COVID-19 Special Issue Volume 40, Issue 4
commentaries
Romanticizing Filipino resiliency “
We heal as one”, a fitting tagline for The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or R.A. 11469, takes into account the most prominent feature of Filipinos- a warm personality exhibited by smiles no matter the situation. That we are resilient, standing up and rebuilding a day or two after a calamity, finding alternative sources of income during quarantine in this new normal. But as much as we all smile for the camera, it doesn’t mean that everything’s fine the way it is. That instead of taking a proactive approach, we accept the bare minimum and positively accept any hardship that may come, all in the name of the “Filipino spirit”. Resiliency, according to Merriam-Webster, means “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change”. Yet it seems that “Filipino Resiliency” does not particularly echo that definition. We often attribute resiliency to Filipinos being able to help one another get back up after natural calamities, like during the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda. We admire and congratulate children who persevere in crossing mountains and rivers just to be able to get an education amidst limited resources (that are often personally provided by their teachers). Now, with a global pandemic disrupting everyone’s lives, we have devised different ways on how to adapt and live on in a “new normal”. However, this representation of resilience has made us too independent and self-reliant that it makes complaining about the current situation frowned upon. We hesitate in saying “enough is enough” to people in positions that should be helping us but instead continue to only urge us to give donations and work together by ourselves, demanding discipline and compliance to laws enacted. We need to stop romanticizing Filipino resiliency. Firstly, this encourages toxic positivity. Merely looking at the “bright side” and not demanding changes in the system will only continue to oppress those under it. We cannot simply move on with our lives and not process the trauma we experienced. Complaining is not a bad thing, most especially if it is within reason and with valid proof; the only way to correct what is wrong is first acknowledging it before finding the best solution. This was exhibited with the public response during Taal Volcano’s eruption early this year, as the people focused on giving immediate relief and were not easily impressed with half-hearted excuses by authorities when asked about disaster relief funds. Second, we must know the past in order to correct its mistakes and prevent it from happening again in the future. We often forgive and forget past transgressions and do not seek to learn and improve the ever-present problem. We become too complacent and instead use this resiliency as a substitute for how the government addresses the situation. History can be our basis to understand how current events came to be, recognize patterns of events, learn from our losses and predict what comes after. Finally, we need to choose who we put in positions of authority. True leaders must go beyond their individualistic tendencies and prioritize the people they will serve. We must demand accountability and concrete evidence of improvement must be seen. Financial transparency must also be adopted since it is the people’s money being used, and thus should be used wisely by someone who translates and solves the people’s grievances. This is a necessity most especially during this pandemic, where emergency funds are being released and constant loans are being taken by the country. After all, it will be the current and future taxpayers’ burden to pay off the country’s debts, so it’ll be best if we get our money’s worth. Our resilience has been taken advantage of. Some think that Filipinos are resilient, therefore it is excusable if government aid and restoration efforts are delayed. It has turned into a misguidance for a better reality, clinging to this passive, positive mindset and forgetting that we also need concrete, real, and long-term solutions. We cannot just wait for various acts of our bayanihan spirit to dictate the assurance of our safety and stability, because that is the job of the government. Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing inspirational stories of people seeing a light at the end of the road and managing to get up—that there is hope. That we can continue to find alternative ways of living, that we as a community can work together and inspire others. But the continuous flashing of such stories also makes me frustrated—'yun nalang ba? Also, those featured portraying Filipino resiliency are most often belonging to the poor and marginalized. This just highlights social inequality; we do not call the rich resilient—why would we? They never had a need for it. We’ve romanticized being victims of the circumstance that we’ve normalized coping with perceived powerlessness, or simply waiting until the problem passes. Resiliency is not enough. Active change should be expected and implemented, not just the bare minimum. To romanticize Filipino Resiliency is to negate every reason why we are resilient in the first place. We do not live in an ideal world where romanticizing resilience is enough. The true Filipino Spirit can take everything with a smile and makes it sure that what was once a hindrance will never again hinder us in the future.
Patricia Gabrielle MARQUEZ
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Our resilience has been taken advantage of. Some think that Filipinos are resilient, therefore it is excusable if government aid and restoration efforts are delayed. It has turned into a misguidance for a better reality, clinging to this passive, positive mindset and forgetting that we also need concrete, real, and long-term solutions.
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