Don’t be like Koko

March 31, 2020

I REMEMBER a time when Aquilino Martin Pimentel III, known by his nickname Koko, was hailed as a promising young politician. Benefitting from the good name of his father Nene, a senator before him, the bar topnotcher found his entry into political life smoother than others.

The younger Pimentel found himself in hot water last week when it was announced that he had tested positive for the dreaded COVID-19. Instead of sympathy, Koko outraged anybody within hearing distance when he revealed that he had broken his “de facto isolation” to bring his pregnant wife to the Makati Medical Center, and entered the delivery room complex to wait for her. He says that he was unaware of his test results and only found out when they were already at the hospital, after which he made a hurried exit.

Ordinarily, people would not raise an eyebrow at a husband being with his expectant wife at such a time. But ordinary circumstances do not apply, given the fact that Koko had himself tested for COVID-19 prior to this, because of his exposure to another COVID-19 positive patient. Despite knowledge of exposure, he continued to flout the rules, refused to go into self-quarantine, and endangered the life of his own wife and unborn child, as well as those around them.

What made matters worse is that Pimentel attended two birthday parties despite knowing that he might be a carrier of the dreaded virus. By his own admission, he attended a meeting on March 9, and two parties on March 10 and 11. A popular grocery chain, alarmed by rumors that Pimentel visited one of their branches, scoured its CCTV footage and found that he had indeed gone to their BGC store. So, in addition to endangering the lives of our frontliners working at MMC, his family, and his co-workers, he also placed an unthinkable number of people in harm’s way. Such reckless and self-centered behavior coming from a government official.

“No one imposed a quarantine on me,” he whined in an interview. Does it take much thinking to conclude that one is a possible carrier after exposure? Of course not. I doubt that Pimentel is lacking in smarts – he certainly has the paperwork to dispute that – but in my mind, what was lacking here is a compassionate regard for the welfare of others.

What raised my hackles about this entire debacle was the fact that Pimentel traipsed around the metro despite knowing he could possibly be infected by COVID-19. He admitted to having experienced symptoms, but still went on painting the town red. The case of the town of Westford, Connecticut came to mind. As reported by the New York Times, around 50 people attended a party thrown by a well-heeled host on March 5. Unbeknownst to the guests, one of them already had COVID-19.

Westford had no known COVID-19 cases on the day of the gathering. However, half of the party guests had already contracted the disease. One guest flew back to South Africa, carrying COVID-19 with him. Westford registered 85 positive cases after only 11 days. That’s an exponential jump, and a scary one. For now, we can only hope that Pimentel did not manage to do a Westford here in Metro Manila.

We are into Week 3 of the community quarantine. There is still much uncertainty about coming out on the better side of this. Already we are hearing of relatives of friends and acquaintances falling victim to the virus. Identified cases in the Philippines continue to rise by the day, reflective of the much-delayed ramping up of testing done by the authorities. Let’s hope that those in government continue to do more in terms of finding out how widespread COVID-19 truly is within our communities. Let’s continue to support our frontliners who save every life they can, and for our essential workers who keep this machine running.

For now, the best attitude we can all take is to act as if you already have the virus and you don’t want to infect those around you. Sneeze or cough into the bend of your elbow. Wash your hands properly, many times a day. Stay at home as much as you can. Keep a safe distance from others in case you have to go out. Let’s keep each other safe. When in doubt, don’t be like Koko.

It’s Complicated: Lockdown losers, part II

Abigail Valte

March 24, 2020

I’VE caught several press briefings of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in recent days, and I have to say that his handling of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is quite impressive. He always details the plan, takes responsibility for every step the state takes, doesn’t sugarcoat the gravity of the situation, but manages to convey calm and security to whoever is watching. Some friends in New York have made this observation: “Similar to what is happening back at home, folks here are satisfied with the local government than federal,” one friend said in a message. Perhaps the parallelism is all too real.

Here in the Philippines, the past week has shown us the difference between local governments that do, those that do nothing, and those who simply…disappear. Once told by national government in so many words that the bulk of the responsibility in running the enhanced community quarantine will be left to local governments, some went ahead and did their thing. The local chief executives of Pasig, Valenzuela, Marikina, Makati, Manila, Iloilo City, and Roxas City went ahead and took their task seriously, often surprising the public (and generating envy from non-constituents, if I may add) with their out-of-the-box thinking and quick action. Unfortunately, the mayors of some cities are now mere memories, worthy of airtime in the now-defunct portion of the late Inday Badiday’s show Eye to Eye, where she makes public service announcements for missing persons.

Every day, the news seem to get bleaker and bleaker: more of our frontliners are falling ill because of lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), our hospitals have been forced to go on radio programs to appeal for PPE donations. Our health care workers, instead of being assured of transportation and mobility, have had to deal with red tape from the Inter-Agency Task Force, who demanded that they get additional permits when they have their PRC and hospital identification cards. And yet, congressmen had the gall to hold up a sign with cut-out letters pasted on Manila paper that said: “Together with doctors and front liners, we went to work for you, so please stay home for us.” The collective cry of disgust was instant: as of this writing, the phrase “ANG KAKAPAL” was third top trending topic in the Philippines on Twitter, garnering about 14,900 tweets.

And because these self-proclaimed frontliners/congressmen went ahead and passed without much thought President Rodrigo Duterte’s bill to grant unto himself emergency powers to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the bill itself wasn’t given a thorough review. A bid to give an already powerful Chief Executive should always, always be scrutinized in the most judicious way, without sacrificing precious time. One wonders how many of these congressmen called their resident legal eagles when the draft was submitted to Congress–to parse through the provisions and consider its impact and necessity.

Without even traversing the slippery slope of whether we trust the incumbent asking for more powers (most presidents post-EDSA encounter this sort of resistance whenever emergency powers is raised, if I recall correctly), perhaps the question we should be asking is: is it necessary? Has the current administration exhausted the entire width and breadth of powers available under the 1987 Constitution to combat the pandemic and if so, did they come up empty-handed? Or are they empty-handed because they are running around like headless chickens? (No offense meant to headless chickens.)

Let’s see what we have so far: a community lockdown announced without any detail at all, leaving people to their own devices; an enhanced community lockdown that apparently had no mobility plan for essential workers, no plan for ensuring the continuous movement of the food supply chain. Barangay captains enforcing quarantine schedules based on fake news. The less fortunate left with no options for food, just the admonition of “sumunod na lang kayo,” or “walang namamatay sa gutom.” These are lines fit for telenovela kontrabidas, not government officials in times of crisis.

So no, please excuse everyone who thinks that this ploy for emergency powers is nothing but a whim on the part of the current administration, but we’re not having any of it. They can’t even properly wield the authority that they have now to address our problems, and they want more? Hard pass, please.

Everything that they need to do now—ensure the unimpeded movement of goods to and from Luzon, funding for family food packs to reach the most vulnerable (this is why you have the Quick Response Fund plus the Calamity Fund, not to mention the money that PAGCOR and PCSO contribute to the Presidential Social Fund), or buying the needed medical supplies for hospitals (emergency procurement is allowed under existing procurement rules, especially when a state of calamity has been declared)—is all within reach at the moment, with the current authority that the Chief Executive has. It’s also not as if the private sector hasn’t stepped up to help that you need takeover powers to force them. The request defies logic, really; all circumstances point to their penchant to asking for emergency powers as a band-aid solution to complications they themselves caused.

Since lives are at stake, I hope fervently that those in the upper echelons start making decisions that can do good for the people they protect—ones that can flatten the curve and slow the spread of the coronavirus, while making sure that people are properly informed so they can follow the rules, and sending aid to the vulnerable in the urban poor sector. And finally, that they get over themselves beyond cheap Manila paper signs and empty virtue signaling and show real, tangible support for our front liners.

Lockdown losers

Abigail Valte

March 17, 2020

THERE are no winners in a pandemic.

As many of you know, a month-long, NCR-wide community quarantine has been imposed by government in a bid to stop the further spread of COVIC-19 in the Philippines.

Bedlam ensued because of the poor communication of the measure to the public, exacerbated by contradicting public statements issued by government officials.

So the exodus began, with many Pinoys scrambling to leave the capital within the three-day window following the announcement of the community quarantine and its actual implementation.

Because of the sometimes asymptomatic transmission of the virus, we may never know how many of those who left inadvertently carried the virus to the provinces.

Governments all over the world (ours is no exception) are scrambling to contain the spread of the virus in their respective jurisdictions. While we can certainly look at other countries whose efforts have been largely successful (see South Korea and Singapore), the circumstances of the Philippines leave us in a more difficult predicament than some.

You see, the working class and those living below the poverty line are the ones who are greatly affected by the community quarantine. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, NCR has a population of around 12.8 million people from its last count. If you cross match that figure with the poverty incidence in the area, that comes out to about 537,600 folks, not including the ones falling under what they call subsistence incidence, or people who must work in order to have food for that same day.

They are the ones who rely on government hospitals for their medical needs, the ones who use public transport on a daily basis, the ones who walk to ply their wares on the street. I understand the purpose of the community quarantine–we all must make sure we do not spread the virus to others–so that is not the issue here. What is in question is the lack of safety nets being imposed in tandem with the community quarantine to ensure maximum efficacy.

You see it all over social media– people chiding each other to stay home and watch Netflix.

That’s good, for a very small population. If your employment or profession allows you to work from home, then it is best to do so. The reality, however, is there are many residents in the National Capital Region and all over the country that simply cannot afford to stay home. I understand social distancing is also a viable measure, but it is practically dead in the water in a metropolis like Manila where taking public transport means being in very close proximity to your fellow commuters.

See the pandemonium being caused by the ill-planned community quarantine–workers entering the borders of Metro Manila at various points are jammed in long queues for hours.

Commuters lined up for a longer period of time because social distancing measures are being implemented in the trains, which means a lesser number of people can ride at a given time.

We have a long way to go in terms of the duration of the community quarantine and ultimately, stopping the spread of COVIC-19. I hope that while government is playing catch up, it will be open to tweaking the current measures to be more responsive to the needs of those who are most vulnerable, and to the practical realities on the ground. It’s not too late. Wash your hands properly, dear millennials and fillennials.

Stay safe, and watch out for each other.

Wash your hands

Abigail Valte

March 10, 2020

AND so, it finally happened. The Department of Health has confirmed a local transmission of COVID-19, despite hemming and hawing all the way. This occurrence will now usher in a different phase of anxiety among the populace, given that there is still much we do not understand about COVID-19. Our officials must keep this very human reaction in mind, and must consider this reality at every step and turn.

There is much to write about the way the administration and the Department of Health has dealt with this crisis, specifically in terms of keeping the public in the know about developments. There will be another time to discuss about how it can be improved, but for now, I choose to write about what ordinary people like me can do to help our communities in this time of uncertainty.

First, much of our uncertainty comes from having very little information about COVID-19 and how it behaves. This uncertainty can easily turn into panic, especially with the wall-to-wall media coverage about these cases. This panic translates into very tangible things: sharing things left and right on social media and chat groups, rushing to groceries to stock up on essentials beyond what is necessary. These actions, while perfectly understandable, create a reactionary chain of behavior in other people, which can create misinformation and undue panic. Trusted institutions such as the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control regularly release updated advisories for the public, detailing measures about how one can keep safe in these times. Washing your hands frequently (and properly) is one of them, and developing this habit can go a long way in protecting one and one’s family not just from Covid-19 but other common illnesses.

Take 30 minutes to read these advisories, and make sure you are getting them from the correct source. I’ve received so many forwarded texts and memes about supposed measures against contracting the coronavirus, many of them from false or dubious sources.

The most annoying perhaps is the one that advises people to drink hot water every 15 minutes because it makes your mouth inhospitable for the virus, because it claims that the virus cannot survive in hot temperatures. I hope whoever started that gets a burnt tongue for life, really. The second most annoying one advises eating plenty of garlic to ward off the virus. You might be laughing at the absurdity of it, but the South China Morning Post reported about a woman who had to go to a hospital for treatment because she ingested 1.5kg of raw garlic in one sitting.

Dear millennials, please help in making our fillennials more aware about fake news and false information. Sit down with your aunties and uncles and tell them about URLs and finding trustworthy information sources. Resist the urge to roll your eyes, dear ones. Our fillennials may be difficult at first, but I’m sure you can all get through at one point. After all, our elderly seem to be the most vulnerable to COVID-19, and we want to keep our elderly ones safe as well from the virus.

Second, help others access the correct information. I know I’m not the only one receiving forwarded messages and links about how to stay healthy, which increases in frequency every time the media reports a new case. I have received the usual health advice via chat group ranging from the common sensical (“boost your immune system and take Vitamin C”) from the absurd (eat garlic and hot pepper) and with so much noise, coupled with our feeling of uncertainty, can cause us to hold on to irrational advice. We can help fight the spread of misinformation by sending legitimate advisories from trusted institutions. You can also download and distribute printable graphics carrying health measures to your neighbors and the Grab or Angkas drivers you encounter. One lady I know has taken to giving cotton gloves to the Grab drivers that she meets; gloves that can be washed, disinfected, and re-used to help protect them as they do their daily work. Not everyone has employment that will allow them to work from home, so it is good to keep these people in mind, also.

We all need to look out for each other, as this virus, like others of its kind, knows no race, politics, or preference. While we may have gripes (or not, hahaha) about how the current government runs the country, we can certainly follow prevention measures like avoiding large crowds, washing our hands, and disposing our garbage properly, to help prevent making ourselves and our communities more vulnerable than we already are to contracting the virus.

Is the end of POGOs coming?

Abigail Valte

March 3, 2020

IF it’s one thing that President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly disagree about, it’s the continued proliferation of POGOs in the Philippines. It’s quite perplexing, considering that Mr. Duterte has acceded to most of Beijing’s demands on other matters, most notably on matters regarding the West Philippine Sea. Remember that President Xi himself asked for Mr. Duterte’s help in stopping the operation of online casinos here in Manila, as these POGOs service clients on the Chinese mainland. By having their physical operations here in the Philippines, these Chinese POGOs are, in effect, circumventing the prohibition against gambling in their home country.

It would be understandable if Mr. Duterte refused to shut down these POGOs because of their contribution to the Philippine economy. It would be hard to turn down these businesses if they created thousands of jobs for locals, either directly or indirectly, resulting in viable economic activity. Lastly, it would indeed be difficult to turn down these businesses if they paid billions in revenue to the national government. But that is hardly the case with POGOs: instead of creating jobs for Filipinos, they employ thousands from the mainland. Instead of creating demand for auxiliary businesses like convenience stores and transportation, we have sex dens that traffic women from China and Vietnam, and fleets of white vans shuttling POGO employees. Even the Department of Finance is at a quandary about how to tax POGOs, citing a loss in billions of pesos from these entities.
The housing requirement for the thousands of POGO employees has also caused a distortion in the rental market. Ordinary employees who work in Makati or Ortigas have complained of unaffordable rental rates due to competition from Chinese POGO businesses; even the side streets between Roxas Boulevard and Quirino are now occupied by POGO employees, down to the old houses. Local landlords are lured with one-year advanced payments, and there are lot owners who entered into long-term lease agreements with Chinese POGOs because the money is indeed good.

But this period of plenty for a few might soon be coming to an end. China is reportedly in the process of cancelling the passports of nationals “suspected of engaging in long-term telecom fraud crimes abroad.” In short, Chinese nationals suspected of being employees in offshore gambling operations will have their passports revoked to prevent them from exiting the mainland. If China is indeed dead serious about this move, then it would effectively cripple the operations of POGOs here. Coupled with the temporary travel ban because of the coronavirus, Chinese POGO operators would have to move heaven and earth to get their employees to Manila — how long is a boat ride from China, anyway? Those living in areas with a high concentration of POGOs have noted a drop in the number of employees who frequent the POGO offices and its surrounding environs. One resident offered a theory: a good number of them must have gone home for the Chinese New Year, and were probably unable to go back because of the travel ban.

It’s interesting to watch how the Duterte administration will react to China’s crackdown, knowing its inexplicable tolerance of POGOs in the country. Will it, like several instances before it, bend to China’s wishes? Or will it insist on its policy of tolerance, despite the fact that the presence of these POGOs does more harm than good? And perhaps the bigger question is: if it continues to tolerate the presence of these online gambling businesses in the Philippines despite the imbalance between benefits and clear disadvantages–why?

Other consequences of COVID-19

Abigail Valte

February 25, 2020

THE world is still racing to contain COVID-19, better known to many as the coronavirus. Of course, the most badly-hit country is still China, where infections continue to go up but have slowed compared to a month ago. It’s hard to tell with the data coming out of China, which has been known to fudge the numbers to fit its narrative. Currently, there are close to 80,000 documented cases, with 2,619 fatalities. It’s true that the rate of recovery is high, but we shouldn’t become complacent as scientists are still in the process of understanding COVID-19, and how people can be protected from it.

While it seems that the number of infections has slowed down, there are more areas to watch outside of China: Iran, South Korea, and Italy. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has put the nation at the highest level of alert, citing the need for an “all-out, concerted response” to stop any further spread. Italy is taking similar measures, including regional lockdowns.

While the Philippines has seen a relatively slower growth of cases, the movements in South Korea and Italy should be of great concern to us. If I’m not mistaken, Italy is home to a large number of OFWs (over a hundred thousand), more than any other country in Europe.

South Korea plays hosts to roughly 60,000 Pinoys as well. Should things get out of hand, our government should already have contingency plans on how to evacuate our folks if necessary, similar to the actions of the US, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom.

Apart from the public health concern, measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 are also having an impact on the movement of goods. I’ve been hearing some small business folks complaining that their suppliers’ products are stuck in China, with no way of knowing when their orders will come. I wonder how widespread this experience is, considering how many products in our market today come directly from China: clothes, electronics, packaging, etc.

It’s a good thing that government gave the green light for our OFWs to return to Hong Kong. Livelihood is extremely important to many Pinoys, and perhaps this experience with Hong Kong should already spur the DOLE and OWWA to actively put in contingency measures to address similar situations should other countries impose travel bans as well, especially those countries who host tens of thousands of OFWs. Measures that can be activated immediately once the problem arises, with no downtime, and no waiting.

When personal becomes public policy

Abigail Valte

February 18, 2020

ONE of my favorite politicians always said that government is the biggest agent of change, capable of shaping public life with its far-reaching power and influence. Government, especially the Executive branch, in the hands of a good leader, can create a lasting impact on the lives of millions with just a stroke of a pen. Whether it is signing a good bill into law, vetoing a bad one, or mandating a particular policy via executive order, the power of the Executive branch should never be underestimated. The converse is also true: the power of the sword, a metaphor for the influence yielded by the Executive, can unfortunately inflict damage to the very same people it has sworn to protect and care for.

It is with this immense power in mind that public policy should always be approached: with immense care, meticulous study, and with a view to whatever consequences it can have to either shape or disadvantage common good. The decision not to renew the franchise of entertainment and broadcast giant ABS-CBN is a perfect example of how public policy can go wrong when driven purely by personal motives. The decision, it seems, is rooted in conflict between then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and the network back in late 2015, when the network allegedly refused to air a few versions of Mr. Duterte’s campaign ads. Mr. Duterte also claims that the money used to buy the airtime was never returned to him, an allegation that remains unclear to this day. I do recall that Mr. Duterte’s campaign was only able to run TV spots sometime in February, and the first few materials that aired didn’t seem to be exactly what his campaign envisioned.

What was running through the grapevine then was that the material submitted by the Duterte campaign did not pass content standards; someone mentioned that the content was too violent for free TV. Every campaign submitting ads for placement complained about the stringent standards one’s material had to meet in order for the same to be aired, but we all complied with the requirements anyway, knowing that a single day of non-airing would have an impact on a candidate’s chances in the May 2016 elections. While that impact is unquantifiable, no campaign would willingly risk a no-airing just to engage in a pissing contest with network screening boards.

Mr. Duterte gave ABS-CBN early notice of his intentions to block the renewal of their franchise, which means that it has been a hellish three years for the network and its thousands of employees. Meanwhile, GMA was able to renew its franchise without a hitch.

While I have had issues with some of ABS’ reporting during my stint in government, it is the height of unfairness to punish the thousands of employees and their families for the perceived slight of a few in management. Given this administration’s penchant for attacking their critics, the handy non-renewal of the ABS franchise sends a very chilling message to others who would dare cross swords with it: this can happen to you. So much for freedom of the press.

While the general sentiment seems to be on the side of ABS-CBN, there are other forces silently moving to consolidate support against the renewal of the franchise. I’m told that a certain religious group, known for its intense interest in all things political, has been flexing its muscle by visiting members of Congress to get their commitment to block the renewal.

Apparently, the group has not forgotten that the network aired in its news programs the infighting within their walls, shattering the illusion of a united leadership at its helm. Coffee shop talk is also rife with persistent murmurs of another group interested in taking over the franchise to add to its fast-growing portfolio of business interests. As we can see, this is intensely personal–for those who would want to block the renewal to benefit their own ends. Sadly, when the personal takes precedence over public interest, it is ultimately the common man who is at the losing end.

Walking back the VFA mess

Abigail Valte

February 11, 2020

PEOPLE who have worked in government will be familiar with siege mentality — defined by Merriam Webster as “a defensive or overly fearful attitude.” In other words, everyone is out to get you. The nature of high-level government positions carries with it the vulnerability to develop siege mentality, as the constant bombardment of problems on a daily basis, matched with the pressure to deliver results, can take a toll on one’s outlook.

I imagine that the best and the brightest along the Pasig river must be feeling the weight of impending crisis these past few weeks, ever since President Duterte rambled his threat to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States as a form of retaliation for an offense of the highest level — the US dared to cancel the visa of Sen. Bato dela Rosa, Duterte’s favorite PNP chief. Yes, dear millennials and fillennials, a treaty with a long-standing ally is in a precarious position because of a perceived personal slight suffered by the President’s factotum. Imagine that.

Judging by the numerous conflicting statements coming out of the Palace, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of National Defense, it seems that there are those who are trying to delay executing this rambling to terminate the VFA in an effort to walk back the President’s inclination. While I am aware that the President did publicly make that statement (under more normal circumstances, such would already be considered a policy directive), our experience with this particular Chief Executive is that nothing is certain until it is actually carried out. I can imagine that the US desk at the DFA must be having daily conniption fits because of the uncertainty, same with their counterparts at the DND. Those holding the line at both departments must be commended, for they know better than anyone else the long-term impact of such a hasty termination.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, known to be one of the more sober and stabilizing voices in the cabinet, was clearly incensed at Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo’s declaration that “President Duterte is instructing Executive Secretary Medialdea to tell Foreign Affairs Secretary Locsin to send the notice of termination to the US government.”

Lorenzana called it “fake news,” adding that Locsin has not seen the order yet. Branding it “fake news” is unusual for Lorenzana, especially in reference to a statement made by a fellow cabinet member. Then again, maybe Lorenzana finally had enough of Panelo’s thoughtless style, which has sparked controversy time and time again. One cabinet member complained to me that Panelo frequently goes off the reservation when it comes to his statements, often causing problems for other cabinet members who have to scurry to put out the fire.

I hope that this time, the President listens to the sober voices in his ear. The Visiting Forces Agreement is by no stretch perfect, and most will agree that there are disadvantages to its continued existence. Those in the Left have called for its revocation for as long as the VFA has been around. There is good reason to review the agreement and negotiate for some amendments, based on thoughtful study and experience-based analysis. It should not, however, be revoked on a whim, with the nation’s interest relegated to the back burner, merely on the proposition that a slight (as perceived) was committed against a factotum.

However, this mess could all be a sleight of hand, and is calculated to move the country away from the strategic partnership with the US and more into the friendship with China, just executed with the usual bells and whistles. The diplomatic and defense lines are working overtime to avert the latter case, and the next few weeks will show us whether our country’s policy making has truly sunk to the lowest of the low, where personal interest is king.

A new, detestable low

Abigail Valte

February 4, 2020

IT’S appalling how the propaganda machine has reached a new low. While their behavior prior to the outbreak has not been in any way commendable (in some cases it’s actually downright criminal), anyone who checked the goings-on in social media over the past week will surely get what I mean.

Everyone is on edge about the novel coronavirus, especially after it was announced that the virus can be transmitted even during the 14-day incubation period. Most everyone paying attention has realized that our standard screening procedures using thermal scanners have now been rendered fifty percent efficient by the simple development that those showing no signs or symptoms can still infect others. While other countries like Singapore, the United States, and Australia have imposed temporary travel restrictions and quarantine measures for those coming from China, the current dispensation took its sweet time to weigh whether such a measure will help keep the illness out of our borders.

Meanwhile, the propaganda machine went into overdrive, calling folks who expressed dismay at the lax response of Philippine leadership various names, accompanied by the usual slash and burn tactics, similar to a descent of locusts. The trolls were sloppier than usual, and eagle-eyed social media users caught their gambit early on: a sob story (yes, singular) about discrimination against Chinese nationals went around different platforms, copy-pasted furiously by the lowest of the low. The story is designed to tug at the heartstrings: someone encounters a Chinese family while waiting for the elevator at their condominium building, and details the reaction of other folks present who visibly recoil at the sight of the foreigners. It begins with an expression of emotion from the poster: “I’m sad.” It could have been true–except that multiple accounts had posted the exact same text on their walls, evidence that the unseen hands who work the propaganda machine had given a directive for their minions to propagate that message.

I look at this development and see several things: while the propaganda machine isn’t new to those of us who frequent social media platforms, the depths these bottom-feeders will plumb is, as we speak, detestable. Who pays for their keep?

Another is that the current administration, with the exception of the frontliners of the Department of Health, has failed to effectively move in a timely manner to ensure that lives will not be lost to this illness. There is also something wrong with the way information is being disseminated during this time. Our health experts already know that there is much uncertainty regarding the circumstances and nature of this illness, and how it is transmitted. Understandably, that uncertainty makes people nervous. It is the job of those in government to take control of the situation by showing its people that appropriate and well-thought procedures are in place for their safety. It is also government’s job to communicate properly with its citizens to ensure everyone gets correct information, and to stave off panic.

Instead, internet users get trolls, trolls who attack people online and spread disinformation, calling those who advocated for temporary travel restrictions as “racist.” Instead of disseminating information that will inform and protect, they sent out propaganda to misinform and attack. That tactic, I suppose, is what they call “tapang at malasakit.”

We see before our midst the fruit of a foreign policy that is subservient to China. Afraid of offending its friends in Beijing, our officials have effectively relegated the interest of Filipinos to the back burner, instead choosing to keep our borders open to possible carriers so as not to offend the feelings of China. Again, we speak here of the Chinese government and not its people, who are more in danger of contracting the coronavirus.

Despite the delayed action, I hope that government wakes up from its deep, lumbering sleep and snaps into action. After all, a virus is never political, and can harm anyone regardless of belief or position. And to the armies of trolls who continue to divide and disinform the public, remember that you too can catch the flu. So wash your hands for the rest of your lives–you may be able to wash and keep clean, but you’ll never get the stain off your souls.

Are we prepared for the new coronavirus?

Abigail Valte

January 28, 2020

NOTHING gets entire countries on edge like a public health emergency, and the first month of 2020 has brought exactly that because of a new coronavirus said to be first seen in humans in Wuhan, China.

Wuhan, little known to the rest of the world prior to the outbreak caused by the new coronavirus, is a city of 11 million people. As of this writing, the Chinese government has placed Wuhan on lockdown, along with 11 other cities. The arrival of international tour groups was stopped starting Monday, in an effort to contain the spread of the illness which has infected thousands and claimed the lives of over 50 people.

The geography itself is problematic: Wuhan is located in central China, and is a major railway hub that services multiple cities. And the timing is just as bad: millions are set to go home for Lunar New Year (more commonly known as Chinese New Year here at home), multiplying the possibility of contracting and spreading the illness beyond Wuhan’s borders.

The way China has handled this public health crisis does not inspire confidence thus far. As it did with the outbreak of severe respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, it seems China has underestimated the potential of the new coronavirus. It is only now that we are seeing drastic action from the Chinese government, when the first known transmission to humans happened sometime in mid-December. One patient in Wuhan is said to have infected 14 other medical personnel, raising fears of super spreaders of the disease.

Similarly, the World Health Organization has held off declaring what is known as a “public health emergency of international concern,” despite the potential of the virus to infect many around the world. Already, France, Australia, Japan, and the United States have declared cases within its territories. Ma Xiaowei, China’s Health Commission Minister, confirmed that the disease can spread even during the 10-day incubation period, when a person is already infected but does not show any outward symptoms like fever or cough.

This development should be of particular importance to the Department of Health, as it renders insufficient our current screening procedures for new arrivals. Right now, our authorities screen arrivals using temperature checks and look for other overt signs to detect possible carriers. Arrivals from Wuhan or other known points of infection are screened more carefully. Remember, we’ve been through this before during the MERS COV scare, and while our personnel are experienced at this, the fact that this new virus is contagious even at the incubation should give our officials pause and cause to reassess our existing protocols.

While the developments are certainly most concerning, countries are taking steps to ensure that the virus does not spread within its borders. Authorities do not have to wait for a pandemic to be declared to close our shores temporarily to arrivals from China, as Taiwan has. The complication is the current administration’s relationship with China: taking drastic measures to temporarily keep mainland Chinese visitors out of the Philippines might be viewed by Beijing as contributing against the everything-under-control narrative its government is trying to portray, even with millions of lives of its own citizens at stake. The Duterte administration’s response will be a telling one: will personal interest prevail over national interest? (See the threat to revoke the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States, case in point).

It seems that the strength of Chinese internet censors is also being tested, as the Chinese people take to Weibo to express their alarm and displeasure at government’s response to the crisis. It’s been days, and the posts continue to come, and the scrubbers can’t keep up.

Videos of the state of things in Wuhan are also being posted by the dozen on YouTube, for all to see.

Which brings to the fore the question you might have: as private citizens, what can we do to avoid the illness? For one, wash your hands regularly. Wear a mask while in public places. Apart from making sure we don’t fall ill, we should also be cautious about what we share on social media. Share only verified information from trustworthy sources to avoid adding to the inevitable feeling of hysteria one gets in these situations.

Lastly, a reminder that whatever our differences are with the government of China, let us remember that the Chinese people are victims too. I’ve seen one too many posts bordering on racism when it comes to containing the spread of the illness. Yes, we are all afraid for the new coronavirus to enter our country. Now, take that fear and imagine the people of Wuhan.

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