Speakers: Julius Neil Piala x Alec Gabrielle Gonzales x Ethnic Serc
Education is one of the sectors that was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the series of lockdowns, students, teachers, and academic personnel were forced to retreat to their respective homes and rely mostly on online resources to accomplish their educational tasks.
One of the benefits of physically attending school, taken during the pandemic lockdowns, is the opportunity to learn with your peers in a physical shared space. Learning before the pandemic seemed boundless, easier, and was without trouble.
In the final episode of On-Live talks, the panel composed of Prof. Rachelle A. Bersamin, a faculty member of the Department of Social Sciences, UP Mindanao, Ms. Alma Tesoro Marcelino, the Dorm Manager from Elias B. Lopez Hall Dormitory, UP Mindanao, and Mr. Andryc Carbonilla, a student and the chairperson of UP Mindanao’s University Student Council. Each speaker shared their experiences while teaching, learning, and working during the pandemic. Each pointed out the differences between the face-to-face or on-site setting versus the virtual setting. They also shared how the sudden shift from face-to-face to online set-up has greatly affected them.
Despite the difficulty, students, teachers, and non-teaching personnel alike continued to fulfil their roles and function. “Nagpadayon maskin lisod,” Ms. Marcelino says, “kung may reason ka na lumaban, kung may dahilan ka para gumising sa araw-ara, kung may reason ka para mabuhay, yan ang padayon sa akoa.” (We endure despite of the difficulty. If you have a reason to fight, if you have a reason to wake up every day, if you have a reason to live, that is what keeps me going).
Peoples’ lives went on, notwithstanding the hardship, because everyone has a reason to go on and move forward. “People persist despite difficulties,” Prof. Bersamin says, “and not give up because there is that hope. You believe that something will change in the future.”
Despite numerous challenges that the pandemic caused, what other reasons people persevere and continue living? What is the most difficult challenge each one had to overcome and how are they able to survive?