All of a sudden, it’s March.
Calendars are merely constructs, but they nonetheless give us a sense of how far we have come—or not. In the case of the year 2020, time seemed go slow and fast at the same time. What lies ahead as we begin the third of 12 months?
To be sure, January and February gave Filipinos—actually the world—many reasons to feel insecure. We saw bushfires in Australia, an exchange of hostile words between the United States and Iran, eruption of Taal Volcano, and the outbreak of what could be a global pandemic.
Aside from developments of such existential magnitude, we also continue to grapple with the challenges of daily living here in the Philippines. We have to suffer the pronouncements of and squabbles among our leaders when they should simply be performing the daunting task of uplifting the lives of as many Filipinos as possible and closing the income gap. We tolerate the breakdown of public utilities, witness the continued disregard for the supremacy of life and the rule of law, and have to go the extra mile to check whether what we read or hear are truths or falsehoods.
It’s not far-fetched we will see more of the same in the coming months. The COVID-19 crisis, for example, will not die a natural death and must be countered with aggressive screening and protection measures. That the World Health Organization has cited the Philippines as one of nine countries that show the virus can be contained should not be reason for complacency. If at all, it should drive our authorities to be exacting. They should also communicate better to the people, not only in terms of reciting daily figures, but telling as many people as possible about the basic ways they can protect themselves, as well as dispelling myths and hoaxes that only serve to confuse the public.
Our best companions as we navigate the rest of this tumultuous year are the usual hope and optimism, tempered with a healthy dose of common sense and skepticism. We have to demand more from our leaders—tough talk does not necessarily make for sound policy. We have to take everything we hear with a grain of salt, and form our own conclusions instead of going with the horde.
Most of all, we have to open our eyes and ears to all possibilities and make plans given these scenarios. This is the only way we can protect ourselves from further surprises—and avoid running around like headless chickens in the face of yet another challenge.