January 15, 2022

The last news I knew before typhoon Odette damaged the internet connection in our area was that covid cases lessened and that kids were allowed to go malling. Restrictions are lighter if not lifted. When the internet, mobile signal and electricity came back in some parts of Southern Leyte, I learned that paracetamol is out of stock and covid cases are in all- time high again. How cool is that? We were thankful for our lives were spared and we were able to survive despite the supertyphoon and here we are greeted with the news of another surge of another variant of virus. I feel like we are in a movie with some evil men trying to play fool at everyone of us, not everyone really, only the poor. The rich can survive using their money but the poor can't go on. We can barely get by because going to work would now be hassle. We can't afford another lockdown here in the province because our livelihood was damaged by typhoon Odette. The coconut trees need years to recover and so we need to go to another place and look for a stable job. We know that we won't be always be receiving help from the government and private sectors so we must find ways to survive. But now, it seems so hard to even survive.

Health will be the main priority but we can't live when we don't leave our homes and go to our workplace. So, everyday will be again a battle. For example, my sister might find it difficult to come home and join in the ranking system because covid cases in cebu is now high and she would have to undergo quarantine when she comes home which is not possible because the company that she is working at won't allow long days of leave. So, she might be stuck there again for only God knows until when. God forbid. I hope my assumptions won't turn into reality.

My sister has been dying to get an item in DepEd. Sure she is in the list of applicants who are included in the RQA but she is overpowered by those DOST scholars. Some scholars didn't make it to the list of the Registry of Qualified Applicants but since they are scholars, the government has made a way for them to get an item in Deped the moment they graduate. Some of them haven't even taken the LET. I find it unfair but what can we do? Life is really unfair. We must really get use to it.

Back to the covid issue, how many years are we wearing face mask now? Two? Going three? With the lockdown, restrictions and health protocols, it seems like we are still not moving. I don't want to point fingers but the government has not matured yet. They are still outsmarted by the virus. The moment Omicron first spread in other countries, the government should have close the boarders for the time being. Politicians now are more concerned about throwing dirt and mud at each other. They are busy proving who is right and wrong. Sure, they can make comments and statements but it won't fix the problem. Maybe they are not into it because they are not directly affected. Their livelihoods, their jobs and their health is not at stake.

The future is blurry nowadays. Every appointment and schedule is tentative because anytime it can be cancelled. For how long do we have to wait for our dreams to come true. How long can we accept delays?

I feel hopeless and helpless. I hope everything will be better soon and that we can finally walk in public with our masks off. Also, the government is stressing. I'll make sure to vote wisely on May and I hope national elections will still be pushed through and not be delayed.

I hope I would just be laughing at these ramblings when I come to read this few days or months from now. *Cross fingers.

*Lead Image is from Unsplash.com