What now?
“Thank you po, Dra., mas namadali po yung mahaba-habang byahe namin dahil sinabay ninyo kami.” I was on my way out of the hospital when I chanced upon three employees walking by the road. It had been a long workday, and public transportation was scarce. On the way to their drop-off point, we spoke about recent developments: the four-day workweek, soaring prices of fuel, the inevitable domino effect it would have, and how we coped during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of them even recounted what she had witnessed on her way to work that morning. The conductor of the bus and a passenger had an altercation when the latter complained that the former was taking in more than the bus could accommodate. His retort was a little bit off, but somehow connected to the current state of events: “Mabuti ka pa, empleyado na may taas ang sweldo, ako wala!” It was a good thing that cooler heads intervened.
I don’t know who first said that when America catches a cold, the whole world gets pneumonia. From the looks of it, the war won’t be ending anytime soon, and struggling low- and middle-income countries will continue feeling the pinch. We are definitely in a crisis and the best barometer that life is getting harder is the stories of people stealing from the gas tanks of cars, motorcycles, even an old tricycle, and of a car owner, who after filling up his gas tank, sped off without settling the bill.
Manufacturers have already sounded off that prices of bottled water, noodles, and personal care products are set to increase. From experience, in the last two weeks, the halls of two private hospitals were noticeably less populated, while in a tertiary government institution, a lesser number of patients have been coming in for consults at the outpatient clinics and the emergency room. Traffic on a workday has become manageable, with more people opting to commute. Aren’t we in step with the workforce, rethinking about how best to save on fuel and earn a living at the same time?
So what can we do?
For starters, we can begin recalibrating our energy consumption at home. Try as much as possible to take advantage of natural sunlight. It is not a hardship to switch the lights off and unplug appliances if not in use. Converge in one room if you can to conserve electricity. Plan your trips, like how you would curate your grocery list. Walk or take the bike if you can. My siblings were quite amused when I told them that lately, I have been turning off the car air conditioner a few kilometers before I reach home. I told them that this is the smallest contribution that I can make to be one with those who are not as fortunate to have the luxury of avoiding queuing for public transport.
Learn to share. One of the biggest disappointments that we see regularly as doctors is people who can afford to pay but choose to avail themselves of government assistance programs. How can one tell? From observing their manner of speech and how they dress, their latest accessories, not to mention their chauffeur-driven vehicles. These are dead giveaways that they are not individuals of average means.
Reserve the use of senior discount and persons-with-disabilities (PWD) cards for those who really qualify and need them. A relative told me that she came across an article about how one long table of youngsters in a restaurant, after being handed the bill, brought out their PWD cards.
Limit meetings to essential ones. Keep it simple and austere, especially if the budget given involves taxpayer money. Let us all learn to be conscientious enough to put these honest and hard-earned resources into better use by coming up with workable, practical, and sustainable solutions that will help arrest or alleviate a problem.
A few days ago, a kindergarten boy caught my attention with his valedictory address, weaving in the vital role of possessing personal integrity. Gazing at the podium’s theme—“Filipino Graduates: Prepared to Lead with Competence and Character”—I wondered: Do we still have what it takes to guide our children and youth toward this ideal?
We are definitely in a critical situation, and being in the midst of a crisis is the ultimate test of character. How we view and how we react to a dire situation define who we are, especially in a game where only the fittest have the greatest chance of survival.
For the coming Holy Week, let us all take the time to pause and reflect. What have we done, and how can we help turn this situation into something less painful for everyone? Will this be that opportunity for self-renewal and a rebirth on how to lead a more purposeful life, or will we choose to stay in our own comfortable spaces?
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timgim_67@yahoo.com
