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FEATURE

WANDERER ON THE DAWDLING STREETS

Words: Hecyl Joy Brojan and John Archie Balmes

During this tough battle against an unseen enemy, we realized that being a hero does not necessarily mean having super powers and wearing capes while gliding across the cities, as what we have described it when we were kids. But rather, there are new heroes of our generation: staff nurses, doctors, and hospital employees – wanderers who bravely walk the streets of confinement. 

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Trishka Mariano, a staff nurse from University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center in Quezon City, was one of the many who volunteered for this cause.

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Ever since the pandemic started, Trishka already expected that she will have to face long hours of working, will be spending days in the hospital, and will no longer stick to the usual routine back in the normal days where she gets to hang out with her friends after shift. 

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Working grueling days – long shifts wearing thick layers of protective gears and taking care of infected patients, is what Trishka must have to endure.

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To cope with these, talking with family and friends through video calls and watching her favorite Kdrama series whenever she has free time at work made her feel a little lighter. For her, this is the best way to help herself as well as her colleagues to continue their work.

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“Good thing there are several means of communication. As much as I can, I make sure that this won't affect my daily life,” Trishka mentioned.

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Yet, at the end of the day as she goes home after an utterly exhausting day at work, she cannot avoid worrying. She fears for her health as well as for her family knowing the possibilities that she might be contracted by the virus.

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“There's this what if. What if I get infected tapos mahawaan ko family ko? Although we make sure naman that we sanitize before, during and after work hindi talaga maiiwasan,” she said.

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There are times that Trishka feels she wanted to surrender in the fight of front liners against the pandemic crisis. During those times, she always thought of dropping her passion off her sleeves. But whenever she sees how people need healthcare professionals now more than ever, she continues her craft and persists in aiding her fellow Filipinos.

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“Kahit sobrang hirap ng trabaho, naisip ko na need ako ng mas nangangailangan at eto ang sinumpaan ko sa trabaho,” she exclaimed.

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As COVID-19 continues to spike, shortages of medical supplies to use have also become a problem. Since they are more vulnerable to the virus, they have to wear personal protective equipment all the time.

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“We need it the most. Mas prone kami due to frequent contact with those who tested positive for the virus. Sobrang hirap na pati ito poproblemahin pa namin.”

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This battle that our front liners are leading, is enduring as it is, and frontlines merit the proper credits they deserve. As a response, the government finally signed two administrative orders, stating that COVID-19 front liners shall receive additional benefits. For some, this aid had been delivered efficiently. For few including Trishka, assistance is given but the amount is not the same as it was promised. But for many, consisting of health workers in some hospitals, no financial support is given yet. 

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But when asked what motivates her to continue to help other people, Trishka said that it is beyond gratitude whenever she sees her patients being discharged with a smile on their faces and that is already rewarding and fulfilling to her. Witnessing the unity of her colleagues to fight the virus and helping the patients to get better, Trishka is motivated more to continue her job. 

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“Kahit mahirap ang trabaho, masaya pa rin basta sama sama at nagtutulungan. Importante ang teamwork para mas mapagaan ang mahirap at nakakapagod na trabaho sa ospital.”

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In the end, Trishka believes that we will be successful against this pandemic as long as we help each other. Altruism, in this time of crisis, is what makes people survive. We should always practice the etiquette of handwashing, social distancing, and never forget to wear our face masks at all times. 

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From the avenues of quarantine, we’ve witnessed how our front liners bear all these adversities. They fought back, and were trying to win this battle. Now that vaccines are available, we are hopeful that this crisis will come to an end. But as new variants of the virus appear, the fight becomes fiercer.

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