In bad taste

An alleged “presidential memo” leaked out last Wednesday and was confirmed by the Director for News and Information of the PCOO. In part the memo states: “Pursuant to the directive of the President all government media platforms must carry regular COVID-19 updates, specifically to convey to the public that the Philippines is faring better than many other countries in addressing the pandemic.” Along with the confirmation, the said Director Arcilla Agtay was quoted as saying that the goal was towards: Simply amplifying facts.

Normally, such memos would not draw much comment but under current circumstance, the memo raises a few issues. First of all, I personally wonder if President Duterte was really the originator and author of the memo designed to make the Philippine COVID-19 situation look good in comparison or by comparing our statistics with other countries struggling with greater deaths and tragedy. In the short period I have observed PRRD, its not his style to fan propaganda such as stated in the leaked memo. If anything, President Duterte is very secure about his management style, he is extremely transparent regarding the state of affairs on any matter whether good or bad, and he has never been known to orchestrate a public relations directive that reeks of such Bad Taste.

On occasion he has expressed helplessness, hopelessness, even a desire to just give up if he could. So why would President Duterte suddenly be marshaling all the propagandists in government to brainwash Filipinos with global statistics and make sure the Philippines looks good? The memo was surely the handiwork of someone who needs to justify his existence in the PR circle, someone patently insensitive and inconsiderate and someone who can only think of the hundreds of thousands of dead COVID-19 victims as convenient statistics to prop up his false claim that the Philippines is faring better than many countries.

The usual argument is that because we have fewer deaths from COVID-19 the Duterte administration is surely doing an excellent job of managing the infections in the country. That argument conveniently sets aside the fact that the population that could have suffered the most number of deaths, the senior citizens 65 years and above, have been incarcerated in their own homes for one year and one month, house arrest with out even committing a crime. We have fewer deaths because unlike in other countries, Filipinos take care of their elderly at home, not in hospices or homes for the aged. We closely supervise our children and are comparatively aware, if not well informed, about health issues and have observed health protocols.

We have fewer deaths because we have superb physicians; we are the spring from where the best nurses in the world originate. We have fewer deaths because most of our population is below 30 so less at risk from COVID than older age groups. On top of all that, our society is still relatively relaxed and supportive in terms of people independently buying medicines, machines, tools, even oxygen tanks. In other words we are able to generally take care of ourselves or find help from family, friends or local politicians during dire situations. Last but not the least our health care system has not been hijacked or held hostage by frivolous claims or malpractice law suits, so doctors feel more confident in doing everything and trying anything to help save lives.

The number of deaths is a consequential statistic that surfaces because the system failed or the patient was destined to die. People die because they don’t have access to medical attention, people die because of poor or faulty communication of government, the DOH failed to build more hospitals the first time around in 2020, the country barely has any vaccines because the government dragged its feet in putting up the money needed to be in front of the line, relied on false hopes and trusted on political promises from China for vaccines while a DOH official dropped the ball on purchasing US made vaccines because of political pussy footing.

If the country is faring better than others, why then is the National Capital Region and four surrounding provinces still being placed in various forms of quarantine lockdown after one year and one month? If the country is faring better, why do we now have a second or third wave far worse and infectious than the first national episode with COVID-19? If the country is faring better why are thousands of Filipinos in the NCR Aquarium lining up in community pantries, hoping to get food while at risk of infection of COVID-19 or arrest for breaking curfew?

Last but not the least, if the Philippines is faring better than other countries, why does the PCOO and its personnel have to cite global data or statistics, use these to compare with that of the Philippines and are REQUIRED to show that the Philippines is faring better? If the only way we can look better or faring better is to step and stand on the statistics of dead people in India, the United States, Brazil, etc., then we have surely hit an all time low in terms of sensitivity, compassion and bad taste.

The Duterte administration may not get gold medals in the battle against COVID-19, but it is not doing much worse than many countries around the world. In a global pandemic, much like a war, you don’t dream of getting the Medal of Valor, ribbons or citations. All you want is to make sure you get out alive and that nobody is left behind. Real soldiers don’t come out looking and smelling clean, only actors do.

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