With coronavirus disease cases increasing and no vaccine in sight, everyone’s life is threatened. For one who does not bother, costly death awaits but for those who care enough, surviving the pandemic costs a lot.
Daily data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO() showed an increasing trend, and Philippines or Mindanao is not exempted. One has to choose a healthy life with health protocol in mind or a death bed.
These cases prompted local government units of Mindanao to construct more isolation facility which means more funds either from the local coffers or from the national government.
As it is now, Davao region and Mindanao cases involve locally stranded individuals, returning overseas workers or locally transmitted.
The pandemic has caused thousands of lives worldwide, as of Friday August 28 the WHO reported 24,605,306, of these 6,694,004 are considered active cases, having 834,773 deaths while a huge number 17,076,529 have recovered.
Of the world figure, Philippines recorded 205,581 cases with 3,234 deaths. But 133,990 have recovered while 68,357 are considered active cases.
The Worldometer data shows, the death rate of the country reflects 29 per one million population.
The Covid-19 dashboard for Mindanao reflects the following data as of August 27, 2020 shows:
Region XII: SOCCSKSARGEN 609
Region XI: Davao Region 2,064
Region X: Northern Mindanao 1,388
Region IX: Zamboanga Peninsula 1,442
Every local governmentin Mindanao constructed additional facility. The latest of which was inaugurated on Monday, in Misamis.
In Davao region, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has utilized hotels, motels and even unutilized commercial buildings as Isolation facilities and even added a hospital to cater to those diagnosed as mild cases.
Duterte-Carpio has established a mechanism in accepting her constituents from all over, while the city welcomes back all residents as long as they follow the health protocol given the situation.
In Davao del Norte, Governor Edwin Jubahib has added 200 more rooms to its existing 1,000 bed capacity, “If needed to have more, we will, because we need to accept our people, they need government in this trying moment”.
Such condition hounds LGUs as they shoulder the cost of isolation, medication up to cremation of those who died due to the killer virus.
The isolation facilities, mediations, food and other incidental expense cost the government billions.
The cost of living
Backhome, as the government struggles to respond to the increasing needs of the people plunged in health and economic crisis, every family suffer the burden, as thousands lost job while everyone spends for face mask, face shields, sanitizers and alcohol, over and above the cost of soap, just to make sure they are protected and well sanitized to avoid transmission.
For an ordinary family of 6, they need to spend P420 for six for face shields, at least P300 for a washable face mask, and at least P200 for soap and additional P140 for alcohol or sanitizer. These basic family protection costs P1,060 for every family this is over and above the cost of living and the motorcycle barrier for a family using motorbike.
To protect ones family during pandemic, it needs to sacrifice an unexpected expenditure amounting to P1,060/mo. Such amount is already equivalent to a sack of a 25-kilo rice that is enough for a month-long consumption.
The cost of dying
For a family who lost a love one due to the pandemic, the government spends almost P1-million from medication to cremation.
Christian, who lost his mother last April said that after a 2-week hospital fight revealed, “The hospital bill cost us P700,000, the cremation was charged at P65,000 and they have to pay additional P10,000 for the hazard pay for the workers and another P160,000 for the urn” which they preferred for their mother.
Aside from that, one has to endure the busy schedule in funeral homes for creation as the law mandates that a Covid-19 fatality must be buried within 24-hours.
In the case of Fr. Celis who died on April 27, 2020, Tagum City Mayor Allan L. Rellon said in an interview with Newsline that the guideline of the Inter-Agency Task Force Covid-19, the Local Government Unit (LGU) shoulders the burial expense of any covid-19 casualty “But in the case of Fr. Celis, the Archdiocese shouldered all the expenses which cost was over P100,000 since the steel casket is expensive”.
Fr. Celis was buried in Tagum City almost midnight of April 28 because there was no way he can be transported to Davao City for cremation as the schedule was too tight and funeral homes with crematorium can no longer accommodate his cadaver, said Rellon.
Chuck, whose mother died due to the virus said her mother’s cremation cost them P80,000 but the city government shouldered the burial.
Despite the repeated call of the government for people to stay at home, people gets out of their houses in order to survive given the economic crunch that the pandemic has brought.
Staying at home could have been the best option, but the government cannot spend for the food of everyone and the economy must move — a reason why the government adopted various quarantine measures just to keep the economy going and allow people to fend for their families.
For Irene, a Covid-19 survivor “Staying at home and staying healthy following health protocol is my key in living this second life that God has given me”.
People who often take their health for granted, Irene advised “Take care of your health and pray a lot”.
