Why the Internet needs to shift the focus from Donnalyn to workers’ real-life woes

Internet sensation Donnalyn Bartolome is definitely not one to shy away from the trends list

This time, she is trending because she is feeling lucky

Ever since her claim to fame, Donnalyn Bartolome hasn’t shied away from the fact that she got to where she is because she worked hard. She has also always been open about struggling to live away from her family to follow her dreams. However, for someone that has experienced all these, the Internet claims that Donnalyn is out of touch with reality.

Last night, the vlogger posted a Facebook status that received flack asking: why are people sad that they are going back to work? Arguing that shouldn’t people instead be grateful that they even have jobs? However, here’s the counterargument the Internet provided: just because people are sad they are going back to work, doesn’t mean they’re ungrateful for their jobs.

And here’s a hot take: Donnalyn isn’t even the real enemy here. The minimum wage and awful public transportation are what we must shift our energies to.

Scouring through the comments on Donnalyn’s infamous post, many felt invalidated by her words not only emotionally but realistically. Some opened up a conversation about breaking their backs for their jobs but still earning a really small amount of money, while others noted that public transportation isn’t something that they look forward to either.

As we open the topic to unequal access to necessities and privilege, we will not truly be able to do so without acknowledging that the root of this is the long overdue increase of the minimum wage, how corporate profits off of minimum wage workers, and those who support minimum wage and the systems that maintain it. 

Currently, the minimum wage in the Philippines depends per region and sector but varies from PHP 271.24 to PHP 467.95 for Agriculture and PHP 292.70 to PHP 500.44 for Non-Agriculture according to the Department of Labor and Employment National Wages and Productivity Commission. 

For the everyday Filipino worker that has to support a family during this inflation, it truly is hard. Add the fact that most of them brave public transportation too, and commuting is not exactly a breeze here. Many commuters cry out that the roads are too congested because of private vehicles in the country. That wouldn’t be the case if public transportation was accessible to most. 

Nowadays, it takes people hours to book vehicles due to the traffic and high gas prices. It takes them even longer to ride the MRT/LRT due to issues like yesterday where no train was at the Ayala Ave station for more than 30 mins for both Northbound and Southbound trips. Others also brave the EDSA Carousel line regardless of how long it can get. 

Until these issues get resolved, Filipinos have all the right to be sad about going to work, especially having no choice but to show up in these conditions. 

 

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Source: we the pvblic