Beyond 2020
Published Dec 30, 2020 11:00 pm
TOL VIEWS
Senator Francis N. Tolentino
By this time during the past years, Filipinos, especially young people, would be thinking about their new year’s resolutions. The coming of the new year is always an opportunity to reflect on the past and think about ways we can improve ourselves and our lives.
However, it’s different this year. For most of us, it is not an exaggeration to say that 2020 has been the worst year in recent memory. We had to contend with the Taal volcano eruption, super-typhoons and massive flooding, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all of which claimed countless lives, devastated local economies, and reversed the national economic gains we’ve made. It is not surprising that many are being cautiously optimistic about 2021 and delaying making new year’s resolutions, judging from the funny albeit poignant memes circulating on social media.
And yet, there is so much to be hopeful for in 2021. Scientific experts have already developed effective and life-saving vaccines against COVID-19. Our doctors and other healthcare frontliners now have more experience and knowledge treating COVID-19 patients, unlike during the early days of the pandemic when the world knew very little about the coronavirus.
The pandemic has changed our lives and our societies indelibly. As we transition to a “new normal” and to a “new future,” to quote the World Health Organization, it is important to look back and reflect on what we have learned so far in dealing with the pandemic so that these lessons can inform future policy decisions.
First, we learned that the home is our first line of defense against COVID-19. During the Senate hearings on the budget of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, I stressed the need for the agency to have adequate funding to reduce the housing backlog in the country. How can Filipinos shelter in place amidst community quarantines if millions among us have nowhere to live, are living in precarious environments, or are in danger of being evicted from their homes because of lack of funds for rental or mortgage payments?
Second, we must strengthen our public health capacities to effectively deal with pandemics. We can build on everything we have learned dealing with COVID-19 to ensure that our healthcare systems are not overwhelmed by future disease outbreaks.
Third, we can devise effective and efficient work from home and distant/online learning systems. These new ways of working and learning will remain in the foreseeable future. Manila-based universities are exploring the idea of offering more online academic programs even after the pandemic after seeing how successful they can be with proper preparation and training for professors and instructors.
As we reflect on the year that was, let us look forward to the new year with hope and gratitude. 2021 will be better.
Senator Francis N. Tolentino
By this time during the past years, Filipinos, especially young people, would be thinking about their new year’s resolutions. The coming of the new year is always an opportunity to reflect on the past and think about ways we can improve ourselves and our lives.
However, it’s different this year. For most of us, it is not an exaggeration to say that 2020 has been the worst year in recent memory. We had to contend with the Taal volcano eruption, super-typhoons and massive flooding, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all of which claimed countless lives, devastated local economies, and reversed the national economic gains we’ve made. It is not surprising that many are being cautiously optimistic about 2021 and delaying making new year’s resolutions, judging from the funny albeit poignant memes circulating on social media.
And yet, there is so much to be hopeful for in 2021. Scientific experts have already developed effective and life-saving vaccines against COVID-19. Our doctors and other healthcare frontliners now have more experience and knowledge treating COVID-19 patients, unlike during the early days of the pandemic when the world knew very little about the coronavirus.
The pandemic has changed our lives and our societies indelibly. As we transition to a “new normal” and to a “new future,” to quote the World Health Organization, it is important to look back and reflect on what we have learned so far in dealing with the pandemic so that these lessons can inform future policy decisions.
First, we learned that the home is our first line of defense against COVID-19. During the Senate hearings on the budget of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, I stressed the need for the agency to have adequate funding to reduce the housing backlog in the country. How can Filipinos shelter in place amidst community quarantines if millions among us have nowhere to live, are living in precarious environments, or are in danger of being evicted from their homes because of lack of funds for rental or mortgage payments?
Second, we must strengthen our public health capacities to effectively deal with pandemics. We can build on everything we have learned dealing with COVID-19 to ensure that our healthcare systems are not overwhelmed by future disease outbreaks.
Third, we can devise effective and efficient work from home and distant/online learning systems. These new ways of working and learning will remain in the foreseeable future. Manila-based universities are exploring the idea of offering more online academic programs even after the pandemic after seeing how successful they can be with proper preparation and training for professors and instructors.
As we reflect on the year that was, let us look forward to the new year with hope and gratitude. 2021 will be better.