SLCN Gazette's Online Magazine, COVID-19-Special Edition

tons of canned goods, kilos of meat products, plenty of instant
with
boxes of cereals, chips, bread, dairies, frozen goods, milk, even
noodles,
She can't help but notice that some racks and shelves were
toiletries.
empty. She was also able to observe people who seemed to be
already
went home with items sufficient enough to last even after quarantine. She
Joy
dinner and waited for her husband to come home. When he did, they
cooked
together as a family with their 2 children. That night, Joy was able to
ate
soundly, comforted by the fact that they have a roof to shelter them,
sleep
to warm them, a bank account to support them, and enough foods to
clothes
them.
sustain
a 58-year old jeepney driver, decided to take his lunch at a food
Eduardo,
frequented by jeepney and cab drivers alike. He ordered a bowl of soup
stall
a cup of rice, mixed them, and ate heartily. It was his first meal of the
and
day.
started chatting with a fellow jeepney driver when, halfway through their
He
the song playing on the old transistor radio was interrupted by
conversation,
sound of breaking news: all types of public transportation are to be
the
indefinitely upon the implementation of enhanced community
suspended
first, Ed cannot believe what he was hearing. It's not possible, he thought.
At
else would nurses, doctors, and other frontliners reach their destination
How
any means of transportation? The news anchor went on and
without
that local governments and hospitals have agreed to provide free
explained
for all frontliners. Then it suddenly dawned on him - he's about to lose his
rides
only source of income, and they are not prepared.
family's
immediately totted up his earnings including every loose change and saw
He
what he has is barely enough to pay the jeepney owner for the day's rent.
that
sat there for a moment, contemplating where he can get the money to
He
their electricity bill which will be due in two days, and how he will feed
satisfy
even stricken by fatigue from non-stop driving since the wee hours of the
So,
Ed still determined that he will continue driving until midnight. He felt
morning,
lonely and vulnerable. Unlike those with steady sources of income, his
very
cannot afford to stock up food in advance. He can only hope they will
family
future looks bleak for Ed as he got up from his seat and hopped into his
The
When it was time for him to go home, he stopped by the only open
jeepney.
store he saw to buy several cans of sardines and a few kilos of rice.
grocery
family hasn't eaten dinner yet.
His
for him, it was too late. The store already ran out of everything,
Unfortunately
not even a single grain of rice is left. The privileged bought everything,
and
nothing for his starving family. He went out and exhaled sharply. He
leaving
what he would do next.
wondered
in a state of frenzy. She continued to go about her business.
Joy is lucky.
2:00 PM
quarantine.
his family for the days to come.
be able to make do with what little they have.
PANIC
BUYING
H E F A C E S
T
F I N E Q U A L I T Y
O
S T . L U K E ' S C O L L E G E O F N U R S I N G
S L C N O N L I N E G A Z E T T E | P A G E 1 1
The song, momentarily halted by the breaking news, continued.