Facemasks

A welcome dev’t

October 30, 2022 People's Tonight 269 views

FOLLOWING a major development in government efforts to fully reopen the country’s economy, there’s now enough reason to ask all sectors of society to set aside our differences.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has decreed that the wearing of masks is now voluntary despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country.

But under EO No. 7, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, the wearing of masks is still mandatory in healthcare facilities, medical transport vehicles and public transportation.

Of course, the government encouraged the country’s senior citizens, pregnant women, unvaccinated individuals and people with comorbidities to still wear masks.

There’s that need to work in unison in the face of the many problems, like skyrocketing prices of goods and services, facing the country after the paralyzing COVID-19 pandemic.

What is needed in this poverty-stricken nation of more than 110 million people is “unity in diversity,” according to a local government official who refused to be identified.

“Kahit boluntaryo na lang ang pagsusuot ng maskara ay wala pa ring mangyayari sa atin kung lagi naman tayong nag-aaway at nagbabangayan,” said another public servant.

Certainly, the situation in the country, where majority of the people still live below the so-called “poverty line,” is not helped any by the presence of noisy and “destructive critics.”

In a democratic society, like the Philippines, “constructive not destructive critics” play a crucial role in addressing our problems, including graft and corruption, hunger and poverty.

We are in for more probems if we fail or refuse to work in unison at this time of economic hardship.

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