The Impact of COVID-19 to the Filipino Lives
A couple of months ago, it was announced all over the news that their is a COVID -19. Corona virus scare people's health and immunity.This virus spread so fast and many people were infected and lose their lives. And when the case got worsen the government already implemented the lockdown in all areas,that they need to close the different establishments such as,department stores,malls,drugs stores,and different airlines company's here in the Philippines.And with that many people don't have their jobs that leads them suffered.
As what I have observed in our country, the impact of this case towards the people was terrifying. Once they heard the word COVID it give them panicked,paranoid,most especially when the first lockdown declared in our country, the income will not sufficient in every families most specific to those who belongs in a poor families. I heard some complaints of the people what will they do,what to do in this kind of situations we are facing right now.But this pandemic also became one of the ways of every family to bond and have some fun, even though they're only in their homes. And it makes their relationship to become stronger.
The effect of COVID-19 to our community has lead to the dramatic loss of human life not only in our town but also for the whole world. An unprecedent challange to our public health,food system and works. Many people are loading their livelihoods. Informal economy workers are particularly vulnerable because the majority are lack of social protection and access to quality health care and have lost access to their productive assets.Without the means to earn an income during the lockdowns.Many ate unable to feeds themselves and their families. For most, no income means no foods, or at best less foods and less nutrious foods.
The Pandemic has been affecting the entire food system and has laid to bare it's fragility.Confinement measures have been preventing farmers from accessing markets including buying and selling their produce and agricultural workers from harvesting crops. Our country nowadays, is facing the crisis in terms of foods security, public health, employments and labour issues, in particularly workers health. Immediate and purposeful to save lives and livelihoods should include extending social protection towards health converge and income support for those most affected and these includes:
>Workers in the informal economy and in poorly and protected in low paid jobs including youth and older workers.
>Particular attention must be paid to the situation of women who are over represented of low paid jobs and care roles.
Different forms of support are the key, including cash transfers,child allowances and healthy schools meals,food relief initiatives.Support for employment retention.We need to develop a long term sustainable strategy to addressed the challanges facing the health and agri-food sectors.Priority should be given to addressing underlying malnutrition challanges.We must rethink the future of our environment and tackle climate change with urgency.Only we can protect the health,food security,livelihood, and nutrition of all people and ensure that our NEW NORMAL is the better one.
The COVID-19 pandemic their will be some increase of poverty rate.The quarantine are largely affecting the urban areas,we are fortunate note that in a rural areas,in agriculture ,COVID is not threatening their livelihood.Preventing the transmission of the COVID-19 disease authorities advise that we all steer clear, large gadering,avoid using transportation.While all this are some reminders,their is one glaring problem,the poor will not be able to afford to follow this.In crisis situation,poor women and girls are affected the most because many of them form part of this work force,but are still expected to do unpaid care and domestic work,which only tends to increase when caring for sick members of the family.
Poor people inordenately bare the brunt of economic shocks brought by this pandemic.Many informal, micro,small skill and even up to medium skill enterprises will take the hit as compared to the larger and more establish businesses.Many have to stop operations or close down because they would not be able to absorve the shocks to the economics hoarding of essential goods such as soap, alcohol,and basic food items only raises market prices and creates access barriers stocking up on food and medicine is impossible for those without regular incomes,savings,the unbank,or those without access financial the lack of access and the high cost of safe water puts the poorest and most vulnerable at risk since proper hygene is a challange.Finally, it is important to work with poor communities to strengthen communication on hygene and health promotion.Incorporating a gender perspective into plans and strategies enables response operations to effeciently reach underserved and at risk individuals.Local government's could use calamity funds to distribute cash vouchers to low income families to enable them to buy hygene items locally.
We Filipinos should help one another in terms of health, humanitarian and socio economic policies adopted by the poor Filipino people will determine the speed and the strength of the recovery.
