Difficulties and Challenges in the Face

of Pandemic: Vincentian Response

By : Sis. Mayleen Bernardino

SSVP Philippines

“whatsoever you do to the least ofyour brothers and sisters, you do untome,” Mt. 25:40

PHILIPPINE SITUATIONas of 2021

Philippines : Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao 7,100 Islands14.2 Hectares in land area

Current Population of the country 110, 846, 594 Population in Metro Manila 14,158, 573( Cities and Central Business districts)

20% of population within the poverty level More poor people in rural areas than in urban areaAverage number of children per family : 6

PHILIPPINE SITUATIONas of 2021

RURAL POORFarming and fishing main livelihood

Areas prone to disaster and calamitiesLimited option for employment Low or NO access to banks and financial situationOnly basic level of education is achievedMinimum access to health facilities

URBAN POORNo decent living conditionEither informal settlers in slum areas or street peopleFind employment overseas legally or illegally as professional or domestic helpers

COVID 19 Situation in the Philippine

Cases Recovered Death

Entire Philippine 1.15M 1.08M 19, 262

Metro Manila Area 488K 466K 6, 905

Average of 5,000 covid cases a day in Metro Manila

INTER AGENCY TASK FORCE (IATF) ON COVID-19 RULES

Wear face mask and face shield all the time. Fines imposed by governmentOnly 18-65 years old allowed in public areas (Senior and PWD banned)No mass gathering in public placesOnly 10 person for wake, weddings, baptism in church and reception areaAll parlors, bar, gym, Computer Shop are closed Only 10% of dining capacity outside in restaurants are allowed. Drive thru & take out only in food establishments. People depend on food deliveries nowadaysImposition of social distancing not possible in small houses in squatter areasNo face to face classes in all schools. Only zoom lessons allowed.Curfew imposed. Checkpoints set up

COVID 19 Situation in the Philippine

HEALTH SITUATION Covid test like PCR Swab, Rapid test and Antigen have to be paid forHospitals in full capacity of Covid casesMedical Front-liners are not enough. Many have been contaminatedCommunity transmission is high in public transportationProjected 2026 to attain herd immunity due to the slow rollout of vaccinesMany people do not want to be vaccinated

ECONOMIC SITUATIONMany small, medium and big businesses have closed down or laid off employees. Unemployment is highTourism is on halt due to travel restrictions locally and internationallySeveral hotels and condotels used as quarantine sitesMost employees are on work from home arrangements or on skeletal force so business operation is slowMany gvt. Agencies and trial courts on lock down due to cases so service is bad

COVID 19 Situation in the Philippine

A common storythese days

• An “invisible” enemy affecting our

• Physical health

• Mental health and psychological well-being

• Economy, sources of livelihood

• Access to the sacraments

• The usual way we pay respect to our sick and dead relatives

• Feeling of uncertainty, inability to help

A very common

story these days

COVID-19

• Some positive consequences

• Lockdown has made us focus on what is and who are important in our lives

• Renew taken-for granted relationships

• Be satisfied with basic things, so as to

be able to extend help to those in greater need

* Awaken the spirit of

communion/solidarity or “bayanihan” as

one of the treasured Filipino values

- Community quarantine made us appreciate

even the little things in life and learned to

prioritize the essentials

As members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul,

• How are we to deal with this pandemic?

• What spiritual anchors do we need to survive COVID?

• What can we do to continue effectively the creative works of Charity?

• How do we lift the FALLEN

• How do we restore the BROKEN

• How do we help the HURTING

How to deal with this

pandemic?

•Others in this Vincentian Formation Session will suggest more ways of dealing with this

•Ours is just a reminder: a pandemic of this magnitude has happened before; so no need to panic

Vincentian

Qualities needed…

“Collaboration” is in our “Vincentian genes”. We do not work in isolation but in a

context of relationships involving Church, organization, community ,

and family.”

“Live together as having but one heart and one soul so that by this union of

spirit, you may be a true image of the unity of God “ – St. Vincent de Paul

How to deal with this

pandemic?

•We need to learn from the ways St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frederick Ozanam dealt with situations like this

Disasters in St. Vincent / Frederick Ozanam’s times

• St. Vincent: (1630s-1650s)

• Thirty Years War and other politicalwars in France brought famine,plague, and impoverished hundreds ofthousands of people, including clergy,nuns in cloistered convents, etc.

• Robbery, pillage, migration fromvillages to Paris

Disasters in St. Vincent / Frederick Ozanam’s times

• Blessed Frederick Ozanam (1830s)

• The SSVP got started during the time of the cholera epidemic in Paris

• Ozanam and his companions helped Blessed Rosalie Rendu attend to the cholera victims

How did they deal with the situation ?

Spirituality that is anchored on 3 focal points:

• Presence of God/Christ

• The Poor

• The Church community

I. God / Christ

• In those who suffer• We long for the Eucharist – “on-

line” Masses, Eucharistic procession

• The “Cross” is a reminder: “we are not alone in our suffering”

• Christ suffering for the sake of others

God / Christ

• In those who extend help to the suffering people

• Christ comforts us, heals us, supports us

• Christ is present in the persons of the front-liners, doctors, Grab-drivers, etc.

II. The Poor

The most vulnerable during the time of a pandemic

• Physically affected• Economically marginalized

• The poor: beneficiaries of our assistance• We can do more than our usual help• The needs are enormous, insatiable

The Poor• The poor themselves, extending assistance to

others. No one is so poor he has nothing to give

• Somehow, they teach us lessons of forbearance, helping out those in greater need, self-sacrifice

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

III. Church community

• Vincent and Frederick never acted alone

• Always involved and engaged others in the community in the work for those affected

Church community

• Sense of unity, cooperation, communion with one another

• “Wounded” Body of Christ

•Power of Collaboration

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

What to do ?

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

What to do ?

Very ordinary ways:

• Physical presence / visit: “virtual presence”

• Solicitude for those in need• Search out those affected,

not just neighbors, but others neglected, abandoned

• Form a team of responders

• Do what you can, “according to one’s abilities and talents”

• Share what little you have

• Pray for others, for front-linersThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Concrete Actions

Taken by SSVP Philippines

I – Rekindle relationship with Members

Webinar “kumustahan” with

council/conference officers and

members via zoom (done twice during

the pandemic with the different regions

in the country)

Regular zoom meetings with our scholars sincethe needs for transportation and meal allowancehas now been changed to cost of cellphone loadand data and availability of gadgets (cellphone,tablet and laptop) for school needs. Many of our“ASSIST A STUDENT” beneficiaries were not ableto enroll because of financial constraints. Wegave cellphone and gadget loans to make ourstudents cope with school needs in the absenceof face to face classes.

II – DISASTER RESPONSE

TYPHOON ROLLYRelief distribution

Naga City

TYPHOON ULYSSESRelief distribution Ips Mangyan

Mindoro

Water jugs and pails for

Indigenous people (IPs)

Montalban from SSVP -

donations came from Thomas

Tan partnered with DC

Feeding Program in

Montalban Rizal

Feeding Program in

Montalban Rizal

III – LIVELIHOOD THROUGH THE SSVP CREDIT COOPERATIVE

Online pre membership seminar or basic

orientation session of SSVP Credit Cooperative to

increase membership (part of the Building

Homes. Rebuilding Lives Project)

Dried fish making

Buy and Sell of rice and other commodities

Basket Weaving in Borbon Cebu

Rug making in BORBON CEBU SSVP Housing Community

LOAN COLLATERALSHome appliances

Some of our multipurpose hall in ourhousing projects are being used asrepacking stations for fooddistribution and some activities forthe children in the area.

IV – OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE

Medical assistance orfinancial help for peopleaffected by Covid-19 whoare known to the members.

Extended little financial assistanceto parishes which can barely subsistalso since there are very few or nochurch goers are allowed andtherefore church collections havegone down.

IV – POVERTY ALLEVIATION

DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD PACKS TO STREET

DWELLERS INSIDE VAN BECAUSE OF SOCIAL

DISTANCING

SHARE A MEAL WITH THE HOMELESS AT ST. VINCENT

CHURCH

DISTRIBUTION OF HYGIENE KITS TO DEAF SCHOLARS

Assisted some scholars whose families were ejected

by landlord since they couldn’t pay for rent.

Tried to link some of adopted families for temporary jobs to

subsidize this needs.

CHRISTMAS BUNDLE OF JOY(Adopted Families)

“MAGBIGAY AYON SA KAKAYAHANKUMUHA BATAY SA PANGANGAILANGAN”

GIVE ACCORDING TO CAPABILITYGET ACCORDING TO NEEDS

SSVP Philippines was inspired to undertake

COMMUNITY PANTRY : PHILIPPINES PEOPLE POWER TODAY

Participation in “community pantry”with tie ups with church pastoralcouncils and local government units.This is the modern day PEOPLEPOWER against hunger while it maynot stop Covid-19 it assures poorpeople of their daily food existencesince many have lost their jobs.

Community pantry in Lucena City

STA. ISABEL COLLEGE

COMMUNITY PANTRY

Community pantry in San Jose, Pasig City

Community pantry at St. Vincent de Paul Parish

Tandang Sora Quezon City

SummarizingWe can survive this pandemic by

• Openings our eyes, minds, hearts

(OUR DIFFICULTIES)

• Being anchored on the core values of Vincentian spirituality

(OUR CHALLENGES)

• Finding practical ways to help others

(OUR RESPONSE)This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BYThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Most of the PROBLEMS in life come because of 2 reasons:

We ACT without THINKING

We KEEP THINKING without ACTING

Let us leave footprints of kindness wherever we go

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BYThis Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

“MARAMING SALAMAT PO”