Name: Ashley Marie G.

Polliscas

Strand and Section: HUMSS-PLATO

Date of submission: MAY 30, 2022

THE OUTTURN OF COVID-19 TOWARDS FILIPINOS’

We frequently hear Hercules’ phrase, “There is nothing everlasting except

change.” Everything changes, including ourselves and the world around us. Our lives
are altered in tremendous and poor ways. Circumstances, relationships, habits, and
even sentiments change. Our lives begin to alter when Covid-19 begins. Everything
changes, along with our way of life, connections with our families, friends, and
cherished ones, jobs, and professions. The Covid-19 Pandemic, which has harmed and
continues to have an effect on our lives, is one of the problems that human beings all
around the world are facing. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the virus and
illnesses infected both Filipinos and non-Filipinos. Covid-19’s impact has been felt all
around the world. As the variety of illnesses and deaths increases, Filipinos confront
new challenges each day.

Filipinos endured difficulties at this time and tried in any way they may have
wanted to provide for their families. During the lockdown, absolutely everyone is
affected. Our fellow Filipinos have the tough challenge of surviving and moving on in
the face of the pandemic. Filipinos are going through difficult situations and are
striving to overcome them. We regularly think about awful conditions in which many
innocent lives are lost when we discuss tragedies, catastrophes, and disasters. This
virus has been wreaking havoc on Filipinos’ lives for years. Filipinos are famed for
their ability to persevere in the face of adversity and change. Throughout history,
however, Filipinos have risen to the occasion to defy such overwhelming odds. The
current pandemic is no exception, with Filipinos inventing practical yet inventive
strategies to adapt to a new normal that is more socially disconnected, community-
oriented, and cautious.
 Remember when the Philippines didn’t have a Covid-19? Weren’t lifestyles
different back then? We have been free to tour anyplace we chose, at any time, and do
any activity. Remember, this was once at some point in a period when all Filipinos
were content with their lives and had no concept that a pandemic would end up being
a fear for each citizen today. Our lives are nowadays more complicated than ever,
with difficulties ranging from financial to emotional in essence. There are numerous
ways to describe how this virus has affected the lives of Filipinos, but I’d like to focus
my attention on three: hardships, endeavors, and how the Covid-19 Pandemic has
affected us all. My main purpose is to emphasize the sufferings of all Filipinos in the
course of the pandemic and how this sickness affected us all.

Many matters are going on in the Filipinos’ difficulties and trials at some stage
in these times. Our country has been devastated as a result of the outbreak. It has
generated many challenges for residents, in particular in terms of finances. Many
Filipinos have lost their jobs as a result of the implementation of community
quarantine. The unemployment rate has soared, and the government is currently
searching for measures to help its population. The pandemic has had a significant
impact on every Filipino society and economy. Filipinos have been compelled to
adapt to new prerequisites and lifestyles that they are unfamiliar with. Variety of the
Filipinos have lost their jobs as a result of these closures. Thousands of human beings
have misplaced their jobs as a result of their inability to work at some point during
this period. The pandemic touched each and every aspect of Filipino life, from health
care to education to livelihood. For instance, due to a lack of food, there has been an
increase in cases of dehydration and malnutrition among children. Patients struggling
with a range of virus-related symptoms such as fever, cough, headaches, muscular
pains, and exhaustion have been crowding hospitals.

In terms of education, faculties were forced to close owing to an inability to

handle the enormous number of students who were unwell or who had been confined
at home because their parents were frightened they might get the virus if they went
out. There have been additional claims that certain faculties have been short-staffed
considering that countless instructors have been in poor health or on leave at some
point during this time. As a result, almost every student is at home, adjusting to the
new learning norm. The Filipinos faced numerous difficulties as a result of the
pandemic. One of them is the change in surroundings from being active and outgoing
with friends, going out, doing new things, and so on, to being sedentary while sitting
or standing in front of a laptop/computer, watching shows with one’s family/guardian,
or classmates/coworkers.

In terms of livelihoods, some people have been compelled to quit working

totally because they needed more time off to care for their family or themselves—
especially due to the fact that many agencies stopped down at some stage in this time
period for fear of losing customers or staff who stayed at home instead. Companies
have been pressured to lay off personnel to preserve their enterprise because many
individuals have been unable to work owing to sickness or death. Many employees
have been pressured to take time off work or leave altogether, considering that their
pay used to be insufficient to support their families. To help themselves and their
families, many Filipinos have been pushed to seek employment overseas or even pass
to different countries. Numerous Filipinos rely on remittances from family members
who work abroad for financial help due to these economic realities. However,
limitations on worldwide travel in the course of the pandemic have made this more
difficult than normal. This is specifically difficult because we can’t simply stroll out
and look for a job due to lockdown laws. It’s now not solely about discovering work;
it’s additionally about figuring out how to make the most use of your sources at this
time when the authorities have shut them down or outlawed them entirely. Because so
many people have been staying home from school or work to avoid contracting
Covid-19 or passing it on to those they interact with on a daily basis, such as
coworkers or classmates at school, many businesses have closed completely due to a
lack of customers.

The financial impact of the pandemic on the Filipino people is no longer a

single factor. It additionally had an effect on their physical and emotional well-being.
Filipinos have been affected by the pandemic in terms of physical health considering
the fact that they had restricted access to clinical supplies, vaccinations, and
treatments. As a result, they have grown to become more inclined to illnesses and
infections. Many individuals died as a result of the scarcity of medical supplies.
Filipinos had been affected by the pandemic in terms of mental health, given that they
had been terrified of being ill and dying as a result of it. As a result, they grew
terrified of whatever it was that might make them ill or kill them. This led to some
individuals believing that the condition was once cursed or was once the end result of
witchcraft, which solely brought about their fear and anxiety.

The Filipino human beings clung to one another in the midst of the
pandemic’s devastation. They tried to make sense of their lives and reclaim their
independence. Covid-19 influenced not only Filipino citizens but also their outlook on
life. They knew they wanted each other to live on and that they wanted to continue to
be together. When they realized they were no longer alone in the world and that there
were still human beings who cared about them, it used to be a turning point in their
lives. For instance, due to the fact there have been no school activities, some families
had to spend more time together to help each other cope with stress while waiting for
information about their cherished ones who have been constrained at home or in
hospitals. Some households lost loved ones due to the fact they couldn’t manage to
pay for proper medical remedies or quarantined them at home rather than bringing
them to hospitals where there had been only a restricted number of medical doctors
for all people who wanted medical attention due to a lack of resources and amenities
throughout this time period.

We’ve witnessed how Filipinos have banded together to aid one another,
mainly those who are struck by the sickness. We can witness how individuals are
helping one another in surviving the catastrophe through sharing food, clothing, and
different necessities. We may also additionally witness how people are helping one
another by donating their services, such as medical doctors who give their time to
treating patients infected with Covid-19 in hospitals and clinics. Filipinos are
acknowledged for their tenacity and positivity. They are continuously prepared to
meet adversity with a positive attitude. With this in mind, they have been able to cope
with the pandemic by changing their residence into a makeshift hospital, supplying
meals and refuge to those in need, and supporting one another when they needed it the
most.

We’ve gone through a lot, and our lives have altered dramatically since then.
It’s hard to accept that you can’t leave your house without wearing a mask, but it’s
our reality now, so we have to cope with it. We are living in dread and uncertainty
right now because we know that there is no cure for this virus and we don’t know
when one will be available. Nonetheless, we are strong enough to face all of these
issues head on and live our lives as frequently as possible at some point during this
period. Throughout these challenging times, we have found techniques to keep our
lives normal—or as ordinary as possible. Despite our sorrow, we may also discover
pleasure in the small matters we accomplish. We can go out to lunch with friends or
family members; we can go shopping for clothing or food; we can travel throughout
the country or continue to be at home if that’s what you desire to do; and we can even
go on dates. With all of these selections now that Covid-19 has halted most things to
do in our country, there is no reason not to have a good time.

Filipinos have continually had a strong spirit. Filipinos are known for their
warm hearts, optimistic outlooks, and inventiveness. We all want to help one another
through these trying times. People who become infected with the virus are no longer
to blame. People need to provide help and compassion to others, especially those who
are badly affected in terms of health, finances, and food security. We’re all battling
the same pandemic.

CITATIONS AND REFERENCES:

Fallesen, D. (2021, November 10). How COVID-19 impacted vulnerable

communities in the Philippines. World Bank Blogs; blogs.worldbank.org.
https://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/how-covid-19-impacted-vulnerable-
communities-
philippines#:~:text=COVID%2D19%20has%20taken%20a,and%20its%20severe%20
economic%20impact.
HHI Resilient Communities. (2022, March 12). Symposium Report: The Impacts of
the COVID-19 Pandemic on Vulnerable Communities in the Philippines –
Philippines. ReliefWeb; reliefweb.int.
https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/symposium-report-impacts-covid-19-
pandemic-vulnerable-communities-philippines