TRAIL OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

I’ve observed how this pandemic started and the informations regarding this issue are based on
what I’ve seen and heard. The Covid-19 first erupted in the province of Wuhan China last
December 2019. Different speculations of its origin had surfaced but two believed sources of
this stirred the public. The first one was the venom of rat, snake and bat infection of human
body through ingestion but the later was what the majority thought it had started. Chinese are
known for eating pet animals, endangered and wild species such as rats, snakes, bats, spiders,
cockroaches, dogs, cats, golden kuhol and other species that seemed not comestible to some
people, hence, they were condemned and blamed for such a bizarre taste in chow which
believed to have the virus to be generated. Since Wuhan had numerous laboratories, people
conjectured that it was intently developed for a purpose and that is as a bioweapon. It was a
known fact of the transparent brawl of China and U.S.A. and trade war even happened between
these two powerful countries, not yet including the agitation brought by the West Philippine Sea
to Chinese against Filipinos, with the virus that could pervade the world, China would be in great
advantage, if it takes down the health of the people and economy of its opponents. What
strengthened the public's assumption of China's conspiracy of the virus was its fast recovery
from it. These reasons were neglected because no evidence could prove these theories and
different nations battled with their overwhelming cases of the virus.

When Covid-19 started to wreak havoc, the Philippines was in commotion because of the
eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas, diverting the countries’ attention from the virus. We were
still accepting Chinese tourist and other nationalities during that time but minimal number of
resorts banned other tourists from staying in their hotels who came from China. The first case of
Covid-19 in our country was when a couple Chinese visited and roamed around in Cebu.
Although the virus first manifested and permeated in some European countries, Asia never got
spared from its wrath along with the other continents in the world, thus, health crises began to
arise in several countries and challenging the people to follow safety protocols. What made the
proliferation of the virus was the ardent deviance of the people who complained about not
following the health protocols and decided to do it their way. In Russia, when the number of
Covid-19 cases surged and it decreased later on, Their President Vladimir Putin allegedly opted
to unleashing wild lions and tigers that would butcher and eat a human being without a second
thought. Although it was deemed as hoax. South Korea suffered also an extreme infection of the
virus to its people but because of the wise strategy and obedience of the Koreans, they
managed to lessen it.
 In our country, Simple health protocols were mandated for the people to practice such as the
washing of hands, wearing of facemask and face shield, social distancing, prohibiting to social
gathering and imposing Community Quarantine. It may seem easy but still others weren’t able
to do so. Some Filipinos were hard-headed and contumacious when following protocols which
led to their capture. They have justified by saying their reasons but to no avail to arresters. This
scenarios of recalcitrancy continued to be observed up to the present time.

I couldn't turn a blind eye by simply saying that the protocols helped manipulate the decrease
of the infection, but rather, I could point out how it affected our entire country from the
devastation of Covid-19. As I pondered, I realized both the boons and banes of this pandemic.

I’ll consider first the banes which are known to almost everyone. Covid-19 caused
unemployment to overseas and local workers. Due to the alarming ascend on the number of
cases in many countries and in some regions in the Philippines, People were forced to return to
our country or close virus-infected private companies for the sake of the workers and those
companies that were near to collapse that needed to reduce their employees. Club workers,
flight attendants and crews, tourist guides, comedians, celebrities, singers, dancers and
everyone of us had been lashed by Covid-19. With the movement of people being restricted
from getting exposed to the virus, people could barely make a living, just stay at home and
prompting severe poverty and agitating hunger to people. It was the primary reason why some
people couldn’t follow remaining at home because they had families which meant stomachs to
fill especially those in impecunious clan who could scarcely eat thrice a day. The government
provided for assistance through relief goods and cash aids, nevertheless, it didn’t suffice for the
entire duration of community quarantine because the purpose of the aid was to help but not to
permanently eradicate the problem. Our economy was in paralyzed and slowly sinking because
of many restrictions to follow and income could hardly generate. Millions of people got infected
and died. Some of them breathed their last inside their homes or outside the hospital for its
incapacitation to be treated inside the facility. Medical practitioners were outnumbered and got
infected with the virus, worsening the health crisis situation. Emotional stress of the people
became a problem also brought about the current situation. These were some of the
disadvantages in general that I knew, not to mention the other issues emerging the past few
months. But I remember a phrase from Miss Universe 2018, Catriona Gray, saying “To look for
the silver lining.” And it hits me the reality that despite its dark side, I couldn’t ignore the rays of
sunlight showing, signifying hope and better tomorrow
 That like a piano, it has black and white keys, although these two are contrary but play different
beat and rhythm to make a masterpiece. From accepting the reality of bitterness and sweetness
in life, I was able to picture out the whole image and ascertained the boons of this pandemic.
Our nature was able to live and breath from the stressful intoxication of the human’s everyday
usual life. Limiting the movement of the vehicles and people meant less pollution and chaos.
After the streets were cleaned, We all could attest how clean the streets were in Metro Manila
when lockdown began. Traffic finally ceased. Everyone irked getting sandwiched with numerous
vehicles while on the road because of the hassle it brings. No need of travelling from different
places, hence, we need less automobiles or
motorcycles because we’re inside our homes. The longer we stay at home, the more time we
could get along with our family. Our lives mostly revolved around school for students and jobs
for working parents. Have we ever think of how and where we spend our time for the whole
week? Mondays to Fridays, for students, meant staying at school for 8-10 hours listening
learning and accomplishing the tasks given by educators. Meanwhile, working parents sacrificed
almost the same hours but sometimes overtime at their working place and more tedious tasks.
Have we ever realize how many hours we stay at home and bond with our family? It’s lesser
than our time with school or work. Because our remaining 14-16 hours every week days were
spent for transportation, preparing for school/work and sleeping. We only have Saturdays and
Sundays that were occasionally expend for the unfinished assignments at school and home.
Our current situation is the time that we become daughters or sons to our parents, a sister or
brother to our sibling/s or a parent to our children. Taking advantage of this situation in good
means would allow us not to regret what we were doing during this time if in case, everything
returns to the “old normal” that we’re desiring. Away from the environment that sometimes give
us stress and headache except our home, we have escaped from the tiring tasks at school or
work. People learned to pray to God and strengthen their faith which is the most advantageous
effect of Covid-19. Before this pandemic, Almost all people were unbothered and self reliant of
what awaited their tomorrows, not until this disease slapped us the reality that we’re nothing but
humans. That we may be strong, genius and hard-working but all of these traits were futile
compared to the power of the ever living God. And we must admit that we would need God in
any situation.
One of the well-talked issue last year was the continuing of the school year. I admired how
President Rodrigo Duterte cared for students that he didn't allow children going to school only to
get infected But also to Education Secretary Leonor Briones for providing other ways to let
students continue studying but not sacrificing their health. I was torn between resuming to study
or not. I considered both the stand and sides of these two powerful people. My stand was to
consider both of its effects to me and the people and not to be one-sided. I’m a student, yes. I
understood the exhaustion in school, yes. I reflected the hassles and risk of the current
situation, yes.
 I knew the hardship of my parents to send me to school, yes. I was almost convinced that it’s
better not to study for this year, however, I realized that resting a year would delay my plan in
the future, I would spend my time on things that are not school-related and educators would
have no salary at all because of the “No work, no pay policy.” I knew for sure that teachers also
have families to support and provide their basic necessities. Should the school year stop, the
teachers wouldn’t be paid for not doing their job and there are majority groups in the society
who are poverty- stricken, it would drench our country to a more impoverished economy. If
some of the teachers were already among in poverty line, what more if they don’t have salary?
They studied six years in elementary school, four years in high school (based on old
curriculum), four years in their college course and a year for board examination review, not
including yet those who have master’s and doctor’s degree. They devoted their lives studying
and teaching students and their efforts would yield uselessness, if they lose their jobs. So in
spite of the crisis from this virus and other factors that could affect my studying, I pursued to
proceed in Grade XII.

As a student, I’m greatly aware of the mental health crisis lingering around to some students
like me. A lot of students died because of the stress in module and mostly through suicide.
Perhaps, it was the consequence of continuing to study. We portray different roles at home and
school. I couldn’t judge that what they’re going are worse than mine or vice versa. I believe that
when handling situation, it’s not about the intensity of the problem that would determine
someone’s survival from it, but rather how the person handles it despite its easiness and
hardness. I couldn’t simply say that modules, performance tasks and problems at home are
petty reason to commit suicide because I might take it lightly but my mindset is different from
other people and so as their environment at home. I have to admit that the changes caused by
new normal were hassle and irritating because online class, according to my own perspective is
a very ambitious application to our current situation. Few students and teachers hardly have the
gadgets needed, the internet connectivity in some areas are poor and if they ever have gadgets
and internet, the expenses would be too hard to carry to both students with their parents and
teachers. Not all students were able to attend the online class and approach their teachers
virtually concerning school matters but only rely to the modules given weekly. As a result,
students grades’ decreased than they were before the new set-up started. Needless to say, it
was better that way instead of compromising the health of the children by face-to-face classes.
There were instances that parents answered their child’s module because the youngsters
couldn’t comprehend what it tried to imply. Parents should serve as guides but it was too much
giving answers to modules, nevertheless, some people tried to accept it considering our
situation.
For me, the students should be understood by teachers and the same with the teachers being
understood by students. Because the battle against this pandemic is not just for parents,
students, teachers but for every one of us. I believe in parents' hardwork, teachers' pursuance
and students' determination that we could survive from this and let dreams be reached.

The best way to survive from this virus is not to criticize and complain about the failures of the
government and other people but rather, we should be aware of the rules and protocols to follow
and portray the roles in our community and home before we could point out the flaws of others.
Self-awareness is better than judging others, because we have our own mistakes to correct..
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we ever have and in any nuisance, we have to beat in mind
who to call and that’s the Almighty God.