ECQ Violations

(Part of an ongoing account started on March 13, 2020 of how the spread of COVID-19 in our country and our government’s response has affected our lives.)

I was hoping it would not come to this. The barangay outside our village gate is now under total lockdown. This means I will no longer be able to get our seafood, fruits and vegetables there.

In a news report posted online just a while ago, the barangay chief says they requested more than 60 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to assist them in the enforcement of lockdown measures. The total lockdown is effective until April 30, 2020.

The report does not say why, but it might be because government has intensified the drive against those caught violating ECQ protocols. As of April 20, 2020, the PNP counts 136,517 lockdown violators since the lockdown began mid-March. Of that number, 31,363 have been arrested, 6,168 fined, and 98,986 issued warnings.

The violations include non-observance of curfew hours, non-wearing of face masks outside the home and inability to present a quarantine pass.

The penalties have varied. Some of those caught violating ECQ rules were made to undergo an orientation on the importance of staying at home and observing social distancing, etc. 

Others were made to do push-ups and other body exercises, clean the streets, repack goods for distribution among the beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program, plant vegetables in the city nursery, among others.

In a desperate bid to impress upon them the gravity of their violations, one police official in Bacoor City, Cavite even brought 81 offenders to the cemetery.

"Bakit andito kayo sa sementeryo? Dahil ang lugar na ito ang pinaka-safe na lang dito na hindi tayo magkahawa-hawa. Kahit ano gawin niyo hindi na makakahawa ang mga patay na 'yan. Gusto niyong sumunod dyan? (Why are you here in the cemetery? You are safest here because whatever you do, you can no longer infect the dead. Do you want to be like them)?” he said in exasperation.

Some local government officials have resorted to extreme, controversial methods: incarcerating offenders in a dog cage in Barangay Gatid, Sta Cruz, Laguna; making them sit in the intense midday sun in Parañaque City, forcibly cutting their hair in Binondo, Manila and locking them up in a coffin in Cavite.

Even before the total lockdown, the road that runs through the barangay has been closed to vehicles. However, food stalls and stores, as well as two wet markets, along this street continue to draw buyers. Maybe that’s why reinforcements have been called in.

The news report quotes the barangay chief as saying that one member per household will still be allowed to do a food and/or medicine run as long as they wear a face mask and bring their quarantine pass. 

I am almost tempted to find out if given our proximity, we will still be allowed to enter the barangay. Almost, but not quite.

DoH update: As of 4 p.m. of April 22, 2020, the Philippines has reported 6,710 confirmed corona virus cases, including 693 recoveries and 446 deaths.

Face Mask model

(Part of an ongoing account started on March 13, 2020 of how the spread of COVID-19 in our country and our government’s response has affected our lives.)

At the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), I did not wear a face mask when I stepped out of the house.

I heeded reports and public advisories, including the Department of Health’s (DoH), that said there is no need to wear one if one is not sick. I am also very mindful of the lack of face masks for medical personnel and figured that they need them more.

I did see more and more people in the groceries and markets wearing them or more accurately, wearing various versions of them. The turning point was when a military person stopped me in the wet market and politely asked me why I was not wearing one.

I told him that that I am just following DoH advice, that I am aware that frontliners like doctors and nurses and security officers like him need them more. He hesitated, but asked me firmly to wear one. I did not argue.

I dug out the surgical mask that we kept in our First Aid kit, but realized I could not wear that more than once.

AFP photo

I did not have to worry. Once it became apparent that we were not going to be able to enter grocery stores without face masks, vendors along the street outside our village gate started selling homemade, washable ones.

The cheapest went for P20 a piece; the sturdier ones cost P35 each.

I remember the first time I bought one. I was eyeing some fruits on a stall along the street when I notice cloth masks hanging nearby. When he sees me taking a closer look at the face masks, a young guy approaches me.

“Face mask, ma’am. P35 lang, maganda (beautiful),” he offers. When he sees me eyeing the surgical-looking ones that cost P20 a piece, he says, “Puwede rin yan, ma’am. Seksi yan (You can also get those. They’re sexy).”

By this time, I can tell he is gay. I turn to him in confusion. “Sexy? A sexy face mask?”

Photo c/o Ferdelyn Tabbay in ABS-CBN report

“Para lang yang bra (It’s just like a bra), ma’am. Eto, fully protected ka. Kitams (See)?” He fashions two cloth masks over his chest like a bra top and turns.

He then picks up the surgical-looking P20 face masks and replaces the cloth ones on his chest. “Eto, see-through kaya seksi,” he explains, to the amusement of fellow vendors nearby and anyone within hearing.

I have to laugh. “Ano ba talaga binebenta mo (What are you really selling), face mask o bra?”

“Manggaaaahh!!” he says with a flourish, sashaying down an imaginary catwalk in front of his display of mangoes on a nearby table.

He is hilarious. I buy two “sexy” face masks (because I did not like the color and  design of the cloth kind hehehe) from the real vendor and two kilos of mango from my enterprising gay friend.

I’ve seen a lot of YouTube tutorials on do-it-yourself face masks since then, and I have been meaning to make one.

Just recently, my sister showed us one she sewed by hand. It is plain and simple, just like I want and very much unlike the busy-looking ones outside.

I may just get around to it, unless the vendor outside comes up with new stock just like hers and his saleswoman of a friend models it for me.

DoH update: As of 4 p.m. of April 21, 2020, the Philippines has reported 6,599 confirmed corona virus cases, including 654 recoveries and 437 deaths.

A Reunion (of sorts)

(Part of an ongoing account started on March 13, 2020 of how the spread of COVID-19 in our country and our government’s response has affected our lives.)

The idea came up every now and then, but we never got around to seeing each other. Until now.

Earlier today, my batch mates and I met online. It’s been (mumble) years since we graduated from college. Two of them are in Chicago, one in Canada and four of us in the Philippines. There are three more who cannot join us, but we hope to see them next week.

Seeing their faces makes me wish we’d really made the effort during our younger years. I can imagine us meeting in a restaurant, eating good food, then transferring to a coffee shop and having great cake and pastries.

All the time, we’d be laughing and reminiscing, and undoubtedly getting a few frowns or tolerant smiles from those seated in the tables next to us.

We are still noisy, but four of us in the Philippines are sweating in the summer heat in our homes. It is dark for two, because it is night where they are. The one in Canada left early on to cook dinner.

One stays online while cooking breakfast and we tease her about her negligee as we catch glimpses of it when she moves around, preparing food. Those who just got out of bed are thankful that no smell, good or bad, comes across the Internet.

We greet one who is celebrating her birthday. We sing despite the absence of a cake. Maybe it's a good thing. At our age, there would have been too many candles anyway. 😅

We start by giving updates about ourselves. We are familiar with some of the stories because all of us have FB accounts, but it is good to hear details. It’s been a long time since we last talked.

It is when we start going into familiar territory that the fun begins. Some of our memories are accurate, and some downright funny. Our only guy starts singing the song we sang at the "Pasko sa UP" choral competition and the rest of us join him. 

One starts playing with the filters on her phone and I soon get burgers and pineapples and what looks like an '80s sweat band. There is much laughing and teasing. This lasts for about an hour before reality intrudes and we sign off.

It’s all right. There is still so much to talk about and we are not going anywhere under this lockdown.

DoH update: As of 4 p.m. of April 20, 2020, the Philippines has reported 6,459 confirmed corona virus cases, including 613 recoveries and 428 deaths.

Tiktok

(Part of an ongoing account started on March 13, 2020 of how the spread of COVID-19 in our country and our government’s response has affected our lives.)

Oh my goodness. I can barely breathe.

The company that my husband works for asks its employees, who are working from home, to do stuff that is supposed to help break the monotony of home quarantine and keep depression at bay.

At first, they are asked to post a picture of something creative, which earns a few laughs here and there and much ribbing. As intended, the stuff submitted provides a lot of comic relief.

After that, they are asked to sing a certain song and submit a video of them doing it, which is later edited into a compilation of all of them doing the song.

DJ Loonyo (YouTube)

This week, they are asked to film themselves doing the Frontliners Dance Challenge as popularized by DJ Loonyo, a dancer/ choreographer over TikTok. The short video is set to the music “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten.

Not only is hubby nearing retirement age, he has two left feet and no sense of rhythm. He has heard of TikTok but has not downloaded the app. Nonetheless, he checks out the link his office gives him then turns to me for help. I have to take a video of him doing the dance challenge.

Of course, I oblige. What are wives for?

He studies the moves. Tries them out. Studies the moves. Tries ever so hard. I can’t help it. I study the moves. I dance with him. I feel like crying. I actually cry, from laughing so hard. So does he.

I can barely contain my laughter and keep the camera still while recording him. Again. Again, and yet again. It does not seem like we are getting anywhere with this, but we persist. We are having too much of a good time.

Whoever it is in their company who thought of this is on to something. It's certainly taken our mind off COVID-19, even for just a few hours.

DoH update: As of 4 p.m. of April 19, 2020, the Philippines has reported 6,259 confirmed corona virus cases, including 572 recoveries and 409 deaths.

K-dramas

(Part of an ongoing account started on March 13, 2020 of how the spread of COVID-19 in our country and our government’s response has affected our lives.)

Time can really fly when you’re glued to the screen or the monitor, which is probably why so many of those forced to stay home under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) turn to Netflix.

My sisters are among those who do, so in our video calls the talk inevitably goes to who’s watching what and which episode. These days, it’s all about Korean drama (K-drama).

L-R: Lee Min Ho (Neflix) and Hyun Bin (Esquire)

I find out I am one of those who have not watched “Crash Landing on You.” I also have to search for Lee Min Ho and Hyun Bin on Google so that I can understand why one sister “prefers” the former to the latter. I get lost when someone else mentions “Goblin”. When I find out it is the guy who stars in the movie “Train to Busan” which I really like, I am sold.

But I cannot keep up. The avowed K-drama fan mentions other titles, which I know I will not watch. The only one that is familiar to me is “Descendants of the Sun” because I read a news report of a Filipino remake, which my sister dismisses as she prefers to watch the original.

I am amused by their passion, but I do not judge them for it. I went through “Flor de Luna”, “Mulawin”, “Encantadia” before I graduated to cable TV and found “Downton Abbey”, “The Walking Dead” and “NCIS”, among others.  Now a housewife, I find that I am easily distracted so I prefer not to watch a story that stretches over numerous episodes in several seasons.

So when multi-awarded director Erik Matti takes to Twitter to express his frustration over the Filipino’s preference for K-drama, which he describes as “faux Cinderella stories with belofied actors whiter than white,” that are “all about love in the midst of this pandemic,”  I am amused.

The local film and TV industry is not doomed because South Korean series and movies dominate the top 10 most viewed shows on the streaming platform Netflix.

Netflix, despite its popularity, is not the sole barometer of our viewing preferences, especially because in our country, television still rules despite the rise of digital.  

Matti knows this, in the same way that as a director, he is very much aware of escapism - you know, the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment.

I don’t know what he was thinking, but judging from the responses, I think he is getting the attention the tweet deserves.

If he wants Filipinos to be more picky and cerebral about their viewing preferences, he should just come up with an option. Otherwise, let us be. If we do not want to view material depicting social realities, it’s because we’re in one right now, big-time.

“It is the Korean dramas that are getting me through the isolation,” is the simple explanation my sister offers when she sees his tweet.

That’s it, really. That’s all there is to it.

DoH update: As of 4 p.m. of April 18, 2020, the Philippines has reported 6,087 confirmed corona virus cases, including 516 recoveries and 397 deaths.