A REFLECTION ON COVID PANDEMIC

By Arsenio Jake F. Flores Jr.

21 July 2020

It is not my attempt to criticize or evaluate a country’s especially the Philippines’ response

during the Covid19 pandemic. It is still early to evaluate as to whether we did right or wrong in
facing the problems regarding the corona virus pandemic for we are really just at the beginning.

It was December 2019 through World Health Organization, which I came to know the news
about the situation in Wuhan, China. I was not alarmed at that time. In this age of science and
technology, problems almost all of it seem solvable but I was mistaken. Different numbers
pertaining to the data of covid cases, covid deaths and covid survivors seem to be the most
important data from all over the world to keep everyone abreast of how deadly and dangerous
the virus is.

The concept of exponential growth is daunting during the pandemic. A single case of covid can
mean devastating and critical for the whole community. This exponential growth could also
mean difficulty in many aspects of the lives of those living within the area with a single case.

I have realized that covid 19 is the biggest problem since world war. I would want to celebrate
that some Southeast Asian countries have low number of covid cases but I held back because
could it be that sometimes numbers also lie? Low number of covid cases because there was
limited testing.

I am hoping that the number zero will soon be posted on television, newspapers and social
media. Zero covid case. Zero death due to covid19.

During this pandemic, it challenged my role in teaching not just solving math problems but to
inculcate values such as social responsibility. It is not just enough to be intelligent in numbers
but to use it for the betterment of the society. It is a social pride to be good at numbers or to be
known as mathematician but the point is that different disciplines such as philosophy,
sociology, economics, science and technology to mention a few can truly contribute for the
covid19 pandemic. We are not just relying for the vaccine to be discovered and put all the
praise to the scientists but while it is still not available, students should be encouraged to do
their part by simply being at home or wearing their masks or washing their hands. We all have a
role to play, may the best in us encourage us that if we are the ones in position to use our
power and authority for common good. My position as a teacher, is to make the students
realize that there is a solution to a problem, that this is not our end. The “new normal” is that
the power of one teacher can truly make a difference by encouraging “one” student that when
the time comes, his idea matter, his brilliant idea might be the solution we are all waiting for.
My encouragement to my fellow colleague in the academe is not to take for granted even one
student. May not even one student be left behind in education as we endeavor to take the next
step in learning amidst the corona virus pandemic.