WATCH ABOVE: There may a light at the end of the tunnel for Mailane Bituin, a Filipino woman who was hit by a car on the day she received her permanent residency. Global’s Sarah Volstad explains why.
WESTMOUNT – There are a few things that keep Mailane Bituin awake at night.
Among them, the two screws in her leg are causing her extreme discomfort and her broken ribs are causing her excruciating pain.
But perhaps the most significant thing is the pressure of accumulating debt that she has no idea how she’ll pay off.
“It’s very emotional, scary on my part because right now I am not sending any amount of money to my children in the Philippines,” Bituin told Global News.
“I owe a lot of money to my friends who send my family money for them to survive.”
Bituin has been out of work since she was the victim of a hit and run back in June.
Since then, her injuries have prevented her from caring for herself, let alone for others in her job at a long-term elder care facility.
“In my situation, walking and running and lifting people, transporting people, I don’t know if I can go back right away,” said Bituin.
READ MORE: Mailane Bituin on the devastating accident, her family left in the Philippines
She said it could be weeks, maybe even months, before she earns her next dollar.
In the meantime, she owes $250 per day that she stays in the Chateau Westmount nursing home; that’s on top of $700 per month she owes in rent for her apartment.
“You know what comes to my mind first? I need to go home. I have to go home, live by myself, because I cannot pay,” she said.
There is good news, though.
Because she was the victim of a car accident, the SAAQ will likely cover some of her expenses.
“We need to know that at the SAAQ, it’s a no fault insurance system,” said Mario Vaillancourt, spokesperson for the SAAQ.
“You can receive, for example, some income replacements, some medical care, some rehabilitation, recovery. It must be linked with the car accident for sure.”
Bituin opened a claim with the SAAQ in July, but still hasn’t been told how much money she is eligible for, nor when she might receive it.
In the meantime, her priority is getting her children and grandchildren to Canada.
“I told to my daughter, when she comes, she is going to help me to pay all of this and she said ‘yes Mummy I will,'” said Bituin.
“She won’t leave me like that.”
The same day that Bituin was hit by the car, she received confirmation that she was approved for permanent residence in Canada.
“The most likely thing is that they will give her a confirmation of residence at her next meeting with citizenship and immigration,” said immigration lawyer Stewart Istvanffy.
“And then at the same time, they will send an email to Manila saying that they can call in the family and issue them the visas.”
Bituin’s meeting is scheduled for August 17.
“Ms. Bituin is scheduled to become a permanent resident of Canada once she signs a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document at the interview,” said Nancy Caron, media relations advisor for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
That means her loved ones could be here by the end of the month – or as soon as she can find the money to buy their tickets over.
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