‘In the end, all we citizens can do is to make sure that we do not forget these things the next time we line up for the ballot box, and convince others to remember the same.’

IN the early months of the pandemic, it became a habit to check every two weeks or more if government will be imposing changes on what citizens can and cannot do in terms of movement, reporting for work, etc. True, circumstances were rapidly changing because of the quick spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Stakeholders continued to lobby government for reasonable measures based on science, and timely notice to afford those involved the time to make the needed adjustments. However, these changes were so poorly communicated and implemented that most folks could not make heads or tails of it.

Look no further than the recent issue about the use of face shields. Various high government officials gave conflicting statements on whether face shield will still be required for people to be able to go out. This may have something to do with the fact that those around President Duterte were unprepared for the Chief Executive saying to a group of lawmakers that the use of face shields should only be required in a hospital setting. Of course, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III was quick to share the news.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque affirmed to journalists that the development was indeed the policy of the President himself, but was also coy on details on when its implementation should be expected. However, Roque clarified later that face shields will continue to be required until the President decides on the appeal of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases. It’s more dizzying than watching a tennis match, except the game never ends.

I hope that our policy makers realize that people want to comply with these regulations; but if these announcements and changes are as clear as mud, can anyone really blame Filipinos for just throwing their hands up in frustration? These rules, expected to be followed by the entire populace, are ever-changing, much like the passing of the wind.

Even these acronyms for different types of community quarantine are just flat-out bizarre, with no discernible difference other than a change of letters.

Government is a monolith. It takes extra effort to ensure that every person expected to implement these rules are properly informed of applicable parameters, to avoid confusion.

Those at the top must at least make some effort not to confuse the people expected to follow these regulations, as chaos benefits no one. In the era of messaging apps, email, text messages, and virtual meetings, it’s quite inconceivable that our officials cannot seem to get on the same book (much less, the same page) about regulations that have a direct impact on the daily lives of citizens living under the threat of a pandemic.

Whenever a snafu like this happens, one just hopes that our officials will learn their lesson and try to do better next time. However, more than a year into this deadly pandemic, it seems that these things just keep happening over, and over, and over again. In the end, all we citizens can do is to make sure that we do not forget these things the next time we line up for the ballot box, and convince others to remember the same.

‘It could also be that Pacquiao is leveraging heavily on the lame duck theory — one that posits that a sitting President in the twilight of his term is just a ceremonial figurehead, vulnerable to power plays and whatnot.’

THIS rift inside PDP-Laban doesn’t seem to be going away, given all indications. President Duterte himself launched a broadside against the president of his own party, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, after the latter had dared criticize President Duterte’s foreign policy towards China as “lacking” and “disheartening.” Clearly irked, Duterte chided his party-mate by saying in the vernacular that Pacquiao should study the issue well before issuing any statements.

A dressing down from the party’s chairman is the last thing a politician angling for higher office like Pacquiao needs at the moment. As it is, it seems that Pacquiao stands on shaky ground within his own party, given his public feud with Energy Secretary and PDP Vice Chairman Alfonso Cusi. Pacquiao’s allies are already gearing up for a fight (as was reported a few days ago) in anticipation of moves to oust Pacquiao from the leadership of the party.

From an outsider looking in, Pacquiao’s plan to gain the support of his party as a presidential or vice-presidential candidate seems to have not been very carefully planned.

For one, all this elbowing and jostling is done in full view of the public, leaving partisans on each side with little room to maneuver or compromise as the public nature of the argument already locks them into place. Judging from the tit-for-tat, it seems that one faction already has a clear idea of who should be the party’s standard bearer for the 2022 elections, while the other is trying to fight that conclusion (will it be inevitable, I wonder?) to make way for his own political plans.

One also wonders about the calculations being made by those allied with Pacquiao on the matter. Do they perhaps estimate that their cause and their plans are good enough to sway the majority of their party-mates to their side, despite the fact that ultimately, it is Duterte who will make the decision for the group? And did anyone bother to stop and think if annoying the decision maker (quite publicly) will help their case, given this widening rift between the factions?

Another possible explanation is that Pacquiao and his allies are laying the groundwork for bolting PDP-Laban, with the hope of taking a considerable amount of its membership along with them. Attempting to do just that will require a lot of chutzpah on Pacquiao’s part, seeing as he will be going against not just the party chairman, but a sitting President at that. Pacquiao might think that he is surrounded by enough hardened politicians, but so is the other side. And we all know the basic rule in power struggles: like moths to a flame, they all gravitate to where the center of power is.

It could also be that Pacquiao is leveraging heavily on the lame duck theory — one that posits that a sitting President in the twilight of his term is just a ceremonial figurehead, vulnerable to power plays and whatnot. His standing in recent surveys may also be bolstering this burst of courage, giving him and his allies the sense that they are gaining momentum and can do practically anything. Will the bell signal a KO for Pacquiao for this round? And who will deliver the final blow?

‘Non-Gibo voters have also expressed their feeling of validation of not choosing him back in 2010, an attitude that a potential vice-presidential candidate does not want to cultivate moving forward. After all, politics is addition, at the end of the day.’

IF one has any doubt that the political class is focused on movements for the 2022 national elections, all you have to do is check the news from last week to erase that doubt. In case you missed it, the erstwhile comeback of GMA-era Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro caught the attention of watchers, starting with a photo from Camarines Sur Rep. Nonoy Andaya captioned “On my way with my Vice President to meet my President. Done deal, folks.” The said photo showed Andaya with Mr. Teodoro in the background inside what seemed to be a small aircraft.

The pictures released soon after gave context to what Rep. Andaya tried to hint at, quite clumsily: Mr. Teodoro had flown to Davao City ostensibly to greet Mayor Sara Duterte for her birthday. I suppose it was meant to be an announcement of sorts, a partnership intended to seal the fate of both personalities as a viable tandem for 2022. It however, fell flat on its face, due to the simple fact that Mayor Duterte has largely kept quiet about her much-vaunted political plans for 2022.

It seems that Mayor Duterte is keeping her cards close to her chest, as Mr. Teodoro was received much as she would any friendly political personality, with perhaps the exception of a souvenir COVID-19 vaccination. It seems much of the noise and fanfare originated from Mr. Teodoro’s camp, who candidly admitted days later that he was willing to run as Mayor Duterte’s vice presidential candidate should she decide to make a go at the presidency.

I imagine Mayor Duterte to be quite bemused with these antics, if not a little annoyed at the antics of all these men trying to push her in the direction of making a public statement about her political future. But it’s clear that the lady is no pushover, and she has left these attempts to wangle a commitment out of her largely flapping in the wind. If she and Vice President Leni Robredo have one thing accidentally in common in recent weeks, it is being surrounded by supercilious men who have taken it upon themselves to divine (announce to the rest of the world) what is on the minds of the two women.

Instead of getting folks excited about Mr. Teodoro’s comeback to the political arena, the public could not help but notice the special treatment accorded to him, noting that Mr. Teodoro is not a resident of Davao City but was allowed to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

That qualifies as a walk-in case, which local governments routinely caution the public against doing to avoid overcrowding and following the priority designations for the limited vaccines. Rep. Andaya readily came to Mr. Teodoro’s defense, citing extra doses, etc. etc., but all in vain as it was a clear case of special treatment because of (past) political stature.

It was not, if I were in Mr. Teodoro’s corner, a good way to have announced a return to the political space. Though Mr. Teodoro has been largely silent since 2010, his social media account has been hinting at a return to politics. If there is any doubt about how bad this debut of sorts was, I have heard many folks who voted for him in 2010 voice their disappointment at this return-to-the-fore episode. Non-Gibo voters have also expressed their feeling of validation of not choosing him back in 2010, an attitude that a potential vice-presidential candidate does not want to cultivate moving forward. After all, politics is addition, at the end of the day.

Where this leaves Mr. Teodoro is still uncertain, and perhaps more will be revealed in the months to come as we expect him (and any other person wanting to run in the national elections) to be more visible in both traditional and social media to try to bump their conversion numbers up, before the penultimate event of filing their certificates of candidacy in October.

‘At this point, everybody is looking sideways at everybody else, trying to gauge which chess piece will move at a given time.’

WE’RE halfway into 2021 and despite finding ourselves still in the midst of a full-blown global pandemic, it is inevitable that movements on the political front have begun to happen. After all, the filing of certificates of candidacy is only four months away, and the 2022 national elections now a mere 11 months down.

A lot of these movements remain largely unseen: alliances being formed, relationships being kept warm or being rekindled, all towards the end of assuring their patch of green in the political turf is preserved (or even perhaps expanded) after the elections. This can perhaps explain some of the sharper pronouncements coming from administration allies, especially those who are trying to establish themselves as viable candidates for higher positions.

The month of June in the year prior to the May elections is usually the time for benchmarking surveys, intended to aid would-be candidates in gauging their chances.

Within the four-month window between June to October, those exploring to run for national positions usually embark on campaigns to raise their awareness among voters in order to improve their standing either in public or private surveys.

Among political groups or parties, conversations should be ongoing on potential standard bearers or identifying candidates they will support among the current crop of would-be presidentiables. It seems that this process has been contentious thus far for PDP-Laban, given the very public power struggle among factions in the party. Just recently, that tussle between Sen. Manny Pacquiao (who apparently took over the party leadership from fellow Sen. Koko Pimentel) and PDP Vice Chair Alfonso Cusi over calling a national council meeting was indicative of that growing fissure inside the party.

Apparently, a faction led by the Energy Secretary was quite displeased at some of the supposedly critical remarks made by Sen. Pacquiao aimed at the Duterte administration.

President Duterte is, of course, the chairman of the party, whom I understand is being encouraged by some party-mates to run for vice president after he steps down as President on June 30, 2022. This talk was quelled by Pacquiao himself, who admonished his fellows to focus on the pandemic instead of politics.

It does not help that the grapevine is rife with talk that Pacquiao himself has already laid the groundwork for a presidential run, further complicating matters about who President Duterte will field as his possible successor. You already see the factions at work: there are very tangible efforts coming from the supporters of Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter (and a power bloc unto herself, by all accounts) Sara Duterte-Carpio. On the other hand, you see the positioning of Sen. Bong Go, another faction by himself, owing to his close proximity to the President.

While none of them have come out publicly with a clear admission of gunning for the highest position in the land, it seems that there are already forces at work to derail the potential positioning of Pacquiao, starting with the intense drubbing the latter received at the hands of Sen. Pia Cayetano on one of his pet pieces of legislation. Add to this the current imbroglio within the party (even the presidential spokesperson weighed in and conveyed the President’s blessing of Cusi’s actions) it seems that Pacquiao’s plans might be more difficult to execute than initially thought.

At this point, everybody is looking sideways at everybody else, trying to gauge which chess piece will move at a given time. Of course, that photograph of Mayor Duterte with the children of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos that made the rounds over the weekend was another calculated volley into the political arena, intended to gauge not the reaction of the public but rather of those who move in the political space.

In any event, expect to see more of these tussles in the coming months, dear millennials and fillennials. As always, we watch and we wait.

‘Spreading speculation and fear about vaccines in the name of politics will only harm folks who should have gotten extra protection but may have been scared off by these inanities. And in the end, who suffers?’

IT’S the usual topic of discussion in group chats or conversations (no, this is not about boxing), especially for folks in the National Capital Region and its nearby provinces: have you gotten vaccinated yet? When it comes to this question, everyone is expected to weigh in with their own circumstances carefully — the level of risk they face on a daily basis, their medical history, their unique personal circumstances.

I have heard a lot of folks express hesitation about receiving the Sinovac vaccine, mostly related to the fact that the stage 3 results of the China-vaccine trial has not yet been released for peer review. However, my understanding is that this has already been done, and so far, folks who have been inoculated with Sinovac (including our healthcare workers who really need all the protection they can get) have not experienced side effects apart from the usual expectations.

I have listened to people who initially expressed hesitation about Sinovac, and the discernment process they went through that made them decide to get the vaccine. One doctor friend of mine explained that while she was not one hundred percent confident, she said she got some measure of protection because of her increased exposure due to her work. Another friend of mine, who has comorbidity, mentioned that she was comfortable getting the Sinovac jab as she did not want to catch a severe case of COVID.

Listening to conversations on social media, some younger folks have expressed their fear that catching COVID will wipe out their savings. I was horrified to come across one story which mentioned that the hospitalization bill of one of his parents reached almost P10 million. Ten million pesos, let that sink in. I don’t know many people who will be liquid enough to cough up that amount of money and still be able to manage their day-to-day existence. Even if you are lucky enough not to catch a severe case of COVID that would require confinement, the expenses of testing alone cut into a big chunk of one’s finances.

One friend related to me how his partner had to pay P12,000 for a single home service PCR test, as the parent was already in quarantine and there was nobody available to drive the patient to any of the testing centers.

So yes, more than the fear of possible death because of a severe case of the virus, the fear of not being able to cope financially with hospitalization is a very real concern for many in the middle class. As one friend said: “I am one hospitalization away from bankruptcy.” I hope folks who stubbornly insist that those who have chosen to take the Sinovac jab offered by the LGUs should be branded as “supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte” consider how thoughtless and obtuse this point of view is. While there are valid and legitimate views that most folks have been forced to accept Sinovac (it seems that the other brands have been conveniently delayed, for one reason or another), let us not demonize folks who have, as a result of their own discernment, chosen to protect themselves from the virus. Spreading speculation and fear about vaccines in the name of politics will only harm folks who should have gotten extra protection but may have been scared off by these inanities. And in the end, who suffers?

So yes, dear millennials and fillennials, should you have a chance to get inoculated soon, have that conversation with your doctor to weigh the pros and cons of getting a vaccine.

Consider your health, consider the level of risk you are exposed to, and most of all, consider the science and not the innuendo. Be safe, be healthy, and until the next week.

‘I’m fairly certain that the Vice President is keenly aware of the fork in the road ahead. The decision to run for the highest office in the country is a big one and should not be taken lightly, and perhaps it is best to leave her to her own process and discernment, without throwing these distractions her way.’

THAT statement from former senator Antonio Trillanes IV was a head scratcher, to say the least. It already made an assumption, based on information that was unspecified, that Vice President Leni Robredo is making preparations to run for the gubernatorial post in Camarines Sur, her home province. I suppose that the unspecified information had something to do with VP Robredo securing her national ID from Magarao, Camarines Sur and not from Naga City. (Naga City is an independent component city, dear millennials and fillennials, and does not vote for the position of governor in the province.)

To be able to run for governor of the province, she must move her residency to a town outside of Naga City, and to transfer her voter’s registration as well. Atty. Barry Gutierrez has been quite straightforward that VP Robredo has not transferred her registration, and remains a voter in Naga City.

I understand that those frustrated with the current dispensation are looking for a champion outside the coalition of the administration. It cannot be denied that VP Robredo is the logical choice, given her performance and the stark contrast she strikes compared to the allies of President Duterte (who are, by the way, already busy with going around on the stump, as they say). Presidential campaigns are rarely launched and won in such a short span of time, and we have officially breached the one-year mark to the national elections in 2022.

I also wonder how this particular development was communicated to VP Robredo, considering that she should be the only one making any announcement about her future political plans. Sure, Trillanes made it clear that he would give way to VP Robredo in case she changes her mind and runs for president, but hey, that didn’t take away the fact that the guy went ahead and announced her supposed plans as if it was already set in stone.

It’s good that VP Robredo has addressed this issue head-on, and rightfully so: she has, at least from my point of view, tried to concentrate on her efforts to help the pandemic response through the initiatives launched by her office. That’s not a bad position to take, in my opinion. The announcement made by Trillanes effectively cast her back in the political spotlight (which she has been trying to avoid) in order to spend time answering and parrying these questions. It again highlights the target on her back from overzealous fanatics who see it as their avowed service to their idol to continually pick at everything she does. Does that help? No, it does not.

I’m fairly certain that the Vice President is keenly aware of the fork in the road ahead. The decision to run for the highest office in the country is a big one and should not be taken lightly, and perhaps it is best to leave her to her own process and discernment, without throwing these distractions her way.

‘A thousand memes bloomed, as they say, all heckling and making fun of the cowardice of the President — the complete opposite of his successful image and branding.’

WE all know that Rodrigo Duterte is an unconventional president. Even as Candidate Duterte back in 2016, he captured the attention of many Filipinos due to his unique way of speaking. One observer would put it as uncouth, and another would characterize it as frank. However you chose to view it, it is this shoot-from-the-hip characteristic of his public statements that made such hot copy for media; you just knew that he would utter something outrageous that will send people in a frenzy, whether for him or against him.

And perhaps, his partisans would argue that the President’s spontaneous and very off-the-cuff style of speaking is what endeared him to his political base in the first place.

This style and manner, of course, is appreciated differently when one begins to govern.

We’ve seen in many instances that the President tends to announce certain policies, positions, and opinions perhaps without the benefit of running it through his Cabinet and advisers. That is, of course, his right and privilege. To be clear, he doesn’t have to run his statements by anybody, and can change executive policy at the drop of a hat. Politically, however, it does make for a very chaotic situation where his advisers have to run interference in case the President utters something unexpected in public.

Take this case of the debate challenge issued to retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio by none other than the President himself. Quite obvious that Carpio’s scathing critiques of President Duterte’s subservience to China in the West Philippine Sea issue has gotten under Duterte’s skin, which resulted in this O.K. Corral-esque challenge.

Duterte himself said: “Itong Carpio naman, sulat nang sulat ng mga decision para sa kanyang utak lang. Isa ring ugok itong…Bak…Supreme Court justice. Pareho man tayo abugado. Gusto — eh gusto mo mag-debate tayo?”

At this point, you could almost hear a collective scream of anguish from the palace by the Pasig River, as well as the simultaneous slapping of faces to desks. “Why?” they must have said. “Why must he go there?” Though it must be said that the President’s behavior in this case shouldn’t have surprised anyone, especially those who work for him. Even as mayor of Davao City, Mr. Duterte was fond of gambits like this one, as it often asserted and reinforced his brand of bravado.

Unfortunately, Carpio stepped up to the plate swiftly and unequivocally took the President up on his challenge. And, as he did when Waldy Carbonel (as well as Bono Daza, I’m told) dared to take up his challenge to a duel, Mr. Duterte simply did not show up. His acolytes will then proceed to make excuses for him, as they do now. “Nothing beneficial to the Filipino People will come out of it,” they said. “Whatever he says will have an effect on public policy and may be covered by executive privilege,” crowed another. “He’s President and Carpio is just an ordinary lawyer,” tried the other.

Assuming for the sake of argument that all these points are valid — shouldn’t these have been considered by Duterte himself before he even opened his mouth to challenge Carpio?

Or, in true Duterte fashion, it’s just another case of shoot from the hip and never mind later.

I can imagine that his acolytes and allies must have come down in droves, in a bid to prevent the President from embarrassing himself any further. Better to suffer the temporary indignity of backing out than to thrust the President into No Man’s Land with Carpio. Who knows what will happen there?

One wonders, dear millennials and fillennials, what kind of impact this development will have on President Duterte’s “Tapang at Malasakit” brand. The hashtag #DuterteDuwag trended on social media mere minutes after the backing down was announced by Malacañang, and no amount of spinning from his mouthpieces could quell that particular characterization. A thousand memes bloomed, as they say, all heckling and making fun of the cowardice of the President — the complete opposite of his successful image and branding. Oh, how grating this all must be to the man who was called “The Punisher,” to suffer all this heckling and riotous laughter at his expense.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether President Duterte will take a hit in the surveys or not from this debacle. It will, however, magnify the chinks in the armor of the Punisher; he is not as brave or courageous as most people thought. “Umaatras pala,” they will say.

Perhaps a lesson all us voters should take away from this is to really take a deeper look at those who will again court us for our votes less than a year from now. Once again, they will come knocking, promising the stars and the moon. Our collective task is to look beyond the promises made, look beyond the songs and dances, and ask ourselves: does this person deserve my vote?

‘I can imagine that those with vested interests have been laying down pressure on the FDA to approve Ivermectin for human use to combat COVID-19…’

I’M beginning to feel some pity for the folks over at the Food and Drug Administration. In addition to their primary task of making sure that medicines and other items are safe for the public to consume (in addition to their other regulatory tasks, ranging from medical devices, supplies, cosmetics, among many things), in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are also the same agency tasked to make sure that manufacturers applying for the emergency use authorization are thoroughly vetted and screened. I’m certain they understand the magnitude of the responsibility: they must ensure that any vaccine applying for an EUA passes their standards, in a race against time. (The question of supply of vaccines is, of course, another matter out of the FDA’s hands.)

From what I’ve seen, the FDA is fairly conscientious when it comes to warning the public against untested skin creams that they should not buy, or unregistered vitamins or supplements they should not take. The rise of online commerce has certainly made the FDA more relevant; if a consumer comes across an unfamiliar product being sold online (and believe me, there are plenty) then all one needs to do is go to the FDA website to check if the said product is registered, or if there is any advisory warning the general public against buying or consuming these specific unregistered products.

Add to that is this entire nonsense about Ivermectin for preventing COVID. This manufactured push for the untested drug for COVID-19 (which I suspect, is for selfish motivation) is just, in a word, stupefying. I can imagine that those with vested interests have been laying down pressure on the FDA to approve Ivermectin for human use to combat COVID-19, seeing that there have been limited cases where a permit for compassionate use was issued for a particular hospital. I can also imagine a full court press being done on regulatory officials to allow the use so supply can flood it, even if the claims are at best, questionable. The better question is: who stands to benefit should the FDA cave in to the pressure?

Thankfully, the Philippine College of Physicians has issued a statement on this matter, essentially calling on the Department of Health and the FDA to act urgently on the mass distribution of Ivermectin by some individuals and groups.

The PCP statement was not without compassion. “We understand the desire of many concerned citizens to immediately find solutions to the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, amidst the chaos and controversies we find ourselves in, we call on everyone, particularly the thought leaders of communities and institutions, to stay firm with our resolve to be guided by science and medical information based on robust research,” the statement read. It’s clear that the PCP itself recognizes that the pandemic is so widespread that people are turning to untested solutions in order to protect themselves.

“We have to resist being swayed by others despite the absence of scientific evidence,” the statement went on. “Let us also refrain from thinking that we are saving our countrymen from the complications of COVID-19 by giving them medicines that are not remedies. We may be exposing them to unwanted and possibly harmful side effects.” Here’s to looking at the legislators and public officials who have styled themselves as heroes, dispensing Ivermectin to their hapless constituents. We don’t need more health complications, dear sirs.

And apparently, the question no one wants to answer: Who will be responsible should someone fall gravely ill from Ivermectin dispensed at these events? Will the congressmen who are advocating and giving these away for free be responsible for the hospitalization, medication, or God forbid, untimely death of their constituents whom they encouraged to take this unregistered drug? If the answer from these self-styled heroes is “No” in any case, then pack up those distribution drives and shut up. They deserve to be thrown into jail for using their authority to manufacture false hope for their constituents. However satisfying that situation might seem to us ordinary folk, I doubt that there will be any move to prosecute high-profile Ivermectin pushers for violating current laws on distributing unregistered medicine. Right now, noises are being made, statements are being issued, all to be forgotten when a new issue comes along.

‘Red-tagging is just plain, flat out lazy. If these government officials and their partisans truly believe that certain groups and individuals are involved in nefarious activities, shouldn’t they be moving to file actionable court cases?’

THE crime of reckless imprudence under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code is defined as “reckless imprudence consists in voluntary, but without malice, doing or falling to do an act from which material damage results by reason of inexcusable lack of precaution on the part of the person performing or failing to perform such act, taking into consideration his employment or occupation, degree of intelligence, physical condition and other circumstances regarding persons, time and place.”

Simply put, reckless imprudence happens when the act of one, done out of negligence but without ill motive, results in damage to another person or the latter’s property. This particular offense came to mind as I was reading a news article about Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon’s push for the passage of the Anti-Red Tagging Bill, and apparently the Department of Justice under Secretary Menardo Guevarra endorsed the proposed measure.

I put on my law student hat to find out whether the act of red tagging can be captured by any of the existing offenses under the Revised Penal Code. While libel might seem as a close option, the crime of libel does not, to my mind, completely capture the danger an individual is placed in when he or she is red-tagged by state agents. Reckless imprudence resulting in physical injury or homicide, on the other hand, necessitates that harm has already been done, and does not carry any preventive element to protect persons who have been red-tagged but has not encountered harm. It is about time that this form of reckless endangerment is properly defined and penalized as its own unique crime.

In short, the passage of the anti-red tagging bill into law will provide protection to persons (and their families) who have been put into a vulnerable position even before harm can come to them, and effectively punish those who are ever-so cavalier with their unfounded accusations. This can also give pause to those who may think of raising their public profile or currying favor from the powers-that-be in whatever institution by starting these provocations via mass media. (“Oh look at me, I am useful and not irrelevant!”) Someone (or something) must put a stop to this reckless practice of irresponsible government officials hurling accusations against people they don’t like.

Red-tagging is just plain, flat out lazy. If these government officials and their partisans truly believe that certain groups and individuals are involved in nefarious activities, shouldn’t they be moving to file actionable court cases? Intelligence gathering, case building, good old investigative work? Or is it simply a case described by the old saying “empty cans make the loudest noise.” Noise just meant to distract, deflect, and redirect anger from one subject to another. If you can’t convince them, wear them out until they tune out and stop caring about what is happening.

Hopefully Senator Drilon’s proposed measure will gather more support in the Senate, though one cannot be overly optimistic when it comes to gaining bipartisan support in this regard.

‘…those who need a hand up will be the ones to benefit from this outpouring of kindness from their own communities, and from those who only wish to alleviate the plight of others by contributing the little that they can. This is the Filipino spirit we all know and love.’

THE phenomenon that is the Maginhawa community pantry has provided a much-needed boost to those who sorely needed a break from seeing only dreary news online. Seeing photos of makeshift community pantries sprout all over is such a breath of fresh air, and is proof that one does not need to be a millionaire or a billionaire to help out others. It is perhaps not a coincidence that it started in a community called “Maginhawa” (comfortable, or blissful, in English), which approximates the feeling it gives to those who are helped by their neighbors, even for a day.

Community pantries cannot run on the initiative of one person alone; thus, its rise in several areas has given those frustrated at the lack of ayuda to the vulnerable a concrete and doable means to help. You see this in the influx of donations arriving at the community pantries; folks as far as Tagaytay have travelled to Quezon City to bring sacks of rice, fresh fish and vegetables, and other root crops.

What is unbelievable is that there are fanatics who are trying to diss this initiative and dismiss it as politicking. Politicking by whom, exactly? If communities or a group of neighbors come together to help those in need, where in the world is the ill-motive in that effort? But alas, there are such people, vainly attempting to taint the efforts of ordinary citizens who are tired of the doom and gloom of our current state of affairs. As one person on Twitter put it out of exasperation: “How can people demonize an act of kindness? Who hurt you?”

And yet, ordinary folks move forward, volunteering their time and resources to these initiatives. I stayed off Facebook for a few weeks as seeing so many black profile photos was quite difficult to bear. So many untimely deaths, so many families mourning the loss of loved ones and friends. A number of friends have also made the same observation. But in the last few days, it seems that it takes less of a mental toll to go back to social media, mainly because of the flicker of hope one gets from seeing all these people springing into action, taking matters into their own hands.

Even in special interest Facebook Groups (the non-political kind), folks are asking each other for information on how to help and how to put up their own communities. There are those in the tech industry already kicking around ideas about how they can use their skills to help, and organizations that have gathered information about where and how to volunteer at the community pantries in your area. I see folks on social media posting art cards about what food items to include in a pantry, and sharing leads about where to source food for donations. Whether it is a result of our collective frustration at how the pandemic response is being managed, or simply the nudge we all needed to continue to reach out, it is undeniable that this is happening.

At the end of the day, those who need a hand up will be the ones to benefit from this outpouring of kindness from their own communities, and from those who only wish to alleviate the plight of others by contributing the little that they can. This is the Filipino spirit we all know and love.