Lugaw

An lugaw baja kay dili na kun pagkaon? If one is fond of reading, s/he might encounter DYSTOPIA - an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic. Most of the characters rebel due to inhumane treatments and eventually topples down leaders of “insane” needs and the hunger to rule over people.

The Philippine Star reported: Rice porridge or lugaw, or any food item for that matter, is considered “an essential good,” Malacanang said on March 31, 2021, following a video that went viral on social media. The video shows a lugaw vendor being prevented by barangay officials from passing through a checkpoint amid the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

In the video, the woman who is allegedly a barangay official was lecturing the food delivery person in a very confident tone telling the vendor that rice porridge is NOT an essential good but MILK is. A lot of viewers raised their eyebrows on the seemingly-righteous woman who even encouraged the vendor to take a video on the incident so that “we will know” what is ESSENTIAL FOOD.

Netizens were angered over the video, which showed a Grab Food rider being accosted by barangay officials who claimed he was violating the 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. The rider pleaded his case and said Grab followed the guidelines set by the government on the ECQ, which allowed food deliveries. The local officials, however, refused to let him through, saying the porridge, which he was supposed to deliver, was “not essential” (philstar.com).

Are we living in an post-apocalyptic era when such food is not considered essential anymore?

When information isn’t available, people need to use the conceptual understandings and associations they’ve formed about similar concepts to successfully execute decisions. Conceptual understanding, where people grasp ideas in a transferable way, can help them take what they learn apply it across domains.

In the field of education, teachers venture into the cognitive dimensions to be able to reach the level of competence among learners. It has been said over and over that the educators must be careful in dealing with the delivery of lessons since deficits might occur. Or worse, the wrong information will be instilled to the learner it would be difficult to UNLEARN.

In this case, one can wonder: Is the woman (who seemed confident with what she was talking about) a victim of cognitive and conceptual deficit or someone who was fed with WRONG information? You see, rice porridge is COMMON in the Filipino cuisine!

When abuse of power comes easily, it also becomes an all-too-attractive end for pathological individuals who might try to seize it through any means. When they attain a position of control of an entire society, great tragedy can result (Lee, 2018).

That situation is a scary one. You see, abuse of power occurs where the protagonist has control of the contingencies in a situation (those in power, whether through authority, coercion, dominance or leadership etc), and because of the lack of counter control, acts in ways which are damaging to the other.

Those who are hungry for power might be thriving during situations like a “lockdown” or a enhanced community quarantine or any term one may use. They see the event as an avenue to satisfy their innate need to rule over.

Gabriel Pabico Lalu reported: The uncertainty of “lugaw” or rice porridge as one of the essential goods -and food delivery as an essential service - stems from the national government’s confusing quarantine regulations, an activist said on March 31, 2021. According to Bagong Alyansanng Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes, it is only in the Philippines that there is a need to clarify that food delivery like rice porridge is important that should not be impeded.

So, if we go deeper, why such brouhaha over lugaw? This stems from the unease of the people on being NOT FREE for a long time that even the purchase of simple things like porridge is NOT ESSENTIAL. When too many restrictions are imposed in the midst of a democratic country, things like these happen.

In a study conducted by Mekale, Reggev, et. Al. (2020) they posited that social isolation and loneliness carry a negative impact on both mental and physical health, and quarantine may cause stress symptoms, as well as anger and confusion. Prolonged stress, in turn, can lead to aberrant regulation of the immune system and higher susceptibility to virus infections. These negative impacts can also extend to damage to the fabric of society, as paranoia and related beliefs in conspiracy theories can motivate criminal activity.

Going back to the dystopian plots, are we going to wait for rebellion to come or the pro-active and scientific actions of policy makers in regulating pro-people regulations?

We might as well hear news in the near future on someone running amok when the wearing of slippers will be prohibited.