Philippine E-Journals

Engaging the Community through Virtual Mobilization during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nimfa L. Bracamonte

 

Abstract:

The world comes to a halt with the COVID-19 pandemic as it speeds in annihilating the human population and causing enormous sufferings. Both the local and global economy are affected by this pandemic’s devastating impact to health and, eventually, to social aspects of life. The working class and the disadvantaged sector, especially daily wage earners and unemployed, bear the brunt of amplified poverty arising from enforced community quarantine and militarized lockdown. In this essay, I present my experience as community organizer, a senior citizen who is prohibited from going out during the quarantine period, and how I utilized the online platform to continue my extension work. In doing this, I provide my experience working (1) on the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) project; (2) with the Bajau community of Iligan City; and (3) with the Meranaw IDPs. In this essay, I wish to communicate to all community extension workers that the pandemic is a cheap reason to justify not continuing with our extension work.