Covid-19 Pandemic Experiences Of Filipinos: Basis For The Development Of A Coping Program

Abstract

The Luzon lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic brought varying reactions, emotions and actions to mankind.  Fear, uncertainty, and anxiety were experienced by everyone. Only the frontliners were allowed to go out, while everybody was advised to stay home.  This research explored and compared the coping strategies of Filipinos across gender and generations to come up with a coping program to overcome the effects of the pandemic.  One-hundred males and one-hundred females with 50 individuals from each generation participated in the survey and were interviewed online during the lockdown.  Analysis of their response showed that their coping strategies were composed of five-psychological-spiritual coping strategies; three-economic-political coping strategies; and three-social coping strategies.  The psychological-spiritual coping strategy of “praying and keeping in mind to ask God to end Covid-19 pandemic so that people will not suffer” was the foremost coping strategy of both male and female Baby Boomers, Generation Y as well as female Generation X and Generation Z respondents; but it vary among the male Gen X and Gen Z.  Significant difference was established between one item of the psychological-spiritual coping strategies and generation category; while no significant difference was established between the coping strategies and gender of the respondents, an indication that male and female equally needs the proposed coping program  “Tara, Usap Tayo, CASama Mo Ako-SBS Psych Aid”, where various programs are continuously implemented in collaboration with other offices of the university, for the stakeholders from various sectors, university-wide and nationwide.