Remember when this is over

There’s a quote attributed to author Dave Hollis that goes: “In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.”

“And which parts are not,” added a friend of mine.

It’s worth pondering the kind of “normal” we want to get to once we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis has disrupted so much of what we’ve been used to, that now, we get a clearer perspective of issues that could have used more of our attention in the first place.

Take for example the working conditions of our health workers. Long before the coronavirus outbreak, Philippine nurses have decried the borderline abusive labor conditions at private and public hospitals. Their grueling shifts and dismal wages have been compounded by contractualization limbos, unethical “palakasan” systems, and questionable volunteer programs. Nurses and doctors alike have been blamed and shamed for hospitals’ low capacities or lack of facilities.

Now that these professionals are at the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19, we see more clearly the value of their service, the risks they take, and the conditions they have to work in. We pour our thank-yous and acclaim for their bravery. But it’s not enough to praise them as heroes; they must be treated as such, with or without a pandemic.

When this crisis is over, may we remember to keep pushing for fair labor systems and protections for our health workers.

Likewise, we can no longer overlook the importance of sustainable agriculture on our own lands. In recent years, we have been greatly relying on imports to ease food shortages, while the productivity and livelihood of our own food producers floundered. Our farmers struggled not only with natural challenges such as typhoons and dry spells, but more with the lack of infrastructure and support, coupled with a market saturated by foreign suppliers.

The economic upheaval brought by COVID-19 has forced us to turn once again to our local food producers. We are more acutely aware of the food insecurity that has hounded us for years. The Department of Agriculture is even encouraging the greater public to engage in urban gardening—a potential relief for households and even communities, but not exactly a measure that addresses the bigger picture of our agricultural sector.

When this crisis is over, may we remember to keep supporting our own farmers and fishers, and to stand by them in seeking better policies and programs for agricultural productivity.

May we also remember the indispensable impact of our science and research sector. The development of local COVID-19 test kits is only one of the many contributions from our own scientists and institutions that now benefit the public directly. For a country where R&D and technology adoption is an uphill climb, the Philippines sure is fortunate that we still have plenty of brilliant minds producing solutions for us. This public health crisis is a stark reminder that we need them and they need more of our support.

May we remember, too, the value of our retail and food industry workers, public transportation drivers, manual laborers, government employees, and law enforcers, whose continuous work keeps the world turning despite the significant health risk they constantly face.

If this were any other day, we might not have held much regard for “low-skilled” work and “low-level” employees. But in this time of crisis, we’ve come to see that their work deserves just as much respect and has just as much dignity as any other. This holds true on any normal, noncrisis day, too.

Lastly, may we remember the performance—or nonperformance—of our government agencies and public officials now that their public service is most needed. As we follow the news on the local and national COVID-19 response, it can become evident where proactivity, genuine service, and transparency are sorely missing. We need to take note not only so we can take to social media with our informed opinions, but also so we are guided come election period.

The Department of Health says that in the worst-case scenario, we could be in the COVID-19 quagmire until 2021. It’s miserable, yes, but now we have the opportunity to prepare for the time when all this will have cleared. To prepare for our new normal. Remember, when this is over, that we wanted something better. Let’s pick up our lessons and finally learn.

hyacinthjt@gmail.com