RESILIENCE IS NOT ENOUGH.

OPINION| 2020 is a rough year. From the outbreak of COVID-19, to political dissent and the present typhoons and floods, this year hasn't stopped throwing rocks at us ever since it started. Most of us still hope that all of this would magically fade away the moment the calendar flips to 2021. However, we will still have to endure these challenges before that happens. For the past few months we have heard instances of students taking their own lives over personal problems and problems brought by the new distance learning. It's uncertain who should be blamed for it. "The child is not resilient enough," "That's because she's too weak to experience real life," are some of the comments on the posts I have encountered on the posts announcing one child's demise, even though they do not know every detail about her life. On the other hand, we have seen many stories of impoverished, disabled people and calamity victims being lauded for being able to smile despite their state. What is the difference between the latter and the former? Aren't they all suffering? What was it that made people praise one and despise the other? We Filipinos pride ourselves for being able to endure challenges such as calamity, poverty, and hardship. Most of us, especially devout Catholics, tend to live by the doctrine of living for others instead of ourselves, and that suffering is a noble thing. This can be a very admirable trait. However, this type of thinking can also prove to be self-destructive. The thing about Filipino resilience is that it glorifies suffering and to express the slightest distress about one's condition is considered ungrateful or disgraceful. Any form of weakness is condemned outright. Don't cry when you have a big problem, smile! Suppress your negative emotions and feign joy! Your feelings of anxiety are invalid because there are lots of things to smile about! That, my friends, is not healthy. It literally does not make you feel any better, nor does it solve your problems. This positivity is toxic because people end up dismissing their concerns instead of realizing that there is a problem at all, and that it needs a solution. That kind of thought process makes the less fortunate think that they somehow deserve what they are going through right now, and all they can do is endure. Comprising yourself leads to other people taking advantage of you, and right now there are individuals who use others' resilience as an excuse to not do their jobs. In times of tragedy and disaster, it is a must for people to be strong and flexible. Even so, we should remember that we are not alone in this matter. Don't be a self-sacrificing hero when you're the one needing help. Learn to voice out your grievances. Think for yourself for once. Learn to identify the injustices done against you. Just because you are suffering now does not mean you don't deserve better. Resilience is NOT enough. Words by: Mary Therese Eleseo, Patrisha Cabahug, & Queesntine Bardinas Drawing by: Patrisha Cabahug Layout: William Jefferson P. Granzon BANTUGAN 2020 ✒️