So close, so real.

My cousin’s swab test showed that she’s positive for Covid. Her entire household is now on quarantine, including my younger brother who was forced to stay at the vacant house across the street to self-quarantine as he had close contact with her (he initially said he helped in rushing her to the hospital, but took it back when talks about my cousin being a possible Covid case came out). 

My kuya and I were so worried when we found out about it but we thought we can’t really do anything apart from disinfecting the whole house, loading up on our vitamins to strengthen our immune system and observing every family member. As of this writing, we are all fine—including mom and the kids, but this doesn’t mean we’re on the clear because we all know that the virus has an incubation period of 14 days. 

This only heightened the anxiety that I have been fighting for weeks now.

Enough already, please.

My uncle, who I mentioned in my last post, died last Sunday due to complications from his stroke. It was another blow to the family as we are still recovering from the sudden passing of my cousin last March. That’s two deaths in the same house—our house—in just a matter of four months.

With the current situation, so much has changed with how we are dealing with this loss. The family decided to have a wake, even when most of us couldn’t be there physically to pay our last respects for obvious reasons. I only went to see him last Monday, prayed in front of his coffin, and left. I can’t even sit for a while to comfort my aunt and my cousin because I’m trying so much to limit my interaction with people. 

A mass was offered to him last night, and many of us just watched it on FB Live. I wanted so much to go there but realized that if I’ll only be there for 15 minutes at most, I thought it would be better I just stay home.

More "Me" Time

Starting next week, our work hours will be trimmed to just 50% and I will only work twice a week which is every Monday and Thursday. Yes, this would mean a significant pay cut but I still consider this a blessing because at least I am NOT one of the 10% that had to be let go.

I understand that the company had to do this as our industry was badly hit by the pandemic. The hotel occupancy level in all regions is on its all-time low and travels and meetings are going much weaker. For these and for many other reasons, the management decided to reduce further costs by lessening corporate travels, reevaluating planned investments, and reducing corporate roles. The latter—by far the hardest decision they took—was announced in the middle of the month.

Shortly following the announcement, many of us experienced a great deal of anxiety. When we were finally on the clear, I’m just glad that my brother and I kept our jobs albeit the temporary pay cut. I had to say, our company has dealt with this crisis far better than our competitors. The steps weren’t as severe as what I’ve been hearing from similar industries like airlines, resorts and casinos where they had to let go of more than half of their workforce. To think, we even have the Colleague Emergency Support Fund available to provide some immediate help to colleagues who may be facing pressing financial hardship due to a reduction in their income.