Remembering valor

According to the dictionary, the meaning of the word valor is exuding "great courage in the face of danger" during a battle. Today we remember the heroes who bravely fought against the Japanese in World War II. However, some may have forgotten what happened in Bataan that fateful day in 1942. Others regard this as a day to rest and to cool off from the very hot weather. My memory of the said event is also not that vivid. In fact, I may not have remembered the lesson that much when it was delivered. My mind must have wandered off just like some students today who are struggling to retain lessons amid the extreme heat. Nonetheless, I understood that all those who exhibited valor must be celebrated.

During the time of the pandemic, we honored the heroes who ran the hospitals and clinics. Today, it is apt that we honor all working officials who are battling the effects of the El Niño. Like the firefighters. Over the weekend several fire incidents happened in different parts of the region. They sacrificed their hours to save people from the fire. They subjected themselves to a hotter situation than the sun's heat could ever give. To me, that’s a different kind of valor.

Another sector is the farmers. They are also the most affected in our present situation as water is important to their livelihood. These farmers make do with whatever water source they can find, just so they can produce food. We take note that they aren’t paid much for their hard work and labor, but they still continue anyway. They plant on land that isn't theirs, but still press on. This fact means they deserve a pat on the back.

Let’s also not forget our teachers who are trying to find new and innovative ways to beat the heat. It isn't their fault that the school calendar was reverted. They work hard so students continue learning. In fact, they break their backs to come up with the best solutions to the problem. Working in a heated situation isn’t an easy feat.

We want to hold the government accountable for everyone who has been sacrificing during this El Niño. The issue now is just beyond the extreme heat every day. We are looking into mitigating measures that should have been in place before its onset. Unless we remove that mindset of being buzzer beaters, we will never move forward when it comes to planning. Thus, we need more people who exhibit valor despite the bureaucracy, inconsistency, and incompetence. We need leaders who can step up and break tradition.