The pandemic, Odette, and next possible disaster

The outbreak of COVID-19, devastation of typhoon Odette, closure of some establishments and corporations, soaring inflation, plus our individual health and financial struggles, these are a few of the unexpected events that happened yet may not bring lessons to some Filipinos.

One important thing to manage when we are financially at stake is our own personal finances. Money may not be an essential thing for some walks of life but it’s an important thing in order to sustain a living. God surely can provide us all we need but he would certainly give them all through our responsible freedom which is in line with his plan.

Before the pandemic, our life was naturally cheerful. This may not be true to all, but most of us have found the right and humble opportunity to live the ideal lifestyle we wanted; new job position, new car, new house, fancy suits, new gadgets, new business, and so on. However, everything turned unstable as if those things we acquired had to be given up to ease the burden brought by the pandemic. Then typhoon Odette came and ruined the Visayas and Mindanao. From two years of struggle, job loss, and health crisis, now came another new destruction; loss of homes, water, power, and telecommunications.

Today’s devastation doesn’t only call us to notice and accept what happened. It offers us seven pounds-pressure to decide to rise up, to start new, to go forward. We need to grow and change not because of the typhoon but because it’s necessary. May it start from the spiritual aspect of our life or from our health. However, change must also come from the way we handle our time, our skills, and finances. How can we minimize the next possible risk which may destroy again our plans, dreams, health, savings, and investments? How do we see the power of doing side hustle? How do we develop an entrepreneurial mindset the way we earn? How do we apply the basic formula of Income - Savings = Expenses? How wise are we to differentiate between short-term and long-term goals? How do we use the stock market, global tech market, or mutual funds? How do we identify needs from wants? These things are just a few of the financial opportunities which many don't clearly know yet, that’s why a lot of us Filipinos are in dire straits regarding own finances.

Even the Church sometimes has to think about how to raise a fund to support or implement a project. Now here we are faithfully asking God for help but prejudging the act of earning more as evil. In my opinion, without the right financial management, not only evil will come, but the disaster of bringing the whole family to the hell of being broke will reign until the next generation. Be wise with your time and money.

John Caballes, Cebu City