REINFORCE THE FRONT LINE
By Argosy S. Nazareno
Soldiers see the horrors of war. Since we face an unseen enemy, the horror is unfathomable. The fear of the unknown is relived and so the effects of this war have been devastating.
A front line in military terminology is the “position closest to the area of conflict of an armed force’s personnel and equipment. When a front between opposing sides forms, the front line is the area where each side’s forces are engaged in conflict.” In this war, the frontline is any Public Place where people converge.
When fighting the good fight, even the best can be cut down. Our brave frontliners are holding the line. And sadly, there are casualties. They are the modern heroes who risked their lives for the sake of humanity. However, we should not think of frontliners as purely medical practitioners. All personnel whether a traffic aide, barangay tanod, garbage collector, volunteer, etc., who risk their lives to protect the citizenry are considered frontliners.
They should receive our all-out support as they are facing an unprecedented workload in overstretched health facilities. They are working in stressful and terrifying work environments, not just because there is no vaccine yet, but because the reinforcements do not arrive and supplies are lacking. With this, the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act should provide the needed aid for their sacrifices. These are the kind of people that should be well compensated and supported.
Like soldiers, frontliners also face considerable mental stress. Whenever possible, we should also ensure that they have access to counseling services so they can recover and refresh themselves before they drown in despair. Their heroism and selflessness are the sun rays that penetrate the gloomy rainclouds of the pandemic.
Discipline is expensive in our culture that is why a tough leader coupled with strict measures is important in maintaining order in this difficult time. Like any other war, the citizens have a crucial role in the fight. A simple stay at home order should be followed and minimum health standards should be observed. Because being complacent and hard-headed produce grave and lasting consequences.
All-out support should be given not just by the government but the whole citizenry as well through the numerous private individuals and groups who continue pouring their undying love for our heroes. If we accept that we are all frontliners in this war, we can finally overrun the enemy. The real horror in this war is you don’t need to be in the frontline before you become a casualty. So we should all stay safe and seek guidance from the Almighty.
We will heal as one.