Centre for Macau Studies. Those who wish to apply should at least be 18 years old and above, should speak Filipino or English and should be a holder of a valid non-resident worker permit (“blue card”), should have a plan to stay in Macau for the next six months, and must have a smartphone with internet access.
Filipinos of the English speaking community of the Cathedral were all thankful for the program – a timely gesture of care and compassion offered to them in this time of the pandemic.
One Filipino worker said: “During this time of fear and stress, we all really need adequate emotional support. In our physical and mental exhaustion, we lack skills to care for ourselves and we often resort to alcohol. This is really a very good intervention; we will learn how to cope with the situation, using the right intervention and our cellphones.”
The program will start this month and will be available up to the end of the year. (Photo: Fr Leonard Dollentas)
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