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| Red sun in Boracay a few days before the COVID-19 scare got scarier. |
March 23, 2020 - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) scare
in the Philippines started out as early as January when news surfaced that an
unusual case of respiratory illness was quickly spreading in Wuhan, China. By
February, panic has started to hit the ASEAN countries as the deadly virus spread outside China, the first known case was in Thailand. It became clear
that the world is bracing for a pandemic, although it would take a few more
weeks before the World Health Organization classified COVID-19 as such.
The Philippine government apparently seemed relax at the
start, downplaying the need to close airports to and from China, especially
from the Hubei province. By early January, the first case of COVID19 was
registered in the Philippines.However the country
does not have mass testing, which explains why there seemed to be very few
cases.
With the burgeoning cases of coronavirus in the Asean region
skyrocketing quickly, the government finally enforced travel restrictions by
the second week of February. But with the situation we’re now in, had the Philippine
government imposed travel restrictions early on, do you think we could have
prevented the virus from reaching our shores? Was the government too complacent and thought it was just another ordinary flu virus? The consequences of these past
decisions weigh in now and in the days and weeks to come.
But in those cool February days, with in-bound travel ban in effect, it still felt safe and with limited number of tourists from China, I felt at ease but we were
never really safe. Complacent was far from being an option. I made my annual
trip to Boracay Island on February 29. Mindful of the need to avoid crowded
places, I chose a charming hotel tucked on a hill and pretty isolated from the
crowded coastal stations in the island. Considering
summer was fast approaching I thought
Boracay would be jampacked with tourists from around the world, but lo and
behold, the crowd was less than the usual. Coronavirus scare started to sink in
on people’s mind. There were very few Chinese and Korean tourists and mostly
were Europeans and locals. It was good to see the white beach in this pristine
setting, the sea was cerulean and clear, the shoreline half empty even in the
midday. But deep within the community, businesses were already feeling the
pinch while the workers begin to fear losing their income.
March stormed us with one turbulent news after another. A
week later, we were already starting to feel the worry that coronavirus would
be here anytime soon. Our university president called for a meeting, where were
reminded to observe certain precautions. Paranoid began to set in, as one who
coughed or sneezed would cause discomfort. He may have covid! One may say at
the back of his mind. I was suffering from cold and allergic rhinitis so I
tried to hold myself not to cough or sneeze in public – which was really
difficult.
When the number of positive cases in Metro Manila began to
rise, we knew tough times were coming. By the second week of March, everyone
was hooked on the news as cases spiralled while persons under investigation
quickly escalated. The national capital region was gripped with fear and
despite efforts by the government to ensure the public that everything was in
control, one cannot deny that a city so densely populated would have a hard
time containing the virus. Not unless extremely drastic measures are taken.
I would like to think that life should carry on even with
coronavirus lingering around. That my travels should push through because life
goes on, I assured myself. I was about to have a trip to Palawan but
with virus, fear, and worry spreading like wildfire, I decided to cancel on the
last minute. It was a wise decision. I should have arrived in Palawan on March
12, but on March 13, the flight back to Iloilo was cancelled, an email from
Cebu Pacific notified me. That same day, the government announced that Metro
Manila would be placed under community quarantine – a measure a little less than the lockdown implemented
in Wuhan and Italy, where the virus left the government stunned and helpless.
Surreal was the
word that defined the empty, haunted streets and piazzas that once thrived with
tourists from around the world. In other word, it is unbelievable. Of course,
one could never fathom that this would ever happen to a first world country. Italy
was brought to its feet and knees, how much more a third world country like the
Philippines? The decision to miss my trip to Palawan was not a blessing in
disguise. It was a blessing outright. Panic hit overcrowded airports. I saw angry passengers shouting at airport
staff. What could have happened to me had I not heeded to my gut feeling? A
friend who was trapped at the chaos told me the experience was like one of
those dystopian movies. What if I got trapped there? What if I failed to go
home on time? What would happen to my alcoholic father? I could only only imagine...
Everyone feared for our health and safety. Since the only COVID-19 testing center
available is in Manila, we were never sure who’s carrying the virus. We started
observing social distancing. We started buying alcohol when it was still cheap.
I stocked on face masks in mid-February when tension hasn’t yet escalated. You begin to see people avoiding one another.
The mall had started to look more like a ghost town.
In Manila, things remain worrisome and the president decided
to place the entire Luzon island under extended community quarantine. No
sooner, our mayor placed the city of Roxas under community quarantine; a
pronouncement by the governor of Capiz also came in place. Local government
leaders in nearby provinces of Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras and Aklan also did the
same. Every minute mattered. The local government units were quick to mobilize
to ensure that their communities remain safe. The health department’s call to
stay at home to arrest the spread of COVID-19 grew louder and louder and we
eagerly wanted to comply. Schools begin to close and classes were moved online.
But as civil servants, we were still required to go to work. Guidelines on
skeletal work forces came out. Our work schemes were adjusted but there was
still that fear that you might bumped into to someone who has the virus or got exposed to a covid-positive.
Paranoia has become the norm.
It did not take too long until our university president
finally issued an announcement that allowed us to follow the “work at home
scheme”. Everyone sighed with relief. While we can rest on the safety of our
homes, the world outside still brings in uncertainty, and as COVID-19 cases rose
from hundreds to thousands, we knew we were in for the fight to stay alive.
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