One may still recall how they were once ridiculed in their life, whether at school or as they have dived into the corporate world. I could only imagine how it feels like to have put all my skills and passion into the thing that I love doing, only to be called a fraud and undeserving of recognition—this must how the healthcare workers feel whenever they take a breather from the toxicity of the cytokine field by browsing through different social media platforms, aiming to somehow feel regarded and heard by little praises of the community, only to be bombarded of name-callings in the comment sections of the media and news websites.
“Mga sinungaling, hindi naman totoo ang virus virus na yan,”
“Gawa-gawa lang yan para makakuha ng pera sa taumbayan,”
“Lahat na lang ata ng mga namamatay sa ospital ginagawa nilang positive para makalibre ng bayad eh,”
These are just a few of the thousands of remarks that I get to see daily. As a writer and a student who aspires to be one of the renowned medical healthcare workers in the future, it is disheartening to hear how people have come to question the truth, seemingly losing their hope of it all, which leads me to think deeper, or probably the same thought as others—are those comments an effect of how we are long-exposed to graft and corruption that acquiring the truth, now, is just too unsettling and unbelievable, how ‘that’ kind of mindset came to develop down to the third year into the pandemic, probably because of how slow-paced of the eradication that the government has been planning or have come, or is it just the way they see things as to blow their boredom juiced from the comforts of their home?
Somehow, I find it understandable for some people who have suddenly lost their loved ones in the deadly biological warfare; it must have been so cruel for them that it led them to resort to hating the healthcare system they think killed their beloved. For the latter community that throws shades, they may be feeling dismissive of the current situation and safety precautions, for they find it difficult to abide by these rules that were once accessible and fun for them. If COVID-19 is just made-up by scientists, as what the skeptics would often blurt, then what should we think of the doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel that souls were reaped and have almost lost sanity just to cater the medical needs of those in hospice and severity due to the virus? If it was really a joke, then why do we find our social media platforms covered with international news that talks about a minimum of a hundred thousand cases daily, plus strikes done by communities, aiming for their cries to be heard?
Do these ‘skeptics’ really think that the healthcare system would dedicate a time—running on its 3rd year now—to scheme bills and make ‘fake’ deaths of over a million now? If so, I am hoping that these skeptics have a good reproach to children who have lost both of their parents in the fight against this worldwide pathogen.
In a few months, the Philippines will yet again choose another leader to govern the country. Unlike the past years, the term that the next president will resume is a tough one, now that we are under this seemingly unending biological warfare. What enrages my inner peace is how I would often see remarks saying that the fluctuation of cases is yet again another ‘show’ for the upcoming elections. It makes me think how people can stomach to liken the sudden increase-decrease of cases as the ‘strategies’ of the candidates, it is as if there is no longer a thing to be thankful for at this time of pandemic that even a decrease to the number of fatalities and infection is something questioning for, now.
A single joke about the actual sufferings of our healthcare system and local officials who are truly concerned about the country’s development could mean damage that if left in the open, could add more fuel to the fire itself. Scrolling for further research and information about the pandemic and the rollout of vaccines are out in the open in different websites, just a click away on our desired search engines, as well as running a fact-check before sharing to other people, as fake news is still rampant at this point of time.
With the happenings that we have encountered since the first quarter of the pandemic, surely, it has induced trauma and hypervigilance in our environment–this may have also urged majority of the community to think thoroughly of their list of preferred candidates, adding immediate, doable, yet enticing platforms to be laid out to the public. This leads us to remember that 4 months before the election proper, one should prioritize a presidential candidate and slate of senatorial candidates that plans for better educational and sturdy health care system, rightful and just breakdown of disaster and risk emergency funds, ones who care for the environment and stable labor and employment of the workforces, concrete plans for our resources swayed by the neighbor country, and the likes that were not put into much attention by those seated of today.
Choosing to express disbelief to the COVID-19 surges are not and will not in any way help to quickly exterminate the cases locally, even internationally. In fact, we owe it all to the same healthcare system that has been saving thousands of lives from disorders and diseases, until these trying times of the deadly cytokine. Maybe it is easy for one to spread fake news and be skeptical about the real deal, probably never going to cry about it till it personally happens to them.
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