EDITORIAL: Post-crisis rehabilitation cycle

Today’s generation is luckier than before. With the help of modern technology, we can now predict some natural calamities. As a result, the government is able to deploy financial and non-financial resources before, during, and after the crisis.

However we have an old habit, after every crisis, we assume that normalization will happen immediately. We forget that there is a period of psychological, social, and economic adjustments before total recovery and stabilization take place. This period is called a post-crisis situation. For those less affected the period is negligible, but in reality, the post-crisis situation lasts at least 12-24 months after the crisis is officially declared over,

Our understanding of this period is important because, for the less fortunate people and areas it needs special financial support which is not normally included in regular budgetary allocation, especially of the local government units. In normal times post-crisis assistance is provided by multi-lateral organizations like the UN or bilateral agencies of friendly countries. Unfortunately, in the case of COVID-19, the crisis is worldwide and financial need has to be shouldered by each country, either through its own savings or through loans. We cannot depend on international donors because all countries are affected and have the same problem as ours.

This brings us to the necessity not only for fiscal policies but also for standardization of socio-economic rehabilitation program strategies. This is not only the duty of government welfare agencies but also of academic and training institutions. We need to develop and introduce meaningful changes in the ways we are doing things. Post-crisis situations offer great opportunities for innovation, pilot testing of new ideas, and institutionalizing new programs, systems, and strategies. The crisis has been an inevitable natural cycle of events. The need for socio-economic rehabilitation has become normal, there is no more need for traditional scholarly research. Mere adaptation of past and existing programs and strategies is more expedient. The government must authorize and subsidize private institutions that are capable of adaptation and development.