difficulties and challenges in the face of pandemic
TRANSCRIPT
Difficulties and Challenges in the Face
of Pandemic: Vincentian Response
By : Sis. Mayleen Bernardino
SSVP Philippines
“whatsoever you do to the least ofyour brothers and sisters, you do untome,” Mt. 25:40
PHILIPPINE SITUATIONas of 2021
Philippines : Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao 7,100 Islands14.2 Hectares in land area
Current Population of the country 110, 846, 594 Population in Metro Manila 14,158, 573( Cities and Central Business districts)
20% of population within the poverty level More poor people in rural areas than in urban areaAverage number of children per family : 6
PHILIPPINE SITUATIONas of 2021
RURAL POORFarming and fishing main livelihood
Areas prone to disaster and calamitiesLimited option for employment Low or NO access to banks and financial situationOnly basic level of education is achievedMinimum access to health facilities
URBAN POORNo decent living conditionEither informal settlers in slum areas or street peopleFind employment overseas legally or illegally as professional or domestic helpers
COVID 19 Situation in the Philippine
Cases Recovered Death
Entire Philippine 1.15M 1.08M 19, 262
Metro Manila Area 488K 466K 6, 905
Average of 5,000 covid cases a day in Metro Manila
INTER AGENCY TASK FORCE (IATF) ON COVID-19 RULES
Wear face mask and face shield all the time. Fines imposed by governmentOnly 18-65 years old allowed in public areas (Senior and PWD banned)No mass gathering in public placesOnly 10 person for wake, weddings, baptism in church and reception areaAll parlors, bar, gym, Computer Shop are closed Only 10% of dining capacity outside in restaurants are allowed. Drive thru & take out only in food establishments. People depend on food deliveries nowadaysImposition of social distancing not possible in small houses in squatter areasNo face to face classes in all schools. Only zoom lessons allowed.Curfew imposed. Checkpoints set up
COVID 19 Situation in the Philippine
HEALTH SITUATION Covid test like PCR Swab, Rapid test and Antigen have to be paid forHospitals in full capacity of Covid casesMedical Front-liners are not enough. Many have been contaminatedCommunity transmission is high in public transportationProjected 2026 to attain herd immunity due to the slow rollout of vaccinesMany people do not want to be vaccinated
ECONOMIC SITUATIONMany small, medium and big businesses have closed down or laid off employees. Unemployment is highTourism is on halt due to travel restrictions locally and internationallySeveral hotels and condotels used as quarantine sitesMost employees are on work from home arrangements or on skeletal force so business operation is slowMany gvt. Agencies and trial courts on lock down due to cases so service is bad
COVID 19 Situation in the Philippine
A common storythese days
• An “invisible” enemy affecting our
• Physical health
• Mental health and psychological well-being
• Economy, sources of livelihood
• Access to the sacraments
• The usual way we pay respect to our sick and dead relatives
• Feeling of uncertainty, inability to help
A very common
story these days
COVID-19
• Some positive consequences
• Lockdown has made us focus on what is and who are important in our lives
• Renew taken-for granted relationships
• Be satisfied with basic things, so as to
be able to extend help to those in greater need
* Awaken the spirit of
communion/solidarity or “bayanihan” as
one of the treasured Filipino values
- Community quarantine made us appreciate
even the little things in life and learned to
prioritize the essentials
As members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
• How are we to deal with this pandemic?
• What spiritual anchors do we need to survive COVID?
• What can we do to continue effectively the creative works of Charity?
• How do we lift the FALLEN
• How do we restore the BROKEN
• How do we help the HURTING
How to deal with this
pandemic?
•Others in this Vincentian Formation Session will suggest more ways of dealing with this
•Ours is just a reminder: a pandemic of this magnitude has happened before; so no need to panic
Vincentian
Qualities needed…
“Collaboration” is in our “Vincentian genes”. We do not work in isolation but in a
context of relationships involving Church, organization, community ,
and family.”
“Live together as having but one heart and one soul so that by this union of
spirit, you may be a true image of the unity of God “ – St. Vincent de Paul
How to deal with this
pandemic?
•We need to learn from the ways St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frederick Ozanam dealt with situations like this
Disasters in St. Vincent / Frederick Ozanam’s times
• St. Vincent: (1630s-1650s)
• Thirty Years War and other politicalwars in France brought famine,plague, and impoverished hundreds ofthousands of people, including clergy,nuns in cloistered convents, etc.
• Robbery, pillage, migration fromvillages to Paris
Disasters in St. Vincent / Frederick Ozanam’s times
• Blessed Frederick Ozanam (1830s)
• The SSVP got started during the time of the cholera epidemic in Paris
• Ozanam and his companions helped Blessed Rosalie Rendu attend to the cholera victims
How did they deal with the situation ?
Spirituality that is anchored on 3 focal points:
• Presence of God/Christ
• The Poor
• The Church community
I. God / Christ
• In those who suffer• We long for the Eucharist – “on-
line” Masses, Eucharistic procession
• The “Cross” is a reminder: “we are not alone in our suffering”
• Christ suffering for the sake of others
God / Christ
• In those who extend help to the suffering people
• Christ comforts us, heals us, supports us
• Christ is present in the persons of the front-liners, doctors, Grab-drivers, etc.
II. The Poor
The most vulnerable during the time of a pandemic
• Physically affected• Economically marginalized
• The poor: beneficiaries of our assistance• We can do more than our usual help• The needs are enormous, insatiable
The Poor• The poor themselves, extending assistance to
others. No one is so poor he has nothing to give
• Somehow, they teach us lessons of forbearance, helping out those in greater need, self-sacrifice
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
III. Church community
• Vincent and Frederick never acted alone
• Always involved and engaged others in the community in the work for those affected
Church community
• Sense of unity, cooperation, communion with one another
• “Wounded” Body of Christ
•Power of Collaboration
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
What to do ?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
What to do ?
Very ordinary ways:
• Physical presence / visit: “virtual presence”
• Solicitude for those in need• Search out those affected,
not just neighbors, but others neglected, abandoned
• Form a team of responders
• Do what you can, “according to one’s abilities and talents”
• Share what little you have
• Pray for others, for front-linersThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
Concrete Actions
Taken by SSVP Philippines
I – Rekindle relationship with Members
Webinar “kumustahan” with
council/conference officers and
members via zoom (done twice during
the pandemic with the different regions
in the country)
Regular zoom meetings with our scholars sincethe needs for transportation and meal allowancehas now been changed to cost of cellphone loadand data and availability of gadgets (cellphone,tablet and laptop) for school needs. Many of our“ASSIST A STUDENT” beneficiaries were not ableto enroll because of financial constraints. Wegave cellphone and gadget loans to make ourstudents cope with school needs in the absenceof face to face classes.
II – DISASTER RESPONSE
TYPHOON ROLLYRelief distribution
Naga City
TYPHOON ULYSSESRelief distribution Ips Mangyan
Mindoro
Water jugs and pails for
Indigenous people (IPs)
Montalban from SSVP -
donations came from Thomas
Tan partnered with DC
Feeding Program in
Montalban Rizal
Feeding Program in
Montalban Rizal
III – LIVELIHOOD THROUGH THE SSVP CREDIT COOPERATIVE
Online pre membership seminar or basic
orientation session of SSVP Credit Cooperative to
increase membership (part of the Building
Homes. Rebuilding Lives Project)
Dried fish making
Buy and Sell of rice and other commodities
Basket Weaving in Borbon Cebu
Rug making in BORBON CEBU SSVP Housing Community
LOAN COLLATERALSHome appliances
Some of our multipurpose hall in ourhousing projects are being used asrepacking stations for fooddistribution and some activities forthe children in the area.
IV – OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE
Medical assistance orfinancial help for peopleaffected by Covid-19 whoare known to the members.
Extended little financial assistanceto parishes which can barely subsistalso since there are very few or nochurch goers are allowed andtherefore church collections havegone down.
IV – POVERTY ALLEVIATION
DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD PACKS TO STREET
DWELLERS INSIDE VAN BECAUSE OF SOCIAL
DISTANCING
SHARE A MEAL WITH THE HOMELESS AT ST. VINCENT
CHURCH
DISTRIBUTION OF HYGIENE KITS TO DEAF SCHOLARS
Assisted some scholars whose families were ejected
by landlord since they couldn’t pay for rent.
Tried to link some of adopted families for temporary jobs to
subsidize this needs.
CHRISTMAS BUNDLE OF JOY(Adopted Families)
“MAGBIGAY AYON SA KAKAYAHANKUMUHA BATAY SA PANGANGAILANGAN”
GIVE ACCORDING TO CAPABILITYGET ACCORDING TO NEEDS
SSVP Philippines was inspired to undertake
COMMUNITY PANTRY : PHILIPPINES PEOPLE POWER TODAY
Participation in “community pantry”with tie ups with church pastoralcouncils and local government units.This is the modern day PEOPLEPOWER against hunger while it maynot stop Covid-19 it assures poorpeople of their daily food existencesince many have lost their jobs.
Community pantry in Lucena City
STA. ISABEL COLLEGE
COMMUNITY PANTRY
Community pantry in San Jose, Pasig City
Community pantry at St. Vincent de Paul Parish
Tandang Sora Quezon City
SummarizingWe can survive this pandemic by
• Openings our eyes, minds, hearts
(OUR DIFFICULTIES)
• Being anchored on the core values of Vincentian spirituality
(OUR CHALLENGES)
• Finding practical ways to help others
(OUR RESPONSE)This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BYThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
Most of the PROBLEMS in life come because of 2 reasons:
We ACT without THINKING
We KEEP THINKING without ACTING
Let us leave footprints of kindness wherever we go
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BYThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
“MARAMING SALAMAT PO”