DUBAI: With much of the city in limbo brought about by the coronavirus outbreak, a Good Samaritan Filipina chef, who owns a classy restaurant, dishing out authentic Japanese cuisine, has stood up to give to the community despite facing bleak prospects for her business in this most uncertain of times.
Virginia Baby Sorongon, who has been in Dubai for the past seven years and opened Shokuji Sushi restaurant on Sept. 23, 2019 at the Wasl Vita Mall in Jumeirah, said she thought about launching a food drive considering how difficult things have been in the city for the last weeks as many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are compelled to go on unpaid leaves and thus have less to spend for food.
“Sobrang nagdaan na po yung two weeks na mahirap kaya gusto ko lang po makatulong lang po kahit papano,” Sorongon said.
She said her restaurant business may be experiencing rough sailing with the closure of malls and related establishments per government directive to avoid the spread of the virus, but “meron naman na mga mas nangangailangan kaysa sa atin.”
Also as per government’s directive, restaurants can operate but only through taje-outs and deliveries.
“Ang delivery po namin gumagana parin po. Kahit po pa-konti konti. Despite na kami rin po down ..marami pa pong option na pewde kaming gawin para makatulong,” Sorongon said.
She added that fellow Good Samaritans have as well joined in her efforts: “Nagpadala rin po ng relief kasama ng food namin ang mga kaibigan sa iba po na nangangailangan mostly sa Karama, Satwa at Bur Dubai.”
Sorongon said they have lost count as to how many jobless OFWs as well as those on forced leave or leave without pay, have benefitted from their food drive.
“Di na po namin nabibilang pero ang target ko po eh yung madami sa loob ng bahay…like 10 to 15 people na pwedeng matulungan kahit papano,” she said.
On a regular business day, food she is giving away could costs anywhere from Dh45 to Dh288, including one that counts among the restaurant’s house specialty – Shokuji Seafood Cajun.
Sorongon decided to spread goodwill after an award-winning photographer, Chris Calumberan with whom she had a job done to promote her restaurant and who felt she might not be able to fully pay him for the services, decided to buy food stuff for her and her staff instead.
The Daily Bread 