10 Lessons learned from the Corona Quarantine

10 Lessons learned from the Corona Quarantine

1. Whenever your money is stored in a bank or any place else like a managed fund, you are never assured that you will have access to it when you need it. During the first few days of the quarantine, the financial markets closed and along with it the inability to redeem investments. Precorona quarantine, I would leave all of my emergency funds in a managed fund with very little volatility. Under normal circumstances, it is okay because you get your redemption credited the next day but moving forward it does not seem like a wise thing to do anymore. In an emergency situation wherein you need a lare amount of cash, the daily withdrawal limit will also make you think twice about parking cash in a bank account. I definitely will have to restrategize after all this is over and make sure that I will be better prepared in case a second wave of coronavirus or another pandemic will happen in my lifetime.

2. Whiskey is a very good antiseptic. During the prohibition in the US, whiskey was the only liquor that was not banned. In fact, soldiers would use it in the battlefield to disinfect their wounds. Aside from antibiotics, it would probably be a good idea to always have whiskey at home. During the quarantine, there were several times wherein I felt like I was coming down with something. After a shot or two of whiskey, I would begin to feel like new again.

3. You can most likely predict future events by watching a lot of news. If you listen carefully to interviews with government officials, you can definitely guess pretty accurately what's going to happen. A few days before the lockdown, I asked my mom if I should probably reschedule my vacation in Zamboanga city earlier. That morning, I had heard the health secretary say that a lockdown will be imposed once there is already a local transmission and contact tracing can't be effectively done anymore. Unfortunately, efficiency is not one of this country's stronger points. I knew it was only a matter of time before a lockdown would be imposed. Today, we are in our third week of quarantine and I am reading articles that we aren't just in a recession but a depression. It's not hard to imagine because there is virtually zero trading happening. Even after the lockdown is lifted, people will probably not immediately purchase cars or go on vacations. Fear will most likely linger for several months. Job losses in the US and Europe will have a big impact on our economy (BPO and OFW remittance will be severely affected). All these moratoriums on bills payments is also worrisome because I don't expect people can pay two months worth of bills with just one paycheck. It is no wonder the german finance minister killed himself. This is economic armageddon. The good news is that the government is being very proactive about this whole thing. NEDA came out with a survey recently to ask businesses and consumers how we can go back to normal after the lockdown. It's not hard to imagine the government here taking the same steps as its counterpart in the US which will bail out big businesses that are coming under water due to the lockdown.

4. It really pays to know how to cook. I am very thankful that I like and know how to cook. Cooking is something many people are trying to learn now that they have more time on their hands due to the lockdown. They probably will think twice about eating out once all this is over.

5. You can cook so many things with just a handful of ingredients. When I was buying cooked food from the karinderya I realized that most of the dishes they serve have very few ingredients. Their Bicol Express would have only gata, pork, chili and salt in it and taste really good. Meanwhile, when I make the same dish I would put in a lot of ingredients. I also thought that if you added more spices to a dish it would taste better. But no, it's not how cooking works. Just a single clove of garlic is usually enough when cooking a serving of most Filipino food.

6. The so-called experts are not always right. Do face masks work? At first they said it didn't now they're asking us to wear them all the time.

7. Our leaders are not gods. During the crisis, most people looked to the government for answers and relief as if they are gods or fairies who can magically make our troubles disappear. Alas, they are mere mortals and we have the same thinking faculties.

8. The government will never let a serious crisis go to waste. We must always be watchful.

9. In times of crisis, cash will always be king. During the lockdown, the government tried to raise funds by issuing bonds however yields went through the roof as the appetite for taking risks in a situation such as this one is very low.

10. Salt makes everything taste better. Including coffee!