Photojournalism: Facing Pandemic, Seeing the life outside

While everyone was ordered to stay at home and had the choice to do so amidst the issue of a global pandemic, I was out in the open seeing the world through a whole different lens. When people had the opportunity of exploring indoor leisure activities, I had the chance to witness the once crowded and busy streets void of anything.

Considerably, this dilemma brought a bunch of boons. Families getting reunited, people staying at home, and pollution dropping at a rate some to name.

But whatever advantage others may mention, I found myself somehow locked in the perspective of a dog in front of a painted shark. It felt like a real object eyeing something surreal because to be honest, the pandemic in our country was disastrous. The lost lives and struggling victims. Its aftermath so vivid I almost could not believe we really are experiencing it.

I was there, standing in an empty shelf of alcohols because people were hoarding. I was there, witnessing the poor starve. It is like seeing huge cranes become still after getting used to them being functional. I realized how massive the effect was to our economy. How numerous flights and travels got cancelled. How it became hard leaving and entering borderlines. How it was so difficult to cope up with the situation given our low status even before that.

I had also watched the people going haywire waiting for relief goods. I had been in the corners slapped with poverty. But above all this, I see people pushing to survive. I see the frontliners trying to salvage lives and risking their own in the process. I realized no matter the role in the society, everybody is rooting for the same thing. We are all pouring every effort on that tiny seedling of hope. Hand in hand, we will be saved. Even with the tiring days and restless days, I am glad. Because as the world faces this pandemic, I was one of the people to behold reality in it. I have seen the life outside.

To all front liners and people experiencing this pandemic, we can and will overcome this.