BACOLODNONS and other Filipinos are rejoicing at the lowering of the Covid-19 alert level. The downtrend of the infections has allayed the fears of the Filipinos of the virus. However, just before the announcement of the downgrade, great news shocked the whole country and the world. The news was and is still trending that Russia will take over Ukraine. While fighting for a very long fight against an invisible enemy, a new enemy emerges from nowhere. However, this time the enemy is very visible.
The world has been affected much economically by the Covid-19 pandemic. World economies and markets went haywire as governments shut down their operations for fear of virus contamination. The Philippines closed its doors for more than two years to “protect” the Filipinos from Covid-19.
Months before the Philippine elections, safeguards against Covid were loosened, and people were allowed to go back to abnormal lives before the pandemic. Old ways were again revived. A day before Ash Wednesday, most of the local governments in the Philippines received a downgraded alert level.
In short, the country is paving the way for a “new abnormal.” For some, it is a relief but for others, this might be the start of our end and not Covid’s end. Experts say that the downgrade would help us pull up our economy and oil the economic activities of the country. What went with the downgrade is the oil price hike. It seems that the old abnormality is back except for a newly added feature on our faces – the face mask. Looking at the reaction of the many, it seems nothing happened.
For more than two years, countries were a little united in their stand to save lives and protect their people. Two years of brain scanning and brainstorming on what to do with the deadly virus. Almost all leaders acknowledge the Greatness of God. Most nations turn to Him for help. We invite God into our houses, offices, government centers, military bases, and all other habitable places. We never forget to pray and we were so generous to help.
When the 2022 elections fanfare commenced, most of us forgot that there is Covid and there is GOD to protect us. We fought one another. We had a conflict with the very persons we were protected by during the pandemic. Worst, we might again be at the eye of the storm and soon, we might once again see ourselves devastated by the virus. This might lead to a no election at all which brings all our conflict to uselessness. We forgot what is normal and adopted the new and old abnormal in our society.
Worst, Russia, after finding a vaccine for the Covid-19 virus to save lives, is now getting the lives of people through a useless war. Why donate vaccines to stop the spread of the virus and now mercilessly kill the very persons you helped during the pandemic? Is war part of the new normal?
The Eastern Europe conflict is deeper. My comical mind tells me that war is the solution to the economic crisis looming around the globe. War is one of the greatest income -earners in the world. World wars and major wars were done as a business enterprise and could help boost the economy of the sponsoring nations. The key players in the game of war are not conscious that they are being used. Take the case of World War 2, after the fall of Japan, other nations sold their services and equipment to rebuild devastated nations. In no time, Capitalist nations had their economies up and fit.
At this point, I am still anxious about the events that led to the downgrade. It seems so fast that many offices, private and public, had already returned to the usual ways. The normal ways during the pandemic are now transformed into busy times. Prayer time is now replaced by either work or leisure. Family time is now back to Barkada times.
Lastly, my comical mind asks, “are we all dead after the pandemic?”