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As the COVID-19 pandemic entered the country, prices of commodities escalated while employment rates declined. This is the textbook definition of an economic horror. Unfortunately, it is now the reality for the Filipino population.
April 2020 marked the beginning of the Philippines’ enduring economic recession. Its onset, bred by the government’s strategic steps to contain the virus, closed many small businesses and caused employment rates to tumble. Hence, those in the middle and low socioeconomic status were forced to survive this crisis through their own means while the upper classes took advantage of their weaknesses.
Cathy, a 28-year old former seamstress from Nueva Ecija, dealt with the terrors of the pandemic when her work was put on hold. The souvenir factory where she was working had to close in May 2020 as per the guidelines of the Enhanced Community Quarantine; it still has not opened since then. Only to make ends meet, she established a network of friends that can be her market in her newly found job—online selling. For Cathy, it was the only available means to feed and send her seven-year old daughter to school.
Meanwhile, Aries Datumanong, a cacao farmer from Davao city, did not lose his job but dealt with major declines in sales. The temporary halt in transportation services decreased the quality of their produce, allowing wholesale buyers from the city to dictate the prices of their goods. In these trying times, a mere breakeven would already be a fortunate strike for them.
On another note, for Quincy Montemayor, an Infectious Emergency Room nurse in Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, a less chaotic day in her workplace is the bare minimum that she had been aspiring for. Aside from the intensified workload and undercompensation, additional expenses that are not covered by the government make her job a lot more exhausting than before. “Taga San Fernando lang ako pero pinili ko mag-rent para sa kaligtasan ng family ko and ng babies ko. Wala na ngang benepisyo, dagdag gastos pa ‘yung pagrenta ng bahay,” she said in distaste.
Cathy, Aries, and Quincy are employees from each of the major economic sectors—industry, agriculture, and service. The industrial sector where Cathy worked had the greatest fall with a 4.7% decline in 2020. Meanwhile, although a 1.2% contraction might look pleasing for the agricultural sector, what it reflects is the hard work and not the undercompensation of farmers like Aries.
The services sector, the largest of the three, fell by 4.4%. Included in this sector are healthcare workers like Quincy who chose to save lives despite the high risks and low pay.
These stories underline the imperativeness of the government and the capitalists in shaping the economic reality. Each Filipino is a figure in their spreadsheets wherein only they could write over.
While we are all focused on ending the pandemic, the economic problem remains real and offensive. We can’t hide behind the stories of resilience forever. Let these stories illustrate the urgency of fixing the spreadsheets.
Written by Phoebus Apollo Garcia
Art by: Neon Ross
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