48 minute read
NEWS FEATURE
Baguio SCs, orgs strengthen call for #LigtasNaBalikEskwela, academic ease WORDS ERIK BILES
Lamenting the failing education sector in the city amid the pandemic, various student councils and organizations based in Metro Baguio held a press conference last August 31 to air their call for academic ease and the safe resumption of face-to-face classes.
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Prior to the press conference, Rise for Education - Metro Baguio (R4E-MB) crafted a position paper containing students’ demand for #LigtasNaBalikEskwela and immediate recommendations for academic easing, which they also presented before the Baguio City Council Session last July 19.
In the position paper, R4EMB argued that funding for the #LigtasNaBalikEskwela campaign may as well be sourced from the unspent funds of Bayanihan 2 and 3, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict budget and funds incurred from COVIDresponse loans.
“Funding may include, but is not limited to, retrofitting of school facilities, health and sanitation, COVID-19 kits for students and teachers, hiring more teachers, personnel, and health officers,” the position paper read.
R4E-MB also bade for the institutionalization of a wellness program that prioritizes the mental health of the students through a one-week genuine wellness break, where no activities or academic requirements would be given.
Meanwhile, to further strengthen their call for academic ease, the alliance petitioned to make the deadlines more flexible, extend the period of academic completion and prohibit the mandatory attendance for synchronous classes.
Gabriel Siscar, Vice Chairperson This comes with the prerequisites that vaccines should be provided, facilities be retrofitted, and university constituents supported.
GABRIEL SISCAR
Vice Chaiperson, UPB USC
of University of the Philippines Baguio University Student Council (UPB USC) and convener of the Rise for Education UPB, expressed his support to the campaign, saying it is now the time to push for the resumption of physical classes.
“This comes with the prerequisites that vaccines should be provided, facilities be retrofitted, and university constituents supported. For #LigtasNaBalikEskwela, the perfect time is now,” Siscar stated in an interview.
“This, of course, comes with our call for mass vaccination, scientific approach to the pandemic, heeding the economic calls of the people, and demanding accountability for the failure of the government,” he added.
On the other hand, the request to the Commission on Higher Education for limited face-to-face classes in UPB still has no update, said Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Bautista, for there is still a need for further coordination between the students, faculty and administration.
“We are one with the whole UP system and education sector that the gradual and safe resumption of classes is integral in our learning,” Siscar said. ▼
Press freedom,
LNBE muling isinusulong ng CEGP
WORDS
DAVE IVERSON CUESTA
Kasunod ng patong-patong na problemang kinakaharap ng sangkaestudyantehan, kabilang na ang mga mamamahayag pangkampus, inorganisa ng College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) ang Campus Press Demands Manifesto of Unity na nagsimula noong Hulyo 14.
Nakapaloob sa panawagan ang Ligtas na Balik-Eskwela (LNBE) kabilang na ang pagbibigay ng 10k student aid at pagbuo ng makaestudyanteng moda ng pagkatuto.
Gayundin, hiling ng CEGP ang pagpapaigting ng tunay na malayang pahayagang pangkampus sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng sapat na pondo sa mga publikasyon at pagpasa ng House Bill 319 o Campus Press Freedom Bill na naunang ipinanukala noon pang 2011.
Kasama rin sa tatlong panawagan ang pagbabalik-operasyon sa mga opisina ng mga pahayagang pangkampus at pagbibigay ng mas malawak na espasyo sa mga gawaing pampublikasyon, na nakapailalim sa panawagang pagpapatuloy ng mga face-to-face classes.
Sa kanilang Facebook post, idiniin ng CEGP ang lantarang pagatake sa mga mamamahayag sa buong bansa maging sa mga kasapi ng University of the Philippines (UP) Solidaridad, na kinabibilangan ng UP Baguio Outcrop, tulad ng mga insidente ng red-tagging at pambabanta sa kanilang buhay.
Gayunpaman, ayon sa CEGP, nananatiling malinaw ang layunin ng mga mamamahayag pangkampus: ang maghatid ng mga balita at impormasyon para sa masa.
“Despite all these, the press continues to take up the challenge of providing accessible and reliable news and updates for the masses and their interests,” pahayag ng alyansa.
Isinama rin nila ang hiling ng mga estudyante na makabalik na sa tradisyonal na moda ng pagkatuto o face-to-face classes dahil labanan umano sa pribilehiyo ang online na moda ng pag-aaral, pati na rin ang pagpigil sa tuition and other fees increase (TOFI) para sa mga pribadong paaralan.
Dagdag ni CEGP Deputy Secretary-General Regina Tolentino, nagsisilbing panakot ng estado ang mga hakbang nito tulad ng panre-red tag at pambabanta upang mailihis sa tunguhin ang mga mamamahayag pangkampus. COMELEC extends voter registration after protests, petitions WORDS JIMBO GAMBOA
After public clamor to extend voter registration, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) unanimously approved the extension until October 30, COMELEC
Spokesperson James Jimenez confirmed on September 29.
Jimenez said that the extension will be from October 11 to 30 during weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 to give way to the filing of certificates of candidacy on October 1 to October 8. This move came after youth groups and legislators petitioned and demanded to extend the date past the September 30 deadline in light of the quarantine restrictions and limited operations of COMELEC offices.
Youth group Kabataan, Tayo ang Pag-asa (KTAP) welcomed the decision saying, “Extending voter registration only manifests that many Filipinos want to exercise their right to vote given the inept leadership of the current administration.”
Registration will still be suspended in areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). ▼
TINDIG KABATAAN Baguo-based youth and students from different schools in the city got togeteher for the Tumakder: Baguio Youth Gathering with the theme “Tayo ang Pag-asa,“ September 21.
Hospitals in Luzon hit full capacity as COVID-19 cases surge WORDS DANNIELLE LAGGUI
“Pansamantalang hindi muna tatanggap ng pasyente ang PGH sa aming Emergency Room,” Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the country’s largest COVID-19 referral center, said in a public advisory on August 24, 2021 after reaching its highest number of COVID-19 admission since the pandemic started.
Currently, PGH accommodates 66 critical patients and 21 patients on life support machines in the intensive care unit (ICU).
“Malalagay lang sa peligro ang kapakanan ng mga pasyente, at pati na rin ang aming mga kawani kung ito ay hahayaan naming madagdagan pa,” the advisory read.
In a separate interview with One News, PGH Spokesperson Dr. Jonas del Rosario said that the hospital is also limited in manpower.
“Even if we open more beds or try to open more wards, we’re limited to the number of healthcare workers who can take care of these patients,” he said.
Meanwhile, Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City converted its chapel into a COVID-19 ICU ward after reaching full bed occupancy for COVID-19 cases in emergency room, ICU and wards.
St. Clare’s Medical Center in Makati likewise reached its full capacity and ceased accepting suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients on August 10. Ospital ng Muntinlupa and Ospital ng Sampaloc also stopped admitting COVID-19 cases after hitting more than 100% bed occupancy rate.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier declared full COVID-19 bed utilization rate in 13 of 24 critical risk level hospitals in the National Capital Region.
Hospitals under critical risk level have hit over 85% of bed capacity for COVID-19 patients.
In Region 4A, Ospital ng Imus in Cavite, QualiMed Hospital, The Medical City South Luzon and Laguna Holy Family Hospital Inc., Mount Carmel Diocesan General Hospital and Lucena United Doctors Hospital and Medical Center in Quezon also reached full capacity and halted COVID-19 admissions.
Meanwhile, Ospital ng Biñan in Laguna turned parking lots into makeshift areas for treating COVID-19 suspects after admitting 150 COVID-19 patients with 50 bed capacity.
Biñan City Mayor Arman Dimaguila Jr. told ABS-CBN that aside from hospital facilities, the local government is also in need of ten doctors and 30-40 nurses.
Cordillera Administrative Region also recorded seven hospitals in full Hospital Care Utilization Rate (HCUR) for COVID-19 on September 5, 2021.
On the same day, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center later released an advisory stating that they “will not be accepting uncoordinated referrals in the facility” as they hit full occupancy both in their COVID facilities and emergency room.
According to the latest data released by DOH-Center of Health Development-CAR, one of 7 hospitals on 100% HCUR is in Abra, two in Apayao, one in Baguio City, one in Benguet and two in Ifugao.
The Philippines has seen a record-breaking increase in COVID-19 infections in the month of August.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached over 2 million amid the more contagious Delta variant. ▼
DR. JONAS DEL ROSARIO
PGH Spokesperson
84% of UPB personnel receive COVID-19 vax WORDS JERSON KENT DANAO
Three hundred thirty-three out of 397 personnel of the University of the Philippines-Baguio were vaccinated against COVID-19, Health Services Office (HSO) Head Dr. Laira Jara told Outcrop in an online interview.
As of August 25, 109 faculty, 46 lecturers, 78 administrative staff, 11 research and extension professional services, 43 research assistants, 24 utility and 22 security personnel already got vaccinated.
Dr. Jara said that the UPB personnel received COVID-19 vaccines which were being rolled out during the vaccination schedule including Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Gamaleya, Sputnik V, Janssen and Moderna vaccines.
The HSO Head also explained that UPB coordinated with the Local Government Unit (LGU) in Baguio City to conduct a separate schedule for a convenient and less hassle vaccination.
“The University, through the Occupational Safety and Health Committee, requested and coordinated with the LGU to provide our personnel and dependents belonging to the priority list, a separate vaccination schedule as well as the provision of the vaccination stubs to avoid the long queue and the hassle in securing the said stubs from their respective barangays,” she said.
The HSO staff, classified under A1 priority group, were inoculated first, followed by the A2 priority group composed of UPB personnel aged 60 years old and above, A3 priority group who were employees with comorbidity and essential workers categorized as A4 priority group.
Vaccination for A2-A4 groups is ongoing but is subject to the availability of the vaccines.
Meanwhile, according to Dr. Jara, there were no reports of severe acute reactions experienced by the vaccinees.
“The UPB personnel only experienced the expected signs and symptoms such as pain on the injection site, fever and headache which lasted for one to three days,” Dr. Jara said.
Before the vaccinations, UPB utilized social media platforms and e-mail correspondence in disseminating health information regarding the safety and advantages of the COVID-19 vaccines.
With the dissemination of right information, the HSO Head said that
YOUTH VOTE MATTERS Baguio youth distributed stickers and held discussions to encourage fellow youth to register and to vote in the upcoming 2022 national elections.
the COVID-19 vaccination was widely accepted by the UPB personnel.
The A2 and A3 priority groups, however, expressed their doubts and fears during the early roll out of the vaccine.
“Small group face-to-face consultations to explain the benefits and the expected adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines were done to allay their fears and doubts,” Jara said.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chairperson Gabriel Siscar of the University Student Council (USC) said that the USC is coordinating with the university administrators for plans on the vaccination of students.
Siscar also encouraged his fellow students to “join the clamor for the free, safe, and inclusive vaccine for all.”
The vaccination of the students is one of the prerequisites for their campaign #LigtasNaBalikEskwela. ▼
NEWS FEATURE UNBACKED FRONTLINERS:
Health workers strike over delayed pays, benefits
WORDS
ELIANAH DE VERA & NIQUE JADE TARUBAL
Health workers from private and public sectors conducted mass walkouts in Metro Manila, while health workers in other regions of the country held different forms of protest actions from their wards to demand for their missing hazard duty pay (ADHP) and special risk allowance (SRA), and to call for the resignation of the Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque, September 1.
Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) President Robert Mendoza, in his speech, said that their fight continues against the Duterte administration and the DOH because of their lack of care and support for the health workers.
“Dapat po na ang ating mga health workers, sa panahon ng pandemya, ay patuloy sana na inaalagaan ng ating gobyerno. Nakakalungkot lang po, ang dami nang namatay, ang dami na pong nagkasakit, ang dami nang nagresign, nag-early retirement sa ating health workers, subalit hanggang ngayon po ba, naninikluhod pa rin tayo sa DOH para ibigay ang katiting na benipisyong ito,” Mendoza said.
‘Duque out’
Protesters also called for the resignation of DOH Sec. Duque and to hold him accountable for his negligence in aiding the health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The deadline we set with the DOH to grant our COVID-19 benefits is finally over. Our patience with Sec. Duque is also over. A year has passed, but the basic problem confronting health workers in relation to the COVID-19 issue remains,” AHW President also said.
In a press release, AHW listed the anomalies and failures involving Sec. Duque which included “yearly expired medicines as per Commision on Audit report, P15 B PhilHealth scam, failure of COVID-19 response, P11.9 B unused funds for health workers’ SRA, hazard pay and P67.323 B questionable and anomalous disbursement and expenditures of DOH COVID-19 response funds, among others.”
Mass resignations
Health workers also reiterated warning the government that they will conduct mass resignations if their hazard pay and allowances will still be withheld.
Apart from missing pays, exhaustion due to COVID-19 cases surge also prompted mass resignation warnings.
In an earlier interview with Rappler on August 16, Cristy Donguines, president of the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees Union-AHW, explained that “severe understaffing” in hospitals led them to extend their duty for 12 to 24 hours.
“We are already drained and overworked. Many from our ranks file [for] early retirement, and many resigned for fear of being infected with the contagious virus, while others went abroad,” Donguines said.
Government’s response
On August 23, Filipino Nurses United (FNU) started their 10-day countdown for the government to distribute their benefits.
Although President Duterte ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and DOH to release the unpaid benefits of healthcare workers until September 1, DBM and DOH failed to meet the said deadline, prompting the health workers to push for their planned walkouts.
In response to the health workers strike, President Duterte, in his public address aired on September 8, asked the frontliners for understanding of the delayed distribution of benefits.
“Kaya ‘yang give us time to adjust to the finances because ang, the fluctuation of events hindi natin malaman, kagaya nito bigla na lang. Sino bang nag-aakala na mayroong pandemya? So we have to spend in a short notice we had to collate whatever was left of, or whatever was available for the mga Bayanihan 1 and 2,” Duterte said.
“Kung mayroon lang talaga, bakit namin hindi ibigay? Anuhin man namin ‘yung pera, hindi man amin? You would be the first to benefit especially during this time. But the problem is there are other expenses of government other than the health concerns,” the President added.
Budget cut
Amid protests over unpaid benefits and allowances, health workers once again hit the government over the 2022 proposed DOH budget which they referred to as “blatant disregard to health workers’ safety, protection and welfare and to people’s health.”
In a virtual press conference on September 13, health workers from DOH hospitals and Philippine General Hospital (PGH) slammed the proposed DOH budget which only comprised 4.81% or P242 B of the total proposed P5.024 Trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2022.
“The 2022 proposed DOH budget amounting to P242B is deceptive because 33% or the P79.9B of the total proposed budget is allotted to PHilhealth. The actual DOH budget under the Office of the Secretary allotment is only P157 Billion. The budget for the seventy-six public hospitals that directly provide health services to the people is under this item,” AHW said.
Medical frontliners also pointed out that the “Duterte government has ZERO allocation for COVID-19 benefits such as SRA, AHDP and Meals, Accommodation, Transportation (MAT) allowance for the year 2022.” ▼
CRISTY DONGUINES
President of the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees
Rise for Education Metro Baguio and National Union of Students of the Philippines Cordillera held a press conference to discuss their demand and position for the safe resumption of classes and the junking of tuition and other school fees in private schools, August 31.
Press freedom, LNBE muling isinusulong ng CEGP
continued from page 5
“Makikita rin kasi natin na na mas matindi ang campus press repression kapag matindi rin ang atake sa edukasyon (budget cut, TOFI, atbp.) dahil nga ina-amplify natin ang boses ng constituents natin sa campus bilang isa sa tagapamandila ng demokratikong karapatan na makaalam ang mamamayan,” pahayag ni Tolentino.
Kaya naman hinihimok ng CEGP na makiisa ang mga publikasyon maging ang mga indibidwal na pumirma sa binuo nitong petisyon, na ikokonsulta sa regional institutions bago iakyat sa Commission on Higher Education.
Sa huling datos ay nasa 140 petitioners na ang lumagda, hiwalay sa 26 publikasyong pangkampus na kaisa sa panawagan, at patuloy pang hinihikayat ang iba na lumahok sa petisyon.
Kaugnay din nito ay nagsagawa ng General Assembly sa lahat ng publikasyon ang CEGP noong Setyembre 4 kung saan pinagusapan ang mga posible pang dagdag at pagbabago sa nasabing panawagan. ▼
Missing: a legitimate college life
WORDS JETHRO ANDRADA
I often find myself wondering what our campus looks like today.
I picture the cafeteria where it’s nearly impossible to find seating at lunch time, the classrooms in CSS that kind of smell like feet, the IB lobby where performing orgs are always dancing. How is our beloved UP Baguio doing, I wonder, in the two years we students have not set foot in it?
It’s hard not to yearn for the days we were still on campus, especially since remote learning has made everything about education unbearable.
In the past, it was easy to call up some friends and dilute the misery of a bad quiz or an exhausting lecture with a night-out; but it’s not exactly the same when you do it in front of a screen. Even our synchronous classes, which are supposedly meant to mimic face-to-face interaction, have been reduced to hour-long lectures with a talking professor and 20-something students with their cameras and microphones turned off.
Though this last one is understandable due to some of the reasons already mentioned, the fact stands: in the two years that we have been under remote learning, all we have proven is how unsustainable and ineffective it is compared to onground classes.
Thing is, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) still won’t budge. In UPB’s townhall discussion last August, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA) Rosemary Gutierrez said UP Baguio’s application for limited face-to-face classes has yet to receive a response from CHED, meaning we have no idea how much longer we’ll have to endure remote learning. This academic year, however, will still definitely be online.
There are about a hundred other reasons why our current situation is taxing and dehumanizing, but I believe a big part of the pain we feel is not just because of how much we hate this setup, but how intensely we long for things to go back to normal.
Day in and day out, I feel more and more detached from the college life I used to know; but I resist. I force myself to remember the feeling of waking up at 6:30 in the morning when the Baguio air is so cold you can barely move, but you force yourself to take a bath anyway. I try to remember the aching of my legs when I climb up the HKP stairs after a tiring PE class, and the relief I feel when I finally reach the cafeteria, only to realize there are no seats available. You don’t forget the screaming of the crowds in Tagisan and Pasiklaban, the laughter and the random org handshakes in the hallways, the quiet of the library, the stress of an oncoming quiz, and the noise of a rowdy GA.
To preserve some semblance of sanity, I try to remember and hold on to these memories as if they were a lifeline, because plainly accepting that our college lives have been reduced to four years of staring at our laptops is a thought I cannot afford to stomach.
CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III said in a webinar last May that “flexible learning will be the new norm” for this school year and the ones to come after it, but a fuming student community slammed him on virtually every platform available. Months have passed since then, and the clamor for the safe resumption of classes continues.
To the students who know firsthand the life we left behind in Baguio, I know you’re itching to go back; and to the freshmen and sophomores who have yet to set foot on campus, we want nothing more than for all of you to see the sights we’ve seen and the feelings we’ve felt in UPB. You deserve better. All of us do.
Our college lives—allegedly our ‘golden years’—have been taken away, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for us to reclaim them. Missing UPB should not end in mere yearning, but in solid and united action. So, fellow isko/iska, take this as your invitation to join the movement for ‘Ligtas na Balik Eskwela,’ and let’s take back what this pandemic and the Duterte administration have stolen from us. ▼
The Illusion of Choice
WORDS JAIMEY HAILEY ANG
It is an everyday battle to go out and work, to feed a hungry family, and to even stay alive amid the worsening crisis. But getting vaccinated is even a harder battle to win, at least for the Philippines. Most people have the patience to line up for hours, many have connections to get shots, but some just rely on luck.
The privileged have the choice to get shots from whichever brand they prefer but for the poor, choice is an illusion. The fact that there are numerous reported cases of people lining up as early as dawn to even get the slimmest chance of getting vaccinated is concerning. Civilians were even fined because of violating curfew protocols, which is a rather useless tactic in combating the pandemic.
We’re barely getting a hundred percent chance of herd immunity because of the delay in the rollouts and the improper distribution of our resources. Despite the fact that vaccines are scientifically proven to have been working for centuries now, some still shrug the idea of getting the jabs. Spreading fears and malice can do a whole lot of damage, especially when we’re talking about healthcare now that the global health crisis worsens.
It is true that many are still skeptical of the brands of vaccines that are available in their area. People have different preferences and resources and not everyone gets to share the same amount of information about the vaccines. Since the more important thing is to get protected and be immune, and to reduce the risk of hospitalization, some settle for what is available, even if it wasn’t their preference.
It rings the catchphrase “The best vaccine is the one available,” for when there’s really not much of a choice to make.
Truth be told, there are many discrepancies in our current COVID-19 vaccination program. More than half a year after the country started the vaccination roll-out, yet supply of COVID-19 vaccine shots still falls short. Vaccination centers are short of facilities and volunteers, some cities have the ‘palakasan culture’ where those who do not have connections are being left behind. CNN Philippines reported at least three under investigation unauthorized sources of fake vaccines, a manifestation of how people would resort to buy and distribute fake vaccines just to get the hopes of being fully immune to the virus.
Small barangays, especially in provinces, are relying on donations from private companies because the system does not favor those on the lower end. In my hometown, we experience a shortage of supply, making the vaccination program not able to hit the target count. In fact, only two out of six members in our household had the chance to get jabs.
We stand in unequal ramps where not everybody can reach the same fruit we need to survive. It is downright unacceptable to say that the less fortunate people are choosy and hesitant to get the vaccine. It is inappropriate to burden the people with blame at this point, where everyone just tries to fight and stay alive. Anti-vaxxers sure do exist, but in this case, the majority of people who still aren’t vaccinated just lack the privilege and the opportunity to get it.
There’s no denying that we are left behind, as our government cannot simply manage their priorities and continue to mandate unnecessary protocols like curfews, face shield requirements, ‘no bakuna, no ayuda’ scheme, and the endless cycle of community quarantine distinctions. The government response was super delayed, anti-poor, and priorities were obviously scrambled, and now we struggle to get the protection we need and deserve. ▼
Is it still an issue of vaccine hesitancy when the people struggle to try anything just to get fully protected?
Batch Potentials: Ang Pagtatapos
WORDS JOMAY DEL ROSARIO
Iba talaga ang pakiramdam kapag ikaw lagi ang nauuna – una sa listahan, una sa pila o kahit ano pang una basta hindi mapunta sa huli. Ngunit bakit kahit laging nauuna ay nahuhuli pa rin kami?
Kabilang ako sa unang batch ng K-12, ang mga tinaguriang pioneer batch with potential dahil mas may potensyal daw kami sa mga naunang batch na hindi dumaan sa K-12. Kami ang una sa lahat ng bagay na ipatutupad ng pamahalaan kaya naman hindi na bago sa amin ang masalang sa kung ano-anong eksperimento – sa bagong grading system man o sa isang buong bagong kurikulum. Pakiramdam ko na noon pa lang na minalas talaga kami sa pagkakataon. Isipin mo ba naman lahat ng taon ng pag-aaral namin ang inilaan sa trial and error ng sistema ng pag-aaral.
Higit na bago para sa amin ang dalawang dagdag na taon sa hayskul, bukod sa bago ang lahat ng subject ay bago rin ang mga gurong magtuturo ng iba’t ibang kurso na bago rin para sa kanila. Naalala ko pa noon ang mga pangakong mababawasan ang mga kursong kukunin namin pagdating ng kolehiyo at magkakaroon kami kaagad ng trabaho pagka-gradweyt. Ngunit hanggang ngayon na nasa huling taon na ako sa kolehiyo ay nananatiling huwad at nakapako ang mga pangakong ito.
Sa huling dalawang taon din na ito mas nabakas ang hindi kahandaan at kakulangan ng Departamento ng Edukasyon (DepEd) at ng pamahalaan sa pagpapatupad ng K-12. Mula sa kakulangan sa mga silid-aralan, pasilidad, guro, libro at iba pang rekurso na kinakailangan upang maisaayos ang pag-aaral, nakita na hindi pa talaga handa ang bansa sa bagong sistema ng edukasyon. Noong 2018, inamin mismo ni DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones ang kakulangan sa mga silid-aralan at espasyo para sa mga papasok ng Senior High School.
Matagal ko nang tinanggap na ganito ang aming kapalaran lalo na sa oryentasyon ng edukasyon natin na komersyalisado, kolonyal, at anti-demokratiko. Ang mismong ideya ng pagkakaroon ng K to 12 ay isa ng manipestasyon ng pagiging komersyalisado nito kung saan nakaangkla ang pagaaral sa pagiging work-ready ng mga estudyante na magtatapos ng K to 12. Bukod pa dito, ang hangarin na maging globallycompetitive ang mga estudyante na siyang sumasalamin sa kolonyal na oryentasyon ng edukasyon. Pilit tayong sumusunod sa standard ng ibang mga bansa gayong naiiwan naman na atrasado ang paglinang sa agrikultura, kultura, at maging sa sarili nating mga lenggwahe.
Hanggang kolehiyo ay dala-dala namin ang tila sumpa ng pagiging eksperimento. Nang dahil galing kami sa K to 12, kinailangang baguhin ang aming kurikulum sa kolehiyo na hindi lang naging mahirap para sa amin, kung hindi pati na rin sa mga higher batch na kailangang kumuha ng isang kurso na hindi na muling iooffer pa dahil sa bagong kurikulum.
Sa pagpasok ng pandemya, higit na pinahirapan pa ang sangkaestudyantehan sa biglaang kabig sa moda ng edukasyon na isang panibagong eskperimento nanaman para sa sistema ng edukasyon sa bansa. Bukod sa pagiging inepektibo ng remote learning, lumabas din ang isyu ng milyon-milyong estudyanteng maiiwanan at hindi makapagpapatuloy ng pag-aaral dahil sa kawalan ng mga rekurso at kagamitan na kakailanganin upang makasabay sa online moda ng pagaaral. Ipinagkait din sa mga magaaral ang pagkakaroon ng practical skills gawa ng kawalan ng mga laboratoryo at kagamitan. Maging ang mga thesis at internship na dapat sana’y makapagpapalago sa aming kasanayan ay isasagawa online. Paano na lamang kami sasabak sa mga pinili naming larangan gayong puro teorya ang aming natutunan at walang pagsasapraktika? Dagdag pa dito ang pangambang hindi na muling makatungtong pa sa kampus kahit sa mismong araw ng pagtatapos dahil sa hindi masugpong pandemya dulot ng iresponsable at militaristikong pagtugon ng nasa administrasyon.
Bagaman nauuna, nananatiling huli ang pioneer batch ng K to 12 pagdating sa kalidad ng edukasyon na natatamasa. Kakabit ang kagustuhan na makapagtapos na ng pag-aaral, ang mga karanasang ito ang hindi ko na gugustuhin pang matamasa ng mga susunod sa amin. Bilang isa sa mga produkto ng K to 12 na nalalapit nang magtapos ng kolehiyo, isa itong pagtawag sa atensyon ng pamahalaan na siyang bumubuo ng mga batas sa bansa na inepektibo at pahirap lamang sa mamamayang Pilipino ang dagdag na dalawang taon sa hayskul. Lumipas man ang ilang taon, mananatili ang aming panawagan hangga’t hindi pambansa, siyentipiko, at makamasa ang edukasyon na siyang sasagot sa bulok at atrasadong oryentasyon ng edukasyon sa bansa. ▼
Behind Baguio’s ‘Mood’
WORDS JIAN MARIE GARAPO
Baguio has always been known as one of the places where tourism is extremely thriving. From the tourist spots, to the culture, up to the climate – almost everybody desires to experience what the City of Pines has to offer. Unbeknownst to the majority, the city faces a lot of challenges and dangers hiding in its cloak of aesthetic sensibility. There are problems in the locality that remain unheeded, and these concerns are worthy of attention as much as what its physical attributes get from the foreign admirers.
As a Baguio local, one of the biggest concerns of the city that I’ve observed lies in the environmental aspect. The SM Supermall redevelopment sacrificed more than 50 trees in replacement of its “Sky Garden” with nothing but artificial grasses and plants. Prior to this project, another set of trees were first cut down for the Skyranch area. It’s scary how the local government easily permits the devastation of these trees knowing that this is one of the most notable hallmarks of Baguio. It’s nothing but pure irony that Baguio is labeled as the City of Pines when its trees are consistently being compromised for reasons that do not serve the public interest.
The city faces another catastrophe with the threat of Jeepney Phaseout along with the impending mallification of Baguio Public Market which the SM Prime Holdings (SMPH) will handle. While these programs aim to redesign and modernize the city, they appear to be profit-oriented and anti-poor which only favor big corporations and cooperatives that leave drivers, vendors, and Baguio residents at a loss. The same is true with the imminent privatization of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC); as such decision would definitely make healthcare assistance and services inaccessible for the poor, underprivileged, and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) who rely on it – especially that BGHMC has been one of the most trusted and accommodating public hospitals in the Cordillera. While many people praise Baguio for seemingly having a “good governance,” there exists a stifled voice and resistance against it; there is a struggle for justice, sovereignty, and the need to be heard as a resident fundamental for the local development.
However, progressive individuals and groups who are at the forefront of the calls for City’s preservation face threats to their safety and security. With the rampancy of red-tagging, defenders become susceptible to harassment and unjust treatment.
Many red-taggers argue that protests and movements have no room in the city since Baguio is a peaceful and quiet place where people are disciplined; but ironically, the history of Baguio and the Cordillera region itself is rooted from a long-lived struggle against colonial powers and land aggressions, a long-lived struggle towards selfdetermination of indigenous peoples, and a long history of defiance for their land and sovereignty since the Spanish conquest.
The fact is, Baguio City has been extremely romanticized to the point that its own problems are oftentimes overlooked. Yes, its climate might be cold enough for a “cuddle weather,” but it also reflects how cold the heart of the city has turned out to be. A more cordial and indulgent hometown is what we, the locals, primarily need. And this would not be achieved by boosting tourism, cutting trees, building giant shopping malls, privatizing hospitals, and silencing the concerned citizens. A better Baguio will only emerge once those who are in power learned how to develop the city in parallel with the concerns and necessities of its own residents. ▼
When alarming problems like these arise, there is a need to take up space and fight for what is right.
Hangganan ng pananamantala
WORDS
KM-DATAKO BALANGAY ELVIRA
Tuwing Umaapaw ang Dagat
Tinatantya ng manggagawa ang sahod sa isang buwan sa higit walong oras na pagkayod, sa kawalan ng pahinga at tulog, natantya ng mangagawa ang sahod sa isang buwan walang pagkain ang pamilya, binabansot ng pabrika. tinanaw ng magsasaka ang lupang sinasaka, dekada mang magbungkal, walang yamang tinamasa, kinapa ng magsasaka ang lalim ng kanyang bulsa, ang salapi mula sa ani ay nasa nagsasamantala. kinalkula ang sahod, binilang ang dekada, nang magsukat ay halos ‘di matantya, sa lawak ng pananamantala, walang napunta, sa mga pagawaan, sa industriya ng sakahan. ngunit kahaharapin ng mapagsamantala ang hangganan, sa kamay ng manggagawa’ t magsasaka, babawiin ang pagawaan, ang lupang sakahan, tutuldukan ang dekadang pangaapi, sagot ay digmang bayan!
WORDS
GELEN DAVAC
Animnapung porsyento raw sa katawan ng tao Ay tubig Ito marahil ang dahilan Kung bakit Tuwing nagigimbal ang katauhan Hindi maiiwasan ang patak ng luha At sa panahong ubod ng sukdulan... Sa lagim ng karanasan Sasabog ang ihi. Malamang, Ilang pag-apaw na ng dagat ang naranasan ng karamihan, Kapag natisod ka sa gitna ng kalsada habang abala kung paano lalampasan ang hellweek Nawalan ng pitaka; Pagtatapos ng ikapitong relasyon dahil sa pangangaliwa na umabot naman ng pitong buwan; Problema sa pamilya; At ang iba ay... Mga kabataang lumaki sa skwater o sa kanayunang sadlak sa kahirapan Mga magsasakang binagyo ang taniman Mga mangingisdang itinataboy ng dayuhan mula sa sariling baybayin Pamilyang nawalan ng kaanak dahil sa tokhang Mga katutubong inagawan ng lupang ninuno Mga nakaranas ng torture noong Martial Law Mga namatayan dahil sa pandemya Tuwing umaapaw ang dagat At naaabot nito ang mga sugat Na nagmula sa pagtakas Mula sa kasalukuyan, sa daluyong ng karahasan.. Ng buhay Mas humahapdi ito Kailangan paghilumin. Marahil ay kabaliwan Ngunit katulad ng matandang nagpatag ng bundok Baka kailangang paamuin ang dagat, Kabisaduhin. Kalauna’y, mamamangka tayo kahit saan Sabay-sabay ang pagsagwan Upang tunghayan ang pulang silangan, Pagkatapos umapaw ng dagat Kakalma ang paligid. Hindi ito tungkol sa tsunami.
Lessons from the First Filipino Nobel Laureate
WORDS RAY MARK ESPIRITU
“#HoldTheLine.”
This is the mantra—the war cry—of the country’s first-ever Nobel Laureate. I never would have thought that I would live to see the day when the Philippines would be a recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize. It’s a marvel only for the reason that our country’s leaders refuse to believe in peace, such as they will summon every armory in their machinery, both its denotation and connotation, to silence and to eliminate all proof of resistance.
What’s unsurprising, though, is the profession of this year’s awardees; Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov are both journalists.
Journalists have long been trying to win the battle for truth. In the PAGE DESIGN Philippines alone, over a hundred JETHRO BRYAN ANDRADA have already been killed since 1986, at least 19 of which have been killed during Duterte’s term. Maria herself has been in constant war against state-perpetrated lies.
The blueprint
I remember my exhiliration that Friday afternoon, February 19. Maria Ressa graced HAU Communicators’ League’s webinar on disinformation, where she discussed its dangers on a macro lens and its impact on a personal level. After her talk, I had the luxury of asking her the question “In the current age of transmedia storytelling dynamic, which is used by both trolls and journalists, how can we further use the same platforms to campaign for the truth?”
“Organize,” she immediately said. It was that simple, I guess. But she made it clear that to detour from the GRAPHICS current strategies of disinformation JETHRO BRYAN ANDRADAwebs is of paramount urgency.
“Don’t use hate,” she explicitly said. “I don’t believe we should be using anger and hate even though they’re the most effective tools.”
I was all ears, staring at my laptop while processing the gravity of her response. I tried jotting every single thing down, tried nodding in response even though she could not see me, even tried imagining the “unthinkable” for being the target of the president and his pawns. Her words spoke to me. No matter how much anger and hate are being spewed here and there, we should never fight back with the same mental and emotional colors. She never fails to remember her values and instill them upon young aspirants like me and many who attended. A remarkable feat when you are being singled out by an authoritarian government.
What’s even more remarkable is how she turned the anger and hate she received from the current administration to something of a prestige. This recognition is a massive taunt to those who discredit her, Rappler, and other journalists. Above all else, this is a testament of the unyielding valor of the pen to hold those in power to account.
It is this win that makes sense of an otherwise deadly country for journalists; a historic moment for truth-tellers in the Philippines.
For facts’ sake
In this current political ecosystem, people easily resort to anger and hate as they are our kneejerk reactions, our primary responses to indifference, to opposing beliefs.
But what does all of this warrant? More division. In effect, the overall atmosphere of disinformation fueled by the growing hate and anger of the people, fosters the agenda of those seeking to return to power. It is in the dying months of the Duterte regime that the Philippines chose to stir and commence chaos on multiple platforms. But the propaganda war does not end on Facebook anymore. In fact, it only starts there. YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter are now homes to twisted facts. Heck, even Rappler’s fact-checking content is now being faked. With this, many are easily exasperated.
With this exasperation, people tend to easily dismiss the idea of a
WORDS
GELEN DAVAC
Sa pagkilos, Hindi mo kaagad maiintidihan ang mga batayang problema Kung paano ang pagpaplano para sa nga martsa O kaya nama’y paglulunsad ng mga kampanya. Ang unang hakbangin Ay ang pagkilala Sa kalagayang panlipunan Minsan pa nga, kalituhan muna Kung bakit tila ba kailangan mong humukay ng sariling libingan O ilibing sa trabaho ang sarili Para makaahon sa lusak ng kahirapan. Susunod ang pagaalinlangan, “Marahil ay ganito talaga
healthy discourse and resort to ad hominem for the sake of preserving one side only. What about the facts, then? The chance for allyship bade farewell just because you let your hatred and anger fuel you. Maria will not approve of this.
Now, how do we fight back? Revisiting Maria’s response to my query on campaigning for the truth, we should value the need to be organized as it is not an overnight process to win a (propaganda) war.
This begs another question of how. The answer is: Hold the line. Maria endured years of attacks in the frontlines and the universe is now rewarding her for her patience and integrity. Justice may not be here yet, but it is already taking its course. While we wait, it is now our time to lock arms and be one with the first Filipino Nobel Laureate, journalists, and truth-tellers alike in our battle for truth and democracy.
The battle is not Maria’s alone; and what is a win if we will not carry her ink’s might? ang mundo.” Magpapatuloy sa sariling siklo Magsasawalang-kibo sa mga naririnig na usapan sa hapag-kainan Sa paghagupit ng krisis At paglala ng ligalig Sasampalin ka rin ng katotohanan, Na tayo ay kailangan sa lansangan Mga kapulungan Sa lahat ng makakayang abutin na larangan.
Pagsilip sa Pagkilos
The poet is a guerilla
WORDS
KM-DATAKO BALANGAY ELVIRA
Paano tutula ang makata sa gitna ng tiraniya paano tutula ang makata sa harap ng mga pinaslang paano tutula ang makata kung sinusupil ang panulaan makakatula ang makata hawak ang kanyang armas sa panulat man o sa pakikidigma makakatula ang makata kung titindig sa ligalig sa panahong iniigpawan ang kabig ng dibdib makakalaya ang makata sa gitna ng tiraniya makakalaya ang makata hawak ang armas sa pakikidigma magtatagumpay ang makata kasama ang masa, tungo sa pagpapalaya
WORDS MYRA KRISSELLE GARING
If Katniss was in the Philippines, she would probably end up dead.
I love an empowering main character when I read one. Imagine, in the first chapter, they’re the street rat trampled on the ground – then rising to fight the system. Readers will cheer for power while it’s in the main character’s hands, loving the story’s progression until the chapter of great awakening and clever planning, and they can’t wait to see it all fall into place.
But if we put this scenario in the real world, the audience will grow quiet. No sound. Only judgement. Death. And eyes turn away. It’s just another day in the Philippines.
Fire is catching
It’s almost a familiar process – lives get taken, and information gets sealed.
It’s as familiar to us as it is to Guy Montag (Fahrenheit 451), who lived a fireman’s life devoted to their world’s decree of burning books and other forms of literature – eradicating the era of printed word. Occasionally, people even choose to be burned along with the books, and though this bothers Montag, he doesn’t move.
Until he began to question why books were so abhorred. What was about words that rulers were afraid of? What made the world turn to a book-less dystopia? The easy answer is control.
As books ignite ideas, apparently this gave way to conflict. Works of literature weren’t seen as expression but rather a dangerous thing that could be the cause of war. Somehow, being educated was seen as a threat rather than progress – and soon, the media is controlled. Information is filtered and only those that favored the ruling party could be spread out. A great media black-out.
If we burn
Take for example a young girl of District 12, plunged into a game to the death. Katniss’ journey began from volunteering to save her sister from the 74th Hunger Games – a survival competition which, for what it’s worth, is an illusion of escape from the poverty that plagued them. Their deaths were merely entertainment, their fighting baseless, and all of it benefits only the Capitol. Soon they go underground and fight it all with fire, which basically is the only way to actually change the tide.
Now let’s paint a picture, view ‘Panem’ as the Philippines, and ‘Katniss’ as an activist. Imagine catching Katniss with a placard as her bow, with words in her quiver, with truth as her bull’s eye shots. What will the supporters of tyranny do?
A ‘Katniss’ will be attacked. Incriminated, threatened, harassed – surveilled, gunned, discarded. There probably won’t even be a body when they’re done.
If this doesn’t seem as a reality to you, then think of the victims of Desaparecidos. The lost bodies of known activists, journalists, lawyers – the people who stood their ground before abusive leaders. They were all heroes of their own stories, now only living in memories and commemoration with yearly candles. If in a book, they’re cheered, but in our country, they disappear. Even worse, they end up dead.
You burn with us
When there’s oppression, people would struggle out of its hold – one we might call a rebellion. For Mare Barrow, to rebel against the ruling Silver kingdom means to defend her rights as a person, and as a citizen of Norta.
Mare bears the discrimination that comes with having Red blood, and hatred towards the conscription of Red peasants as soldiers for a pointless war. Soon after her life takes drastic turns in the hands of Silvers, she finds the Scarlet Guard, a rebel group seeking to topple the monarchy. But upon catching a whiff of this rebellion, the reigning Silvers sought to find every member of this group and kill them on sight.
Though the Philippines isn’t a monarchy, we are governed by a person who thinks highly of themselves and seeks a bloodrelated successor to the throne. Our President also appears to put all attention into sniffing out people who may or may not be part of a rebel group – and what’s too disturbing about this was even if you’re not one, they can brand you as such, and people will throw rocks as long as you live... with the police hunting you down.
There are many names of accused communist rebels: mothers, fathers, youth, whose lives seem to come from a tragic novel. They were common people who faced a tragedy from accusations – now separated from family, with their children dying without a mother’s cradle.
And I wish it was all a huge author’s twist of plot, but it’s not. It’s a corrupt ruler’s way of implementing their twisted mindset to maintain the status quo.
Fire is catching
Though stories are the mind’s work put into words, alive only in imagination, it reflects a reality most of us ignore – no matter the technology or powers – oppression reigns master, and judgment spreads supreme.
Anyone who contests the impartial decisions of a ruler, points out its injustice, or contains information that appears threatening to a ruler’s view of governance is hunted in the real world. The people blinded by support to these rulers wouldn’t love the underdog, they wouldn’t listen to the peasant’s pleas and pain.
And I think that books, though a way to imagine, still cannot compare to the reality we do face – the real world has real consequences, real impact. So if people only cage their views – only see and judge oppression if it’s within pages of fiction – it does none for real-world abuse.
Why shouldn’t we cheer, support, and understand Katniss in the Philippines? ▼
WORDS JAN PEARL EAZRYE REYES
For some, home is not just a place for dwelling; it’s a place of solitude and safety. A home where the warmth of a family’s love lives — a haven. Until it isn’t. For Alicia Lucena, her house is a dark box of trauma, darkened by the state-funded domestic abuse; a place to run away from. But as she’s about to reach the gates of hell towards freedom, fire catches on.
Chance at escaping
Last April, Alicia was forced to relive her nightmare life after she was abducted by state agents through a random swab testing scheme. Her mother, Relissa Lucena, believes that her daughter is being held hostage by a militant group. An elaborate plan was established, backed by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC), local government officials and other state agents.
Not only was Alicia deprived of freedom, she was also not given a chance to reclaim it. She recounts in one of her Facebook Lives, after she fled from home, how authorities tricked her into thinking she will finally get away, only to find out later that they were part of the plan to keep her detained. She shares on Facebook the ever-present bruises on her body caused by the people who abducted her.
“Nung dinukot nila ako ang dami kong pasa at sugat non. Nung nasa MOA kami sa department store nung nag attempt ako humingi ng saklolo sa mga tao dun kasi na-trigger nila ako because [they] deceived me na after swab test dun kami sa home ng grandparents ko ako magis-stay because our house in Pasay triggers bad memories, The head security guards, mga 4-5 and a military officer si Colonel Ostrea na nagbabantay/nagmamanage sa swab testing sa arena, restrained me tas kinaladkad nila ako sa kotse. Andami ko ulit pasa non,” Alicia said on her Facebook post.
For four months, Alicia only knew fear. Trapped and locked on the 4th floor of her Pasay home, a kitty litter for a toilet and a bed on the floor. She was treated like a prisoner in her own home, and maybe even worse. The constant physical and mental tortures might have turned others to insanity, but for her, this is what pushed her to fight back. If she escaped before, she can escape again. Physically weak and mentally tormented she might be, Alicia escaped her captors on August 16, the promise of a better country fueling her.
Are we out yet?
Authorities pushed the narrative of a disobedient child acting against a parent’s care to villainize Alicia. A preexisting rift between her family was weaponized to sell the story of the misguided, naive child who was manipulated by organizations to join their cause. The NTF-ELCAC insists that the mass organization Anakbayan kidnapped Alicia before they “saved” her despite the Supreme Court junking this allegation September last year. Alicia recounts on Facebook how she felt violated and trapped with the relentless interoggation of her Psychiatrist referred to her by the NTF-ELCAC. “Kasi ini-interrogate [ako nung Psychiatrist ko] showing pictures of underground organizations na parang ginawa sakin ng mga militar at nung sinasabi nilang ‘ex-NPA’ na forcibly akong pinapakausap nung dinadala nila ako sa mga kampo. Lagi niya akong iniinterogate kung saan ako nagpupupunta, na sabihin ko daw lahat ng naiisip ko sa kanya.”
Maybe this is hell
Alicia may have escaped one circle of hell when she fled her home, only to see that the demons in power have built a bigger fence around it. The only way to escape hell is to destroy it; Something that we cannot achieve if the administration continues their reign of terror through their abusive militaristic approach and funding agencies like the NTF-ELCAC.
This fight might be bigger than simply achieving freedom from her abusers, but this time Alicia is not alone. Together with the progressive youth, Alicia marches forward to reach true democratic freedom. Until the outspoken are heard, the dissenters are respected and the citizens know true peace. And just by then, maybe her home can become a haven again. ▼
No different from last year’s turn of events, the OCTA Research Group, on July 27, countered a claim that there’s another ‘serious surge’ of COVID-19 cases in the pandemic’s epicenter. The group noted that 13 out of 17 local government units in Metro Manila are considered “high risk” areas along with the increase in Delta variant cases, prompting the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region to control the rising trend of virus infections.
The lockdown, however, still did not control the numbers. From the OCTA Research Group’s latest reports on September 25, the country has recorded an average of 17,526 daily COVID-19 cases.
As the government keeps on resorting to such hastily imposed restrictions to supposedly manage the spread of the virus for more than a year now, the end of one of the world’s longest lockdowns becomes that much more unimaginable. While other countries are slowly managing to crawl their ways out, the Philippines seems to have been trapped in circles—the longer the pandemic plows on, the more it gets farther and farther away from the finish line.
Boomerang of events
Ever since quarantine 2020, the country has been placed in a lot of lockdown modifications from ECQ to GCQ to MECQ, to another series we are currently having. Yet, nothing seems to have improved—the country remains at the top of the list of countries with the highest number of COVID cases, and poor contact tracing efforts and delayed mass testing are still evident. With the return of restrictions, it seems as if we’re only going back from the start as they carry the same pitfalls as what they did the first time around. These on and off lockdowns continue to bring confusion among Filipinos since there are no clear policies to follow — the national government says one thing, and then local governments impose another. According to OCTA Research Fellow Nicanor Austriaco, our quarantines as of the moment are still leaky. If we really want to move forward, such quarantine guidelines should also apply to international travelers returning to the Philippines, as new variants such as Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Lambda are already circulating.
Running too slow
Despite having the highest number of Coronavirus infections and deaths in the region, the Philippines was among the last countries in Southeast Asia to secure the critical doses of COVID-19 vaccines, which only started at the beginning of March. And though it started, the rollout of such vaccines remains at a turtle’s pace.
According to data from the National Task Force Against Covid-19 as of September 23, a total of 19,671,725, or 25.50 percent of eligible Filipinos targeted for the COVID-19 vaccination program, are now fully vaccinated and more than 23 million others with the first dose. At this current slow pace, Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker estimates that it may take about 21 months or almost two years for the Philippines to vaccinate 75% of the population and achieve herd immunity. In this case, the country may be the last country in Southeast Asia to achieve such an immunity.
In their attempts to speed up vaccination programs, the government has been seeking loans from multilateral institutions. But with that national debt of P10.33 trillion, reflecting a 5.4% increase from the end-December 2020 level, still, none of it has been used efficiently for the people. Till now, investments in laboratories, equipment, manpower, and vaccine supply remain limited and thus, hamper the expansion of contact tracing, mass testing, and vaccination.
This chronic mismanagement then leaves the fundamentals of this public health crisis unaddressed and mismanaged, thus continuing to leave lockdowns as the government’s main and only tool in fighting the pandemic.
Leaving the poor behind
Unlike in some countries where the pandemic can be deemed as a battle of the unvaccinated, our country’s current state more audibly reflects a “pandemic of the underprivileged.” From the first wave of the ECQ up to the current series of granular lockdowns, the number of unemployed and striving Filipinos continues to increase parallel to the trend of COVID-19 cases, the preliminary results of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Latest Labor Force survey revealed that there were around 3.764 million unemployed Filipinos, as of June 2021 and continues to increase every single day. Till now, sudden ECQs and granular lockdowns are implemented, leaving irregular workers such as market vendors, small business owners, and even jeepney drivers with no choice but to stop their jobs and suffer in hunger until such restrictions are lifted. Additionally, distribution of immediate cash aid, such as the P10,000 cash aid for every Filipino family, lobbied in the government are still nowhere to be reached by the people.
As all these barriers pile up, Filipinos will have to grapple again and again with unprecedented debts, mismanaged funds, unclear policies, and worsening economy, without even being provided with a definitive plan.
Then again, the finish line will be out of reach until the government chooses to step out of the circle of incompetence and strive to respond effectively and appropriately to the calls for sufficient healthcare services, immediate “P10K ayuda” for every family, financial support for micro, small, and medium businesses gravely affected by the lockdowns, and a more established plan to end this long-suffered pandemic. ▼
trapped in circles
WORDS JULIANNE ELIJAH NATIVIDAD
