'One-country team': Cortes extends words of gratitude to Dubai Police, Emirates Red Crescent, Filipino community for fostering camaraderie amid COVID-19 pandemic

The spirit of bayanihan continues to spread in the UAE as Filipinos, UAE citizens and all expats come together to help out one another to help cushion the evident impact of the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.
Philippine Consul General for Dubai and the Northern Emirates H.E. Paul Raymund Cortes shared that entities including the Dubai Police, Emirates Red Crescent, Filipino community groups, along with private entities, have all been instrumental in collaboration with the Consulate and the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices and the office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to ensure that Filipinos get the assistance they need in kind.

ConGen Cortes recalled that among the first to provide assistance was Dubai Police who gave out food and meal assistance when Dubai was in a 24-hour lockdown.
“Nagkaroon kami ng parang understanding na kung mayroong mga kababayan na lumalapit sa konsulada asking for food or meals eh binibigyan po natin iyong mga listahan na iyan at ibinibigay natin sa Dubai Police para bigyan sila ng mga meals, ito po ay during the lockdown kung saan talaga naging 24 hour na walang labas-pasok sa kanilang mga bahay,” said Cortes.
In conjunction with this initiative, Cortes furthered that the Emirates Red Crescent has continuously supported those who are in need of necessities: “Nagkaroon din ng maraming initiative ang Emirates Red Crescent kung saan nagbibigay din sila ng mga free meals and necessities hindi lang sa mga Filipino, pero sa lahat ng mga taong nangangailangan ng tulong.”

Further, the Philippine Consulate also provided immediate assistance for Filipinos living in Sharjah who were affected by the ABBCO Tower blaze.
“Just a few days ago, nagkaroon ho ng malaking sunog dito sa isang malaking residential building kung saan medyo maraming Filipino ang mga nakatira doon. Fortunately, wala naman pong casualty pero nag-extend din po tayo ng tulong sa kanila dahil ito ay mga kababayan natin. In the middle of a pandemic like this parang hindi pa yata kuntento ang kapalaran eh nasunog pa ho iyong kanilang building. So, tinutulungan din natin financially at nagbibigay din ng kaunting pagkain ang Filipino community and of course, ang municipality din ng Sharjah – ito ho iyong emirate na katabi ho ng Dubai kung saan marami pong Filipino rin ang nakatira,” shared Cortes.
The Philippine Consul General in Dubai also lauded the initiative he has seen among Filipino community groups who have been proactively engaging with their compatriots in their time of need.

“Malakas din po ang bayanihan aspect ng mga Filipino community dito kung saan iyong mga various organization, mga various committee ay naghe-help at nagbibigay ng mga grocery para mga sa mga humihingi ng tulong,” said Cortes.
Cortes furthered that the POLO-OWWA, apart from the ongoing DOLE-AKAP Program, has also provided free groceries: “At the same time din po, nandito rin ho iyong programa ng ating POLO o kaya iyong Philippine Overseas Labor Office natin at saka ang OWWA natin kung saan nagbibigay din sila ng mga free groceries sa mga kababayan natin.”
Cortes then concluded that all of the aforementioned efforts show that Filipinos are in a ‘one-country team’, stating that the consulate ensures that all Filipinos who need help in kind will be provided for during their stay here in the country, with the help of everyone in the country.
“So, lahat po ito ay nagkakaroon ng tulung-tulong under the one-country team approach ng konsulado kung saan mino-monitor po natin lahat ng mga kababayan natin at mga efforts ng mga attached agencies natin para mabigyan natin ng tulong iyong mga humihingi,” said Cortes.