Almost pointless

It feels almost pointless to express one’s thoughts on what the government is doing wrong and what could be done better. This is the result of having Cabinet officials who have behaved in an almost childlike manner where they cover their ears with their hands and run around saying “I can’t hear you! – I can’t hear you! – I can’t hear you!” Faced with undeniable data of record high numbers of COVID-19 cases, they feign false humility and a sense of loss. When questioned about policy decisions they pull out the “We have experts on our team” card and dismiss doubts or concerns. When criticized they turn snarky and snarly. When they act, they shoot their mouths off first, then put their plan together haphazardly or belatedly. In Tagalog, “Laging una ang dada kaysa gawa.”

The government sends “workers” out so they can earn a living at the risk of getting infected and bringing the infection to their homes where COVID has gone from single incidents to family-based infections. The solution, they tell us, is to wear face masks even at home. The government imposes strict quarantine lockdown such as a liquor ban but allows the sale of alcoholic drinks and consumption at home where people get drunk and forget about social distancing or keeping non-family members out. The official solution is to send out cops and the LGU to slap fines on these drunks and “pasaways.”

We are in a lockdown but government allows home deliveries of frappes, cappuccino, milk tea, etc. So now we have a social media debate if lugaw is an essential food or political fodder. Health officials tell the public that if you are only experiencing mild symptoms just stay home. But many doctors have agreed that early detection and treatment reduces complications and mortality. Frontline health workers get the vaccine but policemen and women have to wait months to be vaccinated.

The government locks down NCR Plus and strands many individuals with RT-PCR certificates with no provision for free re-testing due to lockdown. The solution, they tell port managers, is to feed the hungry and give shelter to the “homeless” passengers. Government “opens the economy” to 30 percent operating capacity to what end? That’s not even enough to generate income to run companies, much less make a profit that could be taxable. Public transport cannot sustain itself at 30 or 50 percent, but it is highly suspect of being an incubator or vehicle for contamination.

Every time the government puts one foot forward to “reopen the economy” it has to retreat after COVID cases shoot up. As one looks back on these countless missteps of government you end up asking, did they really think these things through or did they just collect ideas around the room and sorted the politically correct or popular approach?

In its latest ECQ version, the Duterte administration first said there would be no cash assistance or ayuda. A few days later, they said there would be but we don’t know how much. Next day they said P1,000, the next day they said P1,000 each but not exceeding P4,000 to a family. After a whole week people in every barangay were asking: “Where’s the money?”  Malacañang replied they were still sorting out if it would be “cash or kind.” Next day they said it can be either. Local officials replied: “Idiots, lagi nalang una ang dada kaysa gawa!”

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Our survival and our ability to evade COVID-19 can no longer be left in the hands of incompetent political appointees propped up by so-called experts who may know their medicine and public governance but may lack steely integrity and honesty to say what must be said and to push for what must be done. These experts might actually have such integrity and honesty but standing before politically spineless cowards who choose to be deaf, a handful of wisdom is but thin air. We must lean on our survival instinct to live through these two pandemics: the first COVID-19, the second the stupidity and idiocy of government officials. Come hell or high water, isolate yourself and your family, make your choice between Life or Livelihood, whatever it costs get vaccinated and stop waiting on the government that keeps telling us what we already know!

“Livelihood or Lives?” That is the question before us.

Some have said that it should not be and cannot be a choice of one over the other. Others have said “we may survive COVID-free but die from hunger as a result.” Then others retort that there won’t be any economy to save, if all the workers or half the population of the NCR dies from COVID. Political leaders have opted to strike a balance and a compromise. Let workers work and keep non-workers at home.

Sadly our costly compromise has shown that COVID-19 and its minions do not negotiate – do not compromise. The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise, frontliners have started to fall from exhaustion or infection, the deaths and serious infections have come “closer to home” as more and more friends and family turn into statistics and ICU battles. The hospitals are so overloaded and any attempt at reassuring the public that the national average remains stable is beaten down as “intellectual dishonesty” by the cold hard facts of people dying in tents and triage areas. Facebook has turned into our modern day Obituary page and the previously macabre photographing of the dear departed has been replaced with online funeral services and memorials. It has also become our digital church while imprisoned, where prayers are shared, offered up and desperately requested for the sick, the dead and their hurting families. Death is final and too high a price to pay.

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