The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. On 30 January 2020, the Philippine Department of Health reported the first case of COVID-19 in the country with a 38-year-old female Chinese national. On 7 March, the first local transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed (World Health Organization). The pandemic has led to global socioeconomic disruption, the postponement or cancellation of classes, sporting, religious and cultural events, and widespread fears of supply shortages which have spurred panic buying. Misinformation and conspiracy theories about the virus have spread online, and there have been incidents of xenophobia and racism against Chinese and other East or Southeast Asian people (Wikipedia).
This pandemic has aroused a variety of emotions and responses in Filipinos producing a variety of behavior. This diversity in response to this present crisis has its pros and cons. The line partitioning positive and negative response is unclear, but surely the latter fraction keeps us in disarray while the prior fraction keeps our country from rapid downfall. To further elucidate the difference in Filipinos behavior as a response to the 2019-20 Coronavirus Pandemic and its impact, in my opinion, let's try to incorporate the dimensions for the concept of humanity.
Determinism versus Free Choice
Determinism is a concept that views human life as something determined by forces beyond human control, be they fate or by the Supreme Being called “God.” The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. A large number of Filipinos believe that it’s by God’s will that this pandemic fell on us, either a call for repentance or a test of faith or a sign of the impending doomsday. Archdiocese and church leaders also urge people to pray as only God can put a halt on this crisis. Church gatherings and masses were suspended; instead, the faithful have been urged to follow the Mass on radio, YouTube and Facebook live (Gomes, 2020). In my opinion, it is good that this crisis has opened the Filipino's heart more to faith. There is nothing wrong with prayers and online masses; what's alarming is some's too much complacency. They just let the flow of events and circumstances carry them wherever it will end. Especially the old generation, they hold on too much to the belief "If it's the Lord's will, I'll die. If it's not, I'll live," to the extent that they ignore most of the prevention advised by the government. I believe in God’s will too, but I believe too in the saying “God’s will must be corresponded with man’s action.”
Free Choice is the concept that believes that people have the freedom to choose their actions and be as they wish. These people refuse to let things happen before their eyes. These people are the ones who strive to do something. In the case of COVID-19, these are the people who are researching and experimenting in an effort to create a cure because they refuse to let fate determine the country’s course. These people are the ones who want an ill-free Philippines and dedicates their time and effort to help alleviate this crisis, such as the doctors, medical teams, scientists, researchers, and government officials. For example, Ateneo de Manila University professor Dr. Fabian Antonio Dayrit published his research at the end of January 2020 on the potential of the antiviral activity of coconut oil’s lauric acid and monolaurin to cure viruses such as what was then known as the novel coronavirus (nCoV), the Philippine government announced it was sending samples of this A Filipino-developed virgin coconut oil derivative for testing in Singapore. Another candidate worthy to look at is the Tawa-Tawa-based anti-viral dengue drug, being developed by the Department of Science and Technology and the De La Salle Univerisity Medical and Health Sciences Institute in Cavite, which has already proven to have anti-viral activity. The country’s Agriculture chief also recently listed malunggay, tomatoes, local fruits, veggies that help fight off infections like the COVID-19. Meanwhile, the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health has developed a COVID-19 test kit that is awaiting release for use in the country (Sambatyon, 2020) These, apparently, is a great mindset and response; instead of just waiting for the chaos to die down, doing something is an essential first step.
Pessimism versus Optimism
Pessimism is having a negative outlook, while optimism is having a positive outlook. The pessimist is the people who believe that any situation can’t be that bad and how things can only get better. The optimist is the people who are always worrying about how things might go wrong and always picture the worst possible outcome (Dean, 2018). One great example of these is Filipino’s different viewpoint of n home quarantine and lockdown. The pessimist Filipino’s are the ones who are striked with fear and panic as the President announced the quarantine and lockdown. They think that this happens because the pandemic has grown worst and this is a way of locking them as to not spread the virus further. They are the ones who go out seldom to never because of fear that the virus could be everywhere. They are also the ones always complaining because they fail to see the efforts of the government. They think that because of this they would financial stability, work, and security (Aspinwall, 2020). On the contrary, the optimist Filipinos are the ones who are able to remain calm despite the threat of infection. They are able to assess and understand the need for the quarantine and lockdown. They think this necessary as a precautionary measure and prevention from the spread of infection from other cities. They still go out, if needed, with extra caution and following the medical expert’s advice.
In, my opinion, being optimistic is good but that doesn’t mean being pessimistic isn’t. Base on my observation, optimistic people feel more secure but pessimistic people are more prepared. Pessimism has its advantages, so do optimism; what’s best is to keep both in check. For example, whenever I browse any social media platforms I always see lots of complaints, hate-speech, and rants whether it is for the local or national government or specifically for the president. If not complaining, other people act like this crisis is a joke, posting anything related they think is funny or turning it to a funny thing. I don’t find these things relatable or funny, in my view, they are just adding fuel to fire and they’re just burying any actual important post about COVID-19. Thus, it is important to keep optimism and pessimism at a healthy level.
Causality versus Teleology
Causality holds that behavior is influenced by an individual's past experiences. These people behave the way they do, either positive or negative, on the ground of their past experiences. One great example of this is the Filipino’s complacency despite the government's advisory. In the past decades, COVID-19 Pandemic is the worst case of health threat. Philippines has been beleaguered by many health threats such as H1N1 and dengue but was immediately addressed and contained by the government. Since we have the government to worry and handle these past threats for us, we haven’t agonized as much as we are now. For that reason, when COVID-19 cases were first announced it didn’t stir Filipinos and was ignored. We didn’t see the gravity of the problem before us and expected those in a position to limit the impact for us (Africa, 2020). Thus, we failed to prepare for that impact (Santos, 2020) Next time, we should listen more to the government and be mindful of our health and safety no matter how trivial or dire the situation seems. We don’t know how things will unfold. Let’s not put our present into the same footing as our past. History may repeat itself, but there would always be extra baggage.
Teleology holds that an individual’s behavior is future-oriented. They act on a purpose whether for a good or secure future. One great example is the panic buying happened as the cases of COVID-19 positive increase. If you think about the mass of shoppers rushing to stock on supplies, your initial observation is that they are afraid; however, if you would look beyond that, you would see that what they want is to secure their future because no one knows when exactly this crisis will die down and to raise their probability of stability and survival. Since no one knows will happen, it’s better to be prepared (Garcia, 2020). However, it is saddening how other Filipinos hoard and amass supplies like they are the only ones who need it. Their fears became greed, and so, they failed to see the needs of others. It is a good mindset to be all prepared and ready but we should not be selfish. We should still think of others. Some even use this situation to take advantage of their fellow Filipino who are suffering from the same crisis. Some buy loads of supplies just to sell it at a double price (Madarang, 2020). They use other people’s fears to fill their needs or maybe their wants. We should at least keep our morals and dignity now that our security is deteriorating. Remember, how we worry about our own future is how others worry about theirs. It’s not just about you, it’s about us; what’s happening to you right now is happening to all of us.
Attitude toward Conscious versus Unconscious Determinants of Behavior
Conscious is our awareness of what and why we are doing something, while unconscious is the underlying forces influencing our actions. One of the current examples of these can be seen in Filipino’s motivation in academic learning and school requirement. Due to the suspension of classes and any school activities students are required to have classes and comply with any school-related requirement online so they won’t have to gather. Meaning, even students are at home, amidst this pandemic, they are to study.
Your conscious mind is where you choose and act from when you are in a state of awareness. These are displayed by students who are actively studying and reviewing on their own volition. These are the aspiring students who do not wish to let the suspension of physical classes to lag their academic performance. These are the students who find this an opportunity to further their study or focus on certain area and better their selves. Personally, I know some friends who continue their study especially those who are reviewing for the board. This practice is healthy and a must for students so their brain functions and knowledge won’t rust. The unconscious mind takes care of all our memories, emotions, behaviors and body processes. Furthermore, your unconscious mind takes care of all those things that make you feel good or bad, how motivated you are or not and what resources you have available for a task (Hopskin, 2019). Base on my own experience, having to study at home is very not appealing. I have a belief that “School is for study, Home is for rest.” Even before the suspension, I study or do school work less at home than at school; rest assured, my grade’s not bad. However, after the quarantine and lockdown, I find it hard to study and do schoolwork. Also, I have lots of excuses for why online classes or home study won’t work, such as slow connection, no webcam, or no quiet place for study, etc. Then one time, I’ve read Jason Hopskin’s online lesson about the importance of the unconscious mind in learning. Depending on your programming of unconscious mind your learning capability and academic performance could increase or decrease. In my and many student’s cases, the current study condition doesn’t work with our preference. These causes students to unconsciously procrastinate or refuse to study or lose motivation, thus the decrease in academic performance and learning; add with this the issue inside the home or personal problem or rising worry about COVID-19 cases, then you get unhealthy unconscious programming. However, as a student, we should comply as it is not the school nor anyone’s fault. If we want to be someone we aspire to be someday, we have to do our best. We can ignore school and not study but we must not expect from our professor because students are the ones who make their grades.
Biological versus Social Influences on Personality
Biological influences are factors in behavior and personality structure such as genetic influences, brain chemistry, hormone levels, nutrition, and gender. These show how our response to particular situations is influenced by our biological structure and innate features and disposition. One example of this is the initial response some of the Filipinos that are outside of the Philippines when the outbreak happens, both the OFW and those on vacation trips. The reported common initial response of the Filipinos in a foreign country is fleeing from wherever they are back to the Philippines; of course, the same is true even for the citizens of that country. For example, two Filipinos, Bhie and Cindy, who were in Wuhan hurried to escape from Wuhan and drove out of the city just hours before the lockdown, when they learned about the lockdown which meant all airports, trains, buses and other modes of transportation will be closed, making it impossible for them to fly back to the Philippines (Khaleej Times, 2020). As soon as they heard about the lockdown the Wuhan government’s going to implement, they got up, booked a car and drove out of the city never thinking about what they will be left behind. The fear they had pushed them to flee; possibly, this is because of our hormones. When we are subjected to danger or alerting situations our hypothalamus tells the sympathetic nervous system to kick into gear to send out impulses to glands and smooth muscles and tells the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) into the bloodstream. These "stress hormones" cause several changes in the body, including an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. At the same time, the hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) into the pituitary gland, activating the adrenal-cortical system. The pituitary gland (a major endocrine gland) secretes the hormone ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone). ACTH moves through the bloodstream and ultimately arrives at the adrenal cortex, where it activates the release of approximately 30 different hormones that get the body prepared to deal with a threat. All of these physical responses are intended to help you survive a dangerous situation by preparing you to either run for your life or fight for your life (thus the term "fight or flight"). Fear -- and the fight-or-flight response in particular -- is an instinct that every animal possesses (Layton, 2005). Therefore, we can’t help it, it is our biological makeup. If we are struck with fear, we either fight or flight. When this happens, we often can’t think clearly. Only when we are settled will we realize, so whatever we choose, let’s just congratulate ourselves for protecting ourselves well and forgive ourselves if we ever regret it.
Social influence refers to the way in which individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment. It takes many forms and can be seen in conformity, socialization, peer pressure, obedience, leadership, persuasion, sales, and marketing. With ‘social distancing’ in full swing, Filipinos have turned to social media to keep in touch with their family, friends, and to stay updated about the COVID-19. Many pieces of information, fake or true, can be seen through social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, etc. Many Filipinos believe in pieces of information they find online and try whatever many people try. For example, many try whatever home remedy or advice they see posted in any social media without further study to assure the validity of the information they get. However, the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 on social media platforms has led to confusion, fear, and even violence. The WHO termed the deluge of COVID-19 related misinformation as an “infodemic” – an over-abundance of information, making it hard and confusing to find trustworthy sources and reliable advice. Fake news and rumors that are tagged “COVID-19” and other related tags often come up alongside accurate and verified official posts in search results when users search for content on social media platforms. Dubious cures and remedies for COVID-19 have also been circulating. For example, TikTok users claiming that vinegar is a suitable remedy against the virus when it isn’t. In January this year, a TikTok user from British Columbia, Canada, claimed to have the virus in order to boost his likes and followers (Leong, 2020). In this time when we all are facing the very same crisis, we should all help each other. We should be responsible in whatever we share. We should only share verified information from trusted sites. We should also stop supporting fake news by reacting to it or reposting because it doesn’t help. More importantly, let’s not take advantage of everyone’s suffering for your own gain.
Uniqueness versus Similarities
Uniqueness is the person’s distinctiveness in relation to other people. This is how people behave and what they do according to their preferences. Similarities the degree people are alike. It could be having a similar unconscious motivation, according to Freud. It could also be a universal reason, according to Eysenck. For example, we take care of health for the same reason, to prevent infection of COVID-19. However, our routines and ways are personalized. We do things the way we feel safer and satisfied. If you look at social media, people recommend varieties of tips. They share what they think is right. In our family, of course, we are all mindful of our health but we have our own way of taking care of ourselves. For example, my father drinks ginger water, I drink hot honey lemon water, and my brother takes Vitamin C capsules. My father takes a bath in the morning but I take mine at night. I stayed on the second floor of our house where I am showered by sun rays while the rest of my family stay downstairs where the air conditioner is. All of us take care of our health, but we have our own ways in which we feel more at ease. It’s okay to be similar or different, it’s part of us. There would always be a part of us that is different and a part that is similar to everyone, according to Freud. Thus, we don’t have to be special or conform. We should do what we think is right but, of course, we should also give space to listen to others as well.
Each individual behaves according to how his brain is wired, we can’t help it. We could not erase the similarities and difference among our personalities and tendencies. It reflects who we are, shaped in part by our genetic makeup, early childhood experiences, gender, training, education, and pattern of interpersonal relationships. However, we behave or think, it is because it is what we believe is right. All we can do is understand and make up for the lackings of each other. Therefore, we should understand and think before we judge others. Always keep in mind that not because that is how you are that is how others should be.
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