$300-Ayuda from the Government

We're fortunate to be living in a first world country during this pandemic period. Maraming naging tulong ang gobyerno para sa mga nawalan ng trabaho, business owners, renters, students, etc. Kapag nababasa ko ang hirap ng mga Pinoy para makakuha ng ayuda sa gobyerno ng Pinas, di ko maiwasang maikumpara syempre sa naging sistema dito. May program nga dito na tinatawag na CERB (or Canada Emergency Response Benefit) kung saan makakapag-apply ng financial assistance ang sinumang nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa Covid-19. That's $2,000 per month ($500 per week) for up to 4 months. Anyone, as in ANYONE, who applies will be approved. Kahit obviously hindi eligible ha. Kasi nga wala na raw silang time magcheck at magverify, gusto na nilang maiparating agad sa tao ang tulong. Honor system na lang muna daw, later na sila mago-audit.

Luckily, hindi naman namin kinailangan talaga ng tulong mula sa gobyerno kasi hindi naman nawalan ng trabaho ang asawa ko. Sa totoo lang, noong bandang March-April ay nag-worry rin ako kasi nga baka magclose din ang office nila temporarily kasi hindi naman talaga sila "essential" business eh. Thankfully, hindi naman nga. 

The only "ayuda" that we are entitled to during this pandemic is the one time Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payment increase of $300. Dito kasi sa Canada, we receive a monthly child support from the government, depende sa income ng parents. They decided to give an additional $300 per child for the month of May to help families during these difficult times.

Noong una nga akala namin hindi fixed na $300, na maximum na yun at hindi namin makukuha ng buo. Katulad ng sentiments ng middle class sa Pinas, may bitter feelings din kami paminsan (normal naman siguro yun) na puro na lang lower class ang pinapaboran ng gobyerno samantalagang ang laki-laki ng tax na binabawas sa sweldo ng asawa ko. One income family lang kasi kami at marami ring gastusin buwan-buwan. Pero buti naman nga at across the board naman pala ang $300. Kaya ang swerte nung maraming anak haha (4 kids x $300 = 1,200!).

Anyway, I just checked our account online kanina at pumasok na nga ang $300 (every 20th of the month ang CCB payment). I am so happy!

Anong plano ko sa $300? Actually nagastos na namin siya kahit hindi pa dumarating lol!

We badly need a colored printer kasi nga nago-online schooling si Nathaniel ngayon, syempre may mga kailangang iprint. Bibigay na ang 6-year-old laser printer namin kaya kailangan ng palitan.

Pero ang mahal nito ha, inabot ng $337.67 (tax included) kaya paluwal pa kami kaloka.

Salamat sa ayuda, Canadian Government! Malaking tulong rin ang printer na ito for my sanity! I have a lot of projects in mind na sana magawa ko hehe.

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Ayuda = assistance

A book for Chicklet

I felt so excited when the nurse at West Jasper Place Public Health Center (where Nathan got vaccinated last January 22) handed me this bag containing a book, a cd, and some library information for Nathan. This is what I love about having a child here in Canada, alagang-alaga talaga ng gobyerno. Ang suwerte ng mga bata dito!

Ooops, I realized that I haven't really bought any book yet for Chicklet. I would have to start buying soon. I am currently a stay-at-home mom so I do not have any excuse to not teach my son well. I was an educator once upon a time, actually. Sa college students nga lang. I know that teaching a child is different but I promise to do my best. I love my son and I will make him a smart boy.

I told Ford that we should pay a visit to the library soon. I've been here in Edmonton for almost 1 year and 3 months now but I haven't been to one. I love reading, but I admit that in the last couple of years I don't get to read a lot of books anymore. I still read a lot -- sa internet nga lang. So I guess if I want to instill the love of reading to Nathan, kailangang magbasa din uli ako ng libro.

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It was my first time to see an actual public last January 16 at Mill Woods Town Centre. I was surprised that it was located in a 'mall.' Kung wala siguro akong anak, madalas akong tatambay dun.

Nathan's first check

We received yesterday Nathan's first check from the Canadian government. This benefit is called Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under the age of 18.

Ford and I were so excited haha! The amount (which is for two months: December 2014 - January 2015) is not that big actually because it's computed based on the family's annual income. In fact, in can only buy a box of diapers. But it is still a benefit that we Canadian residents are entitled to nonetheless.

We are still waiting for another check, that of Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) which is given to families with children under the age of six years regardless of income. It is paid in installments of $100 ($160 starting January 2015) per month per child.

These child benefits are one reason why it's awesome living in Canada! =)

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POSTSCRIPT: We already received the UCCB check last January 23 (Friday)!

Thank you, Canada!

I've only been a permanent resident of Canada for ten days and I am already this grateful.

Thank you very much Canada for helping our home country! We Filipinos shall never forget your generosity and kind-heartedness during these times that we need help the most.

To date, Canada is helping the Philippines by:

• donating Cad$5 Million (or Php205.9 Million) for emergency relief activities
• sending its Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) that will aid in the relief efforts
• pledging to match the donations made to registered Canadian charities responding to this crisis  (like UNICEF Canada)
• promising to prioritize applications from Filipinos who are significantly affected by Typhoon Yolanda

Again, we are thankful.

And I am proud to be living in Canada.

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NOTE: Ford's officemate's husband is one of those who were deployed in the Philippines to help the typhoon victims. I am sad because according to her, they won't be celebrating Christmas together because the troop will stay longer in the Philippines. Such a huge sacrifice, I know. And to think those Canadian soldiers will be serving other country's people and not their own. Mabuhay kayo! At maraming maraming salamat!

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POSTSCRIPT: On November 18, 2013, the Prime Minister of Canada announced an additional $15 Million in relief assistance for Typhoon Yolanda victims! We are overwhelmed with this kind of assistance we're getting from Canada! For the nth time, thank you very much!

A little help from afar

I've been here in Edmonton for exactly a week now and I still haven't blogged. I originally planned on chronicling my day-to-day activities and taking lots of pictures but the sad news about my home country, the Philippines, hindered me to do so.

I do not have the heart to broadcast a 'wonderful' new life here in Canada knowing that many of my countrymen have lost their homes due to Typhoon Yolanda and are now starving to death. That destructive typhoon attacked the Philippines just a few days after I left.

I am so disheartened.

Kawawa naman ang Pilipinas. Bugbog na bugbog na.

We live in Luzon and our home was fortunately spared by Yolanda's wrath. But still, I am saddened heavily by this tragedy. Ganito pala kapag malayo ka na sa bansa mo, mas minamahal mo ito. Corny pero totoo.

Just like most of Pinoys all over the world, Ford and I wanted to help. Had I been home, I could have sorted all our clothes, bought canned goods and water, and/or volunteered. But since we are not, all we can do is donate a little cash through a good foundation.

So many organizations have committed in helping the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. Our first impulse was to donate to the Philippine Red Cross but as we search and search, we came across the website of UNICEF Canada.

We decided to coarse our donation through them because of this:

To add, Ford can even claim a tax credit for it. Not bad at all.

We couldn't afford to shell out a huge amount at this point but we are hoping that what we've given can at least feed several families for a day.

We Filipinos only need one thing during this trying time: TRUST. Trust that no likes of Napoleses can steal from funds that are supposed to aid the victims, trust that those who need help would receive it the soonest possible time, and trust that everything will soon be okay.

Bangon, Pilipinas!