I can’t understand how our people would take the helplessness they encounter amid the rising number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19 cases and the number of deaths. Based on the impression, it seems nothing because of the possible silence that emanated from shock or total surrender of the situation.
We simply cannot preempt whatever is there that they feel when many of our friends have gone ahead due to Covid-19 or other illnesses. The problem is that, while situations have gone worse because of the surge of infections, our hospitals are also overwhelmed. One case is that of a family seeking to transfer their relative for treatment to Bacolod hospitals, but there is no available space even just in a makeshift tent that can allow temporary admission so the patient could be given whatever available intervention.
The scenario is when they are admitted to hospitals, this becomes a temporary relief to appease the family who eventually end up in death.
It is telling us that the only thing we need to accept is the separation from our loved ones because of death and that our government, which supervised the health system, had nothing to do other than list down the number of positive cases every day and the number of deaths.
I wonder why we seem to have simply accepted this kind of situation and that our government is keeping silent to guide and inform people on what to do. Supposedly, they knew the kind of people we have, especially from the marginalized sector, who need proper guidance.
We can understand the state of our frontliners who are experiencing pandemic fatigue. Since this health emergency started, they are busy fulfilling their obligations, yet given less attention especially in terms of benefits due to them.
This all contributes to the kind of situation that we see is devastating everyone at present. In the same way, how I wish our health authorities should make themselves visible to proclaim they are still in control of the situation and not the Delta or Lambda, which is on center stage.
This is not healthy for a society with a recognized government to simply surrender in looking after the welfare of the people. The authority given to the government to properly manage the health system is supplied with trust and confidence. Informing the people that you could not accept patients because you are overwhelmed is not part of the recourse of the government. In whatever possible way, it should find ways to solve the current problem, or else our structures are in complete chaos and people are in survival mode.
Should the government feel that it is now incapable of still protecting the people, then make it public to announce what efforts were made that remained ineffective because, who knows, the public may have better knowledge than those in office.
In case we’re truly helpless, we can elevate our situation to the national government who could reinforce our hospitals with manpower and logistics. Or in case our country is not in total control of situations because our systems fail, then we could ask for help from other countries or the international community.
I think we also fail as a society to understand the reasons for which we are established along with our social institutions. When our social institutions are ignorant to know the reasons for their existence including the people behind them, then what can we expect? It could remain a backdrop of a society that pretends to have structures in place, yet adds to the hardships of the people.
For the past many days, I knew many familiar friends who have gone ahead. Many of them died due to Covid-19, while some due to other illnesses. But I have in mind that when the figures remain as high as for the past two weeks in Bacolod and province, it is already knocking on our doors.
The reality, however, is that it is a deadlock that while we are facing it with probably the vaccination as a weapon, we don’t know what else can the Covid-19 do to make us sick and hospitalized.
We are truly helpless. Where are the continued warnings and health authorities who should keep us informed about their efforts and the happenings around? With this magnitude of cases, are they still doing the contact-tracing? Or what effort are they doing or strategy they are pursuing? That I cannot decipher at the moment.
Finally, I express my condolences to the family of Dr. Sam Herrera, my former student and now colleague at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, on the death of his father, Sam Herrera Sr. Also, to the family of my friend, Atty. Sonny Petierre, on the death of Atty. Vic Petierre Sr. Sonny’s father was a fellow executive assistant at the city government and was the cluster head of the senior citizens' affairs.
Today, September 28, is the 18th birthday of my daughter, Wendy. Though she is in Bukidnon we always have reasons to celebrate especially to appreciate life at this time of the pandemic.*