Isang medical frontliner ang may hamon sa mga taong tila napag-iinitan ang katulad niyang may prebilihiyong hindi na kailangang pumila sa mga grocery stores at supermarket.
Siya ay si Karen Kalala, nurse ng Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).
Naisipan niyang dumaan sa grocery galing sa kanyang 12-hour shift noong umaga ng Miyerkules, April 22.
Nilakad niya mula ospital hanggang sa bayan, ngunit nasorpresa raw siya sa haba ng pila sa tindahan.
Ginawa ni Karen, nilapitan niya ang security guard upang magtanong kung kailangan pa niyang pumila.
Post ng nurse: “I went straight ahead and talked with the officer if I have to queue when I only need to go to the grocery and he let me pass.”
Pero nakarinig daw siya ng hindi kanais-nais mula sa isang babaeng nasa pila.
"FRONTLINER KASI" patutsada raw sa kanya "in a very sarcastic way."
Bagamat nagulat sa pagpaparinig sa kanya ng shopper, hindi na raw niya ito pinansin dahil wala na siyang lakas upang makipagtalo.
Sabi ni Karen, “I did not bother to look back and confront the woman who said that line.
"I just do not have that much energy to be bothered by these kinds of comment."
EXPRESS LANE FOR FRONTLINERS
Tama si Karen.
May pribilehiyo ang frontliners na hindi na kailangang pumila sa grocery stores at iba pang establisyemento para sa kanilang essential needs.
Matagal nang inanunsiyo ito ng Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) at Department of Health.
Ito ay maliit na pakonswelo sa pagsisilbi nila sa bayan, ngayong nakasailalim ang Luzon sa enforced quarantine dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic.
Kaya naman may hamon si Karen sa taong nanlibak sa kanya nang dahil sa pagpayag ng security guard na hindi na siya pumila.
Pahayag ng Baguio nurse: "To that woman, here is the deal, I can give you my ID, you can have my salary and get all the perks of being in the frontline.
"All you have to do is do my job (not just done but do it well).
"Be on 12hrs shift night straight for 1month (no complaints should be heard from you)."
Ipinahiwatig din ni Karen na ang hirap ng sitwasyon sa trabaho niya ay madagdagan pa ng mga personal na alalahanin.
Hamon pa rin niya: "Walk from your home to the hospital and make sure you are there 30mins before your tour of duty (and yes, that's how we do it in our ward we clock in 30mins earlier even before we were hit by this pandemic).
"Then after your duty, you have to run errands like pay the bills, go to the market and grocery because you know that there in no more food in the fridge."
NO LUXURY TO JUST STAY AT HOME
Bakas ang hirap ng loob na pinagdadaanan ni Karen.
Kung siya ang papipiliin, nais niyang manatili na lamang sa bahay.
Paliwanag niya, "Because I would love to just stay at home, be with my family.
"Spend this quarantine with my nephew and nieces.
"I would love to give them my hugs and kisses.
"Having to carry or cuddle them and fool with them all day long.
"Play with them and make them cry."
Pero matindi ang call of duty ngayon at kailangang isakripisyo ang sarili.
Nangangambang sabi pa ni Karen: "Rather than going to work not knowning if in any other given day (God forbid) I will be just a number in a report.
"Having to avoid my family as much as possible because of the fear that I might be carrier of the disease.
"That all I can do is to call, message or have a video call with them to know how they are doing and to tell them that I am just doing fine."
PHYSICALLY & EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED
Pagod na raw ang medical frontliners sa kanilang trabaho.
Kaya malaking bagay raw ang ginawang hakbang ng local government units (LGUs) sa pagbibigay sa kanila ng express lanes sa supermarkets at groceries.
Para kahit papaano ay makapagpahinga pa sila matapos ang kanilang duty dahil mabilis nilang natapos ang mga errands pag-uwi galing trabaho.
Pahayag ni Karen: “We are already tired and physically and emotionally exhausted and pre occupied with what if's (what if I have it and the like).
“And the express lanes provided by certain grocery stores and the considerstion of our City mayor for us to be able to use our company/hospital ID to be able to run errands is a big help for us so we can go home early and rest to prepare for another duty.
“To at least ease our physical exhaustion and to uplift and boost our morale knowing that in such way or manner we know that the work we do is appreciated."
Sa huli, sinabi ni Karen na wala siyang intensiyong makalamang sa iba pang nasa pila sa grocery nang araw na yun.
Nagkataong pinayagan siya ng security officer dahil sa suot niyang uniform.
Sabi pa ng Baguio nurse: “I did not mean to offend anyone standing in the line this morning when I pass by them. I politely asked the officer if I need to queu since I will just be going in the grocery.
“If the officer told me to wait in the line then I would have.
“I did not even dare show or wave my ID to the officer but maybe he recognized that I am a healthcare worker because I was wearing my scrubs."