Student Pilot Turns Contact Tracer, Flight Attendant Goes Back To MedTech As Aviation Industry Reels From COVID-19

Aviation is one of the industries taking a heavy beating from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The people affected by the disrupted operations of airlines have no choice but to rise from the devastation caused by losing their jobs.

Before lockdowns were imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, Madel Thelia Lucena had been a flight attendant for Cebu Pacific Air for almost eight months.

Lucena, 23, had undergone various types of training and flown to different locations when a month before she would have become a regular employee, she was informed that she was one of the many workers who would be laid off amid the public health crisis brought about by the pandemic.

The bad news was painful and initially difficult for Lucena to accept. She admitted being in denial for a while because she did not know what to do next or what her purpose in life would be.

“Siyempre meron pa akong denial stage na, na-lay-off, na ang sakit. Siyempre very sudden. Ano ba talaga ’yung gagawin ko? Ano ba ’yung purpose ko sa life?” she said.

 Lucena has a degree in Medical Laboratory Science from the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City. Following her graduation in 2018, she worked as a medical technologist and drug analyst in Palawan for almost six months before deciding to become a flight attendant.

 She did not expect that the pandemic would drive her back to her original profession.

 “One day, I tried. I tried messaging the HR (human resource department)…of the Ospital ng Palawan [and asked if they were in need of a medical technologist],” she narrated in a mix of English and Filipino. “Siguro, right time and right moment. Sabi nila, ‘hiring kami right now.’ ”

 The hospital in Puerto Princesa was actually looking for 10 medical technologists due to the pandemic. Lucena started working in the hospital in July 2020 and is now assigned at the swabbing section for COVID-19 of the hospital.

 From being a flight attendant who would board a plane for around four domestic flights, she now works 12 hours a day as a medical technologist.

 Wearing personal protective equipment these days instead of an airline uniform, Lucena confesses that her heart still belongs to the aviation industry.

 Lucena is hoping to get her old job back. A major reason is that the meager pay for medical technologists will not give her enough income to help her family.

 “Kasi babalik na naman ’yung suweldo, sa totoo lang na hindi ganun kagandahan, kung hindi ako lalabas ng Pilipinas. Not that I don’t enjoy being a medical technologist. Pero kasi ang hirap na tumulong sa pamilya, ang hirap din na magkapamilya kung ganun eh,” she said.

 Meanwhile, 21-year-old Daze Gutierrez, a student pilot from Batangas, chose not to earn any flying hours during the COVID-19 pandemic for fear of contracting the coronavirus.

 The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has allowed the resumption of flight training as long as the necessary health safety protocols are observed. But since she lives outside the school, she is opting for caution.

 “Puwede na ulit bumalik mga students na nasa flying stage lang, na-approve na ng CAAP na bumalik sa operations basta mag-o-observe ng safety measures. Pero ako, hindi ko tinuloy kasi kahit naman safe, parang may takot pa rin ako. Kasi hindi lang naman ako sa mismong school mag-i-stay. Sa labas ako ng school nakatira, so baka maka-encounter ako ng tao na may COVID,” she said.

 Gutierrez then decided to find work to be productive while on leave from the flying school. She realized that it would be hard to find work as a Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate, so when she saw an opening as a contact tracer for suspected COVID-19 patients, she applied for the job.

 She has been hired as a contact tracer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, assigned in her hometown in Padre Garcia, Batangas.

 Gutierrez aims to continue pursuing her dream of becoming a pilot when the pandemic is over.

 Businesses for now

 While Lucena and Gutierrez decided to become frontliners, two others who were affected by the pandemic opted to focus on their own businesses for now.

 Maurice Maureen Avila, another flight attendant from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, was included in the second batch of workers retrenched by Cebu Pacific on Oct. 17.

 Instead of losing hope, Avila decided to start a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) business to make ends meet during the health crisis.

 “Our friend offered us, with my boyfriend, ’yung business ng LPG nang second week of August. Since lumilipad pa po ako that time, hindi namin siya naasikaso. Sabi namin sa September na lang since hindi naman ako naka-schedule to fly by September,” she narrated.

 When Avila received the news that she would be one of the displaced flight attendants, she decided to proceed with the business.

 “Sabi naman ng boyfriend ko we need to consider and start na the business ASAP. It’s because unang-una wala akong magiging income, and second, mas marami na akong time to focus and makakapag-hands-on na ako sa business, if ever,” she said.

 At first Avila, 26, felt pressured and scared to open the business because she had to invest all of her savings, which were meant to sustain them while she is out of work.

 Luckily for them, the business clicked and helped them with their daily expenses.

 In a Facebook post on Oct. 16, Avila wrote that it took a while for her to accept her situation as she initially felt shame in being unemployed.

 She said she was “devastated” for two weeks, lost her appetite and kept crying. It was her dream and her world, she lamented, and it had sustained her family. But she eventually accepted her fate.

 “Nawalan nang gana kumain, iyak ng iyak. But eventually, natanggap ko din naman. Bakit? Nasaktan ako. Pinaghirapan ko. Pangarap ko. Ito ang mundo ko. Ito ang bumubuhay ng pamilya ko,” she posted.

 Avila had worked in the airline company for three years. Although she is hoping to get back her old job, she has made up her mind to continue her business even after the pandemic.

 “Sa pagiging FA po, that I’m not sure of. Currently naghahanap po ako ng office work uli,” she said, noting that she would apply to become a flight attendant again even while weighing her priorities and other options.

 “But if it’s God’s will na bumalik talaga ako sa pag-fly, then I will accept it wholeheartedly,” Avila added.

 Avila has a message for those who are struggling through the same experience. Even if their world seems to have crashed, Avila says they must not lose hope and give up on their dreams.

 “To others na nawalan din ng trabaho during this pandemic, don’t lose hope. (Na-realize) ko sa one-and-a-half month na kahit ano’ng gusto natin sa buhay, kung hindi naman talaga ’yun ang plano ni Lord, kukunin at kukunin niya ’yun sa (iyo),” Avila said.

 “Para sa mga gusto pa mag-FA, kitakits tayo sa pila sa grand hiring. Sabay-sabay tayo mangarap uli, sabay-sabay tayong lilipad uli!” she added.

 Another flight attendant – 26-year-old Katt Dimaculangan – who worked for Saudia Airlines for three years, has been on “forced leave” since March due to the travel restrictions brought about by the pandemic.

 “Sobrang sad po. But I realized I can’t be sad for too long and life must go on. That’s why I diverted my energy to something productive,” she said.

 Since she has earned no income for almost seven months now, she started a small business and worked as a marketing executive for a company in Singapore while juggling her time on weekends to earn her flying hours to become a commercial pilot.

 According to Dimaculangan, around 200 flight attendants in their company are on “forced leave” because of the pandemic.

 Dimaculangan vowed to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot when the pandemic is over.

 “My heart really belongs to aviation, kahit anong mangyari,” Dimaculangan stressed. “It won’t be easy for the aviation industry, but I believe that all our hard work and sacrifices will be worth it.”

 To date, she is still waiting for the airline to contact her for any assigned flights.

 A study by Statista shows that the global aviation industry has lost about $314 billion in revenues so far due to the COVID-19 crisis.

 The retrenchment of workers came as airlines halted operations due to travel bans imposed by countries as people were asked to stay home to prevent virus transmission.

 Travel restrictions are beginning to ease, including in the Philippines, but based on projections, it may take time for the industry to get back on its feet.