Thursday, June 11, 2020

Coronavirus Lockdown: No Jeepnies, Wasted Vegetables, and More!

The country is now gradually reopening with Manila going from ECQ to GCQ and other places going from GCQ to MGCQ. This reopening has been fraught with chaos.


Jeepenies are dirty, smelly, cramped, and cheap but they are how the people get around. What will happen without them?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1285323/crisis-seen-in-absence-of-jeepneys
Anger mounted in Metro Manila on Tuesday over lack of public transportation for workers allowed to return to their jobs after three months of quarantine, with senators calling the situation an emerging crisis and slamming transportation officials for their insensitivity and lack of foresight. 
Jeepneys, UV Express vans, and most public utility buses remain prohibited, even though more businesses were allowed to resume operations. 
Transport officials refused to allow jeepneys and UV Express vans to go back to their routes because these vehicles accept fare only in cash, which is the only way the majority of commuters—the low-income earners who don’t own smartphones—pay for their rides. 
The ban on jeepneys and city buses backfired on the government’s economic reopening plan, with thousands of workers again failing to get to their jobs or begging for rides on Tuesday and transport officials not backing down. 
“Three months under [quarantine] and still they have no clear plan in place. What happened to foresight? It’s good they have air-conditioned vehicles. Why don’t the DOTr officials try to commute from their homes to their offices?” Binay said. 
“[The] DOTr knew that Metro Manila and the rest of the regions will soon be transitioning to the new normal. They knew that 30 percent of those in [Metro Manila] will start going to work by June 1— and then they will deploy trucks for free rides [that] compromise and breach all health protocols, particularly physical distancing,” she said. 
Binay also criticized the ban on jeepneys, describing it as “unrealistic, anticommuter at antiworker.”
The government reopens the economy but bans jeepnies because they do not accept cashless payments. This leaves millions of people stranded and unable to get to their jobs unless they take the free truck ride provided by the DOTr.  This truck ride breaches the social distancing protocols. It's caused a real mess and the MMDA blames it all on the commuters!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1285288/mmda-commuters-to-blame-for-chaos
MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia said the people “seemed to have lost focus” that the new coronavirus that causes the severe respiratory disease COVID-19 was still around and could spread wider with the easing of restrictions on public transportation. 
“They were focused on traveling even though they [knew], just as the Department of Transportation said, our first priority is health and safety,” Garcia said in a radio interview. 
He cited the crowding of hordes of commuters along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday, with no one giving others a wide berth as they waited for rides that never came. 
Garcia also mentioned the crowding on a truck that police deployed to ferry stranded commuters. 
“When they saw the free rides, many commented on social media that commuters fought over these, they were on the road, there were no lines. They were each to his own and forgot that the priority is to stay safe from [the coronavirus],” Garcia said. 
Ariel Inton, head of Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection, slammed Garcia’s remarks as insensitive, “assuming that people are stupid or stubborn.” 
“The only reason they are outside is because we reopened so many businesses, and they would not have gone [out to go to work] if they [had not been] asked,” Inton said. 
But they banned jeepneys, UV Express vans, and city buses that serve most of the routes through business districts in the metropolis because it would be difficult to implement the cashless fare system on these vehicles, making them risky for virus transmission. 
But without these vehicles, low-income workers, the bulk of Metro Manila’s workforce, cannot go to work. Transport officials encourage the use of bicycles, but don’t say how people can ride bicycles under heavy rain during the rainy season, which is almost here.
What did they expect?
A Filipino traveler from Japan who arrived in Manila on June 1 is at a loss waiting for a COVID-19 swab test that he said may never happen. 
Andy Navarrete, a banker in Manila, told Inquirer that when his repatriation flight from Japan arrived June 1 at Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), he expected a COVID swab test to be administered right there, and then stay in a hotel for two to five days to wait for the results. 
Navarrete is married to a Japanese who lives in Japan with their four children. He left Manila to visit his family in Japan just before the lockdown was imposed on March 16. His return flight to Manila had been postponed due to the extended lockdown, until finally he boarded a repatriation flight on June 1. 
“The Coast Guard commandant at the airport gave us an orientation (on the testing protocols for arriving travelers), but he said they cannot do the tests because they had no test kits,” Navarrete told Inquirer. 
Navarrete and the other passengers were advised to proceed to their respective hotels where a coordinator will arrange for the tests. 
He is not an OFW (overseas Filipino worker) so he knew he would pay for his own hotel stay. 
“There was no transportation from the airport so I also had to hire a taxi at my expense,” he said.
Th guy returned home, was told to quarantine pending a COVID-19 test, had to do to so at his own expense, but there are no tests available! 

Nine individuals were ordered to swim in a canal in Barangay San Antonio in Davao City as punishment for violating the curfew amid the quarantine. 
According to Cedric Castillo's report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, the curfew violators fear they might get sick after swimming in the filthy canal. 
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, meanwhile, also condemned the punishment, saying it was "not humane." 
However, barangay officials said there was nothing wrong with the punishment.
That is absolutely disgusting and no way is that a canal.  That is a sewer!

 During the lockdown people have been without a job and an income. That means they cannot pay their rent.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/740896/covid-survivor-leaves-rented-house-over-arguments-with-landlady/story/
A single mother who survived the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Tuesday left her home in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City to escape further arguments with her landlady who pressuring her to pay the two months of rent that she owed. 
According to Ivan Mayrina’s report on “24 Oras,” Mary Glen Dosal had several arguments with her landlady Vicky Mariveles over her failure to pay the P7,000 rent that she owed. 
On Monday, barangay officials helped settle the conflict by giving Dosal until June 15 to leave her rented home, though she need not pay the P7,000. 
However, Dosal decided to leave earlier than June 15.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said tenants cannot be forced to pay for missed rent or move out of their houses amid the pandemic. 
“The grace period will begin either upon the lifting of whatever community quarantine. Puwede siyang hindi pa magbayad or gamitin niya ‘yung memorandum circular on rental natin. Ang 30-day grace period will already commence at the time that she is able to work,” Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo explained.
This is horrible especially seeing as Duterte repeatedly warned landlords not to pressure tenants for rent and the DTI has mandated that all tenants be given a 30 day grace period to pay up.

It's funny how the pandemic has effected everything.  And not funny ha-ha.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1286298/tomato-glut-forces-farmers-to-dump-produce-at-vizcaya-ifugao-roadsides
On June 2, tons of tomatoes were abandoned along the roads of Tinoc town in Ifugao. A week earlier, tomatoes were also dumped at roads in the Nueva Vizcaya town of Bambang. 
“The sorry sight of dumped tomatoes add to the woes of farmers,” who are suffering from the impact of the quarantine imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), said Adrian Albano, administrator of the Ifugao Highland Farmers’ Forum in a June 4 telephone interview. 
The supply glut had also been attributed to “the erratic scheduling of transport of vegetables from Ifugao,” he said. 
Tomatoes were priced down to P4 to P5 a kilo, which was too far from “the desirable P12 a kilo so that farmers can profit,” Albano added. 
This was reflected in the June 4 transactions at the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural terminal in Bambang. Squash was sold for P6 to P7 a kilo there, while yellow ginger was he purchased for P15-18 a kilo. 
Farmers donated some of the crops to quarantined communities, Albano said.
The quarantine has made led to an "erratic scheduling of transport of vegetables from Ifugao" which has lead to a dramatic price drop. This has led to farmers dumping their crops on the side of the road. What a waste!

Public transportation continues to be an issue in some cities. In Cebu the cops have decided to give free rides to commuters.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/315464/police-deploy-patrol-cars-to-offer-free-rides-to-commuters-in-cebu
With still less public transportation on the road, commuters are still having a problem finding a ride even as Cebu City has shifted to general community quarantine (GCQ). 
But the riding public got a bit of a help on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, as police stations took the initiative to deploy their mobile patrols and offer free rides to commuters on the streets. 
According to Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), the move is part of the Philippine National Police (PNP) program called “Libre Sakay.” 
“This is not a new initiative. [We did this] even before, when we were still in ECQ. We prioritize the old, pregnant women and persons with disability,” said Ferro. 
There were no specific routes for the free rides as patrol cars went around the city to search for those who needed a ride.
Not all deaths of frontliners during the pandemic have been from COVID-19.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/06/07/2019145/pnp-doctor-dies-after-being-sprayed-disinfectant
Another source said Gutierrez became ill after he was sprayed with sodium hypochlorite, a chemical also referred to as bleach. 
Directly spraying the chemical on a person, especially if not diluted, is dangerous due to its high level of toxicity, the source said. 
Gutierrez was wearing personal protective equipment but the source said it does not matter for as long as the victim inhaled the chemical. 
“You should not directly spray that chemical on a person,” the source said. 
A similar incident happened on June 1 in the same facility just two days after Gutierrez’s death. 
According to a police report obtained by The STAR, two PNP medical personnel became sick after undergoing decontamination at around 3 p.m. 
The two police officers were being disinfected after taking 10 swab samples from COVID-19 patients. They were brought to the PNP General Hospital when they had difficulty breathing.
Sounds like a stunning case of negligence.

Two more illegal COVID-19 clinics catering to the Chinese have been raided and shut down.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1287497/2-more-underground-clinics-for-sinos-busted-total-now-6
On Friday afternoon, the National Bureau of Investigation also found a makeshift rapid testing clinic in a Las Piñas City market. 
The bureau’s National Capital Region chief Cesar Bacani said agents who conducted a surveillance operation saw about a hundred Chinese nationals undergoing tests at the clinic for COVID-19. d 
Authorities were still verifying if the Chinese were working for a Philippine offshore gaming operator, or POGO. 
The NBI earlier gathered that they were undergoing testing as a “preemployment” requirement, Bacani said. A still-unidentified Chinese physician was said to be facilitating the tests, reportedly assisted by a Filipino. 
A total of six illegal clinics catering to Chinese nationals have been discovered since April, including two in Parañaque that were raided earlier that month and in May.
If these clinics are used as a preemployment screening for POGOs then there are surely more of them.

 In the new normal eating out will never be the same again.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1287802/iloilo-city-restaurants-seat-stuffed-toys-for-distancing
At Royal Zhang Palace in Grand Xing Imperial Hotel on Iznart Street, teddy bears and other stuffed toys are seated alternately in four-seat tables to keep customers apart. This means only two will be seated at each table. 
Ronito Medianista, head waiter of the Chinese restaurant, said the idea came from hotel managers to prompt physical distancing among diners. 
To diners, the idea of sitting with 22 mostly teddy bear toys in brown and white colors appears to be refreshing. “They are excited because they have ‘company’ when dining here,” Medianista told the Inquirer. 
At Razon’s By Glenn Iloilo in the Festive Walk Mall, dining table mates include Walt Disney cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and Goofy, and just seeing them is enough to cheer one up. 
“Our customers are happy when they see the stuffed toys. We have received many inquiries if the toys are free or for sale,” said Patricia Kaye Mislang, the store’s franchisee who collected the cuddly toys while working at Walt Disney Parks and Hotels in California. 
She said the restaurant was mulling over the possibility of selling the toys or giving them for free for a minimum order at customers’ requests.
It's like date night with a stuffed Teddy Bear or Mickey Mouse.

 The new normal means no more back riders on motorcycles. But there might be a way around that.
https://www.panaynews.net/motorcycle-with-divider-solution-to-angkas-ban/
Necessity is the mother of invention – and motorcycle modification. 
With the firm stand of the national government prohibiting backriders on motorcycles at this time of coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. thought of a modified motorcycle design that ensures no physical contact between the driver and the backrider. 
He submitted his proposal to Land Transportation Office (LTO) assistant secretary Edgar Galvante through LTO regional director Eric Lenard Tabaldo late afternoon on June 5. 
The modified motorcycle design featured a divider or windshield made of non-porous and transparent material installed between the driver and the backrider. 
Defensor personally commissioned a builder in Iloilo City to execute his design using the motorcycle of his staff. 
The modified motorcycle was presented to the public on Friday afternoon. 
A handle bar has been attached to the divider’s frame that the backrider could grip for a more secure ride. 
As part of the health protocol, said Defensor, both the driver and backrider must wear crash helmets, facemasks and gloves and perform disinfecting procedures immediately before and after the trip.
In my area I am not sure if back riders are banned or if people just don't care because I have seen 2 and 3 on a bike just like before the pandemic.

 The quarantines have hit everyone hard causing jobs and money to disappear. One little boy has stepped up to help his family.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/familyandrelationships/741512/9-year-old-boy-sells-medals-he-won-at-school-to-buy-food-for-family/story/
A nine-year-old boy recently went viral for selling medals he had won at school to buy food for his family amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. 
For P20 each, he was willing to sell the medals so his family could have something to eat. 
His mom Cherryl, who worked as a security guard and househelp, had lost her source of income due to the pandemic. That’s when Kenneth decided to sell his medals. 
However, because of the pandemic and the possibility of classes resuming online, Kenneth felt hopeless because he didn’t have a computer or a strong internet connection. 
Because of their financial problem, Kenneth began selling his medals online. 
Fortunately, generous donors responded and sent help to the family. 
Dr. Khristian Santos, who owned an online laptop shop, gave the family a laptop. The “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” team, meanwhile, gave the brothers their own internet broadband and financial aid. 
Kenneth was willing to let go of all his medals for his family. After all, he said, his greatest pride was his mother.
It's not clear if he actually sold the medals or if people saw what he was doing and stepped in to offer help. It would pretty callous if somebody actually bought them.

Liquor bans are being lifted across the country but drinking in public is still banned. That has not stopped some from going hog wild.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1288172/6-arrested-in-ecija-for-alcoholic-binge-that-violated-gcq-protocol
Six people, including a senior citizen, were arrested after they were caught in a drinking session that violated protocol, according to police here. 
Lt. Col. Alexie Desamito, the town’s police chief, said the six were consuming alcoholic drinks at a public place, which is banned by guidelines under general community quarantine (GCQ), supposedly a response to coronavirus transmission less restrictive than enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). 
Those arrested were identified as Ricardo Francisco, 62; Giliver Pagtalunan, 29; Orlando Bernabe, 45; Florante Balbin, 43; Maricel Rauza, 38; and Andy Simon, 30. 
Police said they caught the suspects after responding to a report that one of them pointed a gun at a farmer.
Does every drinking party in the Philippines have to involve a gun?

Church has been cancelled during the quarantine but now worshippers are being allowed to congregate once more.  In smaller numbers of course. For Catholics there will be paperwork.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1288934/catholics-must-fill-out-form-when-going-to-church
Catholics will have to bring pens when they go to church, as they will have personal information forms to fill out when the government allows religious gatherings to resume under a more relaxed coronavirus quarantine. In an administrative decree issued on Monday, the Diocese of Pasig said the requirement would be part of the rules for the reopening of churches for the celebration of Mass. 
The personal information forms will be used for contact tracing to halt the spread of the new coronavirus in the country.
“At the entrance doors of the church, they will be given a form, which they can bring [to the pews]. They will fill [out] the forms upon [sitting] in the pews, [giving their name, address, contact number, date and time of the Mass attended and seat number],” said Pasig Bishop Mylo Vergara.
Will paperwork really halt the spread of the virus? 

 This year's Independence Day celebration in Rizal park will be very different.  

With only a handful of participants, the gathering at Rizal Park in Manila on June 12 to celebrate the country’s 122nd anniversary of independence is perhaps the smallest ever. The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has allowed the celebration of Independence Day but “this is limited to 10 people only,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday.
Who will these 10 people be? Does this include spectators?

 Some COVID-10 patients have been experiencing neurological symptoms. Could that be why one patient in Cebu committed suicide?
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-many-patients-reporting-neurological-symptoms-136692
In a statement posted Tuesday evening, Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr., VSMMC medical chief, said the patient “was admitted due to Covid-19 pneumonia” on Monday and was staying in a room at the third level of the regional hospital. 
Aquino said the nurse on duty noticed on early Tuesday morning the sudden behavioral changes on the patient, who would sing then shout and hit the room's glass door with his fist. 
The guard on duty then spotted the patient roaming around the third-floor lobby and ignored calls to calm down. 
“The patient forcibly broke the glass window near the elevator and jumped to his death towards the ground floor of the ND Building,” Aquino said.
It sure seems that way.
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