Their face sounds familiar: Revisiting stories of food concessionaire employees after 2 years

Originally published in HF Volume 36 Issue 1

From the staple food stalls inside the University to the resident diners outside, Lasallians have come to love and support these familiar sights not just for its bestsellers, but with the warm service of the Nanays, Ates, and Kuyas who were serving the community years before we came. However, as no one was exempt from suffering drawbacks and losses amid the pandemic, many employees from the University’s food concessionaires were left with no choice but to take the brunt of the crisis, following the closure of school food stalls as soon as year-long lockdowns were imposed in the country. Two years after their last grind on campus, The HERALDO FILIPINO talked to some of the most well-loved Ates from our most favorite staples, as they shared how they coped and crawled for survival, and how they are moving forward from the life they have used to live and love for many years.

The crawl for survival

As the pandemic left businesses hanging on a cliff, many diners and canteens were forced to close down or suspend their operations, especially at the beginning of unprecedented lockdowns in March 2020. With the restrictions brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to food concessionaires inside the campus, one employee from Ovenmaid – a staple diner located at the University Food Square (UFS), shared how the closure of the school caused her to lose her primary source of income.

“Nung magsimula magsara ang school (noong) March 15, wala akong trabaho. Buti na lang nag-sideline ako sa kaibigan ko na umabot ng 10 days. Para may panggastos din ako, pinapadalhan din ako ng boss ko (ng) panggastos dahil na-stuck ako sa boarding house hanggang June (2020),” she expressed.

The Ovenmaid vendor, who asked The HERALDO FILIPINO not to be named, also mentioned how the pandemic made her move to her home province in Iloilo for seven months, but eventually decided to return to Cavite because of the struggles brought by the health crisis.

“Umuwi ako sa aming probinsiya (at) umabot ako ng 7 months bago nakabalik dahil nasa isip ko lang lagi eh lungkot at pagod na lang, pero dahil nga hirap din ang buhay sa probinsiya nagpasya akong bumalik,” she added.

Meanwhile, an employee from Milas Diner – another staple located at the University’s East Campus, shared a similar plight, citing her struggles after the unprecedented lockdowns in the country. For someone who has been working in the diner for 11 years, it was difficult for Zyra Abelanio not to feel anxious during the pandemic because of her fear of two things: getting infected by the virus and losing her job at the height of the most challenging time in years.

“As an employee, syempre sobrang laki ng kawalan at dami din talagang nawalan ng work. For me naman it’s normal to feel anxious during this COVID-19 pandemic kasi hindi tayo makalabas, limited yung galaw natin,” the employee shared. As a mother of two children, the closure of Milas Diner in the campus was then a huge loss for Abelanio, who had to look for another job to finance the needs of her family.

However, despite losing her job in the diner, the former Milas employee has nothing but kind words to her previous bosses who provided them financial aid after the closure of food stalls inside the University.

“Thankful naman kami sa owner ng Milas diner. Sila sir Francis and Sir Ian, hindi naman po kami pinabayaan na empleyado nila, talagang binigyan kami ng financial support,” a grateful Alebanio responded.

In an interview with The HERALDO FILIPINO, General Services Office (GSO) Director Dr. Nathaniel Golla said there was no monetary support given to employees of closed-down food stalls from the University as they are under the management of third party providers like Ovenmaid and Milas Diner. This means that the owners of food concessionaires are solely responsible for the aid, benefits, and welfare of their employees during the year-long closure of food stalls inside the campus.

But as the University sympathizes with the loss of many employees who have also been a huge part of the Lasallian community for years and decades, GSO tried aiding them with healthcare support by helping them get vaccinated during its inoculation drive for the school’s staff, faculty, and administrative employees.

“We have the employees of our concessionaires, not only the concessionaires but also all third-party providers like security personnel and housekeepers, to have them vaccinated so we asked informally the city to accommodate them in the vaccination site,” Golla added.

Missing the grind

While the pandemic has stripped off job security for many food stalls vendors like our Ates in Milas and Ovenmaid, it has also taken away those moments of normalcy for most of them, as the whole world moved to an entirely different setup when the pandemic hit. Aside from the effects of the crisis on their jobs, both employees shared how they miss the grind of pre-pandemic years when everything seemed just normal and familiar for many.

For Abelenaio who’s commonly known as Ate “Zy” in the campus, it was the daily routine of coming to work, talking to her resident customers, and seeing students that she misses the most in her 11-year stint as a food stall vendor in school. With the closure of food concessionaires for two years now, these are the moments she hopes to experience again when things get back to normal.

“Sobrang nakakamiss yung daily routine na pagpasok mo sa school since I’ve been working for Milas (for) 11 years na…Nakakalungkot kasi mamimiss mo yung mga ginagawa mo, yung mga students and lahat talaga […] Talagang bahagi ng buhay ko yung Milas diner and school,” a sentimental Abelanio expressed.

The employee from Ovenmaid also shared a similar sentiment, who has been a familiar face for many students, teachers, and staff in the campus when onsite classes were still allowed.

“Ang pinakanamimiss ko sa school ay yung makita mga friends ko. Di sa pagmamayabang, madami akong friends na staff ng school, students, staff ng concessionaires, teachers, at guards. Namimiss kong ikutin ang mga offices, namimiss ko makipagtawanan sa kanila, namimiss ko lahat,” she said.

Closed doors. Rolling shutters of Ovenmaid continue to be covered as the University Food Square remains closed since the pandemic began.
 

Plans on possible return

When asked about the possible return of food concessionaires in the University, Golla said GSO will coordinate again with the owners of campus food stalls if they would be willing to operate in the next academic year (AY) 2022-2023.

Initially, the office asked the food concessionaires to return to campus during the second year of the pandemic when community quarantine permitted operations for canteens and food services, but only one responded to their request. However, as the country experienced another surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in late December to January 2021, operations for food stalls inside the University were once again suspended.

“We allowed those who are willing to open up but unfortunately, only one signified consent to open their canteens. Ito yung Darlynn’s”. Due to the re-implementation of Alert Level 3 in Cavite by January, Darlynn’s then closed and opted not to operate.

For the meantime, Golla revealed that the University Food Square (UFS) will be converted to a meeting space for school employees for the second semester of the current AY. While they are hopeful that food concessionaires will be able to fully return inside the campus under normal operations, the director noted that GSO will adjust based on conditions in the upcoming months.

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While most students and teachers struggled to make ends meet during the pandemic, it is the same for food concessionaire employees who were forced to let go of everything that’s familiar, and live through the situation as it happens. Just like what many of us experienced, moving forward has not become an option for our well-loved Ates in the campus: it was an excruciating reality that they had to bear for them to live and survive. As we remain hopeful that the odds will finally turn into their favor, it is also in our hopes that their decade-long service and commitment will not be taken for granted and for nothing when we finally get through the normal and familiar times.