The young going out

The IATF recently allowed minors above the age of 15 to go out of their house in Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine areas. This means teenagers will be allowed to finally break free from almost seven months of being at home. The young, which are susceptible to the disease, could now mingle with their friends and go to establishments compliant with the protocols set by the national government. All these are done still in the hopes of stopping the spread of COVID-19.

But where are we now? To be honest, since we have moved into MCGQ status, I haven't taken notice of how the cases multiplied in our country. There is an innate feeling within me that we are already okay when it comes to COVID response. The fear and the anxiety that have taken over me in the past months have now subsided. As if everything has already gone back to normal. Is this feeling even normal where I wake up everyday and see that many people are out of the streets?

My good friend and head of the emergency operations in the city, Councilor Joel Garganera, said that we should not celebrate the small victories of having low cases day by day because it is an indicator that we must be on our toes more. We cannot go back to the way we were. The way things are going now, it makes me feel like I am coming back to the life that I have left behind sans COVID.

But now that the young has been allowed to go out, maybe its also time that we revisit the provisions on face-to-face classes. If we think that establishments and government offices have been compliant in the fight against COVID-19, then why are we giving the burden to our teachers and the students? Every day I still hear complaints on modules, even a movement to tear the modules in an attempt to revolt against this type of learning. It got me thinking, if the IATF has allowed the minors to go out, then maybe we can change how education is being done today.

As an educator and as a student as well, I feel that there is something lacking in online class and modular type of learning. You don't know what goes on in the head of your teacher and would miss the vigor of the students. Who will be held liable if these youngsters would contract the virus? I bet it isn't the IATF. We are slowly loosening up but also slowly losing sense of direction.

The year is about to end and I feel like the IATF is not yet done with their job. If they are already keen on moving forward, then no area would be recommended to stay in MGCQ status until December; that's a different story.