‘CORONAPRENEURS’: Displaced seafarers, chefs try to keep afloat through plant, online biz

Even high-paying jobs like seafaring were not spared from the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Seafarers were among the millions of workers who were forced to go home as the pandemic caused the world economy to grind to a halt.

Restrictions and lockdowns imposed to contain the virus left other seafarers stranded in their homes and unable to return to their ships.

Ilonggo seafarers Michael Gecain and French Maloco returned home earlier this year without expecting that the pandemic would affect their jobs.

Twenty-seven-year-old Michael Gecain from Pavia town in Iloilo has been working as a seafarer for almost two years. He was excited to return to his job when the pandemic hit the country.

Gecain was left with no choice but to stay and await the easing of restrictions and the pandemic.

But instead of being stuck at home doing nothing, he and his 27-year-old friend French Maloco, who is also a seafarer, decided to try their luck in the plant business.

“Ako sang Februrary nanaog and siya [referring to Maloco) sang January, and wala pa kami kabalik sa amon inubrahan halin sang pagabot namon diri. Nag-decide kami na ma-tandem anay sa amon friend who was also concerned with our situation,” Gecain shared.

The two displaced seafarers collaborated with their friend who owns the Iloilo Plants and Garden Supplies. They are currently managing the business as the pandemic caused an instant boom in plants and gardening as most people stay at home.

“Kay wala man kami extra income nga mas makaluwag-luwag kami so nagpart-time anay kami sa iya. So far, nag-boom gid subong ang plants dahil sa pandemic, wala gid malugi ang business dahil sa pandemic,” Gecain said.

Their income as seafarers was way lucrative compared with their part-time jobs. But for the two seafarers, it’s not about the salary anymore. Gecain said they had to earn a living to survive.

“So far, tam-an gid ka layo ang sweldo, but wala na kami gaisip sa sweldo. Instead nga magstay kami sa balay nga wala ubrahon kag indi kami productive so better gid nga mangita way mapush gid kon ano pwede namon ubrahon,” Gecain said.

When asked if they would return to their work as seafarers once the pandemic eases, the two quickly answered yes.

“Kinahanglan gid namon magbalik, damo pa balaydan and investments. Still waiting kami pero so far may information naman kami kon when maresume ang biyahe,” Gecain furthered.

Iloilo Plants and Garden Supplies was among the participants of the “Merkado Iloilo Weekend Market” held last July 24-26, 2020 at the Iloilo Convention Center (ICON).

The weekend market which was organized by Iloilo Live Events Alliance (ILEA) highlighted small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and coronapreneurs or homegrown businesses that were born amid the pandemic.

 

CHEFS GO ONLINE

One of the participants of the weekend market, 86D Culinary Creations, is a certified coronapreneur.

Restaurants and the hotel industry also felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with many businesses forced to close shop due to the lockdowns and restrictions.

The name of the group was coined from the culinary term “86” which meant “out of stock”, according to Chef Ariel Castañeda, who heads the 86D Culinary Creations.

The group is composed of chefs, hoteliers, and restaurateurs that got “out of stock” due to the pandemic, he shared.

“We are chefs that got out of stock because of the pandemic. When the pandemic started, me and my people formed this group na homebased because most of them got retrenched during the pandemic,” he said.

Through food deliveries, their homegrown business offered unique food ideas so that people can still enjoy hotel and restaurant dining.

According to Castañeda, it was a big adjustment on their part as they were left with no choice but to find more opportunities to stay afloat amid the pandemic.

“It’s a big adjustment para sa amon because we are used to a very loaded na schedule, working hours so when we started the homegrown business, it was really difficult for our end. It’s a totally different environment from the industry itself,” he said.

Castañeda underscored the need for businesses, especially the hospitality industry, to evolve as the pandemic has challenged how the industry operates.

“Right now, during the pandemic ikaw gid ya malagas sa market, you have to evolve once in a while because damo man ya ideas na gaevolve,” he said.

The three-day Merkado Iloilo Weekend Market witnessed the debut of many coronaprenurs in the city who found their way into the Ilonggo market amid the pandemic.

For one of the organizers and founding members of ILEA, Jong Combing Pijuan, the successful event is already a manifestation that the city is taking small steps as it gradually opens its economy which suffered due to the pandemic.

“We need to move forward. We have to start somewhere. As long as we have the guidelines and follow the protocols, we have to keep taking small steps,” she said.

Pijuan also launched her online platform, Tindastore.com at the Merkado Iloilo Weekend Market. The platform is a curated e-commerce venue for local food and artisanal products from Panay Island. (ERS)