"NEW NORMAL"

COVID 19
Reflection Paper

Lea A. Fernandez (BEED-4)

Question 1

Disadvantage: Closing of Businesses with Physical Store/Shop

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a tremendous closing

of businesses may it be restaurants, boutiques, and other essential

or none essential shops. It affected lots of Filipino owners whose

daily living depends on their business and of course, Filipino workers

whose income depends on their job. Imagine how devastated it is to

the feeling that it took time and the huge amount of money for

those owners to put up their businesses and they don't have any

choice but to close them. For example, a restaurant that has been

very popular and well-known for 30 years in the city will close

because of losses since few customers are allowed to go out or

dine in. The income that they are accumulating every day doesn't

suffice the need to pay the bills and workers.

Advantage: Booming Online Businesses

However, Filipinos are known for being resourceful. They made

use of the online platform and grabbed the opportunity to introduce

new businesses. Facebook, Instagram, Shoppee, Lazada, to name a

few, are just some of the online platforms which can be used in

promoting businesses most especially the small ones. Live selling is

also one of the popular ways to sell and encourage the netizens to

avail their products or items. Some businesses are being promoted

online but people aren't giving much attention to them because

they choose to buy things in the mall or physical stores, or even eat

outside. For those who wanted to continue what they have started

before the pandemic, they also thought of various ways on how they

will boost their businesses online for example they will deliver the

product or food for free, or they will give the customers some

discounts. You can never go wrong with Filipinos' strategic and

clever minds, they will do everything to survive and fulfill the needs

of their family.
Question 2
When the Pandemic reached its first year in our country

last March 2021, the "New Normal" is slowly being introduced.

The government and health workers invoked to normalize the

physical distancing, the use of facemask, few people are

allowed to go to the malls, facilities, transportations and such.

However, the question in my mind is that, are people willing to

do all these things for a long period of time? Are people

willing to follow or they will just do what is easy or convenient

for them? Now that we are still in the middle of the pandemic,

there are many violators, caught or not, so what do we expect

for the few days, months, or years to come? According to the

experts, if we will not follow the rules or health protocol, the

virus spread will continue. No matter how we normalize all

those things, if people are not disciplined and sensitive

enough, this pandemic won't end. These are my expectations

and at the same time the challenges that we will continue to

experience if there are still close-minded people and

individuals who are pulling their caps over their eyes.

Question 3
In some sense, I cannot hide the fact that I am

looking back to the old normal. But with all these things

happening right now, I have to accept that what

happened in the old normal will just remain as

memories. They are indeed great memories that as

much as I wanted to experience them again, it's not

possible anymore. Right now, it's better to be safe than

sorry. Instead of looking back to the old normal, why

can't I just focus on looking forward to the new normal

so I won't be stuck from the past and so I can do more

meaningful things despite the limitations. Being an

introvert person, this new normal doesn't scare me at

some point.