Liomar B.

Hernandez Legal Counseling

MLC- Final Exam Atty. Kirilos Lobaton

Life after the COVID19 Pandemic

The COVID19 Pandemic brought a lot of changes in the life of the people in
today’s modern world. We lost our control and security in just a flick of finger. It greatly
disrupted our normal routines. It closed down schools, shopping malls and even
government offices. It fundamentally affected our social and economic order. But the
sector mostly and greatly affected are the poor and ordinary workers.
The pandemic brought fear among us? What scared me most during this crisis is
the impending reality that the Enhanced Community Quarantine (CQ) will be extended
beyond April 30. By that time our economy will be on a slow down and more people
particularly the daily wage earners will
suffer. Second, that more people will
not learn from this stark reality. As one
of the posts in social media puts it: “We
will never go back to normal. Normal
there was. Out pre Corona existence is
not normal because it normalized
greed, inequality, exhaustion,
depletion, disconnection, hoarding,
rage, hate and lack.” May this crisis
teach humanity with valuable lessons
on kindness, solidarity, love and deep
faith in God. There is a need for all of
us to reconnect and rekindle our
relationships with God, others, nature
and ourselves.
How did I deal with it? The crisis enjoins us to face the reality not as an individual
person but as members of the human race as a whole. This is the time that calls for
soildarity not only with our loved ones but more so with the human race as a whole. This
demands for a concerted effort to solve the crisis. Second, cling to our faith. The crisis
calls us to go back to God and see what is happening around us in the eyes of faith. Let
us be reminded of the message of Pope Francis in his homily during the Urbi et Urbe
Special Blessing last March 28.
“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith”? Faith begins when we realise we are in need
of salvation. We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we flounder: we need the Lord, like
ancient navigators needed the stars. Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let
us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will
experience that with him on board there will be no shipwreck. Because this is God’s
strength: turning to the good everything that happens to us, even the bad things. He
brings serenity into our storms, because with God life never dies.

The Lord asks us and, in the midst of our tempest, invites us to reawaken and put into
practice that solidarity and hope capable of giving strength, support and meaning to
these hours when everything seems to be floundering. The Lord awakens so as to
reawaken and revive our Easter faith.

We have an anchor: by his cross we have been saved. We have a rudder: by his cross
we have been redeemed. We have a hope: by his cross we have been healed and
embraced so that nothing and no one can separate us from his redeeming love. In the
midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet
up, and we experience the loss of so many things, let us once again listen to the
proclamation that saves us: he is risen and is living by our side.

The Lord asks us from his cross to rediscover the life that awaits us, to look towards
those who look to us, to strengthen, recognize and foster the grace that lives within us.
Let us not quench the wavering flame (cf. Is 42:3) that never falters, and let us allow
hope to be rekindled.

Third
is quiet
service. I
chose to
serve the
policemen
who served
in our
baranggay by making sure that they have a jug full of cold water for the day and hot
coffee to keep them awake at night. This is my simple way of serving humanity during
the pandemic. When La Salle Green Hills where I am working as a teacher opened its
door to be a Safe Shelter to the frontliners of The Medical City (TMC), I immediately
volunteered to assist them in terms of making sure that they are well fed and
accommodated in our school. I did this knowing that such little sacrifice is nothing
compared to the sacrifices of the frontliners. It is also my family way of showing our
gratitude to God and to the frontliners who braved the danger of the virus just to serve
sick people.

After this pandemic, there will surely be major changes not only in the different
aspects of our life but also in the legal profession. First, on line legal transaction will be
the norm in the legal profession. Digital legal processes will be considered as a major
avenue of dispensing justice. Use of Technology in Attorney-Client communications
(email, file sharing, video conferencing) will be maximized. Second, the pandemic will
create a demand for legal services. As Jordon Ostroff wrote in his article in National
Law Review, “The 2008 recession triggered the launch of new companies and
entrepreneurs. A whole host of new business owners will emerge as a result of COVID-
19. Lawyers will be in high demand to help companies emerge and evolve.” Workforce
will be back to normalcy. Business sectors
will reassess and strategize to make their
companies resilient should a similar crisis
comes in the future. All of these changes
demand the services of lawyers. Last which
is my hope and prayer that this pandemic
may bring a new breed of lawyers who are
fearless, fair, just, humane and true to their
oath as administrators of justice.

The pandemic is a paradox. It is a reality that brings crisis and opportunity. But
what is more important is not how it started but how we are purified and transformed as
human persons, and directed to a better world to live in not only for ourselves but most
especially for the future generations. Live Jesus in our hearts. Forever!