COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survival of the Fittest…Not

I am not the person that I was eight months ago. The whirlwind-like turn of events during the
first six months of 2020 had many people left confused, anxious, devastated and...sick. It was
heart-breaking and totally life-changing.
When municipalities and provinces started to close down borders and implement lockdowns, so
many people were caught in-between. Before them was a critical crossroad of safety or
economy; 'buhay o hanap-buhay'? This scenario, among others, exacerbated intergenerational
inequalities in our society. In our place, Lanao, the unprecedented and multifaceted effects of
COVID-19 were felt. Residents were rendered immobile, livelihoods were crippled and our
mental health, one way or another, fell vulnerable. Families from different walks of life had to
depend on the relief goods provided by the LGU which is completely different from what we do
before. We've always been independent. We work hard to bring food to our tables and not rely
on others. Seeing all my neighborhood and my family line-up for handouts has never crossed
my mind. More so, I have never imagined losing someone close to us to COVID-19.
To make things more dire, the altered set-up of education is definitely one of the
unprecedented effects of COVID-19 pandemic that directly affect the youth. I'm happy to be in
a field of profession that assists learners as they navigate themselves in this new mode of
learning but the unfavorable ramifications of this pursuit are disturbing. In our community,
parents who are already burdened in trying to make a living in this new economic environment
are having hard time to make this set-up work for their children. This new modality also
disproportionately places poor students at a disadvantage because while others hire private
tutors for their children, the poor can't afford such luxury. This ultimately defeats the purpose
of No Child Left Behind Policy because whether we like it or not, a number of children are
getting left behind.
We still have a very long way to go in this fight but looking back, we can deduce a few salient
points so far. First, our unity makes us stronger and our division weakens our defense. This is
exactly why to fight COVID-19, we have to come together and work as one, as human race
against a tiny virus that took million lives. We need a coordinated governance of the national
government and local government units and multilateralism in the global scale. Second, the role
of youth should be taken into account considerably. The youth played a huge role in this fight.
Working among other front liners, they took a front seat to advance their assistance and
knowledge. The youth is a reliable ally in the global efforts to combat this global crisis. Finally,
we need to be more sympathetic. Being aggressive on our policies hurt the poor members of
the society. We need to be reminded that everybody is fighting for survival here. No, this is not
a survival of the fittest; this is a survival where the fittest reach out for the weak and hold them
tight so they can rise together. Only then we can emerge victorious.
I told you that I am not the person that I was eight months ago. This unexpected turn of events
changed me fundamentally and profoundly. Though I have lost so many things in this pandemic,
I know in myself that I am now more than ever ready to take my chances in this new normal.