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During pandemic, farmers find home for their produce in online platform

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BRIDGING THE GAP. Farmers find a way to sell their produce online through the DELIVER-e platform. All photos from AGRABAH

MANILA, Philippines– Settled in a corner at the Balintawak Market is 38-year-old farmer Mylene Rafer, as she waits for buyers to pick up at least some of the thousands of pineapples she brought all the way from Camarines Norte.

With the Luzon lockdown in place, Mylene has been struggling to get buyers for her fruits due to the stringent measures set up to arrest the spread of COVID-19. 

With 4 children waiting at home, Mylene has no choice but to drop her prices to about 30% to 50% just to sell off her goods and ensure no produce gets thrown away. Still, she goes home with no profits.

Nasa 12 hanggang 15 oras ang byahe namin mula Camarines Norte hanggang dito sa Balintawak. Swerte at may sariling truck kami kasi ‘yung iba na umuupa, aabot pa sa P25,000 hanggang PhP30,000 ang renta. Nasa 18,000 na pinya ang dala namin na isang taong inalagaan. Pero lugi kami, wala kahit balik puhunan,” Mylene explained.

(The travel from Camarines Norte to Balintawak lasts 12-15 hours. We’re lucky because we have our own truck because other farmers have to rent trucks at P25,000 to P30,000. We’ve brought about 18,000 pieces of pineapples which took us about 12 months to harvest.  But we still don’t have any profits.)

The breakdown in the supply chain of fresh fruits and vegetables poses a threat not only to farmers’ livelihood but also to the country’s food security. (READ: Farmers trash spoiled vegetables while poor go hungry)

Mylene said she had initially invested at least P120,000 for 18,000 pieces of pineapples, but she went home with P70,000 after a two-day camp-out at the Balintawak Market parking area where she also had to pay P10,000 for the parking fee.

This situation is true for all other farmers struggling to bring their produce to main markets—it is expensive and taxing. (READ: [OPINION] The Filipino farmer is not a dying breed)

Bridging the gap

The plight of Mylene and several other farmers are known by Filipino agriculture and technology enterprises that formed the Philippine Agri Consortium in February, just a month before the lockdown implementation in the whole of mainland Luzon. 

The consortium collaborated with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and came up with DELIVER-e, an end-to-end application system that directly connects farmers to buyers through a seamless and market-based platform. (READ: What you can do to help rice farmers)

The DELIVER-e application system is developed by the Insight Supply Chain Solutions (InsightSCS), a logistics technology startup in the Philippines in collaboration with other consortium members AGREA, AGRABAH, Mayani, and Verdecalle.  

DELIVER-e integrates and connects agriculture applications and logistics services from different providers into a single platform powered by a blockchain—basically a platform with synergized application systems from transportation, to consolidation, and to end-user delivery. It hopes to solve the supply chain gap from farmers to the markets or doorsteps of consumers.

ORGANIZED. Mylene arranges her stock of pineapples.

AGRABAH, one of the members of the consortium, had tapped Mylene to be a partner farmer supplier bringing fresh produce to Manila through the DELIVER-e digital platform. They had met Mylene beforehand when they needed a truck and rented hers to transport seaweed from Caramoan to Manila.

Paving the way for the platform is Gulay ng Bayan, the first business-to-consumer e-marketplace linked to the main DELIVER-e system.

Through the Gulay ng Bayan, AGRABAH was able to secure over 9,000 pieces of pineapples from Mylene, with more coming up as more online marketplaces linked to DELIVER-e develop.

Malaking tulong na online na yung selling. Malalaman na namin agad ilan ang kailangan tapos 'yung bayad, idedeposit na lang sa bank account namin. Malaking tulong yung AGRABAH at 'yung DELIVER-e, napabilis at simple ang pagbili dahil sa advanced orders,” Mylene noted.

(Online selling is a big help.  We will be able to know ahead of time the number supplies needed and payments are directly deposited to our bank accounts.  AGRABAH and the DELIVER-e platform because it hastened and simplified the process of advanced orders)

Putting down roots

The USAID played a key role providing technical support on the systems improvement of the DELIVER-e. 

It also linked Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Metro Manila Development Authority to establish a long-term public-private partnership on innovations that will help uplift the lives of Filipino farmers even after the pandemic.

DELIVER-e’s partners are now exploring ways to on-board electronic payment channels, such as GCash and PayMaya, to ease transactions for every order made.

The platform now has a consolidation hub and staging point for fresh produce for distribution as well after Food Terminal Inc opened its warehouse facility to DELIVER-e.

To date, it has moved over 156,000 kilograms of fresh fruits and vegetables around Metro Manila.

It’s also collaborating with local government units (LGU), such as Quezon City and Muntinlupa, as a platform where LGUs can procure fruits and vegetables for food pack relief supplies or mobile palengke programs.

Nabuhay ang pag-asa namin. Mas may pag-asa na ngayon kahit matapos pa ang COVID-19 dahil may ganito na kaming koneksyon sa mga pagbebentahan namin na siguradong kikita kami at walang mabubulok na mga gulay at prutas,” Mylene said.

(Our hopes are renewed.  We have this hope that even after COVID-19, we are assured of buyers and profits, and that no vegetables and fruits will go to waste.) – Rappler.com

Tricia Lorbes is a development worker and volunteer aiming to help find solutions to empower communities that are most often left behind.


#CourageON: Tag your representative to act on ABS-CBN franchise renewal

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MANILA, Philippines – As far as the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN is concerned, the ball remains with the House of Representatives.

ABS-CBN was ordered by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to halt its broadcast operations on Tuesday, May 5, a day after their franchise expired. The network signed off at 7:52 pm that day.

ABS-CBN’s franchise was approved in 1995, which allowed them to operate for 25 years. Congress failed to act on ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, despite quickly renewing the franchises of other networks. (READ: 'Pagkukulang niya ito sa bayan': Lawmakers blame Cayetano for ABS-CBN shutdown)

There are at least 9 bills filed with Congress seeking the network’s franchise renewal.(READ: ‘An act of betrayal,’ Rappler says on closure order vs ABS-CBN)

MovePH, Rappler's civic engagement arm, is encouraging Filipinos to hold their representatives accountable by tagging or identifying them on social media. 

Here's how you can go about this campaign: 

1. Go on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram and check if your representative has an account online. 

2. On Twitter, urge your representative to act on the franchise by tagging their Twitter account. Don't forget to use the hashtag #CourageON 

3. On Facebook and Instagram, go to their account and make your voice heard through a direct message or a comment on their page. You can send us a screenshot of your message later to move.ph@rappler.com 

Are you ready to tag your representatives? Let's make active civic participation mainstream!

You can also take off from these netizens who have already taken the lead in holding their representatives accountable:  

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Do you think Congress should grant ABS-CBN’s franchise? Tag your representatives in the comments. – Rappler.com

After ABS-CBN’s shutdown, campus publications refuse to be silent

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MANILA, Philippines– In the face of the shutdown of the Philippines’ biggest network, campus publications made a clear stand: They refuse to be silent.

A deluge of statements from campus publications all over the country swarmed social media after ABS-CBN went off-air for the first time since Martial Law. (READ: ‘We need a free press’: Youth groups stand with ABS-CBN after shutdown order)

On Tuesday, May 5, the National Telecommunications Commission had issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN after its congressional franchise expired on Monday. 

The order halts ABS-CBN’s television and radio broadcasting operations, endangering more than 11,000 jobs.

Not alone

Campus publications stood by the embattled network and banded together with other organizations and fellow journalists to make their voices heard. (READ: A message to campus journalists: Your voice matters more than ever)

At Ateneo de Manila University, the Confederation of Publications emphasized how the shutdown order shows how a dictatorship is in the works under the Duterte administration.

“It is time to recognize that a dictatorship does not occur in one grand sweep across the nation; at times, especially in the case of Duterte’s administration, it manifests through a slow, seemingly legal battle against our democratic institutions,” they said.

Student publications from Ateneo schools, along with One Big Fight For Human Rights and Democracy, echoed the sentiment, noting how the shutdown “reflects the dark time of Martial Law.”

“These deluding measures of the government only reflect its insensitivity towards its people, bearing poor prioritization of the pressing matters at hand during this health crisis and economic recession,” added Ateneo de Zamboanga’s The BEACON.

The De La Salle University Student Media Council – consisting of Ang Pahayagang Plaridel, Archers Network, Green & White, Green Giant FM, Malate Literary Folio, and The LaSallian – condemned any and all attempts to silence the media and cause the loss of thousands of jobs “amid what could be the darkest times in Philippine history.”

Continuing the fight for truth

Himati, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Mindanao, raised concerns about losing a reliable news source as the Philippines grapples with not just the coronavirus pandemic but also an insurgence of false information on social media.

Sa panahon na mas kinakailangan ng taumbayan ang mga midyang maghahatid ng balita at iba’t ibang uri ng impormasyon sa kanila, inuuna ni Duterte at ng kaniyang mga taga-sunod ang panggigipit sa midya at sa kanilang karapatan sa malayang pamamahayag,” said Manila Collegian of University of the Philippines Manila.

(At a time when the people need the media to deliver news and different kinds of information, Duterte and his allies prioritized clamping down on media and their right to press freedom.)

Manila Collegian added how the government opted to silence media instead of focusing on more pressing matters such as addressing the country’s economic and health crisis.

Imbes na mabilisang tulong at ayuda ang ihatid, pagdadakip at pagmumulta’t ating namamasid. Imbes na mass testing ang ipagkaloob, tayo’y unti-unting kinukubkob. Imbes na masustento’t mamulat sa panahon ng pandemya, tinatanggal ang ating karapatan at kalayaang mamahayag,” they said.

(Instead of providing aid and relief, they arrested and fined us. Instead of mass testing, we are slowly being picked off. Instead of making us informed during a pandemic, they stripped us of our rights and press freedom.)

Palawan State University-Main Campus' Pioneer Publication strongly called on Congress to hear the cry of its constituents, and expedite proceedings involving the media giant’s franchise renewal.

There are at least 9 bills filed with Congress seeking the network’s franchise renewal. However, Congress had repeatedly pushed back hearings on the said bills. (READ: #CourageON: Tag your representatives to act on ABS-CBN franchise renewal)

The Louisian Courier, the official collegiate publication of University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao, urged student publications to condemn the forced shutdown of ABS-CBN and continue to defend press freedom.

Habang patuloy tayong sinusubukang patahimikin sa pagpapalaganap ng katotohanan, patuloy rin tayong maninindigan upang protektahan ang ating karapatan sa malayang pagpapahayag,” added The MARIAN of St. Mary's University in Nueva Vizcaya.

(While efforts are done to try to silence our quest for truth, we continue to stand up for our rights and press freedom.)

Capturing the moment

While other publications changed their profile pictures to black and made their stand clear in statements, many also chose to capture the sentiment of the community through their stories.

In light of the outpouring of support for the embattled media network, UP Los Baños' Perspective documented the different calls for press freedom by student formations and publications in the campus and beyond.

In De La Salle University, Ang Pahayagang Plaridel wrote about sentiments of Lasallians on the matter, spanning from the Departmento ng Pilipino’s stance to the university’s tribute at St La Salle Hall for ABS-CBN.

 

At University of Santo Tomas, TomasinoWeb and The Varsitarian were hard at work at reporting the stand of the university and its different departments.

Meanwhile, The Communicator reported about the sentiments of Polytechnic University of the Philippines faculty and community, as well as alumni affiliated with ABS-CBN, to share more perspectives.

 

The members also condemned the forced shutdown of ABS-CBN in a video.

 

Philippine Collegian of UP Diliman, on the other hand, wrote a biting editorial on the impact of the ABS-CBN shutdown.

Here’s what other campus publications have to say about the ABS-CBN shutdown:

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– Rappler.com

[OPINION] Our biggest asset: Putting employee health first in the pandemic

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The country’s already-extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) is tentatively slated to close on May 15, and the hope is that it will be shifted into a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ). Of course, this depends on the risk assessment that national and local government leaders will undertake in the coming days.

There is a clamor for reopening the economy – gradually, from May 15, and the loudest push is understandably coming from the business sector. Companies are already making tentative plans to allow the slow return of employees to the workplace, among other “back to normal” routines.

How to restart the economy is a valid question, as there is no single right way to do so. We need to regain the confidence of businesses and consumers alike as well as the losses incurred by the two-month lockdown and the economic crisis ahead.

But we have to be mindful to not jeopardize the health and well-being of our employees. Exposing them to the virus puts their wider families and communities at risk and may eventually lead to more lockdowns. While we know that the road to full economic recovery is long, we cannot afford repeated economic disruption due to waves of viral spread; they will continue to hurt our households and paralyze our economy in the long run. 

Due to the limited guidelines for post-ECQ workplace safety given by government to businesses, individual companies are now taking matters into their own hands in deciding how to strike the balance between getting back to work and putting employee health first. We did a rough survey of what companies are currently contemplating to implement once the ECQ is lifted. A handful of creative measures are being proposed. Here are a few examples:

 

Regularity

Who is doing this ?

Advantages

Disadvantages

Company A - Split teams: Team 1 and 2 alternating

Weekly

Hospitals

Some banks

Corporate offices

Easy to remember schedules

Teams get long restorative breaks

May not uniformly apply to managers & leaders

Company B - Split teams: Team 1 and 2 alternating

Daily:

Team 1: Monday-Wednesday-Friday

Team 2: Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday

Restaurants

Manufacturing/factories

Pharmacies

Some retail companies

Continued work Less likelihood of layoffs

More frequent exposure

Erratic or disruptive schedules

Company C – Work from Home (WFH)

To be continued until one month from lifting of ECQ

Professional services

Some corporate offices

Limiting employee exposure 

Limited internet access

Staff accountability challenging

Company A is splitting into Team 1 and Team 2, alternating on a weekly basis. This arrangement resembles what is done by many hospitals where frontline health workers report to work for a full week followed by a two-week rest – two weeks or 14 days being the estimated incubation period of COVID-19. It allows frontliners to recover from COVID-19 if the symptoms are mild, and to prevent further transmission both within hospital and community settings if they happen to be mere asymptomatic carriers. 

Company B splits teams into two but alternates on a daily basis. The teams may switch assigned days the following week which risks becoming confusing and disruptive, in addition to not allowing for a long enough rest period. Moreover, it could lead to more frequent exposure of workers to COVID-19, either from fellow workers or from outside the office – commuting public, public transport drivers, food vendors, and many others.

Company C prefers to not rush and instead delay the return of its workers one month after ECQ is lifted. It may be a pure office-based company or multinational corporation which needs to abide by international occupational health standards. They usually have tools and infrastructure that has allowed an easier transition to a work-from-home (WFH) arrangement. 

The decision may be informed by specific operational factors distinct to each business. However, at the most basic level, putting employee health first depends on two simple considerations: first, understanding what critical tasks need to be done in the office versus home; and second, what the best setup is, given how much we know about our people and our company culture.

How necessary is it to get our employees to the office? Unless there is critical infrastructure in the office – firewall, vaults, files, or laboratories that cannot be accessed from home – perhaps we can limit the need to commute to work until absolutely essential. Any virus is transmitted not only in the workplace, but also throughout the entire journey from home to office and back. Hence, measures that minimize outside travel for employees will be the most preventative. 

Should employees need to be in these workplaces, strict health standards must be put in place to dramatically reduce infection risk. Employees must be provided with face masks, hand sanitizers, running water, and other hygienic materials. Sitting arrangements in co-working spaces must be redesigned to enable physical distancing. Movement along corridors, elevators, and staircases must be well-thought out to minimize interface among employees in buildings. Some companies have looked at deep cleaning the workplace before they reopen, including retooling air conditioning systems, purging lavatories and drainages, among others. 

For those who will continue to WFH, there may be a need to equip our teams with the right (even minimal) tools so they can properly do their work from home – whether that means wi-fi bandwidth subsidies, access to company intranets, online training modules, etc. See the mix of available resources such as PLDT’s #StayHome campaign which, apart from its underlying message of encouraging people to remain safely at home, also provides complimentary valuable services meant to alleviate the burden felt by their subscribers during these difficult times. 

Everything boils down to how well we know our people and the kind of company culture. These are critical because trust and accountability emanate from them. For example, a law firm may be paying for wi-fi expenses up to a certain peso amount, but paralegals need to log their "online hours" to prove the use. This is a familiar process for law firms, but a fintech start-up operating in a co-working space pre-COVID, now being asked to log work hours from home, seems counterculture.

For companies that have a more mature demographic, keeping them at home is a no-brainer. Meanwhile, this is the time to really mine the benefits of good historical records of employees’ annual health exams, because policies should be extra sensitive to catering to medical conditions, regardless of age. They may be in their 30’s but could equally be susceptible to severe infection if they have histories of ailments. If they can still get the job done remotely, then they should stay at home in the meantime. 

While companies understandably do not have an off-the-shelf manual yet, employees are not guinea pigs. Even without precedent, sound measures can still be implemented with the help of a few no-nonsense pointers that can help achieve both business and public health objectives. The solutions are there, and we must continue innovating, iterating, and learning by doing.

Looking at where China, Korea, and Hong Kong are today may bring inspiration. They are, after all, 6-8 weeks ahead of us and we can learn from what has worked – and what has not. In Hong Kong, the new normal at restaurants may mean fewer tables of diners and staff that alternate work weeks. Office spaces are looking at “things like ventilation, UV light, density screening, video monitoring, and temperature monitoring, cleaning protocols to ensure more space.”

Indeed, companies must have used the ECQ period to review and enhance their systems and must continue to do so even beyond. At the end of the day, these are no-regret investments in preparation for future epidemics and other forms of business disruption. 

Most annual reports say, “People are our biggest asset.” COVID-19 tests the authenticity of that statement; there is no better time than now to put our employee health first. After all, businesses thrive because of their employees. Customers may be right, but employees make things happen. In the age of COVID-19 and thereafter, companies will be judged by consumers and society if they have behaved well during the pandemic response. That goes well beyond donations and product innovation – this is truly about putting people first. – Rappler.com 

Dr. Renzo Guinto (@RenzoGuinto) is the Chief Planetary Doctor of PH Lab and recent Doctor of Public Health graduate of Harvard University. Pat Dwyer (@ecostilleto) is the Founder and Director of The Purpose Business, a consultancy based in Hong Kong who works with businesses in Asia in embedding purpose and sustainability into their strategy and operations.

[OPINION] Balik-Probinsya: Are we learning the wrong lessons from the pandemic?

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Urban density is again a villain in this pandemic. With Metro Manila having about two-thirds of the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, and about the same share for recorded deaths, it is easy to point a finger at the big cities. The highly infectious disease conveniently jumped from human to human because, before we knew better, our urban spaces were packed with people largely mindless of close physical contact – in our public transport, our offices, airports, especially on those sidewalks that are never quite enough. 

Social distancing means decongesting those packed urban spaces. Should most of us then pick up our stakes and go find less dense neighborhoods? Are programs like Balik-Probinsya for the urban poor the answer to better health for all? (READ: [OPINION] Balik-probinsya, balik-Maynila: Coronavirus and decongesting the city)

It’s not that straightforward. 

The threat of emerging zoonotic diseases

The paradox is that while “decongesting” the cities might be a response to human-to-human transmission that is naturally higher in urban areas, we have not thought so much about what a reverse migration might do to the chances of animal-to-human transmission. 

Pushing out the urban peripheries typically means changing land uses and farming practices. These changes have long been listed as a key driver in the emergence of zoonotic diseases, or diseases caused by pathogens that spread from animals to humans. The destruction of wildlife habitat, intensification of agriculture in dwindling space, and bushmeat consumption impact the ecosystem and disturb the dynamics of human-wildlife-domesticated animal interactions.

Why are zoonotic diseases concerning? According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 3 out of 4 emerging infectious diseases (EID) are zoonotic. As COVID-19 has shown, by their newness, EIDs are capable of causing global lockdown in the period when we have not acquired immunity to the disease nor developed a vaccine.

Sending the poor to vulnerable settings with weak primary health care

Another challenge to the proposal to decongest through Balik-Probinsya is the lack of evidence that big numbers of families can be met with the same or better quality of life than what they are being asked to leave behind. Whether from lack of budget or coordination or some other reason, even resettlement projects with units numbering just in the hundreds leave “beneficiary families” without water service or power, let alone livelihoods, for months or years after the projects are deemed to have been completed. Many local government executives who expect to be at the receiving end of Balik-Probinsya have already questioned the adequacy of the program, almost all citing the lack of local economic activity that would pull migrants from the urban areas to the rural or peri-urban areas, and keep them there. (READ: As country battles pandemic, Duterte adopts Bong Go's new pet project)

Fragile and vulnerable settings and weak primary health care were two of the top 10 threats to global health named by the World Health Organization in 2019. In the Philippines, settlements formed by infrastructure-induced displacements, conflict, and disaster often suffer a prolonged crisis with the double whammy of lack of livelihoods and lack of access to adequate health services. Will Balik-Probinsya consider the needs that drove families to cities in the first place, or will the program attempt again to make poor families disappear from cities with a cash payment of a few thousand pesos? Without a clear plan for investing in the physical, social, and economic development requirements, the population shift is either a pipe dream for government executives or a nightmare for “returned” households and the receiving LGUs.

Contributing to climate change

The third concern is the effect of “decongestion” on efforts to mitigate climate change. The resulting urban sprawl would conflict with the ideal of smart, compact cities. 

The direction of urbanization and the physical shape of cities interact with factors like transportation, deforestation, and intensification of agriculture to affect greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) notes that transport emissions contribute close to a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. Worse, instead of going down, emissions are rising because of increasing volume of vehicles, particularly road vehicles that account for more than 70% of global transport emissions. The rise in emissions from road vehicles is forecast to happen faster in developing and emerging economies like the Philippines than in developed countries.

Implementing a potentially high-impact program like Balik-Probinsya demands a corresponding urban and regional planning effort that would increase the chances for sustainability – not only in the socio-economic sense but also environment-wise.

Pathways to better urban (also peri-urban and rural) areas

Seeking solutions to the quick spread of virus in urban areas is perhaps not that intuitive then. Balik-Probinsya could be an answer, but it is not a simple one. The measures to counteract the possible negative outcomes ask for a profound review of the management of our urban systems. How do our programs and policies affect the most vulnerable who need the help of society to care for themselves? How are we affecting ecosystems? How are we helping to secure a better future? The Balik-Probinsya program is not simply to be dusted off and trotted out with a careless attitude, never mind that it deepens inequalities and spawns its own health concerns.

The good news is that history shows us examples of cities coming away better from disease outbreaks. For instance, deadly outbreaks of cholera in London in the 19th century, and typhoid fever in Philadelphia in the 20th century, led to a better understanding of water systems and sewage management respectively. Better health institutions came from the 1902-1904 Philippine cholera epidemic. Could behavior changes in respecting personal space and hygiene be our great sanitation takeaway from the present pandemic?

The quarantine experience provides intriguing insights to possible system shifts. One of them is the challenge to design and engage shorter circuits for food sufficiency (or for other essentials such as health equipment). Long supply chains represent more potential roadblocks, literal and otherwise, before the product gets to consumer. Related to this is decentralization of services. Have we thought about being cut off from the water or power grid for more than a few hours or days? Any number of disasters could do this to us. If this happened regularly, would many of us finally turn to the sun for power, and to rainwater for drinking? (READ: [OPINION] Use solar energy for responding to disasters)

In these scenarios where communities would strive to meet their needs from a limited surrounding area, we can expect a reduction in consumption due to more limited supply. Perhaps not a bad idea.

The literature on what a post-lockdown world would look like is growing. Balik-Probinsya need not be our dystopian contribution. – Rappler.com

Sarah Redoblado is an architect and development worker collaborating with grassroots organizations on urban management.

[OPINION] How do we mourn the death of a peasant woman political prisoner?

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I have not met Adelaida Macusang. I have only seen her photos in online campaigns demanding her release. I know her as one of the senior citizens who, for years, dedicated her life defending the rights of peasant women and farmers. Different organizations have long called for her release. Karapatan-Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights also led the call for the release of political prisoners during the spread of COVID-19, particularly of senior citizens, sickly and immuno-compromised. On May 4, Nanay Adelaida Macusang died of kidney failure and cardiac arrest.  

Peasant women bear the brunt of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Before the pandemic, some of the burden that mothers and daughters carried include housework, childrearing, agricultural production, extra income to pay for debts, budgeting daily income, and supporting their children’s school requirements. Despite all these, peasant rights activists defend agricultural lands and farmers’ rights. They educate and mobilize their fellow farmers to resist land conversion, protest against anti-poor policies, and push for genuine agrarian reform. 

In 2018, “Nanay Ede” Macusang was arrested by military elements inside her house in Davao de Oro based on a trumped-up charge: illegal possession of explosives. What happened to Nanay Ede was not unusual; farmers in Davao de Oro province have been unjustly accused of similar cases. In fact, the Compostela Farmers Association or CFA 5 suffered similar circumstances. 

I don’t personally know Nanay Ede, but she looks like my mother. I have not met her but I know that she is like most of the peasant rights activists I have met. Like them, she was selfless for choosing to defend the rights of the farmers in her community and the country, for pushing for land reform that will allow tillers to own their lands, and for resisting policies that continue to deprive agricultural workers of subsidy, production support, and protection from exploitation and abuse.  

Nanay Ede was born on May 28, 1958 in Montevista, Davao de Oro. She dedicated her life to being a full-time peasant organizer of Montevista Farmers Association. Their role is crucial in leading campaigns for free land distribution and protests against neoliberal policies. Peasant organizations move as a collective to demand for support for local rice production and resist government policies that benefit compradors and multinational corporations.  

It is through these organizations that we discover how farmers’ daily lives are affected by discriminatory laws. For instance, the discriminatory guidelines of the Department of Social Work and Development’s emergency subsidy program. Reports from the National Federation of Peasant Women-Amihan reveal why many families were disqualified from receiving P5,000 to P8,000 financial aid. In Isabela, the DSWD disqualified farmworker families who earned as low as P250 per day, farmers who have one hectare, families renting at other families’ residences, bedspacing workers, and families with houses of concrete materials. Other criteria for disqualification in Isabela included minors already with their own families, those with family members abroad who are unable to remit; senior citizens waiting for pensions for the next month, and indigenous peoples in Sindon Bayabo, Ilagan town. It is through peasant collectives’ persistence, research, and dedication that we learn, publish, and resist these unfair mandates. (READ: Food security frontliners: Coronavirus lockdown pushes farmers, fisherfolk into deeper poverty)

Most of us do not know Nanay Ede, but like most peasant women political prisoners, we know that she is innocent. We know that the sorry state of prison cells in our country and the congested jail facility contributed to her demise. She was previously diagnosed with severe hypertension and cardiomegaly or abnormal enlargement of the heart. (READ: [OPINION] An open letter to the PAO on Persons Deprived of Liberty)

I hope that the government would release political prisoners, especially those who are elderly and sick. We know that Nanay Ede could have been your mother, could have been any of the 19.7 million agricultural workers in the country. We also know that had she been released earlier, this would not have happened. If only the government is not afraid of citizens asserting their rights as Filipinos and farmers, Nanay Ede could have celebrated her 62nd birthday this month. We mourn by paying tribute to her strength and determination to liberate farmers and peasant women. We mourn by calling for the release of political prisoners and by continuing her legacy as a peasant activist. 

When even the biggest TV network is forced to shutdown, we need collectives and peasant organizations more than ever. We need alternative media to inform us on what is happening to the farmers in Davao de Oro, how they are affected by the lockdown and the harassment that they are experiencing, and organize ways to provide relief for their fellow starving peasants. Yes, mainstream media covers national and regional news, but to be a full-time peasant activist is to offer your full time releasing reports and fighting for the oppressed. You keep track of the laws and “reforms” and become rice watchdogs. They keep track of peasant killings when no one else is counting. They listen to the masses when no one else is willing. More importantly, they uphold farmers’ rights when everyone else, especially those in power, is taking it away from them. – Rappler.com

Rae Rival is a high school teacher and a member of Gantala Press, a feminist literary press.

[OPINION] In this time of fear, we must remember who the real enemy is

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I remember that late summer in 2016.

My friend and I were strolling to Loyola House – my place of solace after losing the moral battle in the elections.

“I think I’m kind of hopeful,” I said.

“What? Are you serious?” My friend, a Portuguese who was then taking his Masters in Theology, raised his eyebrows.

“Yes. I’m seriously hoping that we are in the wrong on this one.”

We plodded on.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Then why did he win?”

I closed my eyes and retreated into my shell. Social media had taken its toll on me. 

The next time I opened my eyes, thousands had been killed, and millions on Facebook had cheered. A lot of them said that it was God’s will, for He had anointed that man to run our country. Others, living in sheltered spaces abroad, began to claim that life was now better in the Philippines, as if the slums in our cities, the bodies on the streets, and the poverty in our farmlands were not ours.

Years later, an old lady, thin and shrunken, told me about her headache and her back pain. Minutes into the interview, I was introduced to the biopsychosocial approach to family medicine.

“Doktor, mga walang hiya sila, pinatay nila ang anak ko!” she exclaimed in tears. Her headache began around the time he was found dead in jail, having been arrested for drugs. She had also been carrying a weight around ever since, dragging her aching back to the next doctor who would take the time to listen to her. (READ: 4 out of 5 Filipinos worry over extrajudicial killings – SWS)

If this is God’s will, wouldn’t we be better off with a godless universe? If this is the Filipino dream, wouldn’t it be better if we purged our ambitions?

What made us believe in something like this? In them?

When the coronavirus hit our shores, we were reminded of the answer.

“Fear,” my Portuguese friend said that day.

In the early days of the pandemic, news spread that a young cardiologist had died because a patient lied about his travel history. This made healthcare workers fearful of their patients. 

Some seemed to have forgotten that patients were still human beings, living in unique contexts, muddled by conflicting beliefs, and themselves afraid.

We feel that same way about criminals, drug addicts, and the “tambays” we all admit to avoiding when we pass by dark, narrow roads.

Soon after, another cardio fellow who worked closely with that young doctor tweeted that it was all "fake news;" the death wasn't due to a patient's lie. But by then, it was too late.

“Di na namin maihabol icorrect yung mga tao,” he said.

This shows that our instincts could be manipulated just enough that we target the wrong enemy.

When ABS-CBN was shut down much later, I felt that this was another attempt to manipulate our fear. The last thing they wanted was a free press informing us on our country’s very poor response to this crisis and the inevitable recession.

A crisis can be an acid test for a family, organization, company, or country. It puts everyone in a stressful situation, and forces even educated individuals to behave in unseemly ways. So, it's how we respond to the crisis that matters.

Do we bolt to safety and mind our own business? Or do we shed our pride, our “hiya,” and take a long, hard look at what is happening?

Perhaps, in taking that second look, we may realize that, just like how drug addicts, criminals, and patients who lie are just symptoms of bigger problems, our shaky response to the COVID-19 crisis means we are afflicted with something far worse than the virus.

Perhaps we can better reflect now on what happened that summer of 2016, when they won by successfully tapping into that illness Jose Rizal once wrote about, and through the technology that was supposed to free us.

Once we are able to confront that, then we will finally remember who the real enemy is. – Rappler.com

JM Deblois, 29, is a physician.

Groups continue helping communities affected by lockdown despite gov't restrictions

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RELIEF OPERATIONS. Tulong Anakpawis, an initiative organized by progressive group Anakpawis continues to extend help to affected communtiies. Photo courtesy of Anakpawis

ALBAY, Philippines — Despite the stricter measures imposed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on the conduct of relief operations, help from different groups continue to pour in.

The various relief groups do it by getting a permit from LGUs or by directly sending money to community leaders.

One of these relief operations is the "Tulong Anakpawis" initiative organized by the progressive group Anakpawis. (READ: Groups help vulnerable sectors affected by coronavirus lockdown

Through this initiative,  Anakpawis members-volunteers from Marikina City served hot porridge with malunggay and freshly-baked pandesal to children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers in Brgy. Dolores, Taytay, Rizal.

The group also sent sacks of rice and food to 90 construction workers who are currently stranded in Brgy. Don Galo, Parañaque City. Anakpawis learned of the plight of this group when a worker asked reached out to them through social media.

With an LGU permit, Anakpawis also has relief operations in Caloocan and Quezon City. 

On April 30, they distributed "nutri-lief" packs to more than 100 urban poor families in Pandacan, Manila. Each pack contained rice and fresh vegetables directly purchased from small farmers. 

According to former Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao: "The DILG should instead help humanitarian volunteers in smoothly delivering their aid to the distressed communities, and not discredit our relief drive as unauthorized." 

Casilao and 6 other volunteers were arrested and later released on bail by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Norzagaray, Bulacan last April 19 after the DILG did not acknowledge the permit issued by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for their relief drives. 

IPs helped by donation drives

Before the DILG's imposed stringent requirements for relief operations, groups supporting indigenous people were among the first to respond to the needs of marginalized communities during lockdown.

Photos courtesy of LILAK.

Purple Action for Indigenous Women's Rights (LILAK), through its donation drive campaign BABAYEnihan, was able to distribute cash aides to 11 tribal communities during the second week of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in March. LILAK supports indigenous women in their fight for human rights. 

Tuwali leader Myrna Duyan said LILAK sent her money through cash transfer, and she distributed it to 25 households in her community in Brgy. Didipio Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. She said some beneficiaries used the money to buy rice and medicine, and for transportation to a clinic. 

According to her, the relief goods they received on April 7 from the local government were 5 kilos of rice, 5 canned goods, and 2 packs of noodles. Members of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)  also got their cash aid on April 13 and other beneficiaries of the emergency relief fund on April 28. 

Dumagat members in General Nakar in Quezon province also received aid from LILAK. According to the group leader, they had to use a boat to distribute the rice they bought because there was no other mode of transportation. 

LILAK organized the donation campaign after IP communities in its network asked for help because of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) deprived them of their livelihood. 

A caregiver Aeta from Zambales, as well as Higaonons in Bukidnon that work as laborers had to stop working because of the coronavirus outbreak, said LILAK. 

A B'laan leader also told LILAK that: "Even before talks of COVID-19, we are preparing for the worst. The dry season came early for us. The heat was too much; our rice, pineapples and vegetables all died."

While they planted crops in their backyard, they didn't have cash to buy rice. They could not sell their produce  because of the suspension of public transportation.

Non-Timber Forest Products - Exchange Program (NTFP-EP) also initiated donation campaigns for their IP network. Among the beneficiaries were the T'boli women in South Cotabato. NTFP-EP works with forest-based communities to strengthen their capacity in the sustainable management of natural resources, including in the Philippines.

Bernadeth Ofung, a Tboli leader of weavers and other artisans in Lake Sebu, said that she received a P7,000 cash aid from NTFP-EP on April 2.

"We used the money to buy and distribute 4 kilos of rice, bread, noodles, and soap for 30 weavers, and travel allowance for the distributors since many of their members live in remote areas," Ofung said.

She said they received relief goods from the local government only twice: on April 2 and 15. This consisted of 5 kilos of rice, 1 piece tinapa, and 2 noodles; and another 5 kilos, respectively. 

Ofung also added that Illongos who work as laborers, opted not to spend while under the ECQ. 

Their association is composed of 65 members.  They only resumed work this month when the ECQ was lifted in their area. 

She said households in her sitio have 6-10 family members. In the last week of April, beneficiaries of the  emergency fund got their cash aid, while 4Ps members got it earlier. 

Before those government aids came, the donations they got helped them make ends meet. – Rappler.com


Volunteer group raises funds to cover shortage of PPE in Leyte

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FOR THE COMMUNITY. Volunteer group Tabang PH provides alternative personal protective equipment sets to healthcare workers, vendors, and firemen in Leyte. Photos from Tabang PH.

LEYTE, Philippines – As communities deal with the shortage of personal protective equipment during the pandemic, a group of students and alumni from Visayas State University (VSU), an academic insitution located in Baybay City in this province found a way to help. 

Through Tabang PH, a civic engagement group formed by Jamie Faith De Veyra, Felix John Amestoso, Allen Glenn Gil, Kit Felian Tenio, Trishia Jade Acilo, and Weneline Balena, organized a fund-raising initiative to produce alternative personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontliners and other vulnerable groups.

“The mortality rate of health care workers in the Philippines is very high. We feel like a factor for this is the shortage of PPEs. You see in the news that a lot of nurses and doctors are making use of trash bags as alternative protection. This is why we wanted to focus on making PPEs like masks, face shields, and sanitizers,” Amestoso said.

FOR FRONTLINERS. Face masks and shields are turned over to the Rural Health Unit in Libagon, Southern Leyte. Photo from Tabang PH

Amestoso, a science research assistant in VSU Institute of Tropical Ecology & Environmental ManagementI- Marine Laboratory, led the team in Baybay City.

“There are also plenty of people who do not have the privilege to stay in their homes. There is also the skeleton workforce, for example, who are called to go out of the safety of their own homes to keep the economy going. We saw a lot of them did not even have face masks. Providing these people with makeshift protective gear, we are slowing down or preventing the spread of the virus," Amestoso added.

He emphasized the word “makeshift” to acknowledge that the PPEs will not necessarily be at par with medical-grade protective gear but, in the words of health care workers themselves: it’s better than nothing.

 MAKESHIFT MASKS. A volunteer distributes makeshift masks made by the group for the vendors in Baybay City Market. Photo from Tabang PH

The improvised PPE is the best, if not only, option for many people. (READ: Filipinos find ways to improvise safety in the time of coronavirus

“The sanitizer, face mask, and shield are deliberate. The face mask is meant to be paired with a face shield so as to be an additional layer of protection and with that the sanitizers to keep your hands clean...You can go around with a face mask and shield but it seems utterly useless if your hands are dirty," he continued.

Call to protect

Tabang PH has teams in Tacloban City, Baybay City, Ormoc City, Matalom, and Albuera in Leyte, as well as, the towns of Libagon and Sogod in Southern Leyte. Each team functions independently of the other but operates with the common goal and that is to help protect frontliners and affected communities.

Initially, the team struggled to put themselves together.

Still an unofficial group at that time, the community quarantine limited their mobility. With many establishments closing, this caused a delay in the procurement of materials in towns like Tacloban City. 

“Overseeing and coordinating with all the clusters, particularly in Team VSU-Baybay was difficult when we first operated because the clusters are located in the upper campus, lower campus, and in Brgy. Guadalupe, and we weren't recognized by the VSU frontliners.”

This progressed into a partnership with the VSU and Sangguniang Kabataan in Baybay where a a total of 170 face shields  where made for the healthcare workers in VSU and 676 face masks were donated to various barangays in the city. (READ: EXPLAINER: The PPE keeping our healthcare workers safe)

“It got me on the edge. I feel like, the longer we get delayed, the higher the chances our frontliners were in danger,” Amestoso said.

DONATION. Volunteers turn over face shields and masks to the Bureau of Fire Protection in Sogod, Southern Leyte. Photo from Tabang PH

As of writing, Tabang PH raised over P100,000 and produced more than 2,871 face masks, 1,062 face shields, 1,606 disinfectants and soaps, including 33 PPE suits.

Amestoso also said the group will continue this initiative even after the pandemic since relief operations geared towards promoting sustainability is something he wants to pursue. 

“Personally, I am more inclined to environmental conservation. Mainly on hands-on activities (application). I prefer this type of work rather than talking or speaking.”

He added that the core members have discussed reaching to farmers once the pandemic has been contained.

“We’re still looking for another source of funds besides donations though. We can’t keep on soliciting from people. People are barely holding themselves together with the economy on a halt,” Amestoso ended. – Rappler.com

This article was first published on Visayas State University website. It has been republished and edited on Rappler with permission.

One outbreak after another: Parents seek help for sick baby during lockdown

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KEEP IT UP KOMPTON. The Gatdula family raises funds for baby Kompton's liver transplant through a Facebook page they made named "Keep It Up Kompton." All photos by Kriska Gatdula

CAVITE, Philippines – At the height of the dengue epidemic in the Philippines last year, Kriska and Ralph Gatdula became parents to baby boy Phil Kompton. Every day since has been a race to keep him alive.

Born in August 2019, Kompton has been battling a liver disease for some 8 months now. This was made more difficult by the dengue outbreak last year, which filled up hospitals and drained health resources.

It got worse as the Philippines faced the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Since the lockdown in Luzon in March, many patients have struggled to access treatment due to the lack of transportation and unavailable health workers for non-coronavirus cases. (READ: Cancer patients struggle with getting treatment during pandemic)

Start of the battle

At two weeks old, baby Kompton was diagnosed with pneumonia. He was undergoing treatment in the hospital for 8 days when the doctors found out that he also has dextrocardia.

BACK IN THE HOSPITAL. This is a file photo of two-week old baby Kompton in the hospital.

Dextrocardia is a rare congenital heart condition in which the heart points toward the right side of the chest instead of the left. Aside from that, the doctors also found out that baby Kompton’s liver was inverted in size with an enlarged left lobe, and that his gallbladder was missing.

The symptoms started to show when he was one month old. Baby Kompton had jaundice, a condition where the skin, whites of the eyes, and mucous membranes turn yellow.

All of these happened at the height of the Philippines’ dengue epidemic in 2019, which made it harder for his parents to find a hospital since the ones in their hometown in Cavite were at full bed capacity.

Kriska and Ralph had to check every hospital from 7 pm to 4 am just to check for available rooms. 

Despite the epidemic then, they strived to continue Kompton’s check-ups and laboratory tests. 

Baby Kompton’s results pointed to 2 probable liver diseases: biliary atresia or cholangitis. Biliary atresia is a condition in which the bile can't flow into the intestine. This builds up in the liver, later damaging it. Cholangitis, meanwhile, is an inflammation of the bile duct system. 

While confirmation of the disease is pending due to the coronavirus pandemic, the family found out that baby Kompton will still need an immediate liver transplant if he wants to live beyond two years.

Coping amid a pandemic 

It's become more difficult for the family to maintain baby Kompton’s medications during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Due to the outbreak, Baby Kompton’s weekly tests at the hospital has been deferred. These were supposed to check the condition of his liver while they prepare for the transplant.

WEEKLY ROUTINE. Baby Kompton’s pediatric gastro doctor monitors his liver through an ultrasound.

Last April, baby Kompton suddenly started to poop blood. The family had to travel from Cavite to Laguna just to be admitted in a hospital. (READ: 'Walang choice': Man with leukemia walks to get chemo meds amid Luzon lockdown)

The eight-month-old baby was transfused with blood thrice. Because of the scarcity of supply and donors, the Gatdula family had to secure blood all the way from Mandaluyong and other parts of Luzon.

Getting medical supplies for the baby has also been a struggle for the family. They need to go back to the hospital daily, cross borders, and hurdle checkpoints just to get medications they need. 

"When we overcome the dengue epidemic, I believe it was God's way of saying that He will not leave us alone and for the 2nd time when Kompton was admitted this COVID-19 pandemic, He never let us down again," Kriska said.

ADMITTED DURING PANDEMIC. Baby Kompton was rushed to the hospital last April due to gastrointestinal bleeding.

After baby Kompton was discharged from the hospital, the family found out that they can now prepare for a possible liver transplant after the lockdown is lifted.

Kriska is one of the viable donors for her son. The transplant and medications, however, come with a hefty estimated price of P5 million.

Keeping up with Kompton

Given the huge amount needed for the transplant, baby Kompton’s parents went on social media to gather funds, creating a Facebook page named “Keep It Up Kompton.”

The family has led fundraising projects through the page by selling blankets, clothes and food.

The family has also started selling raffle tickets as part of their fundraising initiatives, where people get the chance to win gadgets and home appliances. 

They’ve recently launched the #MyKoolMomma photo-liking contest to gather more funds for the transplant as well. Through the contest, people can submit a photo of their mom with a simple message for P100. Those with the most likes will have prizes ranging from P500 to P2000.

According to Kriska, they have already raised P500,000 but it is still far from their P5-million goal. 

Those who want to help baby Kompton can also donate to the Gatdula family’s bank accounts:

BPI
Kriska Marie R Espiritu
Account number: 8499287187

BPI
Ralph Philip Gatdula
Account number: 8169032387

"We always wish that this pandemic will end soon so we can resume our routine check-ups and clearances to move on to the next stage. It's gonna be a long way to go and we are still praying for healing not just for Kompton but for the entire nation affected by COVID-19," Kriska said in a Facebook post. – Rappler.com

Nicole Anne del Rosario is a former Rappler Intern. She graduated with a degree in AB Communication from De La Salle University-Dasmariñas.

#CourageON: Filipinos define bravery in the time of coronavirus

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MANILA, Philippines – How have you shown courage during this time? 

As the country continues to grapple with the various impacts – from economic to mental health – of the coronavirus pandemic, many Filipinos all over the world fear an uncertain future ahead of them. (READ: Can PH cope? Mental illness cases tipped to surge during pandemic)

The coronavirus pandemic also revealed the existing gaps between the poor and the rich. From slow distribution of emergency subsidies and relief to the continuation of online classes despite internet connectivity issues, poor Filipinos especially bore the brunt of the pandemic.

MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, asked its community of movers to redefine courage in the face of this shared struggle. From staying at home to holding government officials accountable online, movers heeded the call and gave bravery new meaning during the pandemic. (READ: #CourageON: Tag your representative to act on ABS-CBN franchise renewal)

In this video, Filipinos from different parts of the country stressed the need for a brave local government and public, as well as proactive leaders and more avenues for reliable information.

Watch this video as leaders, citizens, advocates come together to define courage in the time of coronavirus. Rappler.com

[OPINION] OFWs and immigrants as milking cows

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The way the Philippine government is treating overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), there is little to doubt that they (we) serve as mere milking cows. The old notion that OFWs are modern-day heroes because they salvage the domestic economy is all but erased. Some say, irrationally, that OFWs should just remit their dollars, complain less, expect little embassy help, and shut up. Pay up and be quiet.

But should we just pay up and be quiet? I don’t think so. How insulting.

Just look at how the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Taiwan shamelessly tried to silence and intimidate caregiver Elanel Ordidor for expressing her dismay at the Duterte government’s questionable coronavirus response. They persecuted her and moved for her deportation. It was even Taiwan itself and her employer who insisted it’s her right to exercise free speech. Modern-day hero?

The same ill treatment applies to Filipinos abroad who are already naturalized immigrants. Many hold dual passports and citizenships. Moreover, the large chunk of naturalized immigrants would have first been OFWs themselves. After some years, they navigated the system and applied for legal immigration through work, marriage, or some other allowable arrangements in their host countries. Will naturalized immigrants – after all they’ve been through – simply pay and shut up? No, they won’t.

Based on irrefutable data, OFWs and immigrants relentlessly propped up the country’s ailing economy for decades by contributing billions of dollars. Notably, the bulk comes from North America. According to the Commission of Filipinos Overseas, US-sourced remittances amounted to $32 billion in 2018, which is 10% of the country’s GDP. Of the 12 million Filipinos abroad, 41% are OFWs, 48% are permanent immigrants, while the rest are reportedly (and unfortunately) undocumented aliens. And yes, in light of the pandemic’s stay-at-home orders, OFWs and immigrants were glued to ABS-CBN’s TFC and their YouTube videos. (READ: OFW remittances hit record high of $33.5 billion in 2019)

RA 11223, the Universal Health Care law, states in Section 4(f) that direct contributors include “migrant workers” who are subject to interest on missed contributions (Section 9). The 3% premium rate for 2020 is clearly indicated in Section 10, with minimum income of P10,000 up to P60,000. Section 8.2 of the IRR of RA 11223 specifies OFWs (defined under the Migrant Workers Act and OWWA Act as seafarers and land-based workers) as direct contributors as well as those “Filipinos living abroad” and “Filipinos with dual citizenship.” This was also found on page 1 of PhilHealth Circular 2020-0014, which further added these to the definition of overseas Filipinos: “overseas Filipinos in distress” and “other overseas Filipinos not previously classified elsewhere.” The government really cast a wide net. This is quite an overreach.

If a domestic worker in Hong Kong earns HK$5,000 a month (or roughly P32,626), the 3% premium rate is P978.78 monthly. But this domestic worker most likely remits 50% or more of her salary per month to cover the costs of her children’s education, food, housing needs, and other expenses. That’s already P16,313 at the minimum in monthly remittances, so she is already contributing a lot to the country. She’d be doing this for years, even a decade or more, so is there really a need to punish her further with this 3% premium rate?

If a Filipino nurse in the US earns $6,250 a month (P316,281, gross of course), his/her premium rate is P1,800 due to the P60,000 ceiling. If this nurse sends $1,500 (P75,907) monthly back home for her parents, tuition and school expenses of younger siblings, food, family home bills, and for bank mortgages and other fees for a condo unit (or house and lot) purchased in Metro Manila or Cebu as investment – aren’t those large remittances over and above the 3% monthly contributions for PhilHealth? Aren’t those enough? Those amounts circulate in the domestic market, employ people, and ameliorate the sagging economy.

Yes, they are more than enough. The disabled Philippine economy largely depends upon OFW and immigrant remittances. Essentially, that’s the main fuel that runs the Philippine engine. Thus, there’s no reason to treat these “modern-day heroes” with insensitivity and overtaxation. The milking cow approach should end. (READ: 300,000 sign online petition opposing increase in OFW PhilHealth contributions)

This 3% PhilHealth contribution is not only onerous, but OFWs and immigrants won’t be using the country’s universal health care for the most part as many have health care options overseas. It is nothing more than a new income tax on migrant workers. Assuming the OFW or immigrant later on moves back to the Philippines upon retirement or end of contract, he/she would have contributed so much by then in terms of periodic remittances that should make the person eligible for health care assistance.

The government’s suspension of the premium rate, no doubt because of strong overseas Filipino opposition, is not what OFWs and immigrants want. It’s mere subterfuge, a simple delay, because it is not scrapping it, which is what Migrante International and Gabriela-UAE are calling for. Who knows when this rate will surreptitiously be slipped in when the attention is on something else? – Rappler.com

Carlo Osi is a Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center (adj.) in Washington DC, and is an East Coast-based lawyer, writer and tax practitioner. He was educated by Georgetown Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Wharton School of Business, Kyushu University Law, and UP Law.

 

[OPINION] The trials of being a Filipina nurse with a foreign surname

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When Venus Raj, the Philippines’ Miss Universe candidate in 2010, was temporarily dethroned over questions regarding her citizenship, I hoped that she’d get her chance at the crown back, knowing that it wasn’t supposed to be a big deal, being a daughter of a foreign father and Filipina mother myself. According to the principle of jus sanguinis, any child with just one Filipino parent could still be considered a Filipino citizen and could enjoy the rights, privileges ,and opportunities of being one. I never thought, though, that something similar would happen to me 9 years later.
 
“Are you married, Miss Zehender?“ came that fateful question, which sounded harmless at first.
 
“No, I’m single,” I replied. "I’ve always declared that in my Personal Data Sheet. My father was a German–”
 
“–Oh, we all thought you were married to a foreigner! We didn’t consider you for regularization because we were thinking it would be easy for you to just leave and work abroad! Mag re-apply ka na lang!"

I wanted to say that being a Filipina nurse with a foreign surname didn’t automatically mean I had a foreign husband, and that my loyalty to serving my country was something that could be questioned. In the first place, 3 years before that conversation, I chose to give up a working opportunity in Germany to come back to the Philippines so I could practice my profession and promote it through my art and writing. My "almost" German employer back then never even questioned my marriage status after going over my papers thoroughly. The blood I carried in my veins and my surname certainly had nothing to do with my passion and willingness to work in the healthcare setting. (READ: Filipino nurses: The world's frontliners vs the coronavirus)

For the first time in my life, I wondered if I was actually in the right place, career-wise. I asked myself questions like, “Were my efforts to be a good nurse really enough? Did I truly belong here?”
 
After spending months in silent agony and constant reflection, I decided it was time to end things with a heavy heart last December. I even had a theme song for my situation back then – "The Show Must Go On" by Queen. I cherished every shift I had and managed to put on a smile during those times, even when I was dying inside. There was even a phase when I cried every night, like I was experiencing a breakup from a relationship that never went anywhere.
 
After coming to my senses, however, I knew I wanted to direct all my energy and efforts to my creative work, with my eyes and heart set on graduate school at the same time. I also knew I still wanted to “inspire, heal, and create,” though no longer as a hospital nurse but as a nurse-writer and, hopefully, as a nurse educator someday.
 
I was told countless times that giving up more than two years of government hospital work was such a waste, but for me the time spent doing something I truly loved and enjoyed will never be a waste. The years between passing my nursing licensure examination and my short-lived hospital career (including my 4 years doing office work in between) helped me realize my place and purpose in this world: to be an inspiration to my fellow nurses and to the younger generation who are interested in nursing as a profession.  
 
At first, being a nurse and writer seemed impossible, given the demands of working in a hospital. Besides that, it was a road less traveled here, with hospital memes and funny videos taking up online space more frequently than essays. Still, I always made it a point to try writing every now and then. When paragraphs refused to come out through my keyboard, I used my brush pens to put my thoughts and ideas down and shared them online. I was lucky enough to have my first essay about nursing ( "Why Be A Nurse?“) published last July in the Philippine Daily Inquirer under Young Blood, with a second one published 6 months later ("Don't Stop and Stare"). 
 
A few simple private messages from Filipino nurses plus one student nurse who were inspired by my work were enough. Because of them, and my own dreams to make a small difference for nurses in the Philippines, I continue to write. And now, ever since the beginning of probably the most challenging period in our country's history, the "COVID-19 Chapter," I've been focusing on writing more. 

Your place in the world is defined by what you contribute to make the world better for others, where you can give a bit more of yourself every day and still be happy about it. My creative contribution may not be much, but I do hope and pray that more and more of my fellow nurses will feel even more motivated and inspired to fight on. 

Whenever I feel like going back to my old hospital, I remind myself why I left. To be honest, the pain still remains. In God's time, I will have my justice. For now, my wish is that no other half-Filipina nurse – or any other nurse for that matter – would have to go through the same experience I did. It's a shame to know that it's only in the Philippines that we have this "backer culture" – and that's something I certainly want to change for all nurses. (READ: Low pay, high risk: The reality of nurses in the Philippines)

Although I may not be wearing a hospital uniform at the moment, I never once forgot about my fellow nurses and other healthcare workers. I truly want to help in bringing the story of the Filipino nurse out into the world, for more people to know and understand our struggles and for them to finally see that we all deserve better. 

To those who, like me, are currently inactive nurses recovering from the pain of rejection or awaiting new employment, finding your place takes time. Your place in the world doesn’t have to be where most people expect you to stay, like in my case now. What will matter in the end is how brave and creative one can be in finding (or making) new opportunities. Ultimately, it’s that state where you know that you’re finally brave enough to live and tell your story – that you’re more than just a name on a list.

I'm currently working on joining the healthcare force again somewhere else soon, but until that day comes, I'll continue sharing my gift in the service of the Filipino nurse. – Rappler.com

Johanna Zehender is a registered nurse who writes to uplift nurses and fellow healthcare workers everywhere. 

[OPINION] An OFW's letter to President Duterte on the deployment ban

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Dear Mr. President,  

This open letter asks you to reconsider the deployment ban of overseas health care workers. If you were not a listening leader, we would not bother writing this letter. But we are cognizant that amid this difficult time and your heavy job, you will hear my plea and that of my fellow nurses. One proof is the amendment already made by the IATF on the ban guidelines released last April 13. (READ: 'Underpaid, overworked, unappreciated': PH deployment ban scars nurses during pandemic)

We will not anchor our reasons on the legalities of the ban currently put in place. We simply can't. We are a group of individuals who have relatively little background on the law. None of us is a veteran in legal debates. Even if we can, arguendo, we know we're on the losing side because you have with you champions in the legal profession. 

First of all, we feel grateful for your intent to protect Filipino nurses from the health risk posed by COVID-19. It is a kind of risk no one hopes to be exposed to. However, I believe no one understands the danger better than health care workers. If we are honest, this is not the first time we have faced perils in the health care setting. Illness and death are just some of the day-to-day enemies that threaten our well-being. Amid these daily threats, regardless of unpleasant organizational climates and treatment, nurses have not failed to do their duty to which they have taken an oath – to care for the sick. 

Back then, our complaints about the injustices we faced – low salary rates and exceedingly imbalanced nurse-patient ratios, among others – were not heard enough, to the point that we had to bring our concerns to the Legislative Branch. It is therefore no surprise why nurses have gained a reputation as migrant Filipinos. To some extent, this has become their legacy not only for the Philippines, but for the entire world. (READ: Filipino nurses: The world's frontliners vs the coronavirus)

In the past, we sent soldiers abroad to fight for our allies, despite the fact that we were under threat of war on our own soil. The difference is that soldiers are at the disposal of the government. Nurses, being private individuals themselves, the ones who are not tied to employers in our country, are not.

Sure, if it seems right to ban nurses who have already entered into a mutual agreement with a foreign employer regardless of the date, then it would also seem right to recall our nurses from the battlefield this time, to take them out of BPO industries where they are known to pool and have them wait as "backup" support, or perhaps to call out to all other Filipino nurses abroad and repatriate them just in case the war keeps going.

But I submit that this isn't right.

These nurses who want to lift their families out of poverty have been singled out. This pandemic will not be gone soon. How long will they have to wait? Three or 4 months? Maybe a year or so? By then, their visas, documents, and exams have already expired, and they have to undergo the painstaking processes to get them again – not to mention that they no longer have the financial capacity, as nearly all of them have already resigned from their jobs in the hopes of getting deployed.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. True. But a pandemic, like a war, is a threat that is never gone. Military enlistment is not best done at the brink of a war, and neither is the massive employment of nurses during a pandemic. Prevention is better than cure, says the old adage. It can be remembered that before we reached this point, there were not enough efforts to attract nurses to work in our country, because the popular belief was that the supply was great, that there was nothing to worry about.

Furthermore, there have not been government programs that financially support those who pursue nursing degrees, unlike other courses that have DOST and DOH support. It is the budding nurse's families who have to toil hard for them to graduate. Then after graduation, the kind of job that awaits them in our country does not help pay the bills. As a result, they move to industries such as BPO, where they are sufficiently compensated. (READ: Low pay, high risk: The reality of nurses in the Philippines)

Had it not been for the pandemic, our nurses here would not have been seen as more valuable.

The move seeking the employment of nurses under the DOH program as a response to COVID-19 sounds acceptable, but it binds us to a 3-month contract. By the time our employers overseas are ready to receive us and by the time the ban is lifted, we would have to first complete our 3-month obligation in the country. This is also why we are not persuaded to stay.

Data suggests that the Philippines has surpassed other countries in terms of death tolls among health care workers. It seems that neither the situation here nor overseas can make us feel safe. But soldiers and nurses alike know what they had signed up for. At least, once abroad, we can send our families financial support to help them get by during the pandemic. – Rappler.com

Bruce Rhick Estillote, a graduate of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, is a registered nurse who previously worked in a community in Iligan City under CGMI, a Christian organization that reaches out to poor local communities nationwide. He is also an alumnus of Philippine Youth Leadership Programme (PYLP), a leadership development exchange that offers secondary students and adult mentors training in the United States.

[OPINION] Education for compassion: In defense of mass promoting students

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With due respect to Professor Divine Love Salvador, I believe her piece “What makes for 'compassionate' education during the pandemic?” published 30 April 2020 reveals more about what is wrong with the current framework of the educational system and psychotherapeutic practice than policy proposals about mass promoting students. In her piece she opines that we are "grappling with the question of what it means to educate students during this time [...]" (Salvador, 2020), and I agree. However, where she took the discussion is where we diverge.

She claims that mass promotion hinges on pain avoidance for the “unfortunate beneficiaries” possibly losing the opportunity to be exposed to a life stressor that could help them develop. On its surface, this claim appears to be proactive and helpful to students. But one must ask the question, what sort of students did the good professor have in mind? What type of challenges was the good professor pertaining?

Stress, as any introductory psychology student would find out is not necessarily a detrimental experience. There are two types of stress. Distress is when you are threatened by a situation and may think that you will no longer be able to get through it, while eustress is the optimal level of stress you feel in order to keep you functioning well with some level of caution. The distinction between the experience of either is based on how we make sense of our power to control the situation (is the locus of control with us?). It is easy to make the claim to the popular notion here of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” when you hinge your analysis on a vague notion of students and teachers as well as causes of stress. (READ: Netizens debate mass promotion of students amid coronavirus pandemic)

We need to understand that the COVID-19 pandemic is not something within the exclusive personal control of the individual – not yet, since no vaccine or actual cure has been found (in fact, knowledge about the virus and disease are emergent at best). Why is that? While it is easy to think of personal protective measures that we can do – frequent hand washing (and overall hygiene of course), social distancing, and behavioral etiquette (covering of the mouth and nose with the crook of the elbow when coughing or sneezing), those at best are measures to protect ourselves and not to address the virus or disease itself. At best, the psychological effect of those measures are emotion-focused coping – it helps give us the feeling of security we have no means of a problem-focused strategy of actually addressing the main cause of stress which is the pandemic.

Taking this into account would, for me, put to question Salvador’s main claim of exposing students (and perhaps even teachers) to pain to help them grow and develop, that continuing schooling would give a sense of continuity or even semblance of normalcy for students and teachers. This may be an untenable view – the situation is not normal; perhaps that is what students, teachers, and school administrators need to come to terms. The entire education system as well as mental health practitioners needs to come to terms with the fact of the novelty and gravity of this pandemic: this is a clear threat to life. (READ: Can PH cope? Mental illness cases tipped to surge during pandemic)

Working from that understanding, it should be clear that the structural determinants and correlates of the situation need to be addressed before even considering the resumption of classes online or offline. The national government has not effectively communicated its comprehensive plan or strategy with developments emerging at every moment – this uncertainty is actually adding to growing anxiety. As individuals, we have no control over social distancing – the national government has imposed a police and military-operation-style quarantine on the entire nation with uneven and oftentimes confusing implementation on the ground. This is even discounting the fear that armed personnel litter the streets and have set up checkpoints. Emergency assistance is slow and even lacking several weeks on. The home setup and extended periods of being confined either with other people or by yourself also causes a significant degree of psychosocial distress that deserves a separate piece in and of itself. These are all beyond our individual control.

Resuming classes and persisting on requirements at this point is not only premature at best but actually irresponsible at worst. We are not withholding important learning from students by mass promoting them; we are actually teaching kindness and compassion. Teaching kindness and compassion to goes a long way for our students to show the same to themselves, their families, and communities at large during this pandemic. While we are socially distant, this potentially teaches our students how to stay socially connected and concerned. (READ: [OPINION] Mass promote now: No student should be left behind)

The resumption of classes need to be hinged on a more stable social environment brought on when the national government itself exhibits a real measure of control over the situation – that would be the best source of assurance and security that we can provide our students and teachers. Otherwise, we are not being kind to our students and teachers by making them produce schoolwork – we are exposing them to further psychological distress that school administrators could have easily removed. So we must contend with the question: what does it mean to educate students during this time? – Rappler.com

Rainier Astin R. Sindayen is undertaking his MA in Education (Educational Psychology) at the College of Education, University of the Philippines-Diliman.


Sign the petition: Join the call urging gov’t to put ABS-CBN back on air

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Screenshot of change.org petition

MANILA, Philippines – Echoing calls to uphold people’s right to information, thousands have signed a petition urging government agencies to put ABS-CBN back on air.

Several campus publications and organizations including the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), College Editors Guild of the Philippines, and Concerned Artists of the Philippines have banded together to launch the change.org petition on Tuesday, May 12. (READ: Attack on all: Media groups show solidarity with ABS-CBN following closure order)

The petition comes days after ABS-CBN was forced to go off-air for the first time since Martial Law to comply with the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) order to stop its television and radio operations on May 5.

The shutdown of the Philippines’ largest media network puts 11,000 jobs at risk and further endangers press freedom. (READ: After ABS-CBN’s shutdown, campus publications refuse to be silent)

To persuade government agencies to act on the matter, the petition appeals to the NTC, Supreme Court, and House of Representatives to bring back the television and radio operations of the embattled broadcast giant.

The petition specifically mentioned Channel 2, DZMM, MOR, and Channel 23–the network’s television and radio broadcasting arms, which were forced to shut down following the order. (READ: LIST: Where you can still access ABS-CBN content)

It called on NTC to withdraw its cease and desist order, pointing out how the shutdown is a “disservice to the Filipino people, especially at this time of crisis.”

It also urged the Supreme Court to uphold press freedom and stop the implementation of the cease and desist order.

ABS-CBN filed on May 7 a petition for certiorari and prohibition that asks the Supreme Court for a writ of preliminary injunction and a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).

An injunction and TRO would halt the implementation of the cease and desist order, and would theoretically allow ABS-CBN to go back on-air.

It's the House of Representatives, however, that plays a most crucial role since it is the institution mandated to renew ABS-CBN's franchise. At least 9 bills seeking ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal are pending with the House, but it has dragged its feet in acting on any of them.

The change.org petition asked the House to resume deliberations to renew the ABS-CBN franchise.

“During the coronavirus pandemic, there should be free access to information, entertainment, and public service. Our appeal to bring Channel 2, DZMM, MOR and Channel 23 back on-air upholds the peoples' right to information from which press freedom emanates,” it said.

The change.org petition now has more than 5,000 signatures as of Wednesday noon, May 13.

NUJP said the groups are planning to submit the petition both to Congress and the NTC.

Those who want to help ABS-CBN go back on air can sign the petition here. Filipinos may also take part in the campaign of Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH that seeks to hold representatives accountable and persuade them to act on the franchise renewal.

People can do so by tagging their representatives on social media and using the hashtag #CourageON.

– Rappler.com

 

[ANALYSIS] Hard choices in Slip Zero, Barangay 20, Tondo, Manila

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Bernadette Sabalza tells her story

Like all other Metro Manila communities, Brgy 20 of Tondo went under enhanced community quarantine beginning March 15. But while other families worried about how to protect their loved ones from the virus, the families in Brgy 20 worried about how their loved ones would survive hunger. 

Ate Bernadette, the leader of Samahang Magkakapitbahay sa Slip Zero, a People’s Organization in North Harbor, Tondo tells their story during the first 4 weeks of the quarantine. 

Some 15,000 families in Brgy 20 have been cooped up in their small, crowded home areas. This lockdown has had dire consequences for the residents. Lacking advance notice from the authorities, they had no time to prepare for an extended community quarantine (ECQ) that would mean no income for their families. Instead, the government’s presence came in the increased number of military and police men in their area to ensure no one violated the curfew from 8 pm to 5 am.

It was no surprise that the community felt uneasy seeing numbers of soldiers and police all around, remembering as they did the EJKs (extra judicial killings) of recent years. They began asking, “Totoo po ba ‘yang coronavirus na yan? Baka ginagawa lang ‘yan para matakot kami at para sundin na lang ang orders na mag-stay lang kami sa bahay.” (Is that coronavirus for real? Maybe they’re just saying that to make us afraid, so that we would follow their orders about staying inside.) 

Considering the lack of information since March about any concrete government plans for feeding families, if the quarantine is further extended into May and even June, hunger, not the transmission and acquisition of COVID-19, will become their main worry. (READ: Metro Manila, Cebu City, Laguna under 'modified' ECQ until May 31)

In the first 3 weeks of the community quarantine, reported Ate Bernadette, there had been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients. For people showing flu-like symptoms, they were treated with over-the-counter medicines and all had recovered. People were afraid to go to the hospitals, fearing total isolation there. When queried about the fear of getting the virus, she responded, “Natatakot po kami pero mas natatakot kami na magutom.” (Yes, we’re afraid, but we’re more terrified of going hungry.) (READ: Thousands of Metro Manila’s poorest left out as deadly coronavirus spreads)

During the first week, she and 140 other members of the community received food donations from their partner NGO, Urban Poor Associates. UPA had taught them to save P15,000 pesos as emergency funds for their members. They also received support from the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women of Asia-Pacific (CATWAP). For the hundreds of families who did not belong to their organization and lacked access to any financial or food aid, they contacted other organizations to help the community as a whole, and several responded. 

During the second week, with UPA’s encouragement, Ate Bernadette contacted the Office of Vice President Leni Robredo, which sent their community 1,000 food packs. Other civil society groups also started to help, like Paghilom of Fr. Flavie Villanueva and De La Salle University friends who had formerly supported families of EJK victims in their community. 

Even as help kept coming, there were many more families who needed support and were in dire need of answers as to how they could start providing for their families. At this point Ate Bernadette suggested, “Bumaba na sila sa komunidad at tignan nila mismo ang nangyayari.” (Just come down to the community and see for themselves what’s happening here.)

On the third week, food packs from the government began arriving, which was good, but two kilos of rice and 5 cans of meat loaf for a family of 10 was way too small.  Some residents who owned resources, like a cellphone or a watch, started to pawn or sell them to get some money. Others resorted to picking up discarded vegetables at the markets. The people were getting more and more desperate. 

Bernadette shared that she had furnished the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) the master list of needy families and unemployed workers in their community. But their help is yet to be felt. As for the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) program allocating 5,000 pesos for informal workers who have lost livelihoods and income, it gave so many requirements, this made it almost impossible for people to comply. (READ: The pandemic is a grave subplot in Metro Manila's housing horror story)

Then on the fourth week, the P1,000 aid from the City of Manila had reached their community. Again, good, but during that week, 200 families did not receive the subsidy. That created problems. Uncertainty about continuing help to feed their families heightened frustration levels. As fears over their survival reached maximum levels, concerns about the virus dropped to the minimum. Boxing matches and bingo along the streets also brought temporary relief on April 13.

This flagrant violation of the quarantine protocols eventually worked in their favor, however, because it caught the attention of the local government. It was then that finally they began to see health workers in their area. Soon 21 individuals were taken to the hospital or quarantine center as Persons Under Investigation (PUI). Swab testing and contact tracing started in the neighborhoods. The remaining 200 families finally received the subsidy.

Amid everything they went through, Bernadette just wanted to clarify, “Hindi po kami namamalimos sa gobyerno. Marunong kaming mag-hanapbuhay. Pero ngayon nawala sa amin yun. Paano na kami, paano na ang pamilya namin?” (We’re not beggars appealing to the government. We know how to work and earn. But now that has disappeared. So what’s going to happen to us? To our families?)

As the lifting of the quarantine remains uncertain, their daily struggle for survival continues. 

Researcher Gerlene Reyes-Guerrero comments

The coronavirus pandemic has been pushed far back in Brgy 20's consciousness because poverty, unemployment, and hunger loom as the bigger battles ahead. Since they are not allowed to work, they have no choice but to rely on the government and share their contacts with humanitarian civil society groups. They would rather work though. As for threats, the more pressing one in their view is not so much COVID-19 but hunger in the family. 

How do we know that other barangays do not have similarly overwhelming concerns? How can we then ensure their safety and that of the general public? Humanity is facing its greatest reminder that now, more than ever, we should act as a community uplifting and protecting one another. Ate Bernadette’s story makes it crystal clear that to succeed in battling a pandemic, no one should be left behind. – Rappler.com

Ms Bernadette Sabalza, President, Samahang Magkakapitbahay sa Slip Zero, Brgy 20, North Harbor, Tondo was interviewed on cellphone from March 26 to April 15, 2020 by Ms Gerlene Reyes-Guerrero.

Ms Reyes-Guerrero, who is pursuing a PhD in Philippine Studies at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, wrote up Ms Sabalza’s account and her own commentary as part of a class in Engaged Anthropology under Prof Mary Racelis. She received Ms Sabalza’s approval to disseminate their joint report publicly.

[OPINION] Gender equality in a post-pandemic world

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Lately, I have been thinking about women and their role in the world post-pandemic.

As a single woman in a Filipino household, I live with my elderly parents. During this pandemic, I found myself working from home while occasionally cooking, washing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom and toilet, tidying up the house, and being the errand-runner who has to endure long lines in the groceries.

Additionally, my parents rely on me for a better understanding of the news and current events. They would consult me as to how we can pay and maintain the services of our basic utilities (water, electricity, wi-fi), how to better express their grievances to the local authorities, and how they can make sure that their other daughters (my two married sisters) are safe and well-fed.

In a sense, I act as the "strongman" of our house. My parents are very responsible elderly adults. But there is something weighty about being consulted by my parents instead of me consulting them. My mother is an epitome of courage and strength when she left her island hometown at 13 years old and worked as a househelp in the capital city so she can help her parents raise money for her 8 siblings. My father has always said that he wants his girls to be sensible and able to stand for themselves – although at times he would laugh at my candor. 

I am grateful that my parents raised me well. But it is a totally different narrative outside of the house.

I remember I was once told by a male colleague in a male-dominated government agency that “the reason I talk a lot is that I just want attention and what I need is to be ‘romanced.'” I looked at that colleague with disdain and said, “Don’t men do that, too?”

Whenever I say something super important or striking enough to awaken one’s senses, it will mostly be met with funny quips, as if dismissing my thoughts to be either too ideal (or utopian) or too naive for the complexities of the "realities" of the human life. In the rare times that people take me seriously and engage in level-headed discussions with me, I am said to act like a "tiger mom of Asia" or some fierce lady boss. (READ: Fortune 500 feminism)

And this is a violation of the balance between my feminine and masculine energies. Because the only way they would listen to me is when I put on this "aggressive, competitive" stance. It is as if being rational is equated to being serious or devoid of (positive) emotions.

What most people do not realize is that a lot of high-level decisions in big organizations are made using emotions. (Unfortunately, these are usually fear and anger.)

Yes, data or evidence provide decision-makers with an overview of their winnings and losses, strengths and weaknesses, and benefits and disadvantages. But ultimately, as what behavioral science would tell us, we, humans (as opposed to machines), do not necessarily have a logical pattern in our decision-making. Furthermore, I would argue that the best decisions we make are when we act as humans — that is, we recognize and are attuned to our souls and spirits. (READ: Basagan ng Trip with Leloy Claudio: 5 reasons why we should be feminists)

When we see data not as numbers but as individuals with families and dreams. When we use our "free" time because technology works for us (and not the other way around) to engage in meaningful conversations with people who will be affected by our decisions. When we utilize scientific evidence along with an awareness of what people feel in that moment because emotions tell us something and these are actually calls for action.

Thus, this is not an issue of gender anymore. But of how our society allows a man or a woman to be human.

This is my interpretation of a ‘balanced human’ using none other than the paper linings on the adhesive strip of sanitary napkins. The one in the right is from a brand in Singapore. The left is from the Philippines.

A thought-provoking article on women leaders during this pandemic said that “women leaders aren’t the cause of better government. They are a symptom of it.” A society that is open to see past the "great gender divide" and choose leaders based on their moral and professional record will tremendously benefit from it.

This also shifts the burden onto the “people” as a collective body in driving positive responses to crises, as opposed to the strongman paradigm, where people rely solely on the leader, which is almost akin to fanaticism. In this line of thinking, the collective whole comes together and "allows" the leader to shine for their collective good.

In household terms, there is an equitable distribution of work between men and women. “Not until men do their fair share of cooking, cleaning, and other domestic labor will women be free to fully participate in the broader economy. In other words, the emancipation of women is a men’s issue. These changes, however, are not only dependent on the choices of individual men; legislation has an important role to play,” says historian Rutger Bregman.

And hopefully, this will further get us past through this partisan, divisive, you-or-me, "othering" ways of thinking. Along with gender, we can break through social and educational status, political affiliation, age, race, nationality, religion, etc. As long as you are being your best possible human self, you will thrive and contribute in this society. Conversely, if you act like a mad dog or a computer software application (i.e. internet troll), you will be the most disadvantaged.

But that’s my idealnaive, and romantic self talking again. – Rappler.com<div class=

While classes are on hold, students find ways to help affected communities

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FOR THE COMMUNITY. Women of Barangay Sineguelasan and Barangay Talaba II in Bacoor, Cavite prepare meals for the community. Photo by Vida Maylem.

MANILA, Philippines– While classes are suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a number of students have chosen to make good use of their free time to heed the needs of communities they've encountered through various immersion programs.

Several of these students have banded together and led donation drives online in a bid to help out workers and their families during the coronavirus lockdown.

The lockdown, which started in March, involved the implementation of strict quarantine measures, the suspension of transportation services, the and regulation of food and essential health services, among others.

For many Filipino workers, the lockdown measures have made it difficult to do their jobs. Some businesses have also decided to shutter during the lockdown, losing much-needed livelihood for many. (READ: LIST: Groups help vulnerable sectors affected by coronavirus lockdown

Helping urban poor families

The people of Talim, an island located in the middle of Laguna Lake, rely on fishing, sewing, and creating bamboo furniture for a living. Following the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), work for them was put on hold due to delivery concerns. 

TALIM ISLAND. Livelihoods in Talim Island include making Bamboo sticks and kaing, usually sold in nearby areas of Rizal or in Metro Manila. Photo by Milet Aquino.

This was exactly why UP Diliman student Milet Aquino and her classmates were drawn to help the families in Talim Island in Binangonan, Rizal. 

“Ang mga tao sa Isla ng Talim ay ilan sa mga pinakamababait na nakilala ko. Hindi nauubusan ng kwento, masisiyahin, at maasikaso,” said Aquino.

(The people on Talim Island are some of the kindest people I've ever met. They never run out of stories; they are happy and caring people.) 

Aquino, together with classmates Andy Adre, Carla Duro, John Esparrago, Jhayee Ilao, and Kim Sinochioco, raised P65,700. With the money, they were able to provide food packs for 900 families in the island. 

“Alam namin ang mga kahirapang dinaranas nila kahit walang ECQ. Sa patuloy na pakikipag-usap namin sa kanila sa online chat ay naramdaman din namin ang kanilang mga agam-agam tungkol sa kanilang kabuhayan, pagkukunan ng pantustos ng pagkain at gamot at iba pa,” Aquino said. 

(We know the hardships they experience regularly without the ECQ. We communicate with them consistently through online chat and they explain their concerns about their livelihoods, where to get money for food, medicines, etc.)

Those in other provinces struggled to support themselves throughout the lockdown put in place in their communities as well.

Project LNT, an initiative founded two years ago, has always helped out families in impoverished areas of Bacolod. 

During the lockdown, the organization decided to extend assistance to the tricycle and jeepney drivers in Bacolod who are unable to work on a daily basis because of the quarantine measures. 

DONATION. Drivers in Bacolod City receive Project LNT's relief while practicing physical distancing. Photo by Project LNT.

Its founder Jannele Jimenez along with students Bianca Ermac, Jadine Ledesma, Austin Oppura, Indrie Magbanua, Kara Canal, Gil Topacio, Joshua Isidto, Viyanna Vallejo, Michael Magdales, and David Reasol gathered an estimate of P90,000 worth of cash donations.

They are also students studying in various universities, namely Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), La Consolacion College, De La Salle-College of St Benilde, University of St La Salle, and Siliman University. 

As of April 14, 320 bags of relief goods were distributed with the help of another local initiative Goods For Hope.  The group is looking towards doing run of distributing relief goods to these families should they receive more donations. 

“Drivers earn their income through the very thing the quarantine suspended: mobility. For people whose livelihood is the coming and going of people, the ECQ is deadly. If the virus does not thin the population of Bacolod, then hunger will do the dirty work,” Jimenez said. 

She also pointed out physical distancing shouldn't restrict people from finding ways to help those affected. 

The pandemic bares to us the long enduring ills of society. The plight of the impoverished is everyone’s concern. Food security is a human right, and the drivers and their families were robbed of this with little to no support of the community,” she added. 

Hope for fisherfolks

The struggle among the fisherfolks of Brgy. Talaba 2 and Sineguelasan, Bacoor aren't far from others. Selling seafood, including fish and mussels, has become difficult due to the limited transportation available on their way to the marketplace. 

This moved UP Diliman students Vida Maylem, Sienca Capucao, and Lian Valencia to raise money for the community they’ve known through an immersion program. 

“Kinumusta ko ang kanilang kalagayan doon at nang sabihin ni Tatay na nahihirapan at nagugutom na sila roon, hindi na naghesitate ang team naming na maglunsad ng donation drive para sa mga mandaragat sa Bacoor.” Vida Maylem said. 

 (We asked how their situation was and when tatay said that they were having a hard time and that they were hungry, our team didn’t hesitate to initiate a donation drive for the fisherfolks in Bacoor.)

These fisherfolks also face the threat of displacement due to talks of reclamation along Manila Bay, affecting at least 700 families. (READ: Bacoor reclamation plan questioned at Ombudsman)

They didn’t think twice about organizing a donation drive for a community dear to them, even when they are still complying with some school requirements for graduation application. 

“I’ve been with these fisherfolk not just for a day nor a week. I became part of the community so it’s not an option to let them starve and feel like no one’s supporting them in this plight,” Maylem said.

The students were able to gather P116,622 worth of cash donations in 3 weeks, feeding more than 1,500 coastal urban poor households.

HELPING EACH OTHER. Women of Barangay Sineguelasan and Barangay Talaba II preparing meals for the community. Photo by Vida Maylem.

Compassion for the community 

Barangay San Andres located in Isla Verde, Batangas faces the same problem as the fisherfolk in Bacoor. 

They rely on catching aquarium fishes as their main livelihood but transportation has been restricted since the lockdown. 

Having encountered this community in the past through their National Service Training Program (NSTP), ADMU students Jerard Afable, Vicka Nepomuceno, Kyle Angeles, and Jam Joson were quick to organize relief operations online. 

Although help from the local government has been given to the community, they learned that residents are worried that it may not be enough to last them through the end of quarantine. 

The group was able to raise P28,900 as of April 7. At least 130 families from Barangay Andres in Batangas were provided with food packs. 

“We cannot simply demand people to stay home without ensuring that their basic needs are met and compensation is given,” Afable continued. 

Empowering women

Another group of ADMU students, who have also been in touch with Buklod ng Kababaihan through a theology class, led a donation drive to help out its members, who are mostly contractual workers affected by the "no work, no pay" scheme. (READ: LIST: Government assistance for workers, businesses affected by lockdown

Soon after the ADMU students launched their initiative, they were able to gather P40,200 as of April 1. 

With this donated amount, Frances de Guzman, Arianna Morales, Dominique Aluquin, and Bettina Cuan were able to deliver food packs for the 20 households of the women from Buklod ng Kababaihan, a women’s organization based in Olongapo City, Zambales that creates opportunities for underprivileged women. 

“They are also from low-income households and many do not receive aid from the Olongapo LGU (local government unit),” de Guzman adds. 

For De Guzman, it is important for the youth to act and have a firm stance towards a better future. 

“Passivity can lead to despair, and for me, I think that doing something, even just donating, can lead to a feeling of hopefulness,” she said. 

“The youth are the drivers of a future that has not yet been imagined, now this pandemic is, I believe, a tipping point and our generation can be the catalyst for a better change in society,” de Guzman added.

Those who are interested to help out these communities may course through donations may check the following: Help Talim Island or Help the jeepney and tricycle drivers in Bacolod– Rappler.com 

Annabella Garcia is a mover and former Rappler intern. She is taking up Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at University of the Philippines Diliman. She likes to discuss social issues in her free time.

#CourageON: Filipinos urge lawmakers to act on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal

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MANILA, Philippines– Do you want Congress to renew ABS-CBN's franchise?

Days after ABS-CBN went off-air, several Filipinos showed their indignation by holding their lawmakers accountable and tagging them on social media, in a bid to move forward deliberations on the embattled media network's franchise renewal.

At least 9 bills seeking ABS-CBN's franchise renewal are pending with the House of Representatives, but it has dragged its feet in acting on any of them.

The delay led to ABS-CBN shutting down radio and television operations on May 5, following a cease and desist order from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The media network's congressional franchise had expired the day before.

It was only more than a week after the shutdown when the House started pushing to grant ABS-CBN a provisional franchise valid until October 31, 2020, through House Bill No. 6732.

Filed on Wednesday, May 13, the bill will need to successfully hurdle through readings in the House and the Senate before it would be up for the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte, who had long threatened that ABS-CBN's franchise renewal would not be renewed. 

MovePH, the civic engagement arm of Rappler, is leading an online campaign encouraging Filipinos to tag their representatives and use the hashtag #CourageON.

Across social media, several Filipinos have jumped on the trend to urge lawmakers to tackle the matter and bring ABS-CBN back on-air.

Quezon City resident Arah Badayos appealed to the city's 6th District Representative Kit Belmonte to act on the franchise renewal. 

"It will not only be a service for the 11,000 families to be affected by job losses but also a service to the country and its people," he said.

 

In Muntinlupa City, Roberta Feliciana asked her district's representative Ruffy Biazon to be her "voice at hearings" and vote for the extension of the ABS-CBN franchise.

Biazon replied, saying he will take note of her request.

 

Several Filipinos also tagged their representatives on their social media posts.

 

Others, meanwhile, tagged the House of Representatives as a whole to bring to their attention the need for a "fair and honest review of ABS-CBN's case."

 

Do you want to join the campaign as well? You can do so by following these simple steps:

 

You can also sign this change.org petition urging the NTC, the Supreme Court, and the House to bring ABS-CBN back on air. Rappler.com

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