Guimhealth: In Sun Tzu’s Art of War, it is said that the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting and supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
To date, the virus has penetrated the country with new cases being confirmed at an alarming rate. It has also called for drastic measures. The ‘enhanced community quarantine’ mandate has seemingly disrupted daily life – stopping operations of companies and rendering thousands jobless, not to mention keeping the public within their homes and front liners battling blind against a seemingly incurable disease.
Here GuimHealth Founder Jack Tanaleon ponders upon the current health crisis surrounding the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) which has claimed thousands of lives on a global scale.
In an article I wrote last week in the local newspaper The Daily Guardian, I explained in detail the possible solutions to the current pandemic. To illustrate my point, let’s consider basic demographics. Currently, the Philippines has a population of 110 Million. Basing on the statistics rate more than 30% of our population (or 33 million) belong to the upper and middle class, and the rest (77 Million) average working class and lower class who really need help for their basic needs such food for at least 15 days for them to be obedient on this call of lockdown. The basic expense for food per day per person on the minimum is only 50.00/meal or 150.00 for 3 meals in a day.
According to Profile and Determinants of the Middle-Income Class in the Philippines (Albert, et al), middle-middle income class, in 2017, has a family income between Php 38,080 to Php 66,640 – while lower middle-income class ranges from Php 19,040 to Php 38, 080 and upper middle income from Php 66,640 to Php 114, 240.
With the statistics and getting only 30% of the population, this means that if we get a commitment from them, the solution for food is effectively and efficiently addressed. And so, I am inviting everyone to commit and to those beneficiaries to obey because we don’t need superpowers to win on this. To begin we need the whole nation to observe and abide because we are exhausting everything now. This, I think, is worth considering, especially in this Lenten Season, when we are reminded of the value of sacrifice — of giving up something — for the good of all.
On this, don’t rely everything to the govt. Let us not allow our family, friends, social security and economy disrupted by our current situation. If Korean can afford to give all their jewelry just to save their economy for the welfare of all, we can afford to let go of little things to save our situation to see our next generations don’t pass through the same situation. Let us value life. The only way to win over this threatening COVID-19 virus without fighting is just to stay for 15 days to stay at home.
