Netizens’ response to govt actions
THE Bayanihan to Heal as One Act was passed by both chambers of Congress during a special session on Monday. This bill seeks to grant President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to deal with the coronavirus disease 2019 ( Covid- 19) pandemic and authorize the release of P200 billion to some 18 million families coming from the poor and informal sector.
Prior to this happening, I received some comments and suggestions from various individuals in response to the government actions implemented last week. So, instead of dissecting the provisions of the Act, I am giving way to the points of view of our readers.
From Rodolfo Coronel
Here is an e- mail from Mr. Rodolfo Coronel of Batangas City. He actually sent me two messages, but I am printing here only the later one. The figures that he cited may no longer be accurate since the e- mail was dated March 22, 2020. The numbers pertaining to Covid- 19 have changed since then.
“You are perfectly right to say in your latest column, ‘ PH should learn from contagion success stories in other countries.’
“Even as we wish to repeat the success of China, I am afraid we may not be able to exactly achieve it in the duration of our one-month lockdown, as China did, for reasons that may, or may not totally, be of our own doing.
“First, China’s highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases before it went into lockdown was truly reflective of actual situation, it being based on reliable medical tests. And so, that number could have indeed gone nowhere else but down, as it continuously did. Meaning, China’s virus- infected patients had eventually either died or recovered as their number went down to practically nothing.
“Our comparative number, 187, was not, essentially because, unlike China, we did not have sufficient test kits. Likewise, maybe — but just maybe ( this is only my personal suspicion) our Department of Health ( DoH) in the beginning was trying to announce to the whole world that our situation was not really as worse as in other countries. And so, even if we perhaps could have done worse with our limited test kits, we did not really optimize our testing. Now, that strategy seems to be taking its toll. As I write, our number of confirmed cases kept increasing despite the lockdown. In fact, the 242 I mentioned less than a day ago is now 263, and still counting. We cannot rightly say that the increase represents newer contamination alone. I would rather think the additional 76 now, i. e. 263 minus 187, or most of it, had been already positive for Covid- 19, though perhaps mostly as yet asymptomatic then, and should have really formed part of the original 187 had they been tested from the outset. Chances are the increase would keep rising for quite some time, partly because those not previously showing symptoms of infection but were already positive from day one, have now been contaminating others, probably their own family members, and party because we can now gradually test more patients from our locally manufactured test kits.
“Of course, the rising number will eventually subside, but I feel not before April 12, the scheduled last day of the lockdown. Methinks the more we test persons under investigation or monitoring ( persons under investigation or monitoring) the earlier we can realize the anticipated results of our lockdown. According to DoH, the test kits donated by South Korea and China had started to arrive in the thousands. The problem is we can only use them after their true effectivity and integrity shall have been duly verified and determined by the Food and Drugs Administration.
“And so, I could not help but knit my brows in deep frustration and ask: ‘ Do we really need to test and verify the test kits from China? Haven’t their effectiveness already been satisfactorily proven there?’
“Alas and alack, if that is still our unchanging attitude or strategy, meaning we cannot take some reasonably calculated risks, then God forbid, we may really have to extend our lockdown indefinitely before we can hope to achieve China’s spectacular success in this world war against Covid-19.”
Viber message from Jackson
I am reproducing here a Viber message, dated March 21, 2020,from a certain “Jackson.” He wrote:
“If the government needed more taxes to support the poor, they can increase the fuel excise tax by 10 percent per liter temporarily since world prices of fuel have reduced substantially. So, to unburden the local government unit, then reduce the ‘pork barrel’ by 50 percent. Baka magalit sa atin si [House] Speaker [Alan Peter] Cayetano (Speaker Cayetano might get mad at us);
“PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) should order all the pork barrel and budget insertions be used to purchase the basic goods and health services for the poor. Support agriculture and food productions immediately!”
Music video for LPC mayor
Filipinos are really good at making fun out of any situation. Some have found sublime ways of getting their message across. Someone sent me a music video with the title “Oh, meyor! (Working mayors are not included)” by Charlie Fry and sung to the tune of “Oh, Carol” ( 1963 song of Paul Anka). Here goes:
” Oh meyor!
Kelan ka darating?
Umaga’t hapon
Lahat kami’y waiting
Tom-guts na
You make my baby cry
‘Pag ‘di nakakain
We will surely die
Ubos na stock namin sa bahay
Sayo’y naghihintay
Please, mayor, give us
Kahit konting bigas
Sana kami ay iyong maalala
Tulad nung kampanya
Ikaw ay dumalaw
Bakit ngayon nganga?
Oh, meyor
Where are you na po?
Meyor, we love you
Why are you so cruel
You heard me!
Please don’t make me cry
Mayor, believe me…
We will surely die!
Ang hirap hirap ‘pag walang trabaho
Ito’y sakripisyo
Sana, oh, meyor
Gawin ang trabaho mo.
Kung kami’y tuluyang magugutom
Walang laman ang tiyan
Ang iyong pangalan
Baka malimutan…”
Together with the music video, she messaged, “Tamang tama ito parasa Mayora ng Las Piñas City.”
Well, what is new? In politics, power attracts the worst and corrupts the best.
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News and Nuances Kapihan at Almusalan Media Forum is cancelled community quarantine period.