Life goes on

Today, I went out to get a delivery sent from the province. It was raining hard but I still had to get it because there was food inside and it might spoil. On the way to the bus terminal, I just walked. But on my way home, I had to take the jeep and the tricycle as the package was a little heavy. As I looked outside the vehicle, I saw the build up of jeeps, cars, motorcycles, bikes, and taxis.

Life goes on.

Despite the impending health hazards due to the pandemic and now the strong rains, everyone is now trying to just continue with their lives. The reason they are out is not because they have accepted the new normal. The real reason is because if they don’t move along, they will die of hunger. They need to work to put food on their table, to buy load for their children’s online class, to pay the bills, and the list goes on.

Yes, we Filipinos are resilient and it is something that we are proud of. But I think this should not be romanticized to the point that it is already used as a rebuttal and excuse to our fellow men to “keep on holding on! Laban lang! Tiis tiis lang, malalampasan din natin ito! Kaya natin ito, Pilipino tayo!”

I am not just talking about accountability from the government (I still think the government could have prevented our current crisis had they stopped the Chinese flights from entering the country.)

I am also referring to the media that attempts to uplift everyone’s morale by they dramatic, tear-jerking videos and paraphernalia. Yes, it is emotional and it definitely tugs the heartstrings, but it already has come to a point where it has become toxic positivity.

I know I don’t have the voice, nor the connections, nor am I in the right position to say this, but I would like to suggest that the media stop using these kind of emotional tactics to get people’s attention and instead promote mental health amid the crisis.

The media can help people understand what mental health is, and diminish the stigma attached to it. This way people understand that sometimes, it’s ok to not fight until you are ready to actually face the struggle. Remove that toxic notion of “Laban lang hanggang kamatayan.” If you die, how else will you help your family?

The media can also work hand in hand with institutions that offer mental health services. Make it more accessible to the public. There centers and institutions that offer free consultation and services, unfortunately majority are not aware of it and again the stigma of asking for mental health services hindering people to ask for it.

How will this help in everyone’s everyday struggle? How will these help put food on the table?

Truthfully, it will not directly help in putting food on the table, but indirectly it can help in making a person capable enough to accept and understand their struggles. It can help people better cope and adjust, in their own pace, have a better disposition in their work and still provide for their family. And hopefully in the long run, think of better ways to improve their current situations.

Working yourself to death just to provide is the only way to survive now, but I hope it won’t be the case in the long run.

I know the idea is far-fetched and the suggestions are mediocre, but I still stand and believe that it can be effective, especially if the government also did it’s share in making the FIlipinos secure, economically and health wise, in their own country.

Of course in a utopian world, it would really be more helpful if the high officials of our government did it’s part and prioritized the health and security of it’s citizens rather than the alliances and politics of it all. Just saying, I still blame the high officials (not the whole government per se, but the people up there who are making the calls) for the current state of our country right now.

At the moment, we just really have to wing it. Fight or die (because not everyone has the choice of Flight from the horrible circumstances).