Kin wants to be with terminally-ill caregiver in Canada
By MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA, abs-cbnNEWS.com
The family of a cancer-stricken caregiver in Canada wants to be with their kin who was given just a few months to live.
“My wife is dying,” said Celia Mansibang’s husband William Mallinllin in a phone interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Mallinllin and their two children, Vincent and La Sandra, were saddened by the news about Celia’s health condition. Celia was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The cancer is reportedly at stage four and treatment could no longer be recommended.
“Gusto kong makita ang asawa ko kasi naghihirap siya sa Canada. Gusto kong makasama misis ko kahit ano pa ang mangyari, gusto ko kasama misis ko,” Mallinllin said.
Mallinllin said their two children have been deeply affected after learning that their mother was terminally-ill in a foreign land.
“Nasasaktan sila, nag-aalala apektado pagaaral nila,” he said.
A former teacher, Mansibang spent more than a decade as an overseas worker reportedly to provide her family back home with a little comfort in life. She worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, then as caregiver under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) in Canada.
“Sa Hong Kong 12 years siya. Sabi niya tatanda na ako bilang contract worker, kaya nagpunta siya ng Canada para sa amin. Pero doon siya nagkasakit,” said Mallinllin.
According to the March online edition of the Manila Media Monitor, Butch Galicia reported that Mansibang was earlier denied permanent residency under the LCP because of her illness. She applied for permanent residency with the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and included her sponsorship for her husband and children.
It was learned that even Mansibang's Ontario Health Insurance coverage was also canceled.
Mansibang may soon be reunited with her family, the report said, after the Ottawa-based Citizenship and Immigration Canada Case Management (CICCM) branch allegedly stated in a March 5 communication to Mansibang's lawyer Maria Deanna Santos, that it would issue temporary resident permits for the family to join the terminally-ill caregiver in Canada.
Santos is assisting Mansibang pro bono. Aside from Santos, others have expressed their concern for Mansibang too, like the Caregiver Resource Center (CRC) in Canada founded by Terry Olayta, Fr. Ben Ebcas, mission director of the Archdiocese of Toronto Filipino Mission Center, Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church on Bathurst and Dr. Rolando Gallardo to name a few.
“Hindi ako makapagsalita sa labis na kaligayahan na ang mga professional people ay pinagsama-sama ni Lord upang saluhin at sagipin sa kalungkutan sa sakuna si Celia at ng mga iba pang may mga malulubhang karamdaman,” said Olayta.
Merfa Yap Bataclan who has been with Mansibang’s side said the caregiver underwent blood transfusion last Monday.
“We are really hoping that the Canadian Minister of Immigration would immediately approve her application for permanent residence here so that her health benefits will be granted too,” Bataclan said in one of her email letters to abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Bataclan, who also serves as Mansibang’s counselor for psychosocial support reported that the caregiver remains to be in high spirits despite her very critical condition.
“Celia is still in critical condition as she continues to bleed because of her stage four stomach cancer. We ask everyone to pray that God will grant her pleadings for a longer life and a life with her family here in Toronto as permanent residents,” she said.
CRC member Jerry Mariano initiated an online signature campaign (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/support-signature-for-celia-mansibang) to generate more support for Mansibang. Thousands have already affixed their signatures on the electronic and hard copy of the signature drive for Mansibang and her family to be granted permanent resident status in Canada.
The family of a cancer-stricken caregiver in Canada wants to be with their kin who was given just a few months to live.
“My wife is dying,” said Celia Mansibang’s husband William Mallinllin in a phone interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Mallinllin and their two children, Vincent and La Sandra, were saddened by the news about Celia’s health condition. Celia was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The cancer is reportedly at stage four and treatment could no longer be recommended.
“Gusto kong makita ang asawa ko kasi naghihirap siya sa Canada. Gusto kong makasama misis ko kahit ano pa ang mangyari, gusto ko kasama misis ko,” Mallinllin said.
Mallinllin said their two children have been deeply affected after learning that their mother was terminally-ill in a foreign land.
“Nasasaktan sila, nag-aalala apektado pagaaral nila,” he said.
A former teacher, Mansibang spent more than a decade as an overseas worker reportedly to provide her family back home with a little comfort in life. She worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, then as caregiver under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) in Canada.
“Sa Hong Kong 12 years siya. Sabi niya tatanda na ako bilang contract worker, kaya nagpunta siya ng Canada para sa amin. Pero doon siya nagkasakit,” said Mallinllin.
According to the March online edition of the Manila Media Monitor, Butch Galicia reported that Mansibang was earlier denied permanent residency under the LCP because of her illness. She applied for permanent residency with the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and included her sponsorship for her husband and children.
It was learned that even Mansibang's Ontario Health Insurance coverage was also canceled.
Mansibang may soon be reunited with her family, the report said, after the Ottawa-based Citizenship and Immigration Canada Case Management (CICCM) branch allegedly stated in a March 5 communication to Mansibang's lawyer Maria Deanna Santos, that it would issue temporary resident permits for the family to join the terminally-ill caregiver in Canada.
Santos is assisting Mansibang pro bono. Aside from Santos, others have expressed their concern for Mansibang too, like the Caregiver Resource Center (CRC) in Canada founded by Terry Olayta, Fr. Ben Ebcas, mission director of the Archdiocese of Toronto Filipino Mission Center, Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church on Bathurst and Dr. Rolando Gallardo to name a few.
“Hindi ako makapagsalita sa labis na kaligayahan na ang mga professional people ay pinagsama-sama ni Lord upang saluhin at sagipin sa kalungkutan sa sakuna si Celia at ng mga iba pang may mga malulubhang karamdaman,” said Olayta.
Merfa Yap Bataclan who has been with Mansibang’s side said the caregiver underwent blood transfusion last Monday.
“We are really hoping that the Canadian Minister of Immigration would immediately approve her application for permanent residence here so that her health benefits will be granted too,” Bataclan said in one of her email letters to abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Bataclan, who also serves as Mansibang’s counselor for psychosocial support reported that the caregiver remains to be in high spirits despite her very critical condition.
“Celia is still in critical condition as she continues to bleed because of her stage four stomach cancer. We ask everyone to pray that God will grant her pleadings for a longer life and a life with her family here in Toronto as permanent residents,” she said.
CRC member Jerry Mariano initiated an online signature campaign (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/support-signature-for-celia-mansibang) to generate more support for Mansibang. Thousands have already affixed their signatures on the electronic and hard copy of the signature drive for Mansibang and her family to be granted permanent resident status in Canada.
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