THE UNPLEASANT effects of the coronavirus are being most felt by those who had to pass through checkpoints thermally checked and momentarily held especially those without identification cards.
It's a virtual standstill. Last Monday, March 16, 2020, I ventured to go to the Angeles City Hall, only to find out it was only manned by a skeletal force. Same was true at the Angeles City Water District which was closed. Several concessionaires were heard asking the guards posted at the gates if they (the concessionaires) would be charged penalties for not paying on time. The guards answered in the negative.
There was confusion as far as transport and public utility vehicles were concerned. Others simply stopped plying their routes, foregoing their day's earnings. Some were stopped in their tracks and advised to stop ferrying passengers. There were checkpoints installed along the major thoroughfares, each motorist flagged down for the thermal scanning. Everyone was hopeful that this manner can contain the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.
Schools were understandably closed as a precautionary measure for the school children. The suspension might take some time, till the threat subsides on who knows when.
Employees were advised to work and stay home and report via telecommuting and other means. Others simply loafed around, thinking this crisis will simply pass away. Well...
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As expected, the economic losses and lost revenues of every sector have so far been huge and staggering and if this crisis were not over soon, the said negative effects would pile up to high figures.
The National Government should address the crisis with clear-cut solutions and not with band-aid measures so as to calm down the public which resort to panic-buying especially on face masks, alcohol and other essential items. And what about the daily wage earners? They are the first to suffer because of the loss of their daily wage due to work stoppage. It's good that Senator Joel Villanueva thought of recompensing the daily wage earners to tide them over while the problem persists. Other compassionate companies and employers gave early the mid-year bonuses to help their employees/workers. May their tribe increase.
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Not all parish priests agree to the cancellation of masses in their respective parishes. They say they cannot forego hearing masses in view of the threat of the coronavirus disease.
One concerned priest is Fr. Jose Lacap of the Our Lady of Divine Grace Parish who, in his homily last Sunday, March 15, 2020, lamented the cancellation of masses.