Surviving
In their exotic ways, economists contemplate the world economy going south. In the mundane world where you and I live without data going through our heads except how much is coming in and how much more is going out – is it called inflation? – there’s nothing to plan except brace for the worst.
Surviving is about as good as we can get, like refugees counting their days in an evacuation center or covid patients languishing in a quarantine facility. Thus the most poignant statement of the year: “To die of covid or of hunger?”
Government admits it’s running out of money; no choice and no shame in that after sharing with the mostly jobless masses. (Will it run out of steam once the money is gone?) Then taxes will be imposed, then people will see the imposition as punishment for a crime they did not commit – is this what we mean by depression, the kind felt piecemeal by destitute individuals as well as the kind that hits the economy wholesale?
Yet there’s time to thank friends for their labors of love.
On her own, my former classmate’s daughter spent the last few weeks making earsavers, a cute accessory for mask wearers on the medical frontline. Worn like a hairband at the back of the head to relieve pressure on the ears, the earsavers are made of strips of cotton, crochet trimmings, and buttons. Maui has made 400 of them, by hand. The latest batch was delivered to Perpetual Succor and Maternity, Inc. in Sampaloc, Manila.
By coincidence, another classmate goes by the name Socorro, and her family owns and manages a hospital. Don’t take hospitals for granted, she said. “We follow DOH rules to the letter,” including building tents on hospital grounds to screen and isolate, treat COVID patients. With no income coming in, doctors, nurses, and their assistants are given free board and lodging on top of their salaries, plus transportation, snacks.
In Batangas, Doctora N’s hospital has delivered 60 babies since the Luzon lockdown began in March. Doctora exercised her own lockdown of keeping the hospital COVID-free by admitting only patients who are about to give birth. “I keep the clinic going so I can keep working for my employees and pay their salaries on time.”