Virtual celebrations

It was a year ago this month when I wrote about wearing masks in the context of that haze from Indonesia which then enveloped Metro Cebu. Back then I wrote:

“The downsides (of wearing a mask) are few but something that I find quite disturbing. And that is why I’m taking this haze event as an opportunity to share something which I think should become a common hygiene practice in the country: wearing masks in public.

“The problem lies in how we treat people who wear masks. We avoid or treat with suspicion those who wear these masks. It’s often a good thing actually for me – like being left alone by salespeople in a mall.

“But this attitude of being scared of people wearing face masks is not good. In other Asian countries, it’s common to see people wearing masks in public. Wearing masks is a way to prevent the spread of disease. If you have the sniffles, a mask can protect others; in perfect health, a mask can protect yourself.”

We had no idea that less than a year later, wearing of masks in public would become a norm, even a requirement as a public health measure. I hope that when the much-anticipated vaccine against COVID-19 will come to our land perhaps soon this year or next year, we would still adopt the habit of wearing masks in public, at least, using those reusable cloth masks or some innovation that won’t worsen our solid waste management problem.

Last month, Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon brought to the attention of the council the problem on the improper disposal of face masks and other personal protective equipment. He has proposed an ordinance that will mandate the proper and safe disposal of used face masks and related protective gear and products. The proposed measure is now under review at the committee on laws of the city council.

The US-based National Center for Biotechnology Information has warned that single-use face masks that get to the environment (disposal in landfills, freshwater, oceans, or littering at public spaces) could be an emerging new source of microplastic fibers. Thus, it is important that we devise proper urban waste management strategies during this pandemic in order to avert long-term environmental and health problems.

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Next week is a full week ahead for media people, lawyers, and civic groups as we celebrate the annual Cebu Press Freedom Week spearheaded by Cebu’s tri-media together with the Cebu Citizens-Press Council, and the Law Week organized by the Cebu City and Cebu Province chapters of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Unlike last year’s celebration of Press Freedom Week, this year’s activities will be held mostly in virtual venues using online channels like Zoom and social media. The obvious downside is that we won’t be seeing each other physically during the celebration. We’ll surely miss the intimate qualities and nuanced interactions of being present in an actual room.

Virtual meetings are still new to most of us and I know many people who are really having a difficult time maintaining an engaging atmosphere in such meetings. In my remote class sessions for example, I had to think of ways to build not just a learning atmosphere but also a sense of community among my students who are now deprived of the in-campus learning experience. For instance, I use as virtual background photos of our classroom in campus. That way they are reminded of the campus and feel a sense of being there. I also open more avenues for interaction and consultations on a more interpersonal level.

Yet there is also an upside to virtual meetings. Just about everyone can now participate or at least watch these meetings, lectures, and other events organized by various groups. In my free time, I have attended various webinars and forums organized by local and international groups on a variety of topics concerning my profession and pressing issues of the day.

Allow me to invite you to be part in some of this coming week’s activities related to the Press Freedom Week and the Law Week celebrations. Details about these activities are posted at the social media page of the organizers. Also this Monday, the IBP Eastern Visayas Region’s Open Bar podcast, which I am directing, will debut its sixth episode with our honored guest, Vice President Leni Robredo. Catch the episode on iTunes, Spotify or SoundCloud this Monday where we post the link at https://www.facebook.com/IBPEVOpenBar.