“The Daily Life of the Poor is Death”: The Poor in the Midst of Covid-19 Pandemic and the Catholic Church’s Teaching on Health Care

Jerry Imbong

“The Daily Life of the Poor is Death”

The Poor in the Midst of Covid-19 Pandemic and the Catholic Church’s Teaching on Health Care

Authors

Jerry Imbong Visayas State University

Keywords:

Sociology of health, Catholic Social Teaching, Poverty, Health inequality

Abstract

This paper is divided into three parts: The first part deals with the socio-economic problems that the poor are facing in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The second part analyzes the present condition of the Philippine health care system. Using a “materialist” approach to the sociology of health, the category of ‘class’ is employed as an analytical tool in dissecting health inequalities. In so doing, this paper hopes to provide a critical understanding of the condition of our health care system. It also argues that class structure and inequality are at the roots of inefficient health care in the country. Finally, it offers a critical evaluation of our health care system from the vantage point of the church teaching on health and the recent pronouncements of Pope Francis.

Author Biography

Jerry Imbong, Visayas State University

Jerry Degollacion Imbong is a full-time faculty member of the Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences (DLABS), Visayas State University where he teaches Social Science courses. He finished his Masters in Philosophical Research at De La Salle University (DLSU) and is presently finishing his PhD in Philosophy also at DLSU. He took courses from Maryhill School of Theology both from the General Theology Program and Adult Theological Education Program. He is actively involved in church-based ‘justice and peace’ movements working with peasants, farmers, indigenous peoples, workers, and urban poor communities. He co-authored the book Catechism on Labor commissioned by Church-people Workers Solidarity (CWS). As a faculty researcher, his research interests include religion and society, peace studies and conflict resolution, and Indigenous Peoples’ resistance against neoliberal globalization.

“The Daily Life of the Poor is Death”: The Poor in the Midst of Covid-19 Pandemic and the Catholic Church’s Teaching on Health Care