P Patrol

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Here are the results of the Pandemic Patrol survey answered by the six creators of this page. The survey consists of 6 questions that adhere to the experience of the creators upon making this page in terms of design and content.

Link to the google form: https://forms.gle/Tq3MZTbDWDf1CYoF8

Until When?

On the 15th of March 2020, President Duterte imposed a month-long lockdown in Metro Manila in attempt to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, currently known as COVID-19, in the Philippines. The lockdown, also known as enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), involved travel bans on land, air, and sea to limit interactions with individuals who possibly are infected by the virus. To prevent the easy and unnoticeable spread of the virus, frequent hand washing and avoidance of touching the face were advised, along with the required wearing of face masks and maintenance of 2-meter social distancing.

Filipinos were quick to understand that in the absence of treatment or a vaccine to put the pandemic into an end, avoiding human contact is the way to stop the transmission of the virus. This is when our resistance rose and was put into the spotlight again, but not until we asked: “until when?”

After months of trying different trends from making Dalgona Coffee to slaying TikTok dance crazes, Filipinos grew tired of staying at home. Workers, waged and self-employed, either lose their job or put their health at risk to earn a living. Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) started to close as they declare bankruptcy. Students, teachers, and other school personnel were forced to adjust to the new and unfamiliar online class setup. Farmers, fishermen, and those in agricultural sector were burdened as their crops rot and their animals are plagued with disease because of checkpoints and heightened prices that prevented the smooth and accessible transport of goods. Above all, medical and frontline workers became exhausted as the number of infected individuals spiked together with the number of deaths – not only due to the virus, but also because of domestic abuse, self-harm, malnutrition, and poverty – consequences of the prolonged lockdown.

Millions of Filipinos are affected as the government has prolonged the lockdown for almost an entire year, and has imposed the same, if not more relaxed and inconsequential health protocols. The time has come – if not yet overdue – for us to call for reevaluation, and to demand more concrete and more sustainable solutions. Firstly, we must demand a greater allocation of funds for the healthcare system to make possible free mass testing and prompt, thorough contact tracing. From the beginning, these should have been used enable us to detect and contain COVID-19 patients and advise those who possibly got infected. Second, we must demand the transformation of public facilities, retreat centers owned by private corporations, golf courses, and other free spaces to provide adequate quarantine facilities. This will enable us to isolate COVID-19 patients while preventing transmission within households. This will also relieve hospitals of bed shortages and can now focus on non COVID-19 patients. Third, as the pandemic worsened our failing economy, we must demand subsidies and livelihood support for the economically displaced to help them rise from layers of debts. This will enable us to slowly but surely revive the economy as the backbones of the economy return. Lastly, as different countries race in providing the most effective vaccine to start herd immunity, we should call for a training of medical personnel that will facilitate the vaccination and demand a systematic rollout of free vaccines for everyone. This is the only way to put an end to this pandemic and bring our lives back to normal.

While it is true that following minimum health protocols can slow down the spread of the virus, it is not sufficient to end a pandemic. Ordinary citizens must collectively amplify their voices to demand what we deserve. Private sectors should also help in providing immediate and purposeful actions but should not carry all of the burden. It is the government's responsibility to take the lead in providing a systematic response in minimizing to ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo by Reuters.