UNICEF staff on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19

I have been working in the development and humanitarian sector for 21 years. Currently, I work as a
health and nutrition officer in UNICEF Philippines. I am one of the six essential staff in the UNICEF
Mindanao Field office in Cotabato City who continue our work despite the pandemic.

As the number of cases grow day by day, my colleagues and I wear our masks, frequently wash our
hands and remind each other of the safety protocols to prevent ourselves from being infected.

Being a mother and a health advocate, I keep track of the reports coming in the Philippines and in the
Bangsamoro region. We help the national and the Bangsamoro Government in the COVID-19
response by providing essential supplies, training and technical expertise. The pandemic has put
unprecedented strain on families, particularly frontline workers as part of essential health services.

As I do my work, I worry about my family in Zamboanga. Fighting COVID-19 is a personal

battle for me.

As a mother of three young children and a daughter to elderly parents, I can’t help but be
concerned about my family, especially as one of my close relatives contracted COVID-19.

To keep in touch with my husband and children, I videocall them every night, play online games with
them and play with the filters available in apps. I always remind them to wash their hands with soap
and water, eat properly and exercise. They have a daily schedule with their father, and they send me
videos of their workouts. I send them videos of my daily activities as well.

I also communicate with my parents and siblings in our group chat and we send text messages, and
voice mails for updates. My parents remind me to take care of myself and pray. I also remind them to
take their medicines, and not to go out. I send them updates about COVID-19 situation almost every
day. To lighten the mood, we also send each other puzzles, videos, memes, jokes, photos, and voice
recordings.

While I am thankful that my family and I have access to technology, I am aware that this is not the
same for many families in BARMM.
I met many frontline workers working in hard-to-reach communities in Lanao unreachable by
technology. A health worker in Maguing, Sohra Cao, never stopped working despite the pandemic.
"Each day with Covid-19 brings some new struggles for Meranao families especially those living in
the farthest barangay. We resumed health services when we received the disinfecting kits from
UNICEF," she said. They made sure to follow health regulations and that their staff are well trained
on the new protocol.