Filipino spirit shines in the face of pandemic

Dubai - The readiness to think beyond the self proved that the human spirit amongst us Filipinos was indomitable.

A year and a half into a crisis the world thought would last only a few months, the pandemic has allowed the best of traits to blossom out of many Filipinos while also wringing in tears and heartaches for many. Many endeavours to cushion the hard blows of the health and economic crisis were joint efforts amongst various segments of the Filipino society in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Against the backdrop of the 123rd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence dawning upon the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in the UAE, one wonders if the pandemic has provided our community a greater momentum for government-community engagement and if so, what it means for the future of our diaspora in this part of the world.

Just as the lockdown began and in the succeeding months that followed, I was privy to how many in our community stepped up to the challenge of being relevant in these times. Individuals and various community associations planned many relief operations for distressed fellowmen, often without fanfare and undue media attention. The intent was not a matter of who received credit or whose FB posts were shared the most, or whose call for a concerted effort to help was heeded by more or who was able to undertake the most number of relief distribution activities for our fellow Filipinos. Mindful of restrictions on movement and the health protocols in place, resourceful Pinoys thought of ways to reach out to their fellowmen and lend a genuine helping hand.

Indeed, the willingness to share time (the lockdowns provided much of it), money (a diminishing resource especially at the height of the Covid crisis), and effort (that which seemed to multiply exponentially as the resolve to survive became more difficult) with various community programmes was more evident and palpable. The readiness to think beyond the self proved that the human spirit amongst us Filipinos was indomitable.

Now governments, in line with their desire to maintain order and harmony within their jurisdiction, rightfully define their own laws and regulations to support this vision. Conscious and respectful of this, migrant communities like ours look to the Consulate for guidance and leadership in ensuring that their hopes to assist their fellowmen are safely tucked within host government policies. The Consulate’s and the community’s numerous collaborations with the Dubai Police, the UAE Food Bank, and various other establishments, perfectly illustrate this understanding.

Paul Raymund Cortes is Philippine Consul-General in the UAE