Diskarte Is How Pinoys Cope With The Pandemic

Diskarte is a Filipino word that does not quite translate accurately. It is what Filipinos resort to in times of crisis. The best way to explain what it means is by citing examples of how various kinds of diskarte have been used ingeniously to survive, or even flourish, in these difficult times.

- Sol Vanzi

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in industry closures, with millions of jobs lost in almost every sector. Economic uncertainty has changed the way people live, work, eat, and spend money. At the same time, many found the time and opportunity to discover and utilize hidden talents that eventually lead them out of the pandemic caused chaos.

Diskarte is what my friends keep themselves busy with. Ginny planted herb seeds, transplanted the seedlings to pots, and found them all sold out in one weekend. Cha, who loves to gift friends with organic sugarless cakes, now bakes dozens weekly for online customers.

ONE RECIPE RESCUE

Sue, a 40-something single mother, was successfully handling PR for several hotels and high-end diners. With her clients temporarily shut down, she had to find another way to pay the bills and feed her family. Friends urged her to sell her wellloved dishes on the Internet.

Raised by a food writer aunt and a father famed in his town for “Bat-enBols” (soup number 5), Sue grew up on an eclectic diet of Caviteño peasant fare, Seventh Day Adventist organics, and American and French