by Renee Mauricio

Had things gone according to plan, I would’ve spent each day of last summer braving the early morning traffic and the evening rush hour. In between those, I would be fulfilling my tasks assigned for each day and possibly meeting new people, from fellow interns to employees and managers.

But unfortunately, we all had to endure the consequences of the pandemic —evidently, some more than others. And were all left with no other choice but to cope by adopting different means of maintaining connections and ensuring productivity.

Due to the lockdown and the required physical distancing, every Filipino’s regular programming was interrupted, and consequently, so were my expectations of how my internship program would go.

In all honesty, I initially assumed that a fully online internship would not provide the complete learning and working experience. I felt some apprehensions about it, like how intimidating it was to be introduced to new people but never actually meeting them in person, or how the boundary between personal life and work could easily be blurred with the remote set-up. 

Fortunately, once I started my internship with Ugat ng Kalusugan, I realized that I did not have to worry about these things after all, since the directors and supervisor that I got to know were extremely understanding and approachable. I also felt that they exhibited a certain level of trust in me, especially when it came to my deliverables, which in turn allowed me to be more comfortable with the working environment.

As for the learning experience, I can confidently say that I have gained a lot of insights from my few weeks of working in the organization. All of these realizations affirmed a fundamental truth: that health and healthcare are multidimensional. 

Particularly, in this case, I learned that there’s more to reproductive health than just knowing about the various concepts surrounding it, or establishing a facility to improve service delivery. It is also about ensuring the reliability of information and the quality of interventions that are made available to the public. 

It is making resources accessible enough for most, if not all, clients who are in need. 

It is forming healthcare workers that are well-trained and fully prepared for every procedure.

It is providing a safe space –both in the literal and figurative sense- that would enable people to receive the necessary services without having to fear judgement. 

And most of all, it is about making sure that no one gets left behind or excluded in the process.

I cannot exactly say that I wouldn’t have changed a thing about my experience. The truth is, the pandemic still continues to loom over our heads. But looking back on the past couple of weeks, I can genuinely admit that despite the unexpected circumstances, my internship at Ugat ng Kalusugan was, to say the least, a wonderful opportunity to grow as a person and to serve for my advocacy.