Uncompensated Courage in the Face of an Unseen Virus
by Reinheart Shane Z. Villaruz
Amidst this global health crisis, we must ask ourselves, “Are we giving our frontliners enough?”
Under the circumstances brought about by this pandemic, it cannot be denied that the frontliners carry our nation during these trying times. They brave the day-to-day terrors of this pandemic. Along with the service that they offer are the sacrifices and risks that they are willing to take. With each helping hand that they extend, their health and families’ lives are faced with threats of COVID-19. It is safe to say that the frontliners are our modern heroes for we cannot come this far into this health crisis without their courageous efforts.
Upon the onset of this pandemic, almost the entire Philippine workforce was put to a halt as businesses were compelled to close down and lay off their workers due to quarantine protocols. According to Rivas (2020) of Rappler, as of September 16, 2020, around 70.6% of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) were forced to close down due to the terrors of COVID-19 in the Philippines. 58.8% of MSMEs in the country stated that they had zero income. The implementation of quarantine protocols and guidelines cornered the workforce to cut down employees and businesses, leaving only the skeletal workforce. (Willis Towers Watson, 2020)
Despite the spike of the positive cases in the country, these frontliners continued to carry out their duties. These frontliners are the health workers who work in hospitals despite the high risk of exposure to the virus. They are the bank employees who continue to accommodate the financial concerns of the people. They are the security guards who protect the establishments and ensure the safety of the people. The frontliners are also the grocery staff, market vendors, transport workers, government employees, and etc. who cater to the needs of people amidst this global health crisis. They are the people who fought in the frontlines while their fellow Filipinos stayed at home. They hold a huge role in this fight against the unseen virus. Without them, the economic and health sector of the Philippines would have taken a much worse plunge than they have already experienced.
However, despite their vital contributions to our battle against COVID-19, they are not compensated enough.
In the article of Magsambol (2020) of Rappler, a nurse named Mae was interviewed about her earnings during the pandemic. The nurse stated that she was only earning P19,000 per month. Mae has been a nurse for five years already. However, her parents disliked the idea of her treating coronavirus patients in Tacloban but the nurse stated that she wanted to continue her profession despite its risks to her health.
“The pay is never enough, dahil may binubuhay ako na anak, single parent ako, at sinusuportahan na pamilya. Pero nag-stay ako ngayong pandemic kasi natagpuan ko ‘yung purpose ko sa buhay,” said the nurse.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) states that the average income of an entry-level registered nurse is P8,000 to P13,500 a month. Registered nurses who work in hospitals have an average income of P9,757 per month. The workers in the government sector earn P13,500, while those in the private sector earn around P10,000 every month. (Magsambol, 2020)
The article of Santos (2021) states that Philippine nurses are underpaid yet overworked during this pandemic. They are deprived of the benefits that they were promised by the government. Hence, nurses threaten to initiate a mass resignation if they do not receive the benefits that are due to them. The article states that there is a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), forcing the nurses to do 12-hour shifts, assisting as many as 20 patients, with no meal and restroom breaks to avoid the wastage of PPEs.
“The government has the funds but health worker benefits and salaries are not prioritized by the health department,” said Maristela Abenojar, the national president of Filipino Nurses United (FNU).
According to the article of Alegado and Calonzo (2020), public transport was put to a halt as the Philippines imposed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns. In late November 2020, eight months after the first implementation of the lockdown, only 70% of jeepneys in Manila were back on the road. 600,000 Jeepney drivers who were stripped off of their primary livelihood and source of income took the initiative to establish their own business or worked for other delivery services to sustain their needs. But unlike other drivers, some were really short on cash and not inclined with technology, which led to them begging for money. This was confirmed by Mody Floranda, president of the Manila-based Piston transport group.
Therefore, what can we do to give back to our fronliners who risk their lives to keep our nation safe?
First, we must hold the authorities accountable for compensating our essential workers fairly. Their jobs are not a walk in the park because in every workday and in every person they serve, they are exposing themselves to the possible threats of COVID-19. These frontliners must be paid for what they truly deserve as no money can ever repay their bravery for continuing their duties amidst this pandemic. They have families to feed and protect too. Therefore, they must be given the benefits and adequate salary that is due to their labor and efforts to keep our nation safe and alive.
Second, as concerned citizens, we must show kindness to our frontliners. One does not fully comprehend the sacrifices and hardships that frontliners face every day unless they experience it firsthand. The horrors of this pandemic, in terms of health and finances, may have brought mental and emotional distress to them. It is our socio-civic responsibility to extend our understanding and compassion to those who prevent our economy and health sector from fully hitting rock bottom. We can show our kindness by supporting donation drives, initiatives, or any token of appreciation that may uplift the spirits of the frontliners.
Lastly, we must keep ourselves safe. The sole reason why our frontliners are suffering is due to the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines. As concerned individuals, it is our responsibility to keep ourselves safe in order to ensure the safety of others as well. By being COVID-free, we can contribute to the fight against this pandemic. (Reddoorz, 2020)
It cannot be denied that this pandemic has been difficult for almost everyone. We were urged to stay indoors for almost two years now. Positive COVID-19 cases are still prevailing and the economy is still yet to recover. As we stay home to ensure our safety, our frontliners are out there, battling against this pandemic in the frontlines. Their day-to-day work involves them being exposed to the virus and yet, they are not compensated fairly. Therefore, it is up to us to show our support to the courageous efforts of our dear frontliners.
Mabuhay ang mga frontliners, ang mga bagong bayani sa gitna ng pandemya!
REFERENCES
Alegado, S. & Calonzo, A. (2020). Manila’s Iconic Jeepneys Are One More Casualty of the Pandemic. Bloomberg CityLab. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-21/coronavirus-recession-keeps-the-philippines-jeepneys-off-the-road
Medenilla, S. (2021). Employers cutting work force in ECQ more than double. Business Mirror. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/08/05/employers-cutting-work-force-in-ecq-more-than-double/
Reddoorz. (2020). Here’s How You Can Help Frontliners From Your Own Homes. https://www.reddoorz.com/blog/ph/feature-ph/here-s-how-you-can-help-frontliners-from-your-own-homes
Rivas, R. (2020). PH with most business closures, layoffs vs peers during pandemic — ADB. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/business/adb-study-philippines-closures-layoffs-peers-coronavirus-pandemic
Santos, A. (2021). Philippines: Nurses threaten mass resignation amid COVID surge. DW News. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/philippines-nurses-threaten-mass-resignation-amid-covid-surge/a-59028522
Tomacruz, S. (2021). LIST: 13 sectors eligible to get COVID-19 vaccine as economic frontliners. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/list-a4-sectors-eligible-covid-19-vaccination-economic-frontliners
Willis Towers Watson (2020). Philippine companies take steps to ensure employees’ wellbeing and business continuity amid COVID-19 ECQ period. https://www.willistowerswatson.com/en-PH/News/2020/04/philippine-companies-take-steps-to-ensure-employees-wellbeing-and-business-continuity
